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Tag Archives: Beverly D’Angelo

The Sentinel

09 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

1970's, Arthur Kennedy, Ava Gardner, Beverly D'Angelo, Burgess Meredith, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Cristina Raines, Deborah Raffin, Eli Wallach, Horror, Jeff Goldblum, Jerry Orbach, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Martin Balsam, Michael Winner, Sylvia Miles, The Sentinel

Film Title

The Sentinel

Director

Michael Winner

Starring

  • Cristina Raines as Alison Parker
  • Chris Sarandon as Michael Lerman
  • John Carradine as Father Halliran
  • Burgess Meredith as Charles Chazen
  • Ava Gardner as Miss Logan
  • Deborah Raffin as Jennifer
  • Arthur Kennedy as Monsignor
  • Eli Wallach as Detective Gatz
  • Christopher Walken as Detective Rizzo
  • Martin Balsam as Professor Ruzinsky
  • José Ferrer as Robed Figure
  • Sylvia Miles as Gerde
  • Beverly D’Angelo as Sandra
  • Jeff Goldblum as Fashion Photographer
  • Jerry Orbach as Director

A 70’s horror with an all-star cast, I was expecting The Sentinel to be a treat. Alas, it was a shoddy mess that descended into ludicrous and incomprehensible places. There are nary any positives in this film, which could have been something special, fur floundered into the abyss of rubbish.

Alison is a young, pretty model living in New York. Though in a relationship with slick lawyer Michael Lerman, she is reluctant to move in with him or consider engagement. She decides to find her own place to live. While seemingly living the high life, Alison has baggage in her memories that still haunt her and refuse to let go. Continuing looking for a place, she is recommended by realtor Miss Logan, a beautiful Brooklyn Heights apartment. She notices a man in the top apartment window. Miss Logan informs her that it is Father Halliran, a blind priest who seems to sit there without ever really moving. Thrilled at the scope of the place and the reasonable amount being asked for, Alison moves in. Shortly after arrival, Alison encounters some of the strange tenants of the building, starting with the peculiar and intrusive Charles Chazen. Gradually, Alison’s nights are disturbed by horrific visions of her troubled past that involved an attempted suicide and is plagued by unnerving noises from another apartment. Frightened yet very curious, Alison is then shocked to learn that only she and Father Halliran reside in the complex, with no one having previously occupied it for three years. Becoming more alarmed by events that may or may not be real, Alison crumbles completely. Somehow, she is linked to a centuries old pattern that the apartment block has which poses a deadly and potentially otherworldly trouble. Can Alison really figure out why these visions appear and what sinister designs are being made for her?

Michael Winner gets some atmosphere going at the start, but his lack of taste and frankly trying direction makes The Sentinel really drag and go into a place of boredom. He plays up the overt sensationalism and outrageous moments to an extent that they aren’t frightening or remotely chilling. The visual style is one positive point( even though it’s sadly only one such instance) finding a certain gloss and at least setting some spooky aura. This however is drowned out by the sheer implausibility and inanity  of it all, that causes The Sentinel to be a major let down. The Sentinel film that could have been something if thought had actually gone into. What we are left with is a confused and histrionic film, that doesn’t generate hardly any terror or resonance. There is one scene that is rightly celebrated for its scare factor, but apart from that, The Sentinel is laughable and deplorable. I mean, I’m game for some campy and melodramatic moments in horror, often they can be quite fun. But the overload, coupled with a dragging, not to mention hard to follow story, was too much for me to take. And there is one thing in The Sentinel that really left a bad taste in my mouth. When all hell breaks loose and the supposed fright of the movie is in swing, one manifestation of evil is depicted as people with prominent deformities. The main thing I took issue with was that the people used were actually deformed themselves. When you put a physical defect or disability on screen, it should be done with respect. Here, it equates the deformities with evil, which really didn’t lie well with me. It felt exploitative and mean-spirited, especially as the implication it made was in very poor taste. The music score is passable with some unusual passages, yet like the rest of The Sentinel, over cooks events to a laughable degree.

As aforementioned, The Sentinel has an unbelievable cast. The sad news is, hardly any of them are given anything to work with and show off their skills. Cristina Raines, in the lead of tormented model, is basically required to look frightened and pretty. She does both things well enough, but there’s nothing really meaty for her else to do. Chris Sarandon at least tries his best with putting some cocky attitude into the role of the lawyer boyfriend. John Carradine, heavily made up to look older, is pretty effective as the largely silent priest whose eerie presence hangs over the building. Burgess Meredith rocks creepy to the hilt as a pesky and very unusual neighbour, who becomes more than just a common nuisance. Ava Gardner is completely wasted as the realtor of the place, only appearing a handful of times and not equipped with much in the way of action to play. Deborah Raffin is pretty bland as Alison’s best friend, while experienced veteran actor Arthur Kennedy at least contributes some mystery as an enigmatic priest. Eli Wallach and a young Christopher Walken are seen in a thread of the story that makes no sense and wastes the obvious talents of two reliable stars. Martin Balsam and José Ferrer, two fine actors, both appear in blink and you’ll miss it roles which is extremely unfortunate. Sylvia Miles and Beverly D’Angelo certainly have the strangeness down in their parts, but not much else because the script restricts them. Bit parts are also handed to Jeff Goldblum and Jerry Orbach. The mix of old and new stars was supposed to be amazing, but they are never given any time to shine or strut their stuff.

A big mess of a movie that showed potential but quickly became farce, The Sentinel is one to avoid in the horror genre.

Coal Miner’s Daughter

13 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

1980's, Beverly D'Angelo, Biopic, Coal Miner's Daughter, Levon Helm, Loretta Lynn, Michael Apted, Phyllis Boyens, Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones

Film Title

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Director

Michael Apted

Starring

  • Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn
  • Tommy Lee Jones as Doolittle Lynn
  • Beverly D’Angelo as Patsy Cline
  • Levon Helm as Ted Webb
  • Phyllis Boyens as Clary Webb

Based on the life of the queen of country music Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter emerges as a superb biopic, thanks in no small part to the Oscar-winning performance from Sissy Spacek and direction from Michael Apted.

Opening up in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, we see Loretta as a 15-year-old girl and daughter of a coal miner, one of eight children living on a cabin on a hill. The family is poor, but make their best of what they have at their disposal. Coal Miner's DaughterLoretta falls for Doolittle Lynn, most commonly referred to as Doo, and after a quick courtship, she marries the much older man. Her parents are none to pleased about this, but her father wants his daughter to be happy so allows the marriage. From the start of the marriage, there is turmoil and upheaval as arguments and raising four kids before she turns 20 takes its toll on the young Loretta. Doo is well-meaning despite his attitude towards his wife and buys her a guitar after seeing her talent for singing. Loretta is uncertain, but begins playing in honky tonks to much success. Doo persuades his wife to pursue a career and though reluctant, Loretta agrees. After securing a hit record, a whirlwind of publicity follows and Loretta soon becomes a huge star on the country music scene, eventually earning the title of ‘The First Lady of Country Music’. Yet with this new-found success comes a variety of problems such as keeping up her image, near exhaustion from constant touring and her tumultuous marriage which leads to a breakdown.

While Coal Miner’s Daughter covers certain familiar themes as other biopics such as a tumultuous life, it is the way that it is told that makes it stand out for the better. Loretta and DoolitleMichael Apted infuses the film with a personal feeling and thoughtfulness that lets the events of Loretta’s life play out with brisk assurance and revealing detail. He also keeps the drama from not being too in your face, instead settling for subtle insights into the eventful life that Loretta leads from the poverty of Kentucky to wild success as the country music queen. While there is plenty of drama to be found in Coal Miner’s Daughter, it never feels exploitative or melodramatic at all. Another asset to the film is that it is told in linear fashion, rather than over use of flashbacks that often cheapen other biopics. Through this strategy, we see the growth of Loretta over the years and are always fascinated by the facets of her life. The musical numbers are outstanding, especially from Sissy Spacek who shows off deft musical talent and a stellar voice that really blows you away.

In a role that earned her a well-deserved Oscar, Sissy Spacek shines with heartfelt delivery and quiet subtlety as Loretta Lynn. Displaying the girl’s initially naive view of the world and then her self-assurance, no-nonsense attitude and personal demons, Spacek is always riveting to behold. Required to age from a young girl to a grown woman, she does it with marvelous ease and we never once doubt that she is Loretta Lynn. Her previously mentioned music skill is amazing to behold, and Spacek gives the songs her all and succeeds all the way through. Tommy Lee Jones is well cast as her well-meaning but temperamental husband Doo, who does help her with her career but is prone to berating her and bickering with her on many an opportunity. Beverly D’Angelo is marvelous as Patsy Cline, who befriends Loretta and is often a key figure in advising her. D’Angelo also shows off her amazing singing voice, filled with passion and clarity. In the supporting roles as Loretta’s father and mother, Levon Helm and Phyllis Boyens exude tough but loving care for their daughter.

Told with heartfelt care and quiet power, Coal Miner’s Daughter becomes a tremendous biopic that is riveting to watch.

 

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