Vultural

The Mirror Crack’d - 1980 - 6/10

Glossy Hollywood production of Christie’s yarn.
A large film crew arrives in St. Mary Mead, including glamour queen Marina and director / husband Jason (Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson).
Rivalries are aplenty, along with death threats, then a poisoning.
Constables are stymied, but fortunately one has a local aunt, Jane Marple.
Angela Lansbury excellent as Miss Marple, if more crusty than scattered.
Kim Novak delicious as the voluptuous schemer.
Otherwise, this has an old-fashioned feel to it, the old guard crafting what feels like 1950’s cinema.
Wet afternoon film for those who can go along with the unhurried pace.

5 X 2 - 2004 - 6/10

Inverted love story from François Ozon follows a couple “2“ through “5“ episodes of their relationship.
Story opens at the divorce attorney and a humiliating separation.
Then it flashes back to when the marriage turned sour -
back to the ecstasy of the nuptials -
to the desperate joy when you encounter one who could be “the one.”
The film is more the details, though, rather than the history.
Fate, coldly cruel here, twists each scene - from the beginning, or in this case, from the end.

Bassoff, Jon - Corrosion

The first section of this slams like a fist to the side of your head. Joseph Downs, disfigured combat vet, exits his truck, broken down this side of nowhere. There’s a bar, there’s always a bar.
Inside, a women is being abused, beaten, while residents mind their own business. Downs doesn’t. He intervenes and the squalid tale starts going tick - tick - tick.
This is hard-boiled, full Noir, and the most ferocious part of the book.
Second section harks back seven years. Benton Faulk, high school misfit. Ma dying in a lonely room, Pa, self-taught scientist, trying to concoct a cure amongst a room full of rats.
Benton’s home is a hothouse of guilt, betrayal, obsessive desire.
For all this, I wish the author had not named that kid Faulk since it leads me to think of Faulkner and Southern Gothic, of which this reeks, even though these are mountain residents.
The two characters, Downs and Faulk, are damned and doomed. Page by page, you wonder how much is delusion, how much is warped madness, and how much is Fate.
Fate, nudging these characters this way and that, yet always towards each other. Pushing the encounter, pushing them into the tight dark confines of rotten air and sorry chances.
For a first book, solid.

Mae West: Dirty Blonde - 2020 - 6/10

Solid overview of the saucy actress, remembered for a handful of films and her unforgettable attitude.
After an opening flourish of her Paramount beginnings, the doc returns to her roots.
Childhood, vaudeville, then the scandalous plays.
Chief among them, “Sex”, which was pilloried and berated by critics and poobahs.
So, of course, audiences flocked to see it and laugh.
Numerous clips from her films, as well as period Silents to shine the Roaring Twenties.
Most controversies touched on, some lighter than others.
West was a casualty of Breen’s Production Code, though one or two of her later movies are worth seeking out.
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/mae-west-dirty-blonde-2020/english/2864452

Time And Tide - 2000 - 6/10
AKA - Shun Liu ni Liu // 順流逆流

Jeez Louise, what an unstoppable film.
Petty criminals, Tyler and Jack (Nicholas Tse and Wu Bai), the former an illegal bodyguard, the latter a mercenary.
Both are young fathers, trying to earn cash in a violent Hong Kong.
One owes a debt to the Triads and when collection time comes, hell breaks loose.
Such is one fragment of a messy plot.
This amazing film is one to see for the stunts, and to be blunt, astounding camerawork.
There’s a nod to The Matrix in this, yet this remains Hong Kong cinema at its peak.
A must see and, I think, Tsui Hark’s last gangster film to date.

Life In Squares - 2016 - 6/10

Compact, three part series of Vanessa and Virginia Stephen (Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf).
Begins in 1904 after their father dies, until 1941, Virginia’s death.
The Bloomsbury group is on display, as well as painters, lovers, relatives.
The two sisters, painter and writer, are portrayed by different actors for earlier and later versions of the characters. As are several other characters.
That can be confusing. The plot is a bit of a muddle, as well, more of observing relationships.
Perhaps this would be better for those knowledgeable about the Bloomsbury inner-workings.
I was adrift half the time.

Crash - 1996 - 6/10

Following a harrowing car wreck, a TV personality discovers and then delves into a bizarre car subculture.
Accident victims, disfigured, mangled, crippled, obsessed with vehicular mishaps and sex.
A twisted take of the love affair between semen and gasoline, flesh and chrome.
James Spader leads a brilliant cast in this spellbinding Cronenberg film.
Participants numb, self-destructive, suicidal. And highly aroused.

This is probably not for the uninitiated nor faint-hearted.
Packed with emotionless sex that may kill your mood for the night.
Based on J. G. Ballard’s novel, an author who often alienates more than he entices.

An Officer And A Gentleman - 1982 - 7/10

Cocksure recruit Mayo enters Naval boot camp, training to be a fighter pilot.
(In many ways, this could be the precursor to Top Gun.)
With an ethos of all for me, and me for me, Mayo is hardly the team spirit.
While fellow cadets keep their guard up, local girls are quick to flutter.
Marriage to an officer is the traditional ticket out of Deadsville.
Steamy romance balanced with boot camp and the sadistic sergeant.
Lou Gossett won an Oscar who culls the weak, builds the esprit de corps.
High wattage date film still packs numerous emotional jolts.

Women Of 69: Unboxed - 7/10 - 2014

Offbeat documentary catches up with Skidmore’s Class of ‘69.
Instead of creating a yearbook, the women had crafted a “yearbox” in 1969.
Now, at age 65, they recall their college years and how that affected adult choices.

Freedom is an important concept, as well as independence. Breaking free resonates.

A life affirming doc, though unlikely to tempt younger audiences (in delicious irony, independent Boomers have raised dependent offspring).
The backward glance can be a trap. To my thinking, one should be careful when gazing at your younger self.

In 1969, Skidmore College was still a women’s college, before going coed in 1971.
Recently it has been awarded 1st place in the annual Reefer Madness poll.
Top school for marijuana users.

How To Be Sherlock Holmes - 2014 - 6/10

Glossy overview of the actors who have played Holmes.
From William Gillette to Mr Cumberbatch.
Of particular interest are what each has added to the canon.
Gillette, for example, switched from a straight pipe to the iconic curved pipe (so audiences could see his face).
He also uttered the phrase - on silent intertitle - “Elementary.”
Rathbone updated Holmes to the 40’s, Cumberbatch to the present day.
Jeremy Brett given left-handed praise, with apologists whining how tired he looked at the end (for those unaware, Mr Brett had been fighting cancer for several years, eventually succumbing to a heart attack).
Rathbone quit Holmes, worrying he would become typecast (which occurred). No mention was uttered of the sheer times he portrayed the detective. 13 major film roles, and a whopping 220 radio episodes!
The narrative also reminded viewers how fortunate they were to have two new actors (Cumberbatch & R Downey) playing the consulting detective. No mention of the Miller / Liu series.
Purists decry the omission of Vasily Livanov, considered by many to be the finest Holmes.
( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079902/ )

Heroes - 1977 - 6/10

Vietnam vet escapes the hospital and makes the roadtrip to start a farm he and other vets had pledged to do.
Henry Winkler pretty good as the highly strung veteran.
Difficult to tell if he is delusional, unbalanced, nuts, or eccentric.
Those he meets along the way (including “overnight” star Harrison Ford) are definitely damaged.
Sally Field is the girl he picks up.
Numerous “vet films” came out around this time. This is middling, with tense moments sapped with cliché.
Winkler had trouble shaking his TV persona at this time, but he and Field have a sweet chemistry.

Strictly Ballroom - 1992 - 7/10

Dance and romance.
“New steps! New steps! New steps!”
“No, there will be no new steps.”
Enter the ferociously competitive sport of ballroom dancing.
Tights and sequins, bouffant hair and glitter, AND approved footwork.
Paul is tired of the same dance moves, as well as tired of his fearful partner.
He meets mousy Fran who introduces him to her world of Spanish immigrants and Flamenco.
Stifled dreams clash with modernity on the dance floor.
Baz Luhrmann’s first film is a comic gem.

London Assurance - 2010 - 7/10

59 year old Sir Henry decides he must remarry in order to secure a source of capital.
The prospective bride is the 18 year old daughter of his boon friend.
A 40 year old age discrepancy is lessened owing to Sir Henry telling a disbelieving world he is but 39.
Enter young Blister, henry’s reprobate son, heavy intoxicant and grasping philanderer.
And thus, by separate journeys, do the men arrive at the bride’s rat-infested farm.
Regency set comedy is a lattice of situations, boasts, impersonations, turnabouts.
From outright buffoons to droll observers. Wicked ladies to the sly Dazzle.
When you have viewed every Jane Austen adaptation and crave a farce, view this!
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/national-theatre-live-london-assurance/english/2861798

High Road To China - 1983 - 5/10

“Hey, J. J., that Raiders Of The Lost Ark made buckets of money!”
“And your point?”
“We’ll make a version sorta like Raiders. Spoiled, feisty female, surly male guide.”
“Sounds like Romancing The Stone.”
“No, ours will be set in China! China’s been trendy since Nixon visited.”
“How much is the budget?”
“Oh, we’re not spending much. Television actors, three cameras, no stunts, no effects.”
“And you’re sure we’ll recoup our investment?”
“Trust me, people will watch anything, even this knockoff.”

Berlin: Metropolis of Vice - 2005 - 7/10

Free-for-all tour of 1920’s Berlin, widely considered one of the most decadent time/place cities ever.
Film takes its cues from Mel Gordon’s “Voluptuous Panic” and is packed with images, most which cannot be shown here.
Much had to do with the defeat of Germany at the end of World War I, the annihilation of so many men, runaway inflation, as well as the sense of devil take the hindmost.
Tourists flocked to Berlin, mostly because German runaway inflation meant that everything - and everyone - was inexpensive.

On parade are cabarets, gay clubs, lesbian clubs, transvestite societies, nudist associations, the sex museum, drugs, alcohol, S&M and prostitutes, legions of prostitutes - male, female, mother & daughter combos, pregnant females, obese types, deformed or paraplegic, sugar lickers, racehorses, grasshoppers, half-beavers, gravelstones, kontroll girls, boot girls, half silks . . .
Of course, the inevitable backlash arrived with the rise of the National Socialist Party.
Part of the “Sin Cities” trilogy.

Shanghai: Paradise for Adventurers - 2005 - 6/10

In the 1920’s this was the “Paris Of The East.”
Gambling, drugs, prostitution of all sorts, anything goes and more.
Divided into international quarters, visitors could frolic in dangerous sections, sleep safely in Western ones.
Depending on how large your gambling debts, and to whom you owed.
One of the more infamous bosses had a habit of cutting all tendons of non-payers, leaving them human slugs.
Authors and descendants talk about big names.
Activities grew frantic as the rising sun rose in Japan.
Part of the “Sin Cities” trilogy.

Harold And Maude - 1971 - 7/10

Surprise underground cult favorite through the 70’s and 80’s. Perhaps less so now.
Harold, born into wealth and privilege, is a gloomy son.
Attempting suicide, arranging mock suicides, frequenting graveyard funerals.
Much of this is late teen rebellion against dominating mother.
At one funeral, however, he encounters 70 something Maude.
Maude has a zest for life, embracing each moment, cherishing the past.
And her past is rich, a time of emperors and camp horrors.
The two bond in this wonderfully quirky love story, satire on the times.

Blue Sky Maiden - 1957 - 6/10
AKA - Aozora Musume // 青 空 娘

Sweet story of girl, recently graduated from high school, going to live in Tokyo with her father.
She had been living with grandma, since ma had borne her out of wedlock and there was that shame factor.
Oh, and dad had been married back when, is still married, and the family is not at all keen about her moving in.
With a big smile and almost boundless cheer, she tries to win them over.
Immaculate compositions, as always with Japanese productions, nice period look at Post War Tokyo.
Partially predictable, but with a couple of unguessed plot turns.

Heavenly Creatures - 1994 - 7/10

Schoolmates Juliet and Pauline are fast friends, too close if you ask their parents.
Possibly a bad influence on each other, to boot.
They are obsessed with themselves, their relationship, and the fantasy world of Borovnia they create and live in.
Borovnia, ruled by Diello, is a glorious riot of plants, colors, castles and scheming.
This Fourth World is far removed from the ordinary Australian day to day, and insufferable parents.
The first Peter Jackson film that I really took notice of is an imaginative telling of fevered love.
Based on true incidents of 1956.
Many years later, I attended an author reading (from one of the “girls”). No one in the audience asked.

The Dark Glow Of The Mountains - 1984 - 6/10
AKA - Gasherbrum: Der leuchtende Berg

Early Herzog documentary follows climbers Hans Kammerlander and Reinhold Messner.
They intend to ascend two Gasherbrum peaks (Kashmir) in one expedition, without oxygen.
Less an extreme sport documentary than a study of the mountaineers.
What drives them, their thoughts on fallen climbers, realizing their place in vast Nature.
Sure, there are breathtaking angles, most from a dizzying upward trajectory.
Yet this is not another “Hey, look at me!” soul, begging endorsements.
Reinhold and Hans do this because they feel compelled to.
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/gasherbrum-der-leuchtende-berg/english/2861801

No Man’s Woman - 1955 - 6/10

Fatale Marie Windsor, of purring voice and voracious eyes, dominates in so-so Noir.
Her husband demands a divorce so he can marry sweet young thing.
“Offer me a huge alimony plus half your business," says she.
When the company founder offers $30,000 she ejects him, saying, “I said an offer, not a tip.”
She forces her female assistant to work on her day off, then she makes a play for her fiance.
When the fiancé tries to evade her, she blackmails him.
Bad girl Marie is a piece of work, even tells folks she’s still 29.
Sadly - am I’m not divulging too much here - she gets murdered midway and the story falters.
The other characters are weak and uninteresting in comparison.
OK time waster. Like watching Perry Mason minus Perry and Paul.

I still have a fondness for bad movies.
Not films that are deliberately trying to be bad (eg: Troma).
Films that are honestly trying to be good, such as Ed Wood’s output.
Or Lifeforce! Sheer awesomeness.
Bad cinema I can enjoy, but bad television - no.

I left CSchmidlapp a query both here and at Fanres.

The Ghost Of Yotsuya - 1959 - 7/10
AKA - Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan // 東海道四谷怪談

Iemon, of samurai rank, but impoverished, is denied marriage to the lesser noble’s daughter.
In fury, he slays him and his retainers, then blames another.
Obstacle removed, he marries Oiwa, has a child, lives in poverty.
Except then a rich girl becomes available, and Iemon needs wife #1 to disappear.
Oft made Horror tale, steeped in Kabuki and Gothic.
Bloodier and grislier than any Western film from this era.

The Secret Fury - 1950 - 6/10

During the wedding finale, when the minister asks, “Can anyone give just cause …”
An interloper blurts out, “The bride is already married!”
Investigations soon unearth court documents, a justice of the peace, witnesses, motel employees, not to mention her new groom.
Does she suffer amnesia, or is she insane?
First half is overcooked melodrama, a woman’s weepie, before veering into Noir.
Robert Ryan excellent as the vexed new husband. Colbert fine, if too old as befuddled bride.
Ending puzzles as it explains who and why, but not how.