Escape from New York

Tags

1980's, Action, Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Escape from New York, Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes, John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Science Fiction

The ever wonderful Gill invited me to take part in a blogathon to honour Kurt Russell and I simply couldn’t refuse.

Director

John Carpenter

Starring

• Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken
• Lee Van Cleef as Bob Hauk
• Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie
• Adrienne Barbeau as Maggie
• Harry Dean Stanton as Brain
• Isaac Hayes as The Duke
• Donald Pleasence as the President

John Carpenter’s science-fiction action film Escape from New York is rightfully held in high regard for its vision and plot. And with atmosphere, imagination and a bad ass lead character to boot, it’s hard to disagree.

The year is a then futuristic 1997. Manhattan Island has been turned into a maximum security prison where once you go in, you never come out. In the main area that was once the central hub, anarchy reigns supreme with violence and destruction. When the President’s plane is hijacked and he crash lands in Manhattan, he is taken hostage by the local crime boss The Duke and his goons. He was supposed to be attending a peace summit with the Soviet Union, but that goes completely out the window with the events that unfurl. Sneaky and manipulative Commissioner Bob Hauk then strong arms the most unlikely person ever to rescue the President from an almost certain death. That person is Snake Plissken, a cynical ex soldier, serving time for theft. Snake is understandably not at all on board with this plan. But after being told that if he rescues the President within 24 hours he could be pardoned, he accepts reluctantly. Though Hauk makes sure he will do it as he has micro explosives implanted in Snake’s neck that will detonate if he doesn’t complete the mission. Hauk knows that Snake would use the opportunity to escape but has him by a tight leash now. With time ticking away, Snake enters the city where he encounters violence from various factions and some assistance by a rag tag group of renegades. They consist of a joking cab driver, hard edged lady and know all.

John Carpenter keeps events imaginative and engaging, with his ingenuity on clear display. I’ve always admired what he brings to a movie and he has the story be one that is very taut and entertaining. Some will say that the film has dated parts, which it does in areas, but the anachronistic touches really add to the oddball personality of the film that it isn’t easy to see why it’s a cult movie. Carpenter plays up the outlandish aspects of the story and the desecration of humanity, mainly in the case of Snake and his no cares attitude towards everything. On the visual front, the practical effects have aged well, with the shots of New York through a futuristic lens being particularly inspired. We get a grimy dystopia to witness and one that has certainly influenced many a film since. Escape from New York is often billed in some quarters as an action movie(which in many cases it is), but for me it’s more about the moody atmosphere than anything else. The cyberpunk echoes and vision of a world in free fall really make sure that Escape from New York is a film to remember. John Carpenter himself provides the pulsing electronic score that compliments the futuristic setting and has just the right notes of darkness there too.

Kurt Russell completely owns the screen as the growling, scowling yet sardonically witty bad ass that is Snake. Russell provides the cynicism and swagger of a man who doesn’t believe in anything and is proud of it. He is ironically the last person you’d think of to rescue a president and that is what ultimately drives the plot. Seriously, Snake ranks as one of the most charismatic and bad ass anti heroes there is. Lee Van Cleef is on nasty form as the scheming and controlling Comissioner who uses Snake to his own advantage. Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau and Harry Dean Stanton flesh out the crew that Snake falls in with excellently.With some serious style, Isaac Hayes rocks it portraying the crime boss who stands in the way of Snake succeeding. And there’s Donald Pleasence appearing as the President, who it is revealed is not as squeaky clean as he seemed.

Exciting, inventive and engrossing, Escape from New York is John Carpenter at his imaginative and full blooded best, aided by a fine performance from Kurt Russell as one of cinema’s best anti-heroes.

Advertisements

It

Tags

2010's, Andy Muschietti, Bill Skarsgård, Chosen Jacobs, Finn Wolfhard, Horror, It, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Stephen King, Wyatt Oleff

Director

Andy Muschietti

Starring

• Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise
• Jaeden Lieberher as Bill Denbrough
• Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh
• Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier
• Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom
• Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak
• Wyatt Oleff as Stan Uris
• Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon

A very successful adaptation of the Stephen King classic, It has great development in characters alongside the horror that makes it both a coming of age tale and a creepy horror.

It’s the 80’s and in the town of Derry, Maine, everyone is shocked when youngster Georgie is taken and presumably killed by an unknown evil. His brother Bill feels guilty about it as he was too sick to go out and play with his brother the day of the horrible event. Bill finds some comfort in his group of friends; loudmouth Richie, quiet, skeptical Stan and hypochondriac Eddie, who are all outcasts in a way. Summer vacation begins and Bill is still refusing to believe that his brother is dead. But as summer continues, soon something sinister takes hold and begins tormenting him and his friends. Add to this that numerous children are going missing much in the way that Georgie did and the gang are spearheaded into investigation. Around this time, Beverly Marsh( who is derided by others for alleged promiscuity, but in actual fact is being abused by her father), becomes part of the group . The group is later joined by two other lost souls in the form of loner Ben and orphaned Mike. They become known as The Losers Club. All of them are plagued by terrifying visions; making them vow to unearth what it is that causes these terrifying occurrences. Along with this, each has a variety of issues of a personal nature to deal with on a daily basis. What they discover is that the thing that took Georgie is in fact a manifestation of fear, that often takes the form of an evil clown called Pennywise. It feeds on fear every twenty-seven years and it’s targets are children. It’s all a matter of if these seven kids can defeat such evil before it’s too late.

Andy Muschietti is an accomplished director and his effective and sturdy direction that gets to the heart of the battle to overcome evil and fear is one that truly captures the imagination. He makes the film a fun but frightening ride that has the time to invest you with the people populating it and can be emotionally in tune too. From the start, this manages to carve out its own triumph and stand out . It was previously adapted as a mini series that is held in high regard and at first I wasn’t sure whether this would work. But happily, it does work and marks itself as something excellent and different. Whereas the series had two timelines, this version sticks to a setting of the 80’s. The era proves very effective as a certain level of nostalgia is very apparent thanks to many pop culture references and the visuals. With strange angles and fine lighting, there’s a genuine atmosphere to It right from the start. The visual side is a major string in the bow of an impressive film and one I highly enjoyed. Quite a lot of scenes really stand out, particularly the ones of the fear inducing variety, such as Beverly being assaulted by stands of hair down the plug hole, an intense confrontation with the creature and a sensational finale in the sewer where battle commences. Crucially, It is just as much a coming of age story as it is one of horror. The kids all have their own issues to deal with along the way. From controlling mothers to abusive fathers and being an orphan, these tribulations can often be just as frightening as the approaching evil. I appreciated this approach that deepened the pre-adolescent characters and had me rooting for them. Which isn’t to say the horror moments aren’t effective, quite the opposite in fact. It all builds gradually, showing us Pennywise and other visions at first slowly and then with great momentum and maximum scares. And while CGI is employed, it never overshadow proceedings at all, if anything it enhances the terror at play. And Pennywise is a seriously eerie thing to behold it must be said. With a stomach churning voice and seriously terrifying appearance, he’s the stuff of nightmares. A sensational music score and sound design underline everything with creepiness and soul, largely stemming from how chilling it is and how amazingly it employs sonic trickery to unleash horror. The only niggle I have with the film is that it runs a bit too long. Other than that, I’m a massive fan.

The cast make for a fine ensemble, with the biggest impacts being made by Jaeden Lieberher as the leader of the club and Sophia Lillis portraying the only girl who captures the attention of all. But there is seriously no weak link in this talented cast of youngsters who each have a moment to shine. I really enjoyed all of their performances as they fleshed out their troubled characters brilliantly.  And of course there is Bill Skarsgård; ably stepping into Tim Curry’s shoes as the nightmarish Pennywise. He’s super disturbing and enthralling, relishing the sheer evilness of the part.

An accomplished and convincing horror, with a lot of humanity in it and characters you root, It is exemplary horror movie making with a heart.

The Key

Tags

1950's, Bernard Lee, Carol Reed, Drama, Romance, Sophia Loren, The Key, Trevor Howard, War, William Holden

I was recently asked to take part in a blogathon set up by the trio of Virginie, Michaela and Emily. To honour the star that was William Holden, I decided to review war romance-drama The Key.

Film Title

The Key

Director

Carol Reed

Starring

• William Holden as David Ross
• Sophia Loren as Stella
• Trevor Howard as Chris Ford
• Bernard Lee as Wadlow

A wartime drama with romance and something of a gloomy aura, The Key at least holds the attention thanks to the stars and direction. No masterpiece, but compelling enough and filled with good parts.

It’s the Second World War and Canadian tug boat captain David Ross arrives in Plymouth, England. He is assigned to salvage missions that entail picking up ships that have been attacked in conflict with the enemy. It’s an extremely dangerous job as the tug boats are ill-equipped to combat any form of onslaught, leaving them open to death every time they venture out. David meets with old friend Chris Ford who is a captain. Later after a number of missions, Chris takes David back to his lodgings, drawing particular attention to the key. It is here that David meets the beautiful Stella; an Italian-Swiss woman who rarely leaves the apartment. We learn that the key to the apartment is seen as an omen as many men have lived there and perished at sea. This has left Stella lonely(especially since the death of her first love), even though she constantly has company. With the life expectancy of these men low, Chris gives David the key to the apartment in case anything should happen to him. When Chris dies, David moves into the flat. At first, he and Stella are distant with each other as he is skeptical about the seemingly cursed nature of the key. But over time, the two fall in love. But the overreaching feeling of darkness from David’s job and Stella’s past experience with men threatens to ruin what is growing between them.

Carol Reed’s direction manages to balance drama and the scenes of war very well. It’s not Oscar-winning direction but it is passable and generates interest in what will happen next. A certain ghostly quality hangs over The Key. Something quite haunting and melancholy is in the air, especially when it comes to Stella who occupies a haunting presence throughout the story. The black and white cinematography aids the dark areas of the story and the possible love that may happen. The Key is good but far from high calibre movie making, marred by the long running time and occasional dreariness that undoes many of the fine things the movie does. At least it still retains attention thanks to the evolving relationship between Stella and David. The second section raises the film up as more momentum is introduced into the narrative. We see Stella emerge from her gloom and discover that love could be on the cards for her and David become less resistant to the idea that their union could be cursed. A highly dramatic score, with a certain haunting aura heard in many instances.

William Holden excellently conveys the tired and uncertainty of a man who has experience in battle, but is still secretly terrified of the prospect. Blended with movie star charm that is never far from view, Holden is endlessly watchable in his part. Sophia Loren is quietly melancholy and haunted as the woman at the centre of things. There’s real sadness and pathos to her work that comes through in her face, which craves love and companionship but knows of the bleak realities of life that have befallen her. Loren plays this lonely character who just wants some form of togetherness with real clarity and acting opposite the great William Holden is wonderfully convincing. They share a tentative chemistry that matures along with the movie. Trevor Howard makes the most of his role with a scene stealing turn as David’s friend and the one who sets in motion the relationship with Stella. He works well with both Holden and Loren when he appears. Also watch out for Bernard Lee in a supporting part of the head of the salvage unit.

Far from flawless but filled with something unusual and with a great cast, The Key is an entertaining way to spend your time.

A Quiet Place

Tags

2010's, A Quiet Place, Emily Blunt, Horror, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Thriller

Film Title

A Quiet Place

Director

John Krasinski

Starring

• John Krasinski as Lee Abbott
• Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott
• Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott
• Noah Jupe as Marcus Abbott

A horror thriller that taps into many fears and is ruthlessly tense throughout, A Quiet Place is terrifying and at times quite moving in how it examines people surviving in near silence from director/star John Krasinski.

The year is 2020 and blind creatures have overtaken most of the world. Despite having no sight, they hunt via hearing which is exceptionally advanced. Any significant noise can attract these beings to potential prey. The Abbott family( mother Evelyn, father Lee and three children, Regan, Marcus and Beau )are surviving the best they can in times of darkness and crippling fear. They communicate using sign language, which they know anyway because Regan is deaf. It appears that they are some of the last remaining humans given how abandoned and desolate everywhere around them is. Though they have survived for a long time, a tragic incident robs them of one of their children. When we pick up with the family again, they are living in a farmhouse and Evelyn is pregnant. As heads of the family, while terrified of day-to-day life, they are determined to protect their family by remaining as quiet as humanly possible. They have forged an existence for themselves, with many areas of the house insulated and cameras to observe outside. Lee is the main provider for them, going out to forage for food and attempting to fix Regan’s hearing aid. Evelyn is preparing for the birth of a child while raising her other two children, plus mourning the loss of one. Anxiety hangs in the air as Evelyn’s due date is approaching and the prospect of a baby terrifies all as it spells potential horror for all if they can’t remain quiet. And ever since the loss of one child, uncertainty has grown within the right family unit. But in this time of panic, can the family survive for much longer without becoming victims of the creatures?

Director and star John Krasinski crafts suspense and an uneasy atmosphere right from the beginning and keeps the nerves frazzled with efficiency. His direction is confident and skilled at scaring us and cranking up the tension as events continue. The pacing is just on the mark, building and building to a chilling and relentless last act that will have you gasping for breath with nervousness. I dare anyone to not feel panicked as the family are menaced by the scary creatures and they are separated. Sound and the ability to use it, which we can so often take for granted is crucial to this film as noises are both amplified and subdued. This gives the creepy effect of not being able to express things and the difficulties involved when we are robbed of this essential thing. Jolts of terror and As the family has to live in almost always silence, a lot of the story is told visually. We gain information from facial expressions, symbols and sign language, which gets us involved and has the attention from the start. The life these characters have crafted offers much in the way of intrigue, helping us realise just how precious sound and especially silence are in making sure you don’t become victims to the creatures that terrorise the characters. What surprises in A Quiet Place is that as well as being frightening, it has you emotionally invested too. If anything, the main theme is parental anxiety. It’s amplified here but nonetheless shines in presenting two parents doing whatever they can to shelter their brood from harm. Especially in the case of the mother being pregnant and the collective worry of what will happen when the child is born into this startling world. The creatures are fleetingly glimpsed at the start, but when revealed are truly alarming and well designed to be etched into the memory. Marco Beltrami is on score duty, ratcheting up the scares and overriding eeriness of the piece. And speaking of sound, the effects and design are sublime in dialing up creepiness and oodles of ambience. Every sound could possibly be the last for these characters so it’s imperative that noise is well used and the often deafening silence matters. Just like the characters, we become scared of sudden sound.

The relatively small cast all convince in this merciless horror film. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who are a married couple in real life, excel as the protective and resourceful parents. Using body language and facial expression, they get across the terror and will power of this mother and father who are doing whatever they can to ensure the safety of their children. The fact that they are married in real life adds to the closeness of the two and how they complement one another. Krasinski’s survivalist and Blunt’s warm, nurturing matriarch are fully realised and performed admirably. The two children in the film, Noah and Millicent Simmonds exceptionally convey the uncertainty and horror that’s thrust upon their young shoulders. Millicent Simmonds is especially marvellous as the daughter who is dealing with feelings of guilt and loss . The fact that Simmonds is also deaf in real life brings a lot of authenticity to her performance as well as her expressive face.

A nerve jangling exercise in tension, A Quiet Place sustains the interest and induces terror with its story and atmosphere. This is strong stuff from John Krasinski and marks him as a director to watch.

Watch on the Rhine

Tags

1940's, Bette Davis, Drama, George Coulouris, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Herman Shumlin, Lucile Watson, Paul Lukas, Watch on the Rhine, World War II

Bette Davis is one of my favourite actresses so to be asked to take part in a blogathon honouring her was a sure bet. Crystal is paying tribute to the great lady with a mighty fine blogathon. My choice is Watch on the Rhine.

Film Title

Watch on the Rhine

Director

Herman Shumlin

Starring

• Paul Lukas as Kurt Muller
• Bette Davis as Sara Muller
• Lucile Watson as Fanny Farrelly
• George Coulouris as Teck de Brancovis
• Geraldine Fitzgerald as Marthe de Brancovis

Taken from a Lillian Hellman play, Watch on the Rhine provides much in the way of drama as it focuses on a member of resistance to the impending Nazi threat and what he must do to fight.

In the year after the beginning of World War II, German engineer Kurt Muller, his wife Sara and their three children enter the United States. Kurt has been involved with fighting the Nazi’s with underground work for the past seventeen years. The family resides in Sara’s mothers house in Washington, D.C. Her mother, Fanny Farrelly  is a society maven who welcomes them back but is unaware about why they are there. The resolute Kurt largely keeps his underground work secret as can be. But there is someone amid all of this who grows suspicious of him. That person is the conniving Teck de Brancovis; a Romanian Count who is also stays and has with Nazi sympathies. He immediately distrusts Kurt on sight and takes it upon himself to weasel what he can out of him. He attempts to blackmail Kurt and expose him, leading to dramatic consequences for everyone involved.

Herman Shumlin allows the story to flow well and doesn’t resort to any visuals tricks, so as to draw more attention to the events on screen. The script is rich with meaningful speeches and impassioned dialogue that allow the actors to shine. Now Watch on the Rhine is not flawless by any means. I’m sure many will see this movie as a propaganda piece and very much of its time. But that ignores the message of fighting for what’s right and standing by your beliefs, which can still be timely even now. Sometimes that message is heavy-handed but it’s mostly depicted handsomely. Occasionally the running time feels stretched and I for one believe some trimming may have benefited Watch on the Rhine. But these flaws aside and the fact that I wanted just a bit more from it, it’s still a great movie with a message that is conveyed throughout. And once the tension rises in the situation, the film gets better and filled with immediacy. A driving score from Max Steiner is a string in the film’s bow too.

Paul Lukas is rightly dignified and quietly strong in a performance that garnered him an Oscar. His greatest asset is his passion and dedication, showing Lukas as a fine actor in tune with the part of a crusading man fighting against fascism and Nazism. It’s a very subtle and natural performance that it often feels like he isn’t acting at all, so exact is his work. And complimenting that nuance is a finely tuned portrayal by Bette Davis. She was often known for her full force delivery but toning it down as the supportive wife here reveals a loving and softer side to her. I liked watching these two work together with a lovely chemistry and dramatic power. Lucile Watson is fine playing the part of the oblivious wealthy mother who is more concerned with her rich life than mere politics. Stealing some of the show is George Coulouris, who is excellently devious and fully warranting of villainy. It is he who kicks events into place with his plots to expose Muller. And there’s Geraldine Fitzgerald making an impression as the wife of the opportunistic Teck.

Bolstered by excellent dialogue and performances, the plight of the individual and the fight for freedom are well dramatised in Watch on the Rhine.

Half Moon Street

Tags

1980's, Bob Swaim, Drama, Half Moon Street, Keith Buckley, Michael Caine, Nadim Sawalha, Sigourney Weaver, Thriller

The quite fabulous Gill is celebrating the career of Michael Caine with a blogathon about him. Naturally, I was more than happy to take part in doing this and I have chosen Half Moon Street to review.

Film Title

Half Moon Street

Director

Bob Swaim

Starring

• Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Lauren Slaughter
• Michael Caine as Lord Bulbeck
• Nadim Sawalha as Karim Hatami
• Keith Buckley as Hugo Van Arkady

It may be a mixed bag in various aspects, but the dramatic thriller that is Half Moon Street is very watchable and has its moments. It most benefits from the work of Weaver and Caine and what transpires between them more than anything else.

Dr. Lauren Slaughter is an American research fellow residing in London and working at the Arab-Anglo Institute. Slaughter has a PhD from Harvard and has spent a number of years doing field work in China. She is smart, driven and completely frustrated with her job at the moment. Partly, this is due to the ingrained attitudes of men being superior within many in the workplace. Though the job is something she is immensely skilled at, it doesn’t pay well enough and she is struggling with her low wages and is living in a bed sit, that leaves a lot to be desired. Lauren doesn’t know how she’s going to feel at all comfortable in both work and personal life. Her annoyance at events continues as something she wrote is plagiarised by a higher up colleague and she isn’t considered for a prestigious study in Kuwait. One day, she receives a video in the post. It details the Jasmine Agency; an escort agency for wealthy clients, many from the Middle East. Lauren decides to moonlight as an escort for money so she can live without worry and have some semblance of power. In the escorting work, she finds more control over men and independence than she does at her job at the Institute. Her attitude towards things is one of cool confidences, but one particular date makes an impact on her. She meets Lord Bulbeck, a diplomat who is involved with Middle Eastern affairs. The two hit it off and soon a genuine relationship that is more than just sex is developing for them. They are compatible in viewpoints and humour, plus both are somewhat outsiders in one way or another. But it was no accident that Lauren was set up with Lord Bulbeck. A hidden group is monitoring events between the couple and is using both as pawns in an effort to stop Bulbeck in his attempts to forge a peace deal between Arabs and Israelis. Both are not aware of what is bubbling underneath their budding romance.

Bob Swaim is a good director and his sense of style is on display in Half Moon Street can be viewed. But he often over complicates things by trying to say too much with the story and needlessly dragging out parts of it. On the negative side, the film itself takes too long to bring the thriller element out into the open. There is suspense that it manages when the danger hits, but the attempts at mystery feel flat and tacked on. If the thriller areas had been addressed earlier on and given more footing in Half Moon Street, it may have been a different story for the movie. Onto the positive notices and Half Moon Street does have a good few. The script, while requiring several leaps of faith, does have something to say about the workplace and why someone like Lauren Slaughter would turn to an escort job to keep afloat. The most impressive aspect is the relationship between Slaughter and Bulbeck; they have a great affinity with each other and you do buy into their attraction to the other. I liked watching two fine actors create this relationship with each other on screen and do it justice. The material is lifted thanks to the script but mostly the stars. An exotic flourish in the music score, that gets romantic as the characters become closer is exemplary in doing the job of crafting atmosphere in a movie like Half Moon Street.

Whatever faults Half Moon Street has, the performances by Sigourney Weaver and Michael Caine are just right. Weaver has this cool and detached attitude, partnered with a quick wit and a bemused yet sly smile. She really plays the role of Lauren Slaughter very well, balancing the independence and sexiness of a woman getting some control in her life and scoffing at chauvinistic behaviour. Matching her is Michael Caine with a lot of charm and intelligence. There’s a real twinkle in the eyes here and his work as Lord Bulbeck reflects a man of great influence and down to Earth affinity. It helps that both Weaver and Caine share an immediate chemistry with each other as love blooms for the characters. You really believe them together as a couple and that’s really down to the actors and what they accomplish, even if the movie lets them down in many ways. In supporting parts there is Nadim Sawalha and Keith Buckley as possibly shifty men who surround Lauren in their own ways. Both don’t have much to work with however, with the lion’s share of things going to Caine and Weaver.

A movie that can be both tedious and extremely gripping depending on which way it’s going, Half Moon Street elicits fine work from the two main stars and has some atmosphere of which it can be proud of.

Suddenly, Last Summer

Tags

1950's, Elizabeth Taylor, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Katharine Hepburn, Melodrama, Montgomery Clift, Suddenly Last Summer

The quite wonderful Crystal asked me to take part in a blogathon that paid tribute to the iconic Elizabeth Taylor. I jumped at the chance to do so and will review Suddenly, Last Summer.

Film Title

Suddenly, Last Summer

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Starring

• Elizabeth Taylor as Catherine Holly
• Katharine Hepburn as Violet Venable
• Montgomery Clift as Dr. John Cukrowicz

A typically heated and startling play by Tennessee Williams provide the basis for this shocking and highly dramatic movie. Suddenly, Last Summer is a go to for great dialogue, taboo subjects being brought up and fine acting from a starry cast.

1937 New Orleans; Dr. John Cukrowicz is a young surgeon who works at an asylum for the insane. He is growing restless with the crumbling building and conditions not being up to scratch for his work. The answer to securing more funds and much more accessible ways of doing his work comes one day with a letter. It is from Violet Venable, a wealthy widow who offers to help fund a new wing for the hospital. That is if he meets her to discuss something she wants in return. Encountering the ageing matriarch, he learns that her son Sebastian died suspiciously on a holiday last summer. Violet has a young, beautiful niece called Catherine Holly who is institutionalised following a trip to Europe the previous summer. On that trip was when the shocking death of Sebastian occurred and Catherine suffered a breakdown. Violet wants Cukrowicz to perform a lobotomy on Catherine, as she is secretly worried that Catherine has sinister information about her son that she was utterly devoted too. In return, she would supply him with the necessary things he requires for his practice. Cukrowicz is naturally skeptical about all of this, so he decides to meet Catherine himself.  Catherine, though emotionally disturbed by her cousin’s death, is not insane and Cukrowicz comes to see that she has blocked out the painful memories of the past but not completely forgotten it. He is determined to help her reveal what occurred with Sebastian on that fateful trip abroad. Due to her hysteria and in between sedation , it makes it difficult for him to push further with his investigation. But he is not going to stop and along with a determined Catherine, both want to get to the bottom of Catherine’s fragile mind and discover just what really happened to Sebastian last summer.

The talented Joseph L. Mankiewicz is the man behind the camera. He makes it a daring movie that isn’t scared to get close to taboo subject matter and high drama of a high factor. And on a stylistic level, the production design and cinematography conjure up the unusualness of this most startling tale, with many scenes tension filled and like something shocking is about to be revealed. Now I do believe that some of the subject matter covered is more alluded to than shown, probably because of the threat of censorship back in the day. But the issues that it mentions and hints at are there for us all to glean and be shocked by, which for me says that the movie still packs a punch. This is especially true in the emotions stakes, which is something that Tennessee Williams and his work often have. The stories are heated and button pushing with everything coming out in turns of torrid feeling. The Southern Gothic atmosphere and building tension are grand assets for Suddenly, Last Summer and ones it employs to bring out the melodrama of the piece to the highest order. The script isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of the time by focusing on latent homosexuality and attitudes towards mental health, ensuring that even a movie from the 50’s could tackle subjects(although a little watered down due to the powers that be) with dramatic prowess. Due to this we get some amazing monologues from characters, in particular Catherine as she has to dig into her subconscious and remember the shattering events of last summer. A flaw can be that the stage origins of the piece start to show in many instances. Yet the material and acting make up for that hiccup of not being expansive enough. And the mystery of what happened to Sebastian and whether or not Catherine will be able to put it together are brought out with the brass heavy and often very sinister score.

All the actors present get in touch with the overheated and highly dramatic stylings of the script, especially Taylor and Hepburn. Elizabeth Taylor is excellent as the traumatised and haunted Catherine, who is emotionally disturbed by the events of last summer. Taylor gets to be terrified and fearful of her own memory here, clearly tapping into the shock and horror of what the character has witnessed and just how much it has caused her to block out what really happened to her cousin. Catherine clearly knows something but it has been blocked out by her trauma. She’s many things from scared to often sensual to lucid and determined to uncover what’s being concealed. A lot is conveyed through darting eyes and body language to suggest the turmoil and terror Catherine feels, especially and most effectively in the stages in which everything comes out in the open. It’s a fine performance of shock, vulnerability, uncertainty and numerous angles from Taylor who really displays her sometimes overlooked talent here. Also fabulous is Katharine Hepburn’s sly and cracked Aunt. Hepburn’s marvellous voice and mannerisms are put to good use here; she’s like a broken piece of glass with her tremulous and fidgety switches in mood and behaviour. Aunt Violet is also very witty and acerbic, finding another side to a woman who is broken by her son’s death but intent on keeping what happened under wraps. The great Katharine Hepburn is another great entry to Suddenly, Last Summer’s strong acting bow. Montgomery Clift is the most subdued member of the cast but his sensitive doctor is still acted well. He is required to be the ears to both women’s stories and make up his own mind on what is the truth of the matter at hand. His role is not the most showy but it serves its purpose in a manner befitting the story.

A deliriously eye-opening slice of melodrama and Southern Gothic atmosphere, Suddenly, Last Summer is a very good adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play with grand acting and mystery.

Viceroy’s House

Tags

2010's, Gillian Anderson, Gurinder Chadha, Historical Drama, Hugh Bonneville, Huma Qureshi, Manish Dayal, Michael Gambon, Om Puri, Simon Callow, Viceroy's House

Film Title

Viceroy’s House

Director

Gurinder Chadha

Starring

• Hugh Bonneville as Lord Louis Mountbatten
• Gillian Anderson as Lady Edwina Mountbatten
• Manish Dayal as Jeet
• Huma Qureshi as Aali
• Michael Gambon as Hastings Ismay
• Simon Callow as Cyril Radcliffe
• Om Puri as Ali

A bittersweet movie that takes on the final months of British rule in India and the following Partition, Viceroy’s House greatly finds complexity and emotion in what is undoubtedly a difficult part of history to present.

The year is 1947 and Lord Louis Mountbatten has been made Viceroy of India. He, along with his wife Edwina and daughter Pamela, make their way to the Viceroy’s House in Delhi where they will live. Mountbatten is to be the last Viceroy and is charged with overseeing the handing back of India from British rule. This is going to be far from a straightforward task as political issues and opposing stances on what should happen to India. The chief thing to  consider is whether India should be independent and still one nation or the move for Partition and the creation of Pakistan. Meanwhile, downstairs a star-crossed love story is developing between newly arrived valet Jeet and the pretty Aalia. Their union is complex due to the fact that he is Hindu and she is Muslim, though Jeet wants to overcome the odds and be with her. Aalia doesn’t want to disappoint her blind father who has already got a husband in mind for her, but she finds it difficult given her feelings. Back upstairs, and although he has to remain neutral over his opinion in what will happen, with oppositions appearing in what he sees, Mountbatten edges towards the idea of Partition. Yet with violence breaking out across India from different factions things come to a head as the prospect of Partition looms large.

At the helm of this movie is director Gurinder Chadha, who manages to tackle a very touchy subject and not make everything look all rosy. Viceroy’s House is obviously personal to Gurinder Chadha, as we find out in the credits that she had relatives who survived the events following Partition. Her greatest skill is how she presents how difficult and conflicted the process of change was; it was far from easy for anyone involved in it. There’s a refreshing bluntness to her movie that takes the time of the British Raj and views it through a more critical angle than most historical dramas. There’s no real romanticising of the time, instead it discovers more darkness and machinations than that. Yes it can seem like a more exotic version of Downton Abbey in the early stages( which to be honest isn’t a bad thing at all) but Viceroy’s House has much bigger fish to fry in its running time. The movie is careful not to demonize either the side that wanted to leave and form Pakistan and those who wanted Indpendent India. That’s what makes it interesting, there is no easy or straightforward answer to it all. The love story and various parts may have benefited from some expansion as the story it takes on is big and important on a lot of levels. The romance angle drags the film down somewhat, but there’s still some small virtues to be had despite the melodramatic treatment of this chapter. But by and large, Viceroy’s House succeeds in what it sets out to do. I’ve read some quibble that the film doesn’t quite play to the facts and simplifies events( I am no expert on the topic, so can’t really judge how soundly truthful the movie is), but even so it is very gripping viewing. On a visual level, this is a movie where the words sumptuous and gorgeous come out.

Hugh Bonneville is on familiar but fine ground as Lord Mountbatten. He has a way with projecting an air of dignity and class, tempered with uncertainty about the future. Mountbatten, in this incarnation is painted as a man attempting to make things as peaceful as possible but struggling with the inevitable fall out. Supporting him is a great Gillian Anderson as his open-minded wife, the strong woman behind the man. She exudes a witty yet caring demeanor that is a breath of fresh air in a time of unrest and Anderson rises to playing the part beautifully. Despite their story being the thing that sags in Viceroy’s House, Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi still have a nice rapport with one another. Reliable British thespians Michael Gambon and Simon Callow are on hand for great supporting roles. Om Puri, in one of his last film appearances, projects a quiet sense of worth and heart despite having suffered in his life.

A movie that is deeply felt, despite a few shortcomings, Viceroy’s House dramatises it’s events in manner that thankfully doesn’t sweeten or brighten anything for the audience. Rather, it strives and largely succeeds at discovering depth in a time in history that has been somewhat ignored on screen and presented with both effectiveness and bluntness.

Suffragette

Tags

2010's, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Carey Mulligan, Drama, Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep, Sarah Gavron, Suffragette

To celebrate 100 years of women getting the right to the vote in the UK, I decided to review the drama Suffragette.

Film Title

Suffragette

Director

Sarah Gavron

Starring

• Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts
• Helena Bonham Carter as Edith Ellyn
• Anne-Marie Duff as Violet Miller
• Brendan Gleeson as Steed
• Ben Whishaw as Sonny Watts
• Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst

A deftly done movie that blends fiction and truth, Suffragette charts the rise of the foot soldiers in the fight for women to receive the vote. Well acted and personal, it’s a movie that really strikes to the heart of the cause and what it meant for future generations.

The story begins in 1912, London. Women have for some time peacefully campaigned for the right to vote but their voices have gone unheard. We meet a working class laundress named Maud Watts. She’s had a tough life of abuse and turmoil from men , though she has some comfort at home with her husband Sonny and son George. One day, she is caught up in a demonstration by suffragettes who break all the windows in the West End. Although she doesn’t know it yet, this event and further ones will have a big impact on her. For more demonstrations and talk of women getting the vote takes place, also featuring brutality from the police and the authorities. Having been so downtrodden in her life, Maud gradually aligns herself with the local firebrand Edith Ellyn. After hearing a speech by Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, Maud is now fully involved with the cause. This in turn earns the scorn of those closest to her and her husband refuses to let her see their son, but these sacrifices stiffen Maud’s spine and further her desire to fight for the vote. For Maud and the women she marches with are determined to gain equality, no matter what the cost.

There’s a real urgency and immediacy to the direction of Sarah Gavron. She excellently showcases the shared strength of women and employs a camera that always seems to be moving. It captures the whirl of events and the gathering storm of demonstrations that the suffragettes take part in, from smashing windows to hunger strikes and blowing up postboxes. Abi Morgan’s script finely dramatizes the struggles of women at the time and how through actions, they were gearing up to have the same rights as men. The main story is fact-based here and is inspiring as well as important in what it depicts. Suffragette features fictional characters interspersed with real life figures in the movement, such as Emmeline Pankhurst and. The biggest message of Suffragette is how far these brave women were willing to go in order to get the vote and eventually equality. These were women from all walks of life who were united by a common goal and were prepared to go the extra mile to have their voices heard. What they went through was extraordinary and often brutal. We see women beaten, humiliated, force-fed and in the course of Suffragette. It’s not easy to watch, but that’s the idea. Women fighting for the right to vote went through a lot and this movie is a testament to them. This is an important story that needs to be told and in this very way. Alexandre Desplat is the person providing the building score that gains in momentum as events take flight and the fight begins to increase in steam and volume.

Carey Mulligan is the lead in Suffragette and boy does she deliver. She has this ability to be totally unaffected and filled with conviction without resorting to histrionics. Her face, that speaks so many volumes, is a marvel at depicting Maud’s shift from bystander to fighter and makes us feel every beat. Helena Bonham Carter shines as a leading member of the group and one of experience, while Anne-Marie Duff is fine as the forceful and agitator of the suffragettes. Then we have Brendan Gleeson as a police inspector caught in between sympathizing with the women and enforcing the law. Ben Whishaw, finding some depth and unpredictability than some parts he is given, displays both a caring attitude to his wife and then a deep coldness when he feels she has shamed him. It’s something I’m not used to seeing by Whishaw, but damn if he doesn’t do it well. Though I expected to see more of Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst, her cameo is satisfying and provides a rallying cry to Maud and a whole host of women.

An unflinching and inspiring movie that never sugar coats the brutality and resistance that was met by women campaigning for the right to vote, Suffragette has much to recommend in its reels.

The Hitch-Hiker

Tags

1950's, Edmond O'Brien, Film Noir, Frank Lovejoy, Ida Lupino, The Hitch-Hiker, Thriller, William Talman

To kick off the female filmmakers series I am doing this February, we have The Hitch-Hiker. Be sure to tune into more female directed movies this month and see if any catch your interest.

Film Title

The Hitch-Hiker

Director

Ida Lupino

Starring

• William Talman as Emmett Myers
• Frank Lovejoy as Gilbert Bowen
• Edmond O’Brien as Roy Collins

A taut and very tense noirish thriller from Ida Lupino, The Hitch-Hiker, thanks to her sure hand keeps events ticking over with a real sense of suspense and possible terror. Taking basis from a real-life serial killer and his reign of terror, The Hitch-Hiker keeps you constantly invested and intrigued as events go on.

Friends Gilbert Bowen and Roy Collins are on their way to a fishing trip in Mexico with nothing in the way of eventfulness planned. Little do they realise that their planned fishing trip is about to take a possibly deadly detour. For they come across one Emmett Myers, who they think has just broken down and needs a ride. Offering him a lift, they soon discover he is a wanted criminal who has murdered a number of people who he has hitched a ride off. At gunpoint, Myers forces Gilbert and Roy to take him into Mexico and into the desert filled areas. He is attempting to evade the authorities and wishes to get to the town of Santa Rosalia in hopes of escape. Myers constantly toys with both men, tormenting them with his disregard and hatred for humanity. Both men try to think of ways to escape from the clutches of Myers, but it proves difficult. Chief among the struggle is the fact that Myers has one eye that never closes, making it incredibly hard for Roy and Gilbert to flee. Can both men manage to not be worn down and discover a way to survive what promises to be deadly if they don’t cooperate?

Ida Lupino, who was at the time of the film’s making one of the only female directors in the business, acquits herself well with this unnerving thriller by taking a simple premise and making it gritty and appropriately grim. She taps into the shared fear of strangers and what they could possibly hide or bring to you in unexpected circumstances. As well as this, we get the uneasiness of how events that take place in The Hitch-Hiker could very well happen in real life. Being stopped by someone you don’t know in a place you are unfamiliar with is a very real terror that I’m certain everyone has thought of in their lifetime, enabling The Hitch-Hiker to be all that more successful at the taut vision it is going for. And speaking of real life, The Hitch-Hiker takes influence from a case of murders committed by Billy Cook. He was the man behind a 22 day spree of murder before he was captured and sent to the gas chamber. Knowing that this has influenced the movie itself, we watch as Lupino fashions a claustrophobic noir that instead of featuring a big city, uses the vast deserts of Mexico for its setting. Taking place in the mountainous regions and for the most part in the car that is hijacked, we feel like we’re in just as much of a jam as Gilbert and Roy find themselves in. And even though noir was often seen as a masculine genre, Ida Lupino shows herself to be just as good as her male counterparts in directing. It’s truly great to see a pioneering lady in action behind the camera. And the pace of the film, which clocks in at just 71 minutes, is economical and straight to the point of things in terms of the suspense. The climax may lack that bit of oomph, but everything else is right on the money and very taut. On the visual front, the looming surroundings and the tightness of the car provide ample opportunities for style in the noir fashion. A suitably tense score highlights the uneasiness of both men as they are nearly broke down by Myers and his evil.

Sweaty, sleazy and nasty evil is exuded by William Talman as the eponymous killer. Talman just has something sinister about him right from the first moment we clap eyes on him. This pays dividends as his performance is extremely mercurial and sly; watching him attempt to break the friendship between is genuinely creepy viewing. Frank Lovejoy and Edmond O’Brien underplay things nicely, with a realistic terror and sense of hopelessness, tinged with the possibility for both to save the day if they can. Both actors are stalwart performers who you really believe as regular Joe’s caught in a most alarming and dark situation.

A grim, dark and well-paced movie, The Hitch-Hiker displays the talents of Ida Lupino as a director to be reckoned with.