milwhitt70 Reviews

Jailhouse Rock (1957)

This is more like the real Elvis Presley

[5 October 2008]

This movie tells a great story about the rise of a star. I saw it originally about 1957,and after seeing it again recently, I am beginning to think this Vince is the Real Elvis or Elvis is the real Vince. After the death of Elvis, we have seen so many of his crazy antics in film clips, like shooting a TV set, looking terribly mean under the influence of drugs, fearing the unknown, even had his security men carry guns, and carried a gun himself. He fired Red West, Sonny West, and others that were his lifetime bodyguards and friends. He even fired his lifetime band, including Scotty Moore. Just like Vince, everything seemed to go to his head and he became "great" and terribly arrogant. I was sorry to learn Judy Tyler died at 23 in a car accident and didn't get to see it. She was great!!!

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)

Wasn't interested at first, but then became captivated in it.

[9/10 · 31 August 2007]

This movie has been played close to 100 times in the last 5 months on TV, but in was on the high end channels' 370 to 380 digital. Later it had gotten down to lower channel 149 to 171. These are commercial free and I'm glad I taped it as a favorite family movie. I hope this movie is someday shown on the regular 2 digit channels so more people can see it, like they did with "October Sky". In the movie, the dress code seemed right for the time period. Of course, after seeing the movie I had to go to the internet to dig up everything a could on the Ryan family. Just a few minutes ago, I found the Terry (the writer) had died of cancer a couple of months ago. It was great that the book came out and was made into movie. Of course, Terry herself, showing that old typewriter, was in it at the end as well as all the Ryan children. It was a good ending to a good movie.

Chain Lightning (1950)

This movies was science fiction then, new we're there

[8/10 · 18 August 2007]

I saw this movie when it first came out and jets were practically unheard of. Three years later I was in Korea with the 335th FIS, and the King then was the F-86. The original movie showed a needle nose designed to break the air at high speed as a diver points his hands to break the water, and the air intakes were on the sides. The F-86 had one big intake in front which was dangerous because one of my best friends, a mechanic, was accidentally sucked up the intake while chocking wheels on the run-up strip when the pilot hit the throttle at 100%. He was gone in the blink of an eye. Bogie's plane could fly up to 60,000 ft and top speed of about 1600 mph. General Dynamics must have used this movie for the development of the F-16, because there seems to be a lot of similarities. I took an interest in some of the comparisons after seeing the movie "Afterburn".

Rambling Rose (1991)

Good photography, but a little slow and depressing

[5/10 · 19 April 2007]

Since I started looking at Laura Dern movies and heard so much about this one, rental stores didn't have it. I finally found on the internet where I could buy it for about $10, I got it along with one of my favorites, "Afterburn". The movie, a flashback to the 1930s, made a slow start but picked up later. It's a story that, for that period of time, has probably been played out thousands of times in real life all over the country. A young girl without a family to raise her in those times is a real tragedy, and Rose was doing the best she could..very lucky to even get the job and the home. I thought that Rose getting into bed with Buddy and what happened then was totally unnecessary to help the movie. Thats why I went down to a five. The ending was quite depressing after grown-up Buddy came back home and found out she had died. We didn't know anything about her for 25 years.

Last of the Dogmen (1995)

Surprises all the way through.

[8/10 · 14 December 2006]

This was an edge of the chair movie all the way. I started not to watch it because I only liked one of Berringers movies, and that was the one where he made a comedy spoof out "movie cowboys"; forgot the name, but it was all those colored shirts, always clean shaved, and shot the gun out of the outlaws hands with a sixgun from a mile away. This movie showed a different side of the man. Of course,it is always interesting to see Kurtwood Smith but I must say he will always be Norm Stoney to me. That movie made me feel like I wanted to be a part of that hidden Cheyenne camp, away from the traffic, the war, high school shootings, and senseless killings every day all over America. So, for a little over an hour, I was "there". I just didn't get Barbara Hershey!!! Thanks.

Election (1999)

A high-school story, not too interesting

[3/10 · 13 November 2006]

I have seen this movie once and started watching it again but didn't finish. I was trying to find something I may have missed, because it was an Alexander Payne movie and should have been laced with surprising photography gimmicks. The bee sting was an interesting part as we watched the eye swell and close more with each scene. I saw the movie on regular TV so I missed the bad language. The movie was a simple high school story which would end at graduation. It may have been a good story to a teen ager, but not to one in his 70s. In contrast, Citizen Ruth was a story of real people and real problems that do not vanish at graduation, but follows those involved throughout their lives. Did Mr. Payne top out his best with Ruth? I did notice that "Linda" in Election, was the same woman in the car who said she was "Ruth's Sister". Thanks.

Walk the Proud Land (1956)

Only heard of John Clum before in Wyatt Earp movies.

[10/10 · 25 September 2006]

Saw this movie years ago and recently taped it for my collection as a worthwhile Western movie. It took me a long time to catch on that this was the same John P. Clum that you hear mentioned in the many, many TV shows and movies in all western movies relating to Wyatt Earp, as Editor of the Tombstone Epitaph. I think I can name about 10, starting with Richard Dix "The Town Too Tough to Die" about 1939. John Clum must have been a very intelligent man to be chosen as an Indian agent, and then later have the ability to run a newspaper in Tombstone. The end of the movie gave the impression, after the old Indian Chief had a talk with him, that he might stay but he did not. We were not told the year this Agent was active at San Carlos, but we know Clum was established in Tombstone by 1880, so there is nothing on his life in between. Clum made history when he wrote of the Gunfight at the OK Corral on October 27, 1881. Copies of the original newspaper can still be purchased in Tombstone. I got mine Oct 2001 on a trip, and some extras for my old fogy buddies who still play "cowboys".

Reckoning (2002)

I've been a Western nut for 65 years, this is not a great one.

[3/10 · 28 August 2006]

There was good color and superb scenery (the real reason why an Easterner likes Westerns, anyway) but the story was not all that great. Even old Hopalong Cassidy movies gave us more realistic stories. I taped it off the Digital Channel and was about to abort the effort, when I saw Kate. Cheryl Lawson was one of the prettiest women I've seen in Westerns in ages, way back since the days of Dorothy Malone, Gail Davis and even prettier than Peggy Stewart or Barbara Stanwick (at their best). The real only good thing about this movie was Kate. All she had to do is stand still, where some actresses have to work like the devil to become noticed, like LD in "Citizen Ruth". Well, it's the truth!!

The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)

One of the trickiest , but realistic shots in movie history

[9/10 · 2 August 2006]

The thing most talked about about in this movie for the past 40 years or so, is the shot that broke the beer glass as the man dropped it. This was all in a single filming and no switching frames. I asked a "show gunslinger" after a 1973 demonstration in Scottsdale AZ, and he said it was done with remote control of explosives in the glass. Many years later about 1998, I asked a visiting showman, Joe Bowman in Salisbury MD, and he said that Rod Redwing shot the glass with a .22 cal rifle. So, who knows?? However, I did see, and video tape, Joe Bowman on two separate occasions, fire 3 shots with a "Single Action .45" so quick it sounded like one shot. I saw the primers of the three shells before and the dented primers after.

We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)

Hollywoods greatest character actress in a bad movie.

[1/10 · 3 May 2006]

This one really shocked me. After so many good stories, and superb character acting from Laura Dern, I didn't know a movie could be this bad! Why do I say that? Because this movie had no beginning, no middle and no end. It just went on until somebody got tired. Even the men stars seemed scroungy, unkempt, long hair, unshaven, and looked like railroad bums. LD is probably the greatest female character actor to ever hit Hollywood, but even the best needs a story. "Afterburn", "Damaged Care", and "Citizen Ruth" provided her with a powerful character to be and she handled them well. This woman will never has to live with the words, "co-star" because she IS the star, something few women can boast about. By the way, "Daddy and Them" and "Dr. T and the Women" were almost as bad...no real story there either. I'll bet she knows this too. Thanks.

Afterburn (1992 TV Movie)

This is one of her best movies, WOW

[9/10 · 9 March 2006]

Laura Dern is full of surprises. After seeing Dr. T. and the Women I wasn't sure what I wanted to look at, except she was so fascinating in Damaged Care. So here is another great movie, this time not a runaway, schoolteacher, drug addict, Med. doctor, scientist, bad wife, detective, but an Air Force wife. The way she can adapt to so many personalities in such a short space of time, (1992- 2002)is amazing. This was well laid out and a superbly directed true story based on a wife's love. As the dead pilot's wife, she was convinced that he was one of the best and was out to prove the death was not his fault, but a malfunction of a new plane which killed many pilots and was being covered up by the US Government, the USAF, and General Dynamics. For years she fought and searched, and eventually found the proof and sued the system and won. There was even a hint that an AF doctor, a Lt Col., had a "fatal accident" just before he was to testify on the pilot's behalf. It was brought out the real Janet H. had a small part in the movie and I'm still trying to figure out which one she was. The BAD thing here is that this movie was made for HBO and available to probably less than 1% of the viewing population. I've never seen HBO in my life so I rented it. This movie should have been on the Big Screen, and I think it would have been on a blockbuster level like "Sergeant York". It was well done and easy to follow, something I can't say for many movies today. Thanks.

Dr. T & the Women (2000)

Surprisingly bad for so many good actors and actresses..

[3/10 · 8 March 2006]

Here is a movie that went nowhere. Got it because all Laura Dern movies have been good. This one, goes down to a three, just to be kind to the LD record. I watched it after breakfast and before lunch, about 11 am, and it was still hard to stay awake. Mostly about a bunch of mouthy women saying nothing and going nowhere. I'm sure that the director, whoever he was, was trying to make it pay off on the last 15 minutes, where the movie showed, after Richard Gere was caught in the Texas tornado, the actual birth of a baby.. yes, all of it!!! This was horrible!! One of the poorest directed movies ever. Hoppy, Gene and Roy were better handled. Please, Laura, go back to Alexander Payne, even over Whathisname of Wild at Heart.

Damaged Care (2002 TV Movie)

I love a true story - only thing better is a documentary

[9/10 · 8 March 2006]

I didn't even know Laura Dern existed until 6 month ago when I saw "Wild At Heart". Maybe I did see her in Jurrassic Park, but she didn't leave a mark on me. This time she did!! Wow!! what a great, super actress!! I found that after seeing LD in several movies, she is great in factual stories, like October Sky. Whatever she does, she makes a believer out of me!! Here, she is a top grade doctor who blows the whistle on the HMO doctors. Well, I always thought there was something wrong with this system, anyway. There is something wrong with the new American people, that whenever they can steal a dollar, they'd rather do that than earn it. This is a story about such people. Not about poor people, but about rich people who want to get richer and they use the poor peoples money to do it. Thanks, Laura, I love you more today than I did yesterday. By the way, if you ever see this, I only give "10" rarely, but your best movie, a brave movie, was without question, was "Citizen Ruth". I ought to know, I've watched it 10 times or more. Please give my best to Alexander Payne, greatest Director of all time.

Novocaine (2001)

Laura Dern gave us a real surprise at the end.

[7/10 · 8 March 2006]

Whatever Steve Martin is in is probably going to be good, and this one was. It was a slow starter but it finally got off to a fast moving film. Steve, the dentist, was taken in by a drug user and when he gave her a prescription for 5 pills, he learned that she had added a "O" to his figure and made it 50. Once he started lying, he had to keep on lying to cover up the other lies. He was apparently an innocent victim and didn't know it for a long time. There was one murder of the addicts brother, and another murder of Steve's brother. He finally figured out the one person who could get all the information together and and set him up to be convicted. When he pulled his own teeth and replaced them in another false set, we could really see the sense of it all. The end was the greatest surprise of all.

In Justice (2006)

It's different, but might become a serious controversial issue.

[18 February 2006]

The first show I watched all the way through was February 17th. Kyle MacLachlan was hardly recognizable since the last thing I saw him in was "Blue Velvet" and he was 20 years younger. I had to actually check it out to make sure it was Kyle. This ending surprised me and left me talking to myself. It was not a normal Hollywood ending where the innocent victim was saved in the last two minutes of the show. We are led to believe the black man, although convicted for a fire and murder 8 years earlier, might be innocent, we see he still got the needle. Such a show could backfire, and cause the American justice system a new set of problems to deal with. Not a show I would give a high rating to.

Jericho (2000)

I like westerns and this was a good one.

[7/10 · 19 January 2006]

Well, the second time was better than the first. Mark Valley was a new face to me, and as most old timers, I am reluctant to accept new actors. This one, however, was great, and gave us a very interesting, but different story. Some pictures are never seen because they are looked upon as "sleepers". Since I have been watching Digital Channels, some of the best movies and good stories are from Ch.150 to 170. Valley was a marshal with amnesia due to a whack on the head with a shotgun. He had been convinced he was one of the robbers and stayed on the run, taking jobs as a cowhand. There were near misses of people who knew him but all thought he was killed in the holdup. After being gone 8 or so years, he returns to his hometown. His memory is beginning to return in spurts. Finally, he goes home, stay outside, and sees the candle still burning in the window for him. It ended happily and I thought it a good western.

8 Seconds (1994)

A great movie and a very special ending of the real man

[9/10 · 16 January 2006]

This is the kind of movie that would pull tears out of a statue. Luke Perry did a great job all the way. I never heard of Lane Frost until then, but I have studied about him since. I was in Cheyenne at Warren AFB in early 1951 way before Lane was born, and had to leave just before the Cheyenne Frontier Days. This movie was not the kind you forget as soon as it's over, it stays with you and bugs you, and very few do that to me. I'm 75 and have seen a lot. The only other movies that I said would "pull tears out of a statue" would have to be "October Sky" and "I'll See You in My Dreams" (Doris Day). As a youngster, I got hung up on Westerns and that stayed with me most of my life, which is probably the real reason I missed so many good movies. Now I sit around and try to catch up, thanks to my recent interest in a lady I consider the "Worlds Most Versatile and Talented Actress".

October Sky (1999)

Got the movie yesterday, not impressed, now must see it again

[10/10 · 15 January 2006]

I actually rented the movie to see Laura Dern. Was not too impressed at first until I learned it was a real life story of a man named Homer Hickam from the coal mining area of West Virginia who was more interested in rockets after he saw Sputnik. At that period of time I had just gotten married, stationed in the D. C. area and was watching the sky like everybody else, but saw nothing. Here's the chill part!! I never heard of Homer Hickam until 24 hours ago. On the news tonight, 1/15/06, there was a memorial service for those miners who died in the mines early this week. A man was speaking to the crowd..a name came on the screen, Homer Hickam! 1/16/06. After seeing the movie again, I was moved by the story and really enjoyed it and it brought back memories of that period. Had to change to a 10. I must say, a very wonderful movie, hated to take it back. All were new actors to me except Homer Sr, and Laura Dern. They were all just great and I'm usually critical of new faces.

I Am Sam (2001)

Rented it to see an exciting Laura Dern movie.

[6/10 · 15 January 2006]

At the same time, I also rented "October Sky". The "Sam" movie might be right for some people, but Laura didn't show up until the end of the movie and was only in it for about 90 seconds. Well, after seeing "Blue Velvet", "Wild at Heart" and "Citizen Ruth" earlier, I was expecting some kind of interesting takeoff in the first 10 seconds. "Sam" was really not a really bad movie, a bit slow, but not what I expected. Sort of like ordering a shot of whiskey and getting a glass of water! Without question the real star of the show was the little girl who played Sams little daughter, and for that I change to a 6. She was terrific and has a great future. "October Sky" was a movie about Sputnik, rockets and mine cave-ins. I'll comment once I see it a couple more times and learn more about Homer Hickam.

Day of Anger (1967)

A good Western story, but fails on the lip synchronization

[7/10 · 27 November 2005]

Lee Van Cleef made his best movie in "Day of Anger". The worst drawback is the voices saying one thing and the lips doing something else, because they were using mostly foreign actors. As far as acting, Cleef did some fantastic stunts in the film on several occasions, and seemed to be as limber as a dishrag at the age of 43. Being dragged by horses and catching the gun thrown to him was really a good stunt. Also the street fight where he flipped over backwards while shooting at the bad guys. At then end, he was facing the man he was teaching his "10 rules of survival", and lost. The final scene where he was wounded and asked the man not to kill him, was very realistic camera work. If it was spoken in English, I would have given this movie a 10! Thanks.

Late for Dinner (1991)

An unforgettable move; the kind that makes an older person look back at 1962

[10/10 · 4 October 2005]

I had never seen this actor, Brian Wimmer, before, but he did a fantastic job in this movie. Peter Berg was great as the sick and somewhat "slow" brother in law. It is a movie that would make any person look back to 1962 and and make you wonder about all how you would accept all this new technology if you suddenly woke up in 1991. It was even a little scary but I have seen it three times and finally taped it. I was at Edwards AFB in 1962 and had a cousin in Pomona that I visited often, and my uncle had a blue Ford Station wagon, so this put me closer to the movie than most people. The fact that Willie did not age and when he went back to Santa Fe to all the new changes, that was spooky. Then when he saw his wife, so much older, I felt so sorry for the time he had lost. Great movie #10.

Citizen Ruth (1996)

Even years later, this is still a haunting, thought provoking movie..

[10/10 · 10 September 2005]

My change. I still look for a court objection when she went to Council Bluffs, Iowa. So where was the Budget Host, the abortion clinic (up a dirt road) and where was Diane's house, shown up a dirt road and a dying cornfield? Was that in Iowa, if so, it was a violation of her parole in NE.. Earlier I wondered what Ruth would do with the money after she made her getaway. Just recently another thought comes up!!! YOU can tell people what to do, but all this can change when it hits YOUR home. Norm Stoney was a powerhouse against abortion,but remember his daughter Cheryl, slipped out at night for drug parties and even once slipped a boyfriend out in the early morning while Norm and his friends were singing "Jesus loves the Little Children". Now, suppose Cheryl turned up pregnant, without a clue as who the father was!! Would Norman still be against abortion??? or would he WANT his daughter to get an abortion? Don't get me wrong, Mr. Payne has created something big here and I have taken this very deeply. 9/08... Payne's sense of photographic scenes give us something special, especially the times Ruth's eyes look directly into the camera..you can almost see the brain wheels planning something! This is one of the best movies I've seen since "High Noon"!! It make you say "What would I do, what would you do?? I still want Citize Ruth #2... don't you?? Finish it, Payne!! email: [e-mail]. Git 'er done, AP!!!!

Alias Smith and Jones (1971–1973)

TV Series Alias Smith and Jones

[12 August 2005]

I'm watching reruns on the Western E&W digital channels. The story lines were very good and interesting, as well as the great color and scenery. It seemed that the popularity began to fade when Pete Duel died (I heard it was suicide around the Christmas Holidays). Roger Davis was not as well accepted as the replacement of Hayes, but I think it was only because he had appeared in the series a few times before as a baddie. I just saw one this evening "The smiling man with a gun". Since they are not shown in any sequence each evening, you never know which will be Hannibal Hayes. Since the show first aired, I have retired and visited different areas of the west each summer for the past six years. I've tried to figure where that beautiful scenery was. My guess would have to be Moab UT and the Arches NP. That is how the rock formations looked out there, and also Sedona, AZ. No tall cactus so it was not in southern Arizona. Thanks.

Hoedown (1950)

Different kind of movie, first time I ever saw Jock Mahoney

[6/10 · 15 May 2005]

I am glad to find the name of this movie again. It was such a long time ago when I first saw it, I could only remember J. Mahoney singing to his horse in the voice of Gene Autry as Eddie Arnold was watching a movie. I really went in to see Eddie Arnold. I was not impressed with Jock Mahoney at all thinking he was a bit weak. It was not until much later that I learned that he was doing all the stunt work for the Durango Kid, and was a superb horseman and stuntman, jumping from a roof into the saddle. Ouch!! Later he made very good movies and my favorite was "Slim Carter" where he started out struck on himself after becoming a star, and became quite humble over an orphaned kid. Thanks for letting me share.

Guardian of the Wilderness (1976)

Good show. His best performance

[9/10 · 18 February 2005]

I have seen Denver Pyle as Galen Clark and it gave me a new respect for the man. I taped it, and have shown it to others. I believe it was based on a true story and life of a man who wanted to protect our forests working with the well known John Muir. I remember Mr.Pyle in many, many earlier shows as a bad guy in pictures with Wild Bill Elliott, Audie Murphy, Gene Autry TV series, as well as the Doris Day show and Dukes of Hazard. Sometimes he was so young in the early western I could hardly recognized him (as I watch old movies) on the Westerns Channels. To the best of my knowledge, this was his only absolute starring role in a film. Most of his parts were character actor parts, and he could do all of them very well, and could be just about anybody. Sometimes I felt I knew him.