Jeremy and I sat down to watch another quality Pixar entry....
Date watched:7/16/2007
Title: Monsters Inc. Made: 2007
Genre: Animation Studio:Pixar/Disney
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, 2 disc collector's edition--loaded.
# of times viewed: 2
Stars:
Billy Crystal--Mike Wazowski
John Goodman--James P. "Sulley" Sullivan
Mary Gibbs--Boo/Mary
Steve Buscemi--Randall Boggs
James Coburn--Henry J. Watermoose
Jennifer Tilly--Celia
Bob Peterson--Roz
John Ratzenberger--Abominable Snowman
Frank Oz--Fungus
Daniel Gerson--Needleman
Steve Susskind--Floor Manager
Taglines:
Monsters Inc., we scare because we care!
You won't believe your eye.
We think they are scary, but we really scare them!
Plot: Monster City gets its power from the Monsters Inc. company. Monster Inc. generates its power by sending their employees to children's bedrooms to scare them. The screams that are produced create the power source for the city. Mike Wazowski (Crystal) and Sulley (Goodman) work as "scarers" for Monsters Inc., in fact Sulley is one of their star scarers. One complication, the monsters are deathly afraid of direct contact with the children, they fear contamination from kiddie cooties. All is functioning smoothly in the monster world until one small child, Boo (Gibbs), is accidentally set loose in their domain. Absolute chaos ensues and Mike and Sulley must try to capture Boo and get her safely back to the human world before the evil Randall (Buscemi) has his way with the child.
While Mike is trying to sneakily to get Boo back where she belongs he needs to access the doors to the human world. To do this he needs to get past Roz (Peterson), the iron fisted boss.
Mike tries to butter Roz up to get what he needs, "Roz, my tender, oozing blossom, you're looking fabulous today! Is that a new haircut? Tell me it's a new haircut. It's got to a new haircut. New makeup? You had a lift? You had a tuck? You had something? Something has been inserted in you that makes you look...listen, I need a favor!"
As always Pixar does a great job of developing interesting characters with a strong story to support them. Crystal and Goodman have a funtastic time swiping verbal barbs. Original and entertaining, another big winner.
In the film there is a restaurant called Harryhausen's which is a nice tribute to stop-motion animator extroidinaire Ray Harryhausen (of Jason and the Argonauts, the Sinbad movies, etc... fame).
Jeremy meter 9* (out of 10) Jeremy was playing with his Sulley action figure throughout the movie. He loves the film, especially the interactions between Boo and Sulley (whom she calls "kitty").
8* (out of 10) Pixar continues to school the other studios on how to make an animated film that has a quality storyline and enough depth to interest both kids and adults alike. As good as Monsters Inc. is Pixar went out soon thereafter and topped themselves with the fabulous The Incredibles.
cinemalover: Confessions of a Video Junkie
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cinemalover
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Monsters, Inc. Review #210
Last edited by cinemalover on April 30th, 2008, 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
Hi Chris:
It's been a while since you guys watched one I really liked and with this one you hit it. I absolutely loved Monsters, Inc. I taped it for my granddaughter when she was about 3, and we've watched it countless times since. I have even watched it alone, considering the dialog between Mike and Sulley, the need for a 'kid cover-up' isn't necessary. I also really love Ice Age, not so nuts about the Meltdown although it's good in its own way.
Anne
It's been a while since you guys watched one I really liked and with this one you hit it. I absolutely loved Monsters, Inc. I taped it for my granddaughter when she was about 3, and we've watched it countless times since. I have even watched it alone, considering the dialog between Mike and Sulley, the need for a 'kid cover-up' isn't necessary. I also really love Ice Age, not so nuts about the Meltdown although it's good in its own way.
Anne
Anne
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
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Hi Anne,
This is a wonderful movie that can be enjoyed on so many different levels. Jeremy was laughing throughout. He had seen it before but it had been a couple of years ago and so it seemed fresh to him. Lots of fun! Glad you were able to enjoy it with your granddaughter.
This is a wonderful movie that can be enjoyed on so many different levels. Jeremy was laughing throughout. He had seen it before but it had been a couple of years ago and so it seemed fresh to him. Lots of fun! Glad you were able to enjoy it with your granddaughter.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
The Ape Review #211
The call of cheesy ape suits is in the air, I find myself powerless to ignore the irresistible urge to watch...
Sons of Kong
3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/17/2007
Title: The Ape Made: 1940
Genre: Jungle Adventure Studio: Monogram
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 3
Boris Karloff--Dr. Bernard Adrian
Gertrude Hoffman--Jane, Dr. Adrian's housekeeper
Henry Hall--Sheriff Jeff Haliday
Maris Wrixon--Frances Clifford
Gene O'Donnell--Danny Foster
Dorothy Vaughn--Mother Clifford
Selmer Jackson--Dr. McNulty
Taglines:
He keeps human life in test tubes, and prowls at night in the skin of an ape!
These cold eyes have watched a thousand men die screaming!
Plot: Dr. Adrian (Karloff) is trying to cure paralysis and Frances Clifford (Wrixon) is the current patient that he is experimenting on. The dear doctor has the best of intentions but he's a few slices short of a loaf. There are apparently no boundaries on what a doctor should do iin the name of science, he must be a disciple of Dr. Frankenstein.
He seems very sympathetic to Frances, "I'm not just thinking about you, Frances, but of all the other sufferers. Of all the little boys and girls who can't go out in the sunshine to play and have fun. Who have to spend their lives in a wheelchair like you."
He sure sounds sincere.
For no particular reason, other than to advance the plot, a circus gorilla breaks free from his cage and roams the countryside. The gorilla just happens to visit the doctor's house and attack the doctor. Amazingly, this frail old man is able to blind the gorilla with chemicals and then stab it to death. Then Dr. Adrian puts all those hours in medical school to good use by skinning the gorilla so that he can keep the gorilla skin (don't bother yourself with silly details like what he did with the body, or how he could have lifted such a weight). The good doctor needs human spinal fluid for his experiments so like any standard mad scientist-type he straps the gorilla skin on as a disguise and goes out to kill people so he can drain their spinal fluid. This guy took a left at Mad Avenue and continued right on to Deranged Drive. Surely sanity is only a roadblock to scientific advancement.
Picture and audio quality was average at best, though always watchable.
4* (out of 10) Any Boris is better than no Boris at all. Karloff plays this looney doctor types as well as anyone and while the production values were equivalent to a junior high play Boris will always keep things interesting.
Sons of Kong
3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/17/2007
Title: The Ape Made: 1940
Genre: Jungle Adventure Studio: Monogram
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 3
Boris Karloff--Dr. Bernard Adrian
Gertrude Hoffman--Jane, Dr. Adrian's housekeeper
Henry Hall--Sheriff Jeff Haliday
Maris Wrixon--Frances Clifford
Gene O'Donnell--Danny Foster
Dorothy Vaughn--Mother Clifford
Selmer Jackson--Dr. McNulty
Taglines:
He keeps human life in test tubes, and prowls at night in the skin of an ape!
These cold eyes have watched a thousand men die screaming!
Plot: Dr. Adrian (Karloff) is trying to cure paralysis and Frances Clifford (Wrixon) is the current patient that he is experimenting on. The dear doctor has the best of intentions but he's a few slices short of a loaf. There are apparently no boundaries on what a doctor should do iin the name of science, he must be a disciple of Dr. Frankenstein.
He seems very sympathetic to Frances, "I'm not just thinking about you, Frances, but of all the other sufferers. Of all the little boys and girls who can't go out in the sunshine to play and have fun. Who have to spend their lives in a wheelchair like you."
He sure sounds sincere.
For no particular reason, other than to advance the plot, a circus gorilla breaks free from his cage and roams the countryside. The gorilla just happens to visit the doctor's house and attack the doctor. Amazingly, this frail old man is able to blind the gorilla with chemicals and then stab it to death. Then Dr. Adrian puts all those hours in medical school to good use by skinning the gorilla so that he can keep the gorilla skin (don't bother yourself with silly details like what he did with the body, or how he could have lifted such a weight). The good doctor needs human spinal fluid for his experiments so like any standard mad scientist-type he straps the gorilla skin on as a disguise and goes out to kill people so he can drain their spinal fluid. This guy took a left at Mad Avenue and continued right on to Deranged Drive. Surely sanity is only a roadblock to scientific advancement.
Picture and audio quality was average at best, though always watchable.
4* (out of 10) Any Boris is better than no Boris at all. Karloff plays this looney doctor types as well as anyone and while the production values were equivalent to a junior high play Boris will always keep things interesting.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 30th, 2008, 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Rocky V Review #212
Date watched:7/18/2007
Title: Rocky V Made: 2007
Genre: Sports/Action Studio:MGM
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS/ FS.
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Sylvester Stallone--Rocky Balboa
Talia Shire--Adrian
Burt Young--Paulie
Sage Stallone--Rocky Balboa Jr.
Burgess Meredith--Mickey Goldmill
Tommy Morrison--Tommy "Machine" Gunn
Richard Gant--George Washington Duke
Tony Burton--Duke
Jimmy Gambina--Jimmy
Delia Sheppard--Karen
Tagline: Go for it!
Plot: The plot picks up right after the conclusion of Rocky IV (which includes extensive time-filling by showing highlights of the Rocky-Drago fight). As Rocky arrives home from Russia he finds that while he was gone Paulie had unknowingly signed over power of attorney to Rocky's accountant. The accountant drained all of his finances and Rocky is now broke. The only asset that Rocky has left is the gym that Mickey (Meredith) willed to him.
In order to pay the bills Rocky goes to work at his gym and Adrian (Shire) goes back to work at the pet store (where Rocky originally met her).
George Washington Duke (Gant, in a role obviously patterned after boxing promoter Don King) tries to lure Rocky back in the ring with a big pay day to solve all his financial woes. The complication to this is that Rocky was told by his doctors after the Drago fight that if he fights again he is likely to suffer permanent brain damage. Rocky declines, but that won't deter Duke from spending the entire movie plotting to get him back in the ring.
Duke's charming style of persuasion to Rocky, "Do you like feelin' hard up? Do you like reachin' into your pocket for money and only feel your leg?"
Rocky is approached by a young fighter, Tommy "Machine" Gunn (Morrison), who wants Rocky to manage him. Rocky is reluctant but eventually agrees. He takes Tommy under his wing like a son, including moving him into his house in his son's room. Rocky Balboa Jr. (played by Sly's real-life son Sage, who has acting abilities on a par with his father). This leads to Jr. resenting Dad and hating Tommy.
Tommy becomes a "hit" in the ring and the vulture George Washington Duke swoops in to bribe Tommy with riches and women to sign with him. Tommy leaves Rocky to get out of Rocky's shadow and for a chance at a title fight with Duke as his promoter. The finale with Rocky and Tommy involved in a street brawl is fairly unbelievable but punctuated with such riviting dialogue as Rocky Jr.'s, "C'mon knock that bum out! He took my room!"
I had not seen this final installment of the Rocky saga (until last year's Rocky Balboa). I love the first Rocky, but each film got noticeably worse and this one is no exception. Here Stallone is at his line-mumbling worst, and the Rocky, Paulie, Adrian triangle has run its course. They use the gimmick of Rocky seeing flashbacks to include scenes of Mickey. This one is only for Rocky completists.
3* (out of 10) Gant is fun to watch as the over-the-top promoter, maybe he should get a sequel instead of Rocky.
Title: Rocky V Made: 2007
Genre: Sports/Action Studio:MGM
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS/ FS.
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Sylvester Stallone--Rocky Balboa
Talia Shire--Adrian
Burt Young--Paulie
Sage Stallone--Rocky Balboa Jr.
Burgess Meredith--Mickey Goldmill
Tommy Morrison--Tommy "Machine" Gunn
Richard Gant--George Washington Duke
Tony Burton--Duke
Jimmy Gambina--Jimmy
Delia Sheppard--Karen
Tagline: Go for it!
Plot: The plot picks up right after the conclusion of Rocky IV (which includes extensive time-filling by showing highlights of the Rocky-Drago fight). As Rocky arrives home from Russia he finds that while he was gone Paulie had unknowingly signed over power of attorney to Rocky's accountant. The accountant drained all of his finances and Rocky is now broke. The only asset that Rocky has left is the gym that Mickey (Meredith) willed to him.
In order to pay the bills Rocky goes to work at his gym and Adrian (Shire) goes back to work at the pet store (where Rocky originally met her).
George Washington Duke (Gant, in a role obviously patterned after boxing promoter Don King) tries to lure Rocky back in the ring with a big pay day to solve all his financial woes. The complication to this is that Rocky was told by his doctors after the Drago fight that if he fights again he is likely to suffer permanent brain damage. Rocky declines, but that won't deter Duke from spending the entire movie plotting to get him back in the ring.
Duke's charming style of persuasion to Rocky, "Do you like feelin' hard up? Do you like reachin' into your pocket for money and only feel your leg?"
Rocky is approached by a young fighter, Tommy "Machine" Gunn (Morrison), who wants Rocky to manage him. Rocky is reluctant but eventually agrees. He takes Tommy under his wing like a son, including moving him into his house in his son's room. Rocky Balboa Jr. (played by Sly's real-life son Sage, who has acting abilities on a par with his father). This leads to Jr. resenting Dad and hating Tommy.
Tommy becomes a "hit" in the ring and the vulture George Washington Duke swoops in to bribe Tommy with riches and women to sign with him. Tommy leaves Rocky to get out of Rocky's shadow and for a chance at a title fight with Duke as his promoter. The finale with Rocky and Tommy involved in a street brawl is fairly unbelievable but punctuated with such riviting dialogue as Rocky Jr.'s, "C'mon knock that bum out! He took my room!"
I had not seen this final installment of the Rocky saga (until last year's Rocky Balboa). I love the first Rocky, but each film got noticeably worse and this one is no exception. Here Stallone is at his line-mumbling worst, and the Rocky, Paulie, Adrian triangle has run its course. They use the gimmick of Rocky seeing flashbacks to include scenes of Mickey. This one is only for Rocky completists.
3* (out of 10) Gant is fun to watch as the over-the-top promoter, maybe he should get a sequel instead of Rocky.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 30th, 2008, 2:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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- Location: Seattle, Washington
Law of the Badlands Review #213
Here's a little "B" western starring Tim Holt recently shown on TCM....
Date watched:7/19/2007
Title: Law of the Badlands Made: 1951
Genre: Western Studio:RKO
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Tim Holt--Dave Saunders AKA the Tioga Kid
Richard Martin--Chito Rafferty AKA Pancho Champez
Joan Dixon--Velvet
Robert Livingston--Durkin
Leonard Penn--Cash Carlton
Harry Woods--Burt Conroy
Larry Johns--Lafe Simms
Robert Bray--Benson
Kenneth MacDonald--Captain McVey, Texas Rangers
John Cliff--Madigan
Tagline: TEXAS RANGERS VS. BANDIT TRIGGERS! Tim masquerades as a "wanted" killer...to crush a counterfeit money gang! The bills they print are counterfeit, the bullets they shoot are real!
Plot: Dave Saunders (Holt) and Chito Rafferty (Martin) are Texas Rangers assigned to uncover a counterfeiting ring. To do so they don criminal alias's to infiltrate the gang. Dave becomes the Tioga Kid and Chito becomes Pancho Champez. The suspicious gang allows them in but doesn't give up their secrets. Dave and Chito must carefully snoop around to uncover the whereabouts of the printing press.
Early on we see Chito flirting with every skirt in sight. In some cases his womanizing reputation preceeds him and foils his pursuits. One girl tells him, "Oh Chito. You have more girls than a dog has fleas!" His womanizing will come back to haunt him in this entry.
After watching Durkin (Livingston) and his gang murder Burt Conroy (Woods) in cold blood because they found out he was a secret service agent on their trail they know they have to be extra careful. Eventually they find the hidden press and are preparing to have the gang arrested. Then Chito's past suddenly comes out to haunt him. The saloon singer happens to be one of his many ex-girlfriend's and unwittingly reveals to the gang that Chito is a heroic member of the Texas Rangers. Dave and Chito are forced to fight for their lives against the gang in a dramatic shoot-out. Hmmmm, I wonder who will prevail?
Tim Holt, in his denim jacket and average-joe build is easy to take. He comes across as the guy next door, not as some incredible super-cowboy. In a nice change of pace from the norm, his sidekick, Chito, is the woman magnet and the hero is content to stay in the romantic background. These two have a pleasant chemistry and while Chito is sometimes slow on the uptake, he's not the buffoon that so many sidekicks were forced to be.
5* (out of 10) Decent assembly line oater with likable leads. Nothing terribly original, but sometimes a familiar road can be comforting.
Date watched:7/19/2007
Title: Law of the Badlands Made: 1951
Genre: Western Studio:RKO
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Tim Holt--Dave Saunders AKA the Tioga Kid
Richard Martin--Chito Rafferty AKA Pancho Champez
Joan Dixon--Velvet
Robert Livingston--Durkin
Leonard Penn--Cash Carlton
Harry Woods--Burt Conroy
Larry Johns--Lafe Simms
Robert Bray--Benson
Kenneth MacDonald--Captain McVey, Texas Rangers
John Cliff--Madigan
Tagline: TEXAS RANGERS VS. BANDIT TRIGGERS! Tim masquerades as a "wanted" killer...to crush a counterfeit money gang! The bills they print are counterfeit, the bullets they shoot are real!
Plot: Dave Saunders (Holt) and Chito Rafferty (Martin) are Texas Rangers assigned to uncover a counterfeiting ring. To do so they don criminal alias's to infiltrate the gang. Dave becomes the Tioga Kid and Chito becomes Pancho Champez. The suspicious gang allows them in but doesn't give up their secrets. Dave and Chito must carefully snoop around to uncover the whereabouts of the printing press.
Early on we see Chito flirting with every skirt in sight. In some cases his womanizing reputation preceeds him and foils his pursuits. One girl tells him, "Oh Chito. You have more girls than a dog has fleas!" His womanizing will come back to haunt him in this entry.
After watching Durkin (Livingston) and his gang murder Burt Conroy (Woods) in cold blood because they found out he was a secret service agent on their trail they know they have to be extra careful. Eventually they find the hidden press and are preparing to have the gang arrested. Then Chito's past suddenly comes out to haunt him. The saloon singer happens to be one of his many ex-girlfriend's and unwittingly reveals to the gang that Chito is a heroic member of the Texas Rangers. Dave and Chito are forced to fight for their lives against the gang in a dramatic shoot-out. Hmmmm, I wonder who will prevail?
Tim Holt, in his denim jacket and average-joe build is easy to take. He comes across as the guy next door, not as some incredible super-cowboy. In a nice change of pace from the norm, his sidekick, Chito, is the woman magnet and the hero is content to stay in the romantic background. These two have a pleasant chemistry and while Chito is sometimes slow on the uptake, he's not the buffoon that so many sidekicks were forced to be.
5* (out of 10) Decent assembly line oater with likable leads. Nothing terribly original, but sometimes a familiar road can be comforting.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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Scrooged Review #214
Another Friday Family Foursome evening in the house. The evening began with a gourmet meal at the local Subway franchise. Then home for our feature entertainment. It was Tina's turn to choose a movie and she chose...
Date watched:7/20/2007
Title: Scrooged Made: 1988
Genre: Comedy Studio:Paramount
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer..
# of times viewed: 2
Director: Richard Donner
Stars:
Bill Murray--Frank Cross (modern day version of Scrooge)
Karen Allen--Claire Phillips
John Forsythe--Lew Hayward
Bobcat Goldthwait--Eliott Loudermilk
Carol Kane--Ghost of Christmas Present
Robert Mitchum--Preston Rhinelander
Michael J. Pollard--Herman
Alfre Woodard--Grace Colley
David Johansen--Ghost of Christmas Past
Taglines:
Bill Murray is back among the ghosts. Only this time it's three against one! (A reference to his hit Ghostbusters)
The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways.
Plot: Frank Cross (Murray) is a mean-spirited, heartless TV exec who makes the real Scrooge look like a friendly extrovert in comparison. Frank is consumed by his drive for success within the television industry, so much so that the rest of his life is a hollow, bitter shell. The one great love of his life, Claire (Allen) was pushed away by his inability to commit to anything other than his career. Claire is his opposite when it comes to caring for others. She runs a homeless shelter for which Frank has nothing but contempt. Frank's assessment of the volunteers that work with Claire at the shelter, "They're volunteers because no one will pay them. They're incompetent!"
It's Christmas Eve and Frank is producing a live version of Scrooge for his television station (causing everyone to work on Christmas Eve, which makes him no friends). His mean streak makes all those around him suffer and leads to a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past (Johansen).
Frank, ever the cynic, confronts the Ghost of Christmas Past, "I get it, you're here to show me my past and I'm supposed to get all dully-eyed and mushy. Well, forget it pal. You got the wrong guy!"
The Ghosts' summation of Frank's life, "Let's face it, Frank, garden slugs got more out of life than you!"
Frank, "Yeah, name one!"
Carol Kane plays the Ghost of Christmas Present and she is just shrill and annoying. Bobcat Goldthwait, who is funny in small doses, plays an employee that Frank fires. He returns that night with a shotgun to renegotiate with Frank. The movie has its comedic moments but is a sour stew overall. I enjoy Murray's snide asides throughout the film but there is no cohesion or flow to the film. Several good ideas, but the storyline really needed one more strong rewrite to tighten it up.
Karie's beautiful new bride-meter--Karie fell asleep before the movie was over (long work week!) but was heard to say before she was out, "This is the dumbest movie ever...."
Jeremy-meter 7* (out of 10) Jeremy really liked when Carol Kane as a Ghost was beating up Bill Murray to get her point across.
Tina teen-mater 5* (out of 10) Tina enjoyed Bobcat's screeching voice and his nerdy persona. She was bored by the end of the movie though.
4* (out of 10) I enjoy Bill Murray and his snide sense of humor. You've seen it many times before, the haughty, I'm so much smarter than all of you attitude. But beyond his funny lines the movie is a Christmas stocking filled with coal.
Date watched:7/20/2007
Title: Scrooged Made: 1988
Genre: Comedy Studio:Paramount
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer..
# of times viewed: 2
Director: Richard Donner
Stars:
Bill Murray--Frank Cross (modern day version of Scrooge)
Karen Allen--Claire Phillips
John Forsythe--Lew Hayward
Bobcat Goldthwait--Eliott Loudermilk
Carol Kane--Ghost of Christmas Present
Robert Mitchum--Preston Rhinelander
Michael J. Pollard--Herman
Alfre Woodard--Grace Colley
David Johansen--Ghost of Christmas Past
Taglines:
Bill Murray is back among the ghosts. Only this time it's three against one! (A reference to his hit Ghostbusters)
The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways.
Plot: Frank Cross (Murray) is a mean-spirited, heartless TV exec who makes the real Scrooge look like a friendly extrovert in comparison. Frank is consumed by his drive for success within the television industry, so much so that the rest of his life is a hollow, bitter shell. The one great love of his life, Claire (Allen) was pushed away by his inability to commit to anything other than his career. Claire is his opposite when it comes to caring for others. She runs a homeless shelter for which Frank has nothing but contempt. Frank's assessment of the volunteers that work with Claire at the shelter, "They're volunteers because no one will pay them. They're incompetent!"
It's Christmas Eve and Frank is producing a live version of Scrooge for his television station (causing everyone to work on Christmas Eve, which makes him no friends). His mean streak makes all those around him suffer and leads to a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past (Johansen).
Frank, ever the cynic, confronts the Ghost of Christmas Past, "I get it, you're here to show me my past and I'm supposed to get all dully-eyed and mushy. Well, forget it pal. You got the wrong guy!"
The Ghosts' summation of Frank's life, "Let's face it, Frank, garden slugs got more out of life than you!"
Frank, "Yeah, name one!"
Carol Kane plays the Ghost of Christmas Present and she is just shrill and annoying. Bobcat Goldthwait, who is funny in small doses, plays an employee that Frank fires. He returns that night with a shotgun to renegotiate with Frank. The movie has its comedic moments but is a sour stew overall. I enjoy Murray's snide asides throughout the film but there is no cohesion or flow to the film. Several good ideas, but the storyline really needed one more strong rewrite to tighten it up.
Karie's beautiful new bride-meter--Karie fell asleep before the movie was over (long work week!) but was heard to say before she was out, "This is the dumbest movie ever...."
Jeremy-meter 7* (out of 10) Jeremy really liked when Carol Kane as a Ghost was beating up Bill Murray to get her point across.
Tina teen-mater 5* (out of 10) Tina enjoyed Bobcat's screeching voice and his nerdy persona. She was bored by the end of the movie though.
4* (out of 10) I enjoy Bill Murray and his snide sense of humor. You've seen it many times before, the haughty, I'm so much smarter than all of you attitude. But beyond his funny lines the movie is a Christmas stocking filled with coal.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
The Ape Man Review #215
Here is the ninth entry in this budget ten movie set. This one features the immortal Bela Lugosi...
Sons of Kong 3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/22/2007
Title: The Ape Man Made: 1943
Genre: Horror Studio: Monogram
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 2
Stars:
Bela Lugosi--Dr. James Brewster
Louise Currie--Billie Mason
Henry Hall--Dr. George Randall
Minerva Urecal--Agatha Brewster
Emil Van Horne--The Ape
J. Farrell MacDonald--Police Captain O'Brien
Wheeler Oakman--Detective Brady
Ralph Littlefield--Zippo
Charles Jordan--Detective O'Toole
Tagline: No one is safe from the cruel desires of this inhuman fiend!
Plot: Dr. James Brewster (Lugosi) with help from his colleague Dr. Randall (Hall) has accidentally turned himself into a man-ape during the course of their experiements (and the banana bill is astronomical!). The only cure for Brewster's condition is....injections of human spinal fluid! (Apparently this is a standard plot ploy at Monogram in the 40's, see The Ape). This allows Lugosi to mumble his lines and chew his scenery as a stooped, hairy faced half ape. And yet Brewster is still capable of such profound statements as this, "Most spirits are honest, gentle and kind, and only want to bring happiness to humans. But a few are evil, and having been wicked in life are wicked in death and only haunt the scenes of desperate crimes, reveling in murder!"
I hope the writer didn't quit his day job.
There is another odd ball character who is nameless and pops up a couple of times to warn people of impending danger and them disappears into the woodwork. The character shows up again at the end of the picture and is asked, "And who are you?"
Mystery man, "Me? I'm the author of the story. Screwy idea isn't it?" (as he rolls up his car window which has "The End" painted on it).
3* (out of 10) Bizarre beyond description. Watching Bela as an ape-man is the only mild entertainment present.
Sons of Kong 3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/22/2007
Title: The Ape Man Made: 1943
Genre: Horror Studio: Monogram
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 2
Stars:
Bela Lugosi--Dr. James Brewster
Louise Currie--Billie Mason
Henry Hall--Dr. George Randall
Minerva Urecal--Agatha Brewster
Emil Van Horne--The Ape
J. Farrell MacDonald--Police Captain O'Brien
Wheeler Oakman--Detective Brady
Ralph Littlefield--Zippo
Charles Jordan--Detective O'Toole
Tagline: No one is safe from the cruel desires of this inhuman fiend!
Plot: Dr. James Brewster (Lugosi) with help from his colleague Dr. Randall (Hall) has accidentally turned himself into a man-ape during the course of their experiements (and the banana bill is astronomical!). The only cure for Brewster's condition is....injections of human spinal fluid! (Apparently this is a standard plot ploy at Monogram in the 40's, see The Ape). This allows Lugosi to mumble his lines and chew his scenery as a stooped, hairy faced half ape. And yet Brewster is still capable of such profound statements as this, "Most spirits are honest, gentle and kind, and only want to bring happiness to humans. But a few are evil, and having been wicked in life are wicked in death and only haunt the scenes of desperate crimes, reveling in murder!"
I hope the writer didn't quit his day job.
There is another odd ball character who is nameless and pops up a couple of times to warn people of impending danger and them disappears into the woodwork. The character shows up again at the end of the picture and is asked, "And who are you?"
Mystery man, "Me? I'm the author of the story. Screwy idea isn't it?" (as he rolls up his car window which has "The End" painted on it).
3* (out of 10) Bizarre beyond description. Watching Bela as an ape-man is the only mild entertainment present.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Blondie Review #216
I found a wonderful little video bargain for myself in the bins at a major retailer. It was the Blondie Volumes 1 and 2 DVDs. Each DVD has 5 movies on it and was priced at $2.50. One of the reasons they might be selling so inexpensively is that they are the worst packaged and labeled DVDs that I have ever seen. The graphics themselves are plain and boring but the information on the cover lists the DVD as containing 5 "episodes" as though these were television series episodes instead of movies. On the back cover each movie is listed as Episode #1, #2 and so on. Then the running time is listed as 72 minutes whereas each of the five films averages about 72 minutes each. Unbelievably dumb packaging. Unbelievably great bargain!
Blondie Volume 1 contains the following movies:
Blondie 1938
Blondie Meets the Boss 1939
Blondie Takes a Vacation 1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby 1939
Blondie on a Budget 1940
Date watched:7/21/2007
Title: Blondie Made: 1938
Genre: Comedy Studio:Paramount
Format: DVD Extras: None
# of times viewed: 2
Cast:
Penny Singleton--Blondie Dagwood
Arthur Lake--Dagwood Bumstead
Larry Simms--Baby Dumpling
Jonathon Hale--J.C. Dithers
Daisy--Himself
Gene Lockhart--C.P. Hazlip
Gordon Oliver--Chester Franey
Danny Mummert--Alvin Fuddle
Ann Doran--Elsie Hazlip
Dorothy Moore--Dot Miller
Kathleen Lockhart--Mrs. Miller
Tagline:
Out of the "Funnies"....straight into your heart!
The funniest, most beloved family now on the screen!
Chic Young's famous comic strip characters come to life in the first of 28 films based on his Blondie strip.
These prints are from the television prints and have 1-4 minutes of extra preview scenes from the movie added on to the start. Other than that the movies are complete and in very good condition.
Plot: On the eve of Blondie (Singleton) and Dagwood's (Lake) fifth anniversary, bad luck strikes the Bumstead family. Dagwood is about to have his furniture repossessed because of a poor business judgment on his part. While he is trying to solve that problem and sneaking around so that Blondie won't know, his behavior leads her to believe that he is having an affair. The standard confusion follows.
All of the series standards are set up in this first entry. Dagwood's habit of being late for work and jetting out the front door only to knock down the poor mailman. Blondie's jealousy of Dagwood's seeming indiscretions. Dagwood's bumbling good-hearted attempts to get himself out of self-created problems. Mr. Dithers (Hale) firing Dagwood, only needing tom hire him back at some point. It is a very successful formula for the series that succeeds where many others have failed due to stellar casting. Penny Singleton IS Blondie. After seeing Arthur Lake stumble through the role as Dagwood it is hard to imagine anyone doing it better. Larry Simms as young Baby Dumpling gets some of the best lines and is amazingly talented for one so young. The bratty neighbor kid, Alvin (Mummert), as the smarty-pants know-it-all is a constant burr in Dagwood's saddle and is hilarious. Even Daisy the dog is perfect.
I grew up watching these on weekend TV and enjoying them. This is the first time I've seen them in at least a decade and they hold up very well. Highly recommended!
A couple of memorable lines from this entry:
Blondie, addressing Dagwood's penchant for huge sandwiches, "Dagwood, you're going to drop one of those sandwiches on your foot one day and be crippled for life!"
Blondie summing up life in the Bumstead household, "Sometimes I think it's harder to raise a husband than a baby!"
8* (out of 10) Outstanding bargain on an outstanding series. Find this DVD if you can, it's worth the effort.
Blondie Volume 1 contains the following movies:
Blondie 1938
Blondie Meets the Boss 1939
Blondie Takes a Vacation 1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby 1939
Blondie on a Budget 1940
Date watched:7/21/2007
Title: Blondie Made: 1938
Genre: Comedy Studio:Paramount
Format: DVD Extras: None
# of times viewed: 2
Cast:
Penny Singleton--Blondie Dagwood
Arthur Lake--Dagwood Bumstead
Larry Simms--Baby Dumpling
Jonathon Hale--J.C. Dithers
Daisy--Himself
Gene Lockhart--C.P. Hazlip
Gordon Oliver--Chester Franey
Danny Mummert--Alvin Fuddle
Ann Doran--Elsie Hazlip
Dorothy Moore--Dot Miller
Kathleen Lockhart--Mrs. Miller
Tagline:
Out of the "Funnies"....straight into your heart!
The funniest, most beloved family now on the screen!
Chic Young's famous comic strip characters come to life in the first of 28 films based on his Blondie strip.
These prints are from the television prints and have 1-4 minutes of extra preview scenes from the movie added on to the start. Other than that the movies are complete and in very good condition.
Plot: On the eve of Blondie (Singleton) and Dagwood's (Lake) fifth anniversary, bad luck strikes the Bumstead family. Dagwood is about to have his furniture repossessed because of a poor business judgment on his part. While he is trying to solve that problem and sneaking around so that Blondie won't know, his behavior leads her to believe that he is having an affair. The standard confusion follows.
All of the series standards are set up in this first entry. Dagwood's habit of being late for work and jetting out the front door only to knock down the poor mailman. Blondie's jealousy of Dagwood's seeming indiscretions. Dagwood's bumbling good-hearted attempts to get himself out of self-created problems. Mr. Dithers (Hale) firing Dagwood, only needing tom hire him back at some point. It is a very successful formula for the series that succeeds where many others have failed due to stellar casting. Penny Singleton IS Blondie. After seeing Arthur Lake stumble through the role as Dagwood it is hard to imagine anyone doing it better. Larry Simms as young Baby Dumpling gets some of the best lines and is amazingly talented for one so young. The bratty neighbor kid, Alvin (Mummert), as the smarty-pants know-it-all is a constant burr in Dagwood's saddle and is hilarious. Even Daisy the dog is perfect.
I grew up watching these on weekend TV and enjoying them. This is the first time I've seen them in at least a decade and they hold up very well. Highly recommended!
A couple of memorable lines from this entry:
Blondie, addressing Dagwood's penchant for huge sandwiches, "Dagwood, you're going to drop one of those sandwiches on your foot one day and be crippled for life!"
Blondie summing up life in the Bumstead household, "Sometimes I think it's harder to raise a husband than a baby!"
8* (out of 10) Outstanding bargain on an outstanding series. Find this DVD if you can, it's worth the effort.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla Review #217
Here is the tenth and FINAL entry is this goofy but entertaining set....
Sons of Kong
3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/23/2007
Title: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (aka The Boys From Brooklyn) Made: 1952
Genre: Horror Studio: Jack Broder Production
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 2
Stars:
Bela Lugosi--Dr. Zabor
Duke Mitchell--Himself
Sammy Petrillo--Himself
Charlita--Nona
Muriel Landers--Saloma
Al Kikume--Chief Rakos
Mickey Simpson--Chula
Milton Newberger--Bongo the Witch Doctor
Tagline: A horror film that will stiffen you with laughter!
Plot: Duke Mitchell (playing himself) is a crooner, his pal Sammy Petrillo (also playing himself) is the clown and together they are a poor-man's copy of Lewis and Martin. They wind up on a tropical island after falling out of a transport plane. Eventually they are discovered by the local tribe and are asked how they survived out in the wilderness.
Duke, "We lived on raw fish and berries."
Sammy, "Which is much better than the raw fish living on us! Yuk, yuk!"
And the laughs just keep on coming....not.
Sammy really seems able to channel the young Jerry Lewis at times, right down to the mannerisms and annoying screeching. Unfortunately, he clones all the worst and most grating characteristics of Jerry and none of the comic timing. When the camera catches him at certain angles though, the resemblance is uncanny.
The plot involves Dr. Zabor (Lugosi) living in a castle on the island and running his weird experiments. The lovely Nona (Charlita) works for the good doctor and she takes the boys to meet him.
As they approach the castle Sammy gets a creepy feeling, "This looks like death not only took a holiday but he got a hangover taking it!"
There's nothing better for a mad scientist than fresh blood to experiment on and Zabor turns Duke into a gorilla. This causes confusion for logic-challenged Sammy who must decide which gorilla is Duke and which one is trying to make a sandwich out of him.
I actually enjoyed this one for all its silliness. From what I understand Duke and Sammy had a semi-successful stage act for years but this was their only film. The two have a nice chemistry and Duke does belt out one mediocre tune. The picture quality on this film was surprisingly good.
In summary, the set is a fantastic bargain if you enjoy these low-rent man in an ape-suit adventures.
6* (out of 10) A high score for a dreck movie but I like it for the audacity to parody Lewis and Martin, who at the time were huge box-office. Bela always makes a capable mad-scientist and the ape-suits were recently dry-cleaned and looking sharp.
Sons of Kong
3 discs, 10 movies, Alpha Video.
Movies included:
White Pongo 1945
Savage Girl 1932
Nabonga (aka Gorilla) 1944
White Gorilla 1945
The Gorilla 1939
Bride of the Gorilla 1951
The Ape Man 1943
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla 1952
The Ape 1940
Law of the Jungle 1942
This is the eighth film of this set I have watched.
Date watched: 7/23/2007
Title: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (aka The Boys From Brooklyn) Made: 1952
Genre: Horror Studio: Jack Broder Production
Format: DVD Extras: Just the movies, ma'am
# of times viewed: 2
Stars:
Bela Lugosi--Dr. Zabor
Duke Mitchell--Himself
Sammy Petrillo--Himself
Charlita--Nona
Muriel Landers--Saloma
Al Kikume--Chief Rakos
Mickey Simpson--Chula
Milton Newberger--Bongo the Witch Doctor
Tagline: A horror film that will stiffen you with laughter!
Plot: Duke Mitchell (playing himself) is a crooner, his pal Sammy Petrillo (also playing himself) is the clown and together they are a poor-man's copy of Lewis and Martin. They wind up on a tropical island after falling out of a transport plane. Eventually they are discovered by the local tribe and are asked how they survived out in the wilderness.
Duke, "We lived on raw fish and berries."
Sammy, "Which is much better than the raw fish living on us! Yuk, yuk!"
And the laughs just keep on coming....not.
Sammy really seems able to channel the young Jerry Lewis at times, right down to the mannerisms and annoying screeching. Unfortunately, he clones all the worst and most grating characteristics of Jerry and none of the comic timing. When the camera catches him at certain angles though, the resemblance is uncanny.
The plot involves Dr. Zabor (Lugosi) living in a castle on the island and running his weird experiments. The lovely Nona (Charlita) works for the good doctor and she takes the boys to meet him.
As they approach the castle Sammy gets a creepy feeling, "This looks like death not only took a holiday but he got a hangover taking it!"
There's nothing better for a mad scientist than fresh blood to experiment on and Zabor turns Duke into a gorilla. This causes confusion for logic-challenged Sammy who must decide which gorilla is Duke and which one is trying to make a sandwich out of him.
I actually enjoyed this one for all its silliness. From what I understand Duke and Sammy had a semi-successful stage act for years but this was their only film. The two have a nice chemistry and Duke does belt out one mediocre tune. The picture quality on this film was surprisingly good.
In summary, the set is a fantastic bargain if you enjoy these low-rent man in an ape-suit adventures.
6* (out of 10) A high score for a dreck movie but I like it for the audacity to parody Lewis and Martin, who at the time were huge box-office. Bela always makes a capable mad-scientist and the ape-suits were recently dry-cleaned and looking sharp.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Blood Diamond Review #218
Date watched:7/24/2007
Title: Blood Diamond Made: 2006
Genre: Action Thriller Studio:WB
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer, Commentary.
# of times viewed: First for me--2nd time for Karie.
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio--Danny Archer
Jennifer Connelly--Maddy Bowen
Djimon Hounsou--Solomon Vandy
Kagiso Kuypers--Dia Vandy
Arnold Vosloo--Colonel Coetzee
Benu Mebhena--Jassie Vandy
Anointing Lukola--N'Yanda Vandy
David Harewood--Captain Poison
Basil Wallace--Benjamin Kapanay
Taglines:
Freedom!
It will cost you everything!
Plot: It is 1999 in Sierra Leone and diamonds chart the course of nearly everyone's existence. Villages are plundered and subjected to mass murder by the gun-toting bands of rebels. Some of the village men that are not killed are taken prisoner to be put to work in the diamond mines which are funding the terrorism of the rebels. Solomon Vandy (Hounsou in a mountainous performance of great emotional depth) is one of those unfortunate men who is ripped from his family to suffer in the mines.
While slaving under the wicked eye of the rebels, Solomon finds a large pink diamond that he knows would provide enough wealth (if he were to escape) to remove his family from this living hell. However, all prisoners are constantly and thoroughly searched, and being caught trying to hide a diamond would mean instant death. He does manage to sneak it into the edge of the jungle and is attempting to bury it when the aptly named Captain Poison (Harewood) catches him in the act. Poison tries to take it from him when the camp is suddenly and explosively attacked by government troops looking to wipeout the rebels. In the aftermath both Vandy and Poison end up in jail. Poison puts a bounty on Vandy's head to be claimed by anyone that can recover the diamond for him. In the same cells the mercenary and smuggler Danny Archer (DiCaprio) is being held. He catches wind of the diamond and has plans of his own.
Once Archer is out he has Vandy bailed and tries to convince him to partner with him to retrieve the diamond and split the profits. Vandy is more concerned with finding his family. Archer uses the idealistic American journalist Maddy Bowen (Connelly) to tap her resources and help locate most of Vandy's family at a relocation camp. But his son Dia (Kuypers) is missing. Vandy learns that Dia has been taken by the rebels, and specifically his nemesis Captain Poison, to be transformed into one of their "baby killers" (children with guns that kill on command).
Poison is using Dia to lure Vandy back to him to get the diamond. Archer is using Vandy to get the diamond. Colonel Coetzee (Vosloo), Danny's former mercenary boss, has his troops trying to track down Danny and Vandy to get the diamond. Vandy just wants to rescue his son and reunite his family in safety. Maddy wants a sensationalistic story to blow the cover off of the "conflict diamonds" market.
The hunt is on!
I am not a particular fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, and when he first appears and is speaking is a South African accent it was even more off-putting. But once my ears adjusted to his accent and I was sucked into the very exciting plot he was much easier to take. I had heard mostly positives about the movie but strangely had minimal desire to sit down and watch it. Karie had seen it previously and told me how powerful it was. So we watched it together.
It is an amazing tale, all the stronger due to the circumstances being based on fact. The action is fast and furious and there are very few scenes where you are allowed to catch your breath. Djimon Hounsou is incredible, his emotions tangible on the screen. A horrifying situation told through an action-filled journey.
Not a good movie to see shortly after having purchased wedding rings with diamonds. There is a ton of violence so this movie is definitely not kid-friendly. But the message should be heard by those of all ages (at least those old enough to comprehend the horrors).
Karie's beautiful new-bride meter 10* (out of 10) Fantastic. Emotional, moving and thought provoking. The images have stayed with her since her initial viewing.
8* (out of 10) I may not like it quite as much as Karie but I would highly recommend it. It justifiably received a lot of attention in the theatres and with some awards recognition. It is not a movie that you watch and then forget about.
Title: Blood Diamond Made: 2006
Genre: Action Thriller Studio:WB
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer, Commentary.
# of times viewed: First for me--2nd time for Karie.
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio--Danny Archer
Jennifer Connelly--Maddy Bowen
Djimon Hounsou--Solomon Vandy
Kagiso Kuypers--Dia Vandy
Arnold Vosloo--Colonel Coetzee
Benu Mebhena--Jassie Vandy
Anointing Lukola--N'Yanda Vandy
David Harewood--Captain Poison
Basil Wallace--Benjamin Kapanay
Taglines:
Freedom!
It will cost you everything!
Plot: It is 1999 in Sierra Leone and diamonds chart the course of nearly everyone's existence. Villages are plundered and subjected to mass murder by the gun-toting bands of rebels. Some of the village men that are not killed are taken prisoner to be put to work in the diamond mines which are funding the terrorism of the rebels. Solomon Vandy (Hounsou in a mountainous performance of great emotional depth) is one of those unfortunate men who is ripped from his family to suffer in the mines.
While slaving under the wicked eye of the rebels, Solomon finds a large pink diamond that he knows would provide enough wealth (if he were to escape) to remove his family from this living hell. However, all prisoners are constantly and thoroughly searched, and being caught trying to hide a diamond would mean instant death. He does manage to sneak it into the edge of the jungle and is attempting to bury it when the aptly named Captain Poison (Harewood) catches him in the act. Poison tries to take it from him when the camp is suddenly and explosively attacked by government troops looking to wipeout the rebels. In the aftermath both Vandy and Poison end up in jail. Poison puts a bounty on Vandy's head to be claimed by anyone that can recover the diamond for him. In the same cells the mercenary and smuggler Danny Archer (DiCaprio) is being held. He catches wind of the diamond and has plans of his own.
Once Archer is out he has Vandy bailed and tries to convince him to partner with him to retrieve the diamond and split the profits. Vandy is more concerned with finding his family. Archer uses the idealistic American journalist Maddy Bowen (Connelly) to tap her resources and help locate most of Vandy's family at a relocation camp. But his son Dia (Kuypers) is missing. Vandy learns that Dia has been taken by the rebels, and specifically his nemesis Captain Poison, to be transformed into one of their "baby killers" (children with guns that kill on command).
Poison is using Dia to lure Vandy back to him to get the diamond. Archer is using Vandy to get the diamond. Colonel Coetzee (Vosloo), Danny's former mercenary boss, has his troops trying to track down Danny and Vandy to get the diamond. Vandy just wants to rescue his son and reunite his family in safety. Maddy wants a sensationalistic story to blow the cover off of the "conflict diamonds" market.
The hunt is on!
I am not a particular fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, and when he first appears and is speaking is a South African accent it was even more off-putting. But once my ears adjusted to his accent and I was sucked into the very exciting plot he was much easier to take. I had heard mostly positives about the movie but strangely had minimal desire to sit down and watch it. Karie had seen it previously and told me how powerful it was. So we watched it together.
It is an amazing tale, all the stronger due to the circumstances being based on fact. The action is fast and furious and there are very few scenes where you are allowed to catch your breath. Djimon Hounsou is incredible, his emotions tangible on the screen. A horrifying situation told through an action-filled journey.
Not a good movie to see shortly after having purchased wedding rings with diamonds. There is a ton of violence so this movie is definitely not kid-friendly. But the message should be heard by those of all ages (at least those old enough to comprehend the horrors).
Karie's beautiful new-bride meter 10* (out of 10) Fantastic. Emotional, moving and thought provoking. The images have stayed with her since her initial viewing.
8* (out of 10) I may not like it quite as much as Karie but I would highly recommend it. It justifiably received a lot of attention in the theatres and with some awards recognition. It is not a movie that you watch and then forget about.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
-
cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Alias Boston Blackie Review #219
Back to the land of 40's detectives, where the coppers are dim and the sidekicks are plentiful....
Date watched:7/25/2007
Title:Alias Boston Blackie Made: 1942
Genre: Detective Studio:Columbia
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Chestoer Morris--Boston Blackie
Adele Mara--Eve Sanders
Richard Lane--Inspector Farraday
George E. Stone--The Runt
Larry Parks--Joe Trilby
Walter Sande--Detective Sergeant Matthews
George McKay--Roggi McKay
Cy Kendall--Jumbo Madigan
Paul Fix (The Rifleman)--Steve Caveroni
Tagline: Blackie's got an eye-ful of alibi....but cops don't believe in looks!
Plot: We once again visit the world of Boston Blackie (Morris), the reformed safe-cracker, and that means that Inspector Farraday (Lane) is never more than a pace or two behind. No matter what good deeds Blackie attempts to do the Inspector is always around to suspect the worst.
Blackie is resigned to Farraday's company, "You know Farraday, every morning when I shave I expect to find you in my tube of soap. And when I come to something hard in the turkey stuffing tomorrow (Christmas Day) I'll look for your HEAD!"
In this entry Blackie and friends are going to the local prison (Blackie's alma mater) on Christmas Eve to put on a show for the inmates. Of course Inspector Farraday is along as a chaperone to make sure everything is on the up and up. Blackie performs magic tricks (one of the running gags of the series is that he can quickly shed any pair of handcuffs put on him), and there is an acrobatic clown to entertain. While Blackie is on stage one of the prisoners, Joe Trilby (Parks), knocks out the clown backstage and puts on his outfit and makeup. This allows him to exit the prison with Blackie and friends and escape right under Farraday's nose. Blackie had nothing to do with the escape, but since he's Boston Blackie he is guilty until proven otherwise. Trilby claims he is completely innocent and immediately starts hunting down the two men who framed him. He's looking for revenge, not conversation, so he's going to get himself in more trouble than he already is. So Blackie tries to solve everyone's problems, but must do so while being pursued by Farraday and the police.
Another winning entry in the series. Chester Morris is perfect as the wise-crackin' ex-safe cracker. The dialogue between Blackie and Farraday is worth the price of admission. There is a fun scene when Blackie is in police custody and the clown is visiting the station (don’t ask why, it’s just a plot contrivance). Blackie and the clown both end up in the adjoining room. As soon as the clown leaves, Blackie ties himself up (loosely) in the room, covers his face, and shouts that Blackie just escaped in his clown outfit! When all the police run after the clown, because they don't want to get burned by the same trick twice, Blackie calmly walks out of the police station on his own.
Paul Fix (Micah from The Rifleman) is a nice addition to the cast as Steve Caveroni, one of the men who framed Trilby.
7* (out of 10) I enjoy this series very much, it doesn't take itself too seriously and it has fun with the genre. No disguises for Blackie and the Runt in this one (another normal running gag in the series).
Date watched:7/25/2007
Title:Alias Boston Blackie Made: 1942
Genre: Detective Studio:Columbia
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Chestoer Morris--Boston Blackie
Adele Mara--Eve Sanders
Richard Lane--Inspector Farraday
George E. Stone--The Runt
Larry Parks--Joe Trilby
Walter Sande--Detective Sergeant Matthews
George McKay--Roggi McKay
Cy Kendall--Jumbo Madigan
Paul Fix (The Rifleman)--Steve Caveroni
Tagline: Blackie's got an eye-ful of alibi....but cops don't believe in looks!
Plot: We once again visit the world of Boston Blackie (Morris), the reformed safe-cracker, and that means that Inspector Farraday (Lane) is never more than a pace or two behind. No matter what good deeds Blackie attempts to do the Inspector is always around to suspect the worst.
Blackie is resigned to Farraday's company, "You know Farraday, every morning when I shave I expect to find you in my tube of soap. And when I come to something hard in the turkey stuffing tomorrow (Christmas Day) I'll look for your HEAD!"
In this entry Blackie and friends are going to the local prison (Blackie's alma mater) on Christmas Eve to put on a show for the inmates. Of course Inspector Farraday is along as a chaperone to make sure everything is on the up and up. Blackie performs magic tricks (one of the running gags of the series is that he can quickly shed any pair of handcuffs put on him), and there is an acrobatic clown to entertain. While Blackie is on stage one of the prisoners, Joe Trilby (Parks), knocks out the clown backstage and puts on his outfit and makeup. This allows him to exit the prison with Blackie and friends and escape right under Farraday's nose. Blackie had nothing to do with the escape, but since he's Boston Blackie he is guilty until proven otherwise. Trilby claims he is completely innocent and immediately starts hunting down the two men who framed him. He's looking for revenge, not conversation, so he's going to get himself in more trouble than he already is. So Blackie tries to solve everyone's problems, but must do so while being pursued by Farraday and the police.
Another winning entry in the series. Chester Morris is perfect as the wise-crackin' ex-safe cracker. The dialogue between Blackie and Farraday is worth the price of admission. There is a fun scene when Blackie is in police custody and the clown is visiting the station (don’t ask why, it’s just a plot contrivance). Blackie and the clown both end up in the adjoining room. As soon as the clown leaves, Blackie ties himself up (loosely) in the room, covers his face, and shouts that Blackie just escaped in his clown outfit! When all the police run after the clown, because they don't want to get burned by the same trick twice, Blackie calmly walks out of the police station on his own.
Paul Fix (Micah from The Rifleman) is a nice addition to the cast as Steve Caveroni, one of the men who framed Trilby.
7* (out of 10) I enjoy this series very much, it doesn't take itself too seriously and it has fun with the genre. No disguises for Blackie and the Runt in this one (another normal running gag in the series).
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Hollywoodland Review #220
Karie and I had picked up a few nice newer titles we were interested in at Hollywood Video (they have some nice sales on used DVDs regularly). Blood Diamond was the first of this group and here is another recent film that I've been wanting to see...
Date watched:7/25/2007
Title: Hollywoodland Made: 2006
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller Studio: Miramax/Universal
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Deleted scenes, Featurettes, Commentary.
# of times viewed: First .
Stars:
Adrien Brody--Louis Simo
Ben Affleck--George Reeves
Diane Lane--Toni Mannix
Bob Hoskins--Eddie Mannix
Lois Smith--Helen Beeolo
Robin Tunney--Leonore Lemmon
Larry Cedar--Chester
Jeffrey DeMunn--Art Weissman
Brad William Henke--Russ Taylor
Dash Mihok--Sgt. Jack Patterson
Molly Parker--Laurie Simo
Caroline Dhavernas--Kit Holliday
Taglines:
Living in Hollywood can make you famous. Dying in Hollywood can make you a legend!
In a town full of fiction, everyone has their own version of the truth!
This movie is based on the true events surrounding actor George Reeves’ suicide/murder on June 16, 1959. Reeves was famous for playing Superman on television and was idolized by kids everywhere.
Plot: :Louis Simo (Brody) is an ambulance-chasing private investigator just trying to pay the bills in Hollywood. He is hired by Helen Bessolo (Smith), George's mother, to investigate George's death. She thinks it's impossible that her Hollywood star of a son could possibly have taken his own life. The police have ruled it a suicide and seem to want to close the case as quickly as possible. Is this part of a studio cover-up?
Through Simo's investigation we see flashbacks of George's life in Hollywood and how frustrated he was with running around in his pajamas playing Superman. He wanted to be a serious actor and can't understand why he couldn’t get better parts. We learn that George was a "kept man" by Toni Mannix (Lane) the wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix (Hoskins). She is supportive of his career but he feels she never uses her influence in Hollywood to help him achieve his goals. Perhaps she's trying to hide him so that she can always have him for herself. We see that she can be very possessive.
On the set of Superman Toni tells George, "She's a lesbian, you know!"
George, "Who?"
Toni, "The one playing Lois."
George, "Phyllis? Is she really?"
Toni, "No. She is now. As far as YOU’RE concerned!"
The story examines all the people who may have been happy to see George dead, including him. It might have been Toni when she learned that George was dating starlet wannabe Leonare Lemmon (Tunney). It might have been Leonore because George wouldn't marry her. It might have been Eddie, tired of Toni and George's relationship. The list goes on.
Simo begins as a sleazeball, just looking to get paid and make a reputation for himself. But as he gets deeper into the details of the investigation he develops a real curiosity about the case. He proceeds to stick his nose where it's not welcome even after Mrs. Bessolo is bought off by the studio and sent packing. When Simo examines the bedroom that George died in he finds two bullet holes in the floor and comments, "Since when do suicides miss twice and start over?"
Affleck does a wonderful interpretation of the breezy, likable Reeves. He hits all the right notes of someone looking to get to the top at any reasonable price, only to find insurmountable roadblocks. Brody oozes opportunist as the picture begins but is able to gain viewer sympathy as time passes. Lane is outstanding (as always) as Toni, who rationalizes her affair with Reeves because it's Hollywood and everyone, including her husband, does it.
Karie's beautiful-new-bride-meter 4* (out of 10) It was somewhat depressing and she just doesn't like Ben Affleck in anything. (I'm not an Affleck fan either, the actor or the duck in the commercials, but thought this was one of his better performances).
6* (out of 10) It held my attention throughout. The period setting was fun to see and the recreation of the Hollywood atmosphere was very well done. Sometimes all the time-shifting flashbacks were disruptive but overall a quality piece of work.
Date watched:7/25/2007
Title: Hollywoodland Made: 2006
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller Studio: Miramax/Universal
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Deleted scenes, Featurettes, Commentary.
# of times viewed: First .
Stars:
Adrien Brody--Louis Simo
Ben Affleck--George Reeves
Diane Lane--Toni Mannix
Bob Hoskins--Eddie Mannix
Lois Smith--Helen Beeolo
Robin Tunney--Leonore Lemmon
Larry Cedar--Chester
Jeffrey DeMunn--Art Weissman
Brad William Henke--Russ Taylor
Dash Mihok--Sgt. Jack Patterson
Molly Parker--Laurie Simo
Caroline Dhavernas--Kit Holliday
Taglines:
Living in Hollywood can make you famous. Dying in Hollywood can make you a legend!
In a town full of fiction, everyone has their own version of the truth!
This movie is based on the true events surrounding actor George Reeves’ suicide/murder on June 16, 1959. Reeves was famous for playing Superman on television and was idolized by kids everywhere.
Plot: :Louis Simo (Brody) is an ambulance-chasing private investigator just trying to pay the bills in Hollywood. He is hired by Helen Bessolo (Smith), George's mother, to investigate George's death. She thinks it's impossible that her Hollywood star of a son could possibly have taken his own life. The police have ruled it a suicide and seem to want to close the case as quickly as possible. Is this part of a studio cover-up?
Through Simo's investigation we see flashbacks of George's life in Hollywood and how frustrated he was with running around in his pajamas playing Superman. He wanted to be a serious actor and can't understand why he couldn’t get better parts. We learn that George was a "kept man" by Toni Mannix (Lane) the wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix (Hoskins). She is supportive of his career but he feels she never uses her influence in Hollywood to help him achieve his goals. Perhaps she's trying to hide him so that she can always have him for herself. We see that she can be very possessive.
On the set of Superman Toni tells George, "She's a lesbian, you know!"
George, "Who?"
Toni, "The one playing Lois."
George, "Phyllis? Is she really?"
Toni, "No. She is now. As far as YOU’RE concerned!"
The story examines all the people who may have been happy to see George dead, including him. It might have been Toni when she learned that George was dating starlet wannabe Leonare Lemmon (Tunney). It might have been Leonore because George wouldn't marry her. It might have been Eddie, tired of Toni and George's relationship. The list goes on.
Simo begins as a sleazeball, just looking to get paid and make a reputation for himself. But as he gets deeper into the details of the investigation he develops a real curiosity about the case. He proceeds to stick his nose where it's not welcome even after Mrs. Bessolo is bought off by the studio and sent packing. When Simo examines the bedroom that George died in he finds two bullet holes in the floor and comments, "Since when do suicides miss twice and start over?"
Affleck does a wonderful interpretation of the breezy, likable Reeves. He hits all the right notes of someone looking to get to the top at any reasonable price, only to find insurmountable roadblocks. Brody oozes opportunist as the picture begins but is able to gain viewer sympathy as time passes. Lane is outstanding (as always) as Toni, who rationalizes her affair with Reeves because it's Hollywood and everyone, including her husband, does it.
Karie's beautiful-new-bride-meter 4* (out of 10) It was somewhat depressing and she just doesn't like Ben Affleck in anything. (I'm not an Affleck fan either, the actor or the duck in the commercials, but thought this was one of his better performances).
6* (out of 10) It held my attention throughout. The period setting was fun to see and the recreation of the Hollywood atmosphere was very well done. Sometimes all the time-shifting flashbacks were disruptive but overall a quality piece of work.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
-
cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
The Spoilers Review #221
This is the second movie from this set I have watched. The set is called the Screen Legend Collection: John Wayne The Franchise Collection. This is a handsomely packaged 3 disc set that contains five John Wayne movies that Universal owns the rights to. The price was under $20, a nice bargain.
Movies included:
Reap the Wild Wind 1942
The Spoilers 1942
The War Wagon 1967
Hell Fighters 1968
Rooster Cogburn 1975
Date watched:7/24/2007
Title: The Spoilers Made: 1942
Genre: Western Studio: Universal
Format: DVD Extras:
# of times viewed: 3
Stars:
John Wayne--Roy Glennister
Marlene Dietrich--Cherry Malotte
Randolph Scott--Alexander McNamara
Margaret Lindsay--Helen Chester
Harry Carey--Al Dextry
Richard Barthelmess--Bronco Kid Farrow
George Cleveland--Banty
Samuel S. Hinds--Judge Horace Stillman
Russell Simpson--Flapjack Sims
William Farnum--Wheaton
Marietta Canty--Idabelle
Tagline: Crashing fists in gold-crazed Alaska of '98!
Marlene Dietrich plays Cherry Malotte, a character very similar to her role in Destry Rides Again (1939). She is a saloon singer working in Alaska during the big gold rush. Goldminer Roy Glennister (Wayne) is a little too confident of his ownership of Cherry's affections. She has no problem reminding him that's she's not that easy by paying attention to the gold commissioner, Alexander McNamara (Scott).
McNamara may carry the title of gold commissioner, but he carries the label of scoundrel and cheat. He is working a con with Judge Horace Stillman (Hinds) to cheat miners out of their gold claims. This is a rare instance where Randolph Scott gets to play a despicably bad character. I guess I enjoy him too much in the White Hat because I had problems accepting him as the villain of the piece.
Glennister and his partner Al Dextry (western icon Harry Carey) find that their goldmine has been impounded by the courts and their profits stolen. After initially trying to solve things through proper legal channels Glennister concludes with his partner that they must take matters into their own hands. This leads to breaking into the bank and a confrontation between Glennister and McNamara that begins in the bar and escalates into a tour-de-force fight all the way down the street.
Wayne is Wayne, meaning he's bigger than life and full of confidence. Scott handles his role as well as could be expected, but he wasn't meant to be the Black Hat. I love him as a mean, ornery good guy, but not as a mean dog-kickin' bad guy. Dietrich's Cherry is a character that she is very comfortable playing and often outshines the boys as the center of attention. Marietta Canty plays Cherry's maid, Idabelle, who is a walking, talking stereotype. She utters such little ditties as., "I sure hope there's some colored folks on that boat (coming from Seattle). I is gettin' mighty tired of pretending Eskimos are from Virginia!"
There is also a rather painful scene to watch where Glennister is just arriving at Cherry's apartment above the bar with his face blackened by charcoal (a disguise while robbing the bank of his own funds). Idabelle comes upon him and assumes he is a colored man, Glennister leads her on for a few moments before she realizes who it is. Ouch. That scene won't go on any of the Duke's highlight reels.
7* (out of 10) A very good watch. The three stars keep things lively and interesting even when plot logic lags. Though this film is included in the John Wayne Collection there are times where Wayne is a secondary character to Dietrich. And it would have been even better with someone other than Scott as the lead villain, though Scott and Wayne's fight is a classic.
Movies included:
Reap the Wild Wind 1942
The Spoilers 1942
The War Wagon 1967
Hell Fighters 1968
Rooster Cogburn 1975
Date watched:7/24/2007
Title: The Spoilers Made: 1942
Genre: Western Studio: Universal
Format: DVD Extras:
# of times viewed: 3
Stars:
John Wayne--Roy Glennister
Marlene Dietrich--Cherry Malotte
Randolph Scott--Alexander McNamara
Margaret Lindsay--Helen Chester
Harry Carey--Al Dextry
Richard Barthelmess--Bronco Kid Farrow
George Cleveland--Banty
Samuel S. Hinds--Judge Horace Stillman
Russell Simpson--Flapjack Sims
William Farnum--Wheaton
Marietta Canty--Idabelle
Tagline: Crashing fists in gold-crazed Alaska of '98!
Marlene Dietrich plays Cherry Malotte, a character very similar to her role in Destry Rides Again (1939). She is a saloon singer working in Alaska during the big gold rush. Goldminer Roy Glennister (Wayne) is a little too confident of his ownership of Cherry's affections. She has no problem reminding him that's she's not that easy by paying attention to the gold commissioner, Alexander McNamara (Scott).
McNamara may carry the title of gold commissioner, but he carries the label of scoundrel and cheat. He is working a con with Judge Horace Stillman (Hinds) to cheat miners out of their gold claims. This is a rare instance where Randolph Scott gets to play a despicably bad character. I guess I enjoy him too much in the White Hat because I had problems accepting him as the villain of the piece.
Glennister and his partner Al Dextry (western icon Harry Carey) find that their goldmine has been impounded by the courts and their profits stolen. After initially trying to solve things through proper legal channels Glennister concludes with his partner that they must take matters into their own hands. This leads to breaking into the bank and a confrontation between Glennister and McNamara that begins in the bar and escalates into a tour-de-force fight all the way down the street.
Wayne is Wayne, meaning he's bigger than life and full of confidence. Scott handles his role as well as could be expected, but he wasn't meant to be the Black Hat. I love him as a mean, ornery good guy, but not as a mean dog-kickin' bad guy. Dietrich's Cherry is a character that she is very comfortable playing and often outshines the boys as the center of attention. Marietta Canty plays Cherry's maid, Idabelle, who is a walking, talking stereotype. She utters such little ditties as., "I sure hope there's some colored folks on that boat (coming from Seattle). I is gettin' mighty tired of pretending Eskimos are from Virginia!"
There is also a rather painful scene to watch where Glennister is just arriving at Cherry's apartment above the bar with his face blackened by charcoal (a disguise while robbing the bank of his own funds). Idabelle comes upon him and assumes he is a colored man, Glennister leads her on for a few moments before she realizes who it is. Ouch. That scene won't go on any of the Duke's highlight reels.
7* (out of 10) A very good watch. The three stars keep things lively and interesting even when plot logic lags. Though this film is included in the John Wayne Collection there are times where Wayne is a secondary character to Dietrich. And it would have been even better with someone other than Scott as the lead villain, though Scott and Wayne's fight is a classic.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
-
cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Dangerous Venture Review #222
Hopalong Cassidy Volume 2
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Borrowed Trouble 1948
Dangerous Venture 1947
False Colors 1943
The Devil's Playground 1945
Pirates on Horseback 1941
Date watched:7/27/2007
Title: Dangerous Venture Made: 1947
Genre: Western Studio: Film Classics/Paramount Pictures
Format: DVD Extras: 5 movies, Digital and audio enhancement.
# of times viewed: First
This is the third film on this disc that I've watched.
Stars:
William Boyd--Hopalong Cassidy
Andy Clyde--California Carlson
Rand Brooks--Lucky Jenkins
Fritz Leiber--Chief Xeoli
Douglas Evans--Dr. Atwood
Harry Cording--Dan Morgan
Betty Alexander--Dr. Sue Harmon
Francis McDonald--Kane
Neyle Morrow--Jose
Patricia Tate--Talu
Ken Tobey--Red
Taglines:
HOPPY'S ON THE WARPATH....in the most exciting adventure of his career!
HOPPY SEES RED! There's red-blooded action when Hoppy tangles with renegade redskins!
Plot: Dr. Sue Harmon (Alexander) asks her friends, Hoppy (Boyd), California (Clyde) and Lucky (Brooks), to join her on an expedition to uncover ancient
Aztec relics for academic study. The local Indian tribe is concerned that the expedition is going infringe upon their Indian burial grounds and steal valuable artifacts that are buried with their warriors. Hoppy gives the Indians his word that the burial sites will be untouched and they are allowed to proceed.
The leader of the expedition, Dr. Atwood (Evans), isn't interested in the academic aspects of the Aztec relics, he is only interested in the gold that many of the artifacts are made of. Atwood has made a deal with the disreputable cattle rancher Dan Morgan (Cording) to help him steal and sell the relics. Morgan has his hands dress up as renegade Indians and stir up trouble to discredit the local Indians and create distractions. Hoppy pretends to go along with Atwood's plan so he can get to the bottom of it. Once he learns the details and wants to put an end to it he finds himself badly outnumbered by Morgan's men. Meanwhile California is about to be sacrificed by the Indians who believe that Hoppy sold them out. How will our hero prevail?
Hoppy's movies are quick paced and fun. The comic relief is supplied by the sometimes cantankerous California. Early in the film California is snooping around the chuck wagon and getting into the stew. Moments later Hoppy sees him and he looks very upset after learning what type of stew it was.
Hoppy, "What's wrong?"
California, "Rattlesnake!"
Hoppy, "Did he bite you?"
California, "No! I bit him!"
6* (out of 10) Another winner from this budget priced DVD. William Boyd makes films that don't challenge you, but they make you feel at home.
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Borrowed Trouble 1948
Dangerous Venture 1947
False Colors 1943
The Devil's Playground 1945
Pirates on Horseback 1941
Date watched:7/27/2007
Title: Dangerous Venture Made: 1947
Genre: Western Studio: Film Classics/Paramount Pictures
Format: DVD Extras: 5 movies, Digital and audio enhancement.
# of times viewed: First
This is the third film on this disc that I've watched.
Stars:
William Boyd--Hopalong Cassidy
Andy Clyde--California Carlson
Rand Brooks--Lucky Jenkins
Fritz Leiber--Chief Xeoli
Douglas Evans--Dr. Atwood
Harry Cording--Dan Morgan
Betty Alexander--Dr. Sue Harmon
Francis McDonald--Kane
Neyle Morrow--Jose
Patricia Tate--Talu
Ken Tobey--Red
Taglines:
HOPPY'S ON THE WARPATH....in the most exciting adventure of his career!
HOPPY SEES RED! There's red-blooded action when Hoppy tangles with renegade redskins!
Plot: Dr. Sue Harmon (Alexander) asks her friends, Hoppy (Boyd), California (Clyde) and Lucky (Brooks), to join her on an expedition to uncover ancient
Aztec relics for academic study. The local Indian tribe is concerned that the expedition is going infringe upon their Indian burial grounds and steal valuable artifacts that are buried with their warriors. Hoppy gives the Indians his word that the burial sites will be untouched and they are allowed to proceed.
The leader of the expedition, Dr. Atwood (Evans), isn't interested in the academic aspects of the Aztec relics, he is only interested in the gold that many of the artifacts are made of. Atwood has made a deal with the disreputable cattle rancher Dan Morgan (Cording) to help him steal and sell the relics. Morgan has his hands dress up as renegade Indians and stir up trouble to discredit the local Indians and create distractions. Hoppy pretends to go along with Atwood's plan so he can get to the bottom of it. Once he learns the details and wants to put an end to it he finds himself badly outnumbered by Morgan's men. Meanwhile California is about to be sacrificed by the Indians who believe that Hoppy sold them out. How will our hero prevail?
Hoppy's movies are quick paced and fun. The comic relief is supplied by the sometimes cantankerous California. Early in the film California is snooping around the chuck wagon and getting into the stew. Moments later Hoppy sees him and he looks very upset after learning what type of stew it was.
Hoppy, "What's wrong?"
California, "Rattlesnake!"
Hoppy, "Did he bite you?"
California, "No! I bit him!"
6* (out of 10) Another winner from this budget priced DVD. William Boyd makes films that don't challenge you, but they make you feel at home.
Last edited by cinemalover on May 8th, 2008, 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.