cinemalover: Confessions of a Video Junkie

[cinemalover]

Date watched:5/12/2007
Title: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Made: 1988
Genre:Comedy Studio:Paramount
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer, Commentary.
# of times viewed: 3

Director: David Zucker
Stars:
Leslie Nielsen--Lt. Frank Drebin
Priscilla Presley--Jane Spencer
Ricardo Montalban--Vincent Ludwig
George Kennedy--Capt. Ed Hocking
O.J. Simpson--Det. Nordberg
Susan Beaubian--Wilma Nordberg
Nancy Marchand--Mayor Barkley
Raye Birk--Papshmir
Jeanette Charles--Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

Taglines: The Villain, even Mother Teresa wanted him dead.
You've read the Ad, now see the movie!

Inspired lunacy that throws everything, including the kitchen sink, against the wall with a wink to see what sticks. Directed by David Zucker, who was also responsible for the wacky Airplane!, this is a comedy that literally assaults your senses with every type of joke, pun and double entendre imaginable. Multiple viewings will reveal other little humorous action in the background or off to the side of the main characters.

At the start we see Det. Nordberg (O.J. Simpson) approaching a group of ne'er-do-wells on board a ship, attempting to single-handedly apprehend them. When Nordberg tells them to put their hands up, they all have guns drawn, and fill Nordberg with holes like a cheap Swiss cheese. Instead of dropping dead, Nordberg stumbles around the room, hitting his head on the doorframe. Then he burns his hand on a wood stove, leans against a freshly painted door, has a window slammed on his fingers, falls face first into a huge wedding cake, steps into a bear trap before falling off the side of the boat. Overkill would be an understatement, though there are those who might suggest such treatment was deserving for the real O.J.

Capt. Ed Hocking (Kennedy) when visiting Nordberg in the hospital displays some of the movie's logic, "The doctor says he's got a 50-50 chance of living. Though there's only a 10% chance of that."

An example of verbal exchanges between Frank and love interest Jane Spencer (Presley):
Jane, "I've heard police work is dangerous."
Frank, "It is, That's why I carry a big gun!"
Jane, "Aren't you afraid it might go off accidentally?"
Frank, "I used to have that problem."
Jane, "What did you do about it?"
Frank, "I just think about baseball."
Rimshot, please.

Then Frank is assigned to protect the visiting Queen Elizabeth II (Charles)....poor Queen! Ever the diplomat, Frank talks at a press conference, "Protecting the Queen's safety is a task that is gladly accepted by the Police Squad. No matter how silly the idea of having a Queen might be to us, as Americans we must be gracious and considerate hosts."

The movie was based on the very short-lived television series Police Squad. The jokes and double entendres are fired off by Nielsen with deadpanned, professional ease. Nielsen has mastered this comedic form and it has lead to a total rebirth of his career. Presley is appropriately beautiful for her part and Montalban oozes sleaze as the villain of the piece.

7* (out of 10) You either enjoy this type of scatter-shot humor or you don't. If you do, this is one of the best of its type.

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Date watched:5/12/2007
Title: Firefox Made: 1982
Genre:Action Studio:Warner Brothers
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, Trailer, Making of documentary, Eastwood film highlights.
# of times viewed: 2

Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars:
Clint Eastwood--Mitchell Gant
Freddie Jones--Kenneth Aubrey
David Huffman--Buckholz
Ronald Lacey--Semelovsky
Kenneth Colley--Col. Kontarsky
Klaus Lowitsch--Gen. Vladimirov
Nigel Hawthorne--Pyotr Baranovich
Stefan Schnabel--First Secretary
Thomas Hill--Gen. Brown
Clive Merrison--Major Lanyev
Kai Wulff--Lt. Col. Voskov
Dimitra Arliss--Natalia

Tagline: The most devastating killing machine ever built. His job....steal it!

Plot: The Firefox (MIG-31) is a devastating war plane. It can fly at six times the speed of sound and is invisible to radar. It also launches missiles that can be controlled by the pilot's thought impulses. Unfortunately, it belongs to the Russians!

The West wants to steal Firefox before it can be mass-produced and tip the balance of power towards the East. The West must find a pilot who has the knowledge to fly an advanced plane and be of a similar build to the Russian pilot, Lt. Col. Voskov (Wulff), that the plane has been programmed for. The West would also love to have someone to send on the mission that they could completely disown if something goes wrong.

Mitchell Gant (Eastwood) fits the bill. He is an ace pilot who recently retired from the Air Force, in part due to stress-related anxiety attacks. In a complicated plot, Gant enters Russia pretending to be someone else. He finds himself under constant surveillance and needs help from the underground to accomplish his mission. Gant subdues Voskov and takes his place in the plane. Then it is a race to escape.

Gant tries to understand why the underground members are willing to do anything to help him. Quotes from the underground:
"I'm ordered to die if necessary. Be sure that you get away free!"

"Fighting City Hall as you say, Mr. Gant, is a freedom that we don't enjoy."

The finale is exciting, but resembles a video game more than a movie. The Russian First Secretary (Schnabel) is portrayed as a civil and intelligent leader (though he does lose his cool towards the end). Most of the other underlings don't receive the same respect.

5* (out of 10) Interesting but not outstanding. Not one of Eastwood's better directing assignments, but a good learning tool in the process that has made him an excellent director.

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This is my second dip into the Kildare filmography. This one was a more enjoyable visit than my last one.....

Date watched:5/13/2007
Title: Young Dr. Kildare Made: 1938
Genre: Drama Studio: MGM
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First

Stars:
Lew Ayres--Dr. Jimmy Kildare
Lionel Barrymore--Dr. Gillespie
Lynn Carver--Alice Raymond
Nat Pendleton--Joe Wayman
Joann Sayers--Barbara Chanler
Samuel S. Hinds--Dr. Stephen Kildare
Emma Dunn--Mrs. Martha Kildare
Walter Kingsford--Dr. P. Walter Carew
Truman Bradley--Jack Hamilton

This is the first in the series of Dr. Kildare movies.

Plot: Dr. James Kildare's "shingle" is being hung beside his fathers in front of the Kildare home. The sign maker observes, "You know, this town is getting more like New York everyday. Two banks, two 10 cent stores and now, two doctors!"

But even as the town grows it's not big enough for young Dr. Kildare. He has just graduated medical school and instead of practicing with his father, Dr. Stephen Kildare (Hinds), he wants to practice in a big hospital in the Big Apple.

After disappointing his family with his choice Jimmy lands in New York. Jimmy is among a group of new interns at the hospital getting their introductions to the staff. Dr. Walter Carew (Kingsford) is talking to the interns while waiting for Dr. Gillespie to show up, "Only a very great doctor can afford to disregard the rules of punctuality..."
Dr. Gillespie (Barrymore) bursts through the doors in his wheelchair, "GOOD MORNING. Before we go any further about puntuality, Walter, would you mind telling me any disease it's ever cured?!"

Cantankerous apparently is Dr. Gillespie's middle name.
Gillespie, sizing up the interns, "What's this?"
Dr. Carew, "Some very learned young men!"
Gillespie, "I doubt it!"

To become Dr. Gillespie's assistant would be the ultimate compliment and opportunity for an intern, and Jimmy hopes to be the one. When Gillespie grills Jimmy on his medical knowledge his reaction is, "Try a little less supposin', and a little more knowing!"

Barrymore has a role that fits his need for the spotlight, and his cranky personality with an underlying warm heart is well portrayed. He doesn't get out of control which keeps the story and his interactions with Kildare enjoyable. The rest of the medical melodrama is by the numbers, but well played. I enjoyed this entry considerably more than Dr. Kildare's Crisis, which I watched not long ago.

7* (out of 10) Barrymore can carry an entertaining vehicle when he is reigned in and not left to his own accord.

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If I'm in the right mood there are several Bruce Willis action outings that I can truly enjoy (Die Hard for one). I was in the mood, and this one worked for me....

Date watched:5/14/2007
Title: The Fifth Element Made: 1997
Genre:Sci-Fi Studio:Columbia Tristar
Format: DVD Extras: Ultimate Edition, Anamorphic WS, Feature length trivia fact track, Camera, costume and set tests, Over 120 minutes of featurettes, Superbit.
# of times viewed: 2

Director: Luc Besson
Stars:
Bruce Willis--Korben Dallas
Gary Oldman--Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
Ian Holm--Father Vito Cornelius
Milla Jovovich--Leeloo
Chris Tucker--Ruby Rhod
Luke Perry--Billy
Brion James--General Munro
Tommy Lister--President Lindberg
Lee Evans--Fog
Charlie Creed-Miles--David

Taglines: It mu5t be found.
250 years in the future, all will be lost unless the Fifth Element is found.

Plot: We are in the 23rd century and aero-cab driver Korben Dallas (Willis) is an ex-military man who is currently down on his luck and close to losing his license. His life is so bad that he's one of the few movie heroes that gets nagged by his mother throughout the story. His whole life changes when a passenger literally crashes into his cab. She is beautiful and seems to speak no English.
Dallas, "Look lady. I only speak two languages, English and bad English!"

It is revealed, in a very complicated plot, that the young lady goes by the name Leeloo (Jovovich), and she is the Fifth Element. What is the Fifth Element? That's what Dallas has to discover, because the fate of the world rests on his actions with Leeloo. His search leads him to Father Vito Cornelius (Holm) who tells him of the coming EVIL that threatens the planet. We learn of four stones that must be recovered even while the ruthless Zorg (Oldman) is also trying to collect them. Add to the mix an annoying television host, Ruby Rhod (Tucker) who seems to specialize in ear-piercing screeching.

EVIL is approaching the Earth at almost immeasurable speeds while Dallas and Leeloo are still figuring out how to stop it.
Dallas to scientist, "How much time do we have?"
Scientist, "If the speed remains constant, 1 hour and 57 minutes."
Dallas, "I'll call you back in 2 hours."

This movie features a blonde Bruce Willis in kick-butt mode. Jovovich is lovely and nicely conveys the emotions that are necessary for the role. Director Luc Besson (director of La Femme Nikita, Leon the Professional and producer of one of my favorite foreign action films, Taxi) weaves a beautiful tapestry of sci-fi intrigue and action. The sets and costumes are inventive and visually entrancing. The plot is convoluted and more complicated than it needs to be, but it's carried out with such a sense of urgency and tongue-in-cheek fun that I can overlook that.

8* (out of 10) This was the first time I've watched this since its release. I enjoyed it more than I remembered. It really brought out the inner sci-fi geek in me. And for 2+ hours, that was a good thing.

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The sun is out and it's time to hit the Drive-in!

Date watched:5/15/2007
Title: The Castle of Fu Manchu Made: 1972
Genre:Fantasy/Action Studio:Balcazar Producciones Cinematograficas
Format: DVD-R Source: This is part of a Drive-In Double Feature (#109) sold through Sinister Cinema. The second feature is I, Monster and also includes trailers and drive-in snack ads between features. Sinister Cinema has been releasing these interesting double features for many years designed to recreate the drive-in experience. The drawback is that they are usually standard frame prints of medium quality recorded on DVD-Rs. The print quality of this one is a 6 out of 10. There are several DVD companies that have picked up on this idea and produce much higher quality product.
# of times viewed: First

Director: Jess Franco (the very prolific director who has almost 200 movies to his credit)
Stars:
Christopher Lee--Fu Manchu
Richard Greene--Nayland Smith
Howard Marion-Crawford--Dr. Petrie
Gunther Stoll--Curt
Rosakba Neri--Lisa
Maria Perschy--Marie
Werner Abrolet--Melnik
Jose Manuel Martin--Omar Pashu
Tsai Chin--Lin Tang

Tagline: He's Back!!! The world's most evil man with a fiendish plan of conquest.

Plot: Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee, sleepwalking through the role) is planning on bringing the planet to its knees before him with a device that basically freezes oceans. Interpol's Dr. Nayland Smith (Greene), Fu Manchus arch-nemesis, is duty bound to stop Fu Manchu's madness.

The action is poorly paced and fails to grab the viewer's attention. The plot seems less concerned with being a coherent line of thought than just an excuse to show off location shots and nice set pieces. Tsai Lin is one of the few bright spots playing Fu Manchu's equally sadistic daughter. Lee looks okay in the role, but his heart is not in it.

3* (out of 10) The movie feels like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle that you are trying to assemble only to learn that your little brother has lost several key pieces.

The popcorn would have to be outstanding to make sitting through this beast worthwhile.

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One of Belushi's lesser efforts as he tried something a little more mainstream than his norm....

Date watched:5/14/2007
Title: Continental Divide Made: 1981
Genre:Romantic Comedy Studio:Universal
Format: DVD-R Source: Sundance Channel
# of times viewed: 2

Stars:
John Belushi--Ernie Souchak
Blair Brown--Nell Porter
Allen Garfield--Howard McDermott
Carlin Glynn--Sylvia
Tony Ganios--Max Bernbaum
Val Avery--Yablonowitz
Liam Russell--Deke Lewis
Everett Smith--Fiddle
Bill Henderson--Train Conductor

Tagline: When they met they heard bells. And that was just round one!

Plot: Chicago newspaper writer Ernie Souchak (Belushi) has been writing about political corruption in the city. So much so that he has made some powerful enemies. His editor insists on sending him on a story out of the state for his own protection. Souchak is Chicago bred and born and had never set foot outside the city. He rebels but eventually concedes and is sent to the Rocky Mountains to interview eagle expert and recluse Nell Porter (Brown).

Porter hates reporters but when Souchak shows up at her cabin door unannounced she is stuck with him for two weeks, until the guide shows back up to take him down the mountain.

Souchak is warned by the guide about an absolute wildman who roams the mountains. When Souchak meets him it turns out to be a familiar face.
Souchak, "Max Birnbaum? (Ganios) The defensive end that told the NFL to stick it up their defensive end?"

Predictably, Porter and Souchak become slowly attracted to each other. Souchak actually comes to respect the great outdoors. One day when Porter goes to check on her eagles Souchak gets a visit from a mountain lion. When Porter asks him how he survived he responds, "I owe it all to you!"
Porter, "What?"
Souchak, "Understanding nature, imagining you're the opponent. In that split second that mattered, I imagined that I was a mountain lion, and what would discourage me if I were a mountain lion? I took my walking stick and hit him in the b*lls. I've never seen such big b*lls, and I'm from Chicago!"

The movie tries to convert the wild John Belushi into a tame romantic comedian. Please. Give me Animal House or The Blues Brothers! This is a case of trying to force a square peg into a round hole, it just doesn't work. A very pedestrian effort.

4* (out of 10) Not terrible, but what's the point? There are many actors better suited for this role, and this was just one less movie that we had the opportunity to see what Belushi was really capable of.

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Here is the second feature of the Drive-In Double Feature #109. I bought several of these a few years ago when they were the only game in town. Now, there are so many companies that specialize in putting packages like this together in high quality formats that these DVD-R sub-standard prints can't compare. These also used to look better on a standard def TV than they do now on my High def screen.

Date watched:5/15/2007
Title: I, Monster Made: 1971
Genre:Horror Studio:Amicus
Format: DVD-R Source: This is part of a Drive-In Double Feature (#109) sold through Sinister Cinema. The second feature is The Castle of Fu Manchu and also includes trailers and drive-in snack ads between features. Sinister Cinema has been releasing these interesting double features for many years designed to recreate the drive-in experience. The drawback is that they are usually standard frame prints of medium quality recorded on DVD-Rs. The print quality of this one is a 7 out of 10. There are several DVD companies that have picked up on this idea and produce much higher quality product.
# of times viewed: 2

Stars:
Christopher Lee--Dr. Charles Marlowe/ Edward Blake
Peter Cushing--Frederick Utterson
Mike Raven--Enfield
Richard Hundall--Lanyon
George Merritt--Poole
Kenneth J. Warren--Mr. Deane
Susan Jameson--Diane Thomas
Marjie Lawrence--Annie
Aimee Delamain--Landlady

Interesting note: the movie was filmed in 3-D, but only shown in that format in a few selected outlets.

Amicus was a production company that gave Hammer a serious run for their horror dollar in the 70's (as well as borrowing their top stars, Lee and Cushing!). Some of their more memorable titles were: And Now The Screaming Starts, The Asylum and Tales From The Crypt.

This is a variation on the Jekyl and Hyde theme. According to the credits the movie was based on the story of Robert Louis Stevenson but for some reason they chose not to use the Jekyl and hyde names. Instead we get Christopher Lee as Dr. Charles Marlowe who turns into Edward Blake.

Dr. Charles uses Freud's theories to analyze his patients, only he's added a unique twist. He injects them with a serum of his own devising that brings out different repressed emotions in each of them. Dr. Charles also uses the drug on himself and becomes addicted to it. When he starts transforming into Edward Blake we get to see Lee as a real low-life character. His make-up looks like an old Lon Chaney design.

Dr. Charles starts to see changes in his behavior and wonders aloud to his friend Frederick Utterson (Cushing), "All men are capable of committing crimes...if they are not restrained by the good inside them!"

The movie starts out with an intersting premise of combining Freud's theories with the Jekyl and Hyde motif, but then it drifts in another direction midstream. Cushing and Lee are always fun to watch together but the rest of the cast blends into the background.

5* (out of 10) Certainly watchable but not one of Amicus' shining moments.

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Tonight is the first practice for Jeremy's spring soccer team. It looks like 7 of the kids from the previous team will be joining us, so that's wonderful for the kids. This means there won't be much time for movies on Thursday nights for awhile (well, maybe a short one after the kids are in bed). But the weather has been beautiful this week so it will be nice to get some outdoor workouts in.

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There is a pawn shop near my house that I stop in at once in awhile because they tend to have hundreds of DVDs which they sell dirt cheap. Sometimes there is nothing of interest to me, but more often than not I'll find a treasure or two. I found this DVD there, I had never heard of it before, but it looked interesting....

Date watched:5/16/2007
Title: The Man Without a Past (Mies Vailla Menneisyytta) Made: 2002
Genre:Drama/ Foreign Studio:Columbia Tristar
Format: DVD Extras: Anamorphic WS, In Finnish with English ST.
# of times viewed: First

Director: Aki Kaurismaki
Stars:
Markku Peltola--M
Kati Quitinen--Irma
Juhani Niemela--Nieminen
Kaija Pakerinen--Kaisa Nieminen
Sakari Kuosmanen--Anttila
Annikki Tahti--Kirpputerin Johtajatar

2002 Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film

Plot: A lonely looking man arrives via train in Helsinki carrying a large suitcase. Apparently he has no place to stay as he falls asleep on a park bench. While he is sleeping he is violently assaulted and robbed by three street punks. They search his suitcase and take everything of value, including a welder's mask. He wakes up in a hospital with no clear memory of what happened, in fact he has no memory at all. He wanders out of the hospital without being released with only the clothes on his back. He ends up in a community of unfortunates that rent unused cargo caontainers from a security guard to live in. His lack of identity proves a roadblock to finding a real job or opening a bank account. He becomes a true lost soul.

Gradually he makes friends within his community and begins to value them. When one of them hooks up electricity to his container home he asks, "What do I owe you?"
Electrician, "If you see me face down in a gutter, turn me on my back!"

He talks his way into a job with the Salvation Army and finds himself attracted to a co-worker. He finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when a bank is being robbed and gets taken to the police station for questioning. They think he is trying to hide something by not having any papers or identity. His picture is poted in local papers with a "Do you know me?" caption. Will someone be able to identify him, and if so, will he be glad to be reunited with his past?

This is a very small scale, intimate film that would only be made as an independent in America. It is a very understated comedy with a sad undercurrent. I found myself interested in the character and cared about what happened to him. Well played but not for those with a limited attention span.

7* (out of 10) A quirky character piece that emphasizes and chronicles how lost souls can find their place and their happiness in the world.

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The evil Dr. Miguelito Loveless returns....

Date watched: 5/17/2007
Title: The Wild Wild West TV Show Made: 1966-67
Genre: Western/Spy Studio: CBS-Paramount
Format: DVD Extras-This is the complete Series 2--28 episodes
# of times viewed: 5

Season 2 Episode 10 Original Air Date: 11/18/66
The Night of the Green Terror

Stars:
Robert Conrad--James "Jim" West
Ross Martin--Artemus "Arte" Gordon
Guest stars:
Michael Dunn--Dr. Miguelito Loveless
Anthony Caruso--Bright Chief Star
Peggy Rea--Wife of Bright Chief Star
Phoebe Dorin--Antoinette

Plot: Dr. Loveless (Dunn) has set himself up as Robin Hood and his henchies as the not-so-Merry Men. His diabolical plot involves destroying the local Indian tribe’s food sources so that they become dependent on him, and will do whatever wicked bidding he needs. Dr. Loveless climbs into a full-sized motorized suit of armor and appears to the Indians as the Lord of the Forest. They are convinced that they will be able to lead an easy and comfortable life with everything they need provided by the Lord of the Forest if they just do as he asks (though why a Lord of the Forest would need a suit of armor is never asked). Loveless needs to be able to boast to Jim and Arte or his ego isn't sated, so he makes sure that they are the ones sent to investigate the behavioral change in the tribes.

When Jim and Arte approach "Sherwood Forest", Loveless, in Robin Hood gear, greets them, "Welcome to Sherwood Forest, you naughty varlets!" Arte and Jim escape, but only to have Jim recaptured by the Indian Tribe, led by Chief Bright Star (Caruso). This gives Arte an excuse to use his facade skills by appearing in the Indian camp disguised as an Indian maiden (ugh! That's one ugly maiden!).

In the third act, Jim is forced to confront Loveless in his mechanized suit of armor in a mace fight.
Arte, "Have you ever fought with a mace before?"
Jim, "Fought with one? I've never even seen one!"
Arte, "Well....there's always beginner's luck."

As always, the chemistry between these two stars is fun to watch. By this time they had developed quite the communication shorthand, knowing how best to feed each other lines and set-ups. Loveless gets another vocal duet with Antoinette (Dorin) which is always a nice cultural counterpoint to his otherwise evil genius.

9 (out of 10) For the series.
10 (out of 10) For any episode with Dr. Miguelito Loveless. Michael Dunn makes this a villain for the ages with enough layered nuances to allow repeat viewings to reveal deeper levels of appreciation.

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Date watched:5/17/2007
Title: The McGuerins From Brooklyn (aka Two Mugs From Brooklyn) Made: 1942
Genre:Comedy Studio:Hal Roach Studios
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First

Stars:
William Bendix--Tim McGuerin
Grace Bradley--Sadie McGuerin
Max Baer--Samson
Arline Judge--Marcia Marsden
Marjorie Woodworth--Lucy Gibbs
Joe Sawyer--Eddie Corbett
Marion Martin--Myrtle
Rex Evans--Sterling, McGuerin's butler
J. Farrell MacDonald--Cop

This is another from Hal Roach's Streamliner series of movies. This one clocks in at 45 minutes.

Tim (Bendix) and Eddie (Sawyer) are two Brooklyn mugs that started a business with one taxi cab and have worked it into the biggest cab company in Brooklyn. Life is good for both of them, that is until they hire a new secretary, Lucy Gibbs (Woodworth), who is an absolute knockout. Not only is Lucy a severe distraction to the productivity of the cab drivers, but Tim's wife Sadie (Bradley) and Eddie's girlfriend Marcia (Judge) suspect that both boys are making a play for her.

Not that Marcia is pure of heart herself. In a conversation with her friend Myrtle (Martin) we learn her reason for dating Eddie.
Myrtle, "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd waste your time on a taxi driver!"
Marcia, "Any taxi driver with 600 cabs can always park in my garage!"

One of the highlights is Tim pretending to get beaten up by Samson (Baer) while supposedly defending Sadie's honor. They are behind a locked hotel room door and under the assumption that no one can see Samson punching a suitcase instead of Tim. Sadie ruins the illusion by entering the room through the adjoining hall.

I always seem to enjoy Bendix's characters. Sawyer is just along for a ride on the Bendix express as he isn't given much to do. Grace Bradley's Sadie McGuerin is a no-nonsense wife who can more than handle herself when she squares off against Bendix's Tim.

5* (out of 10) Like a Twinkie without the filling, you'll still eat it, but you can tell something is missing.

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I appreciate when TCM pulls out little diversions like this from across the pond. I had never seen this before and was not familiar with Norman Wisdom at all. Margaret Rutherford is, of course, a treasure.

Date watched:5/16/2007
Title: Trouble in Store Made: 1953
Genre:Comedy Studio:Two Cities Films Ltd.
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First

Stars:
Norman Wisdom--Norman
Moira Lister--Peggy Drew
Megs Jenkins--Miss Gipson
Jerry Desmonde--Augustus Freeman
Margaret Rutherford--Miss Bacon
Lana Morris--Sally Wilson
Eddie Leslie--Bill
Michael Brennan--Davis
Michael Ward--Wilbur

Tagline: See Wisdom...Norman Wisdom and Margaret Rutherford in "Trouble in Store"!

Plot: Norman (Wisdom) is employed as a stock boy at Berringer's, a huge department store. Norman has two big dreams that keep him going, he wants to get promoted to being a window dresser so that he can make window displays. His other goal involves Miss Sally Wilson (Morris) who works in the record department. He pines for her in the worst way, and with Norman it will usually be in the worst way.

Another ongoing character is resident shopper and compulsive shoplifter Miss Bacon (Rutherford). No merchandise is too big or too little to escape her notice. There is a wonderful scene where she pulls a set of travel stickers out of her purse, licks them, and applies them to the side of a large, brand new suitcase. She proceeds to carry it around the store, acting as though it was hers all along. She fills it up with other items of interest. At one point the store manager, Augustus Freeman (Desmonde) even escorts her to the front door and into a car.
Mr. Freeman, "May we hope to see you again?"
Miss Bacon, "Oh, of course. There are so many things I need. And one can pick them up so easily here."

Norman accidentally learns of a plan to rob the store during a popular one day sale. He tries to warn the store but no one believes him. Norman and Sally end up in a shootout with the would-be criminals by using toy guns from the toy department.

Norman Wisdom has been called a British Jerry Lewis, and there are some similarities. He plays an everyman underdog with klutzy tendencies. He can be funny in small doses. He also croons a couple of tunes. While his lip-synching skills are negotiable, his singing voice isn't bad. Rutherford doesn't get a ton of screen time but makes the most of it. She is hilarious.

7* (out of 10) This was a nice, innocent diversion. Some giggles but few guffaws.

[cinemalover]

It's Family Friday Movie Night, yeah! This time Tina was not with us. She had to spend the evening practicing for a wedding that she is participating in. So look out world, it's guys night again! Jeremy and I started our evening at soccer practice. This was going along well until it starting raining about halfway through. We had to practice in the rain for 45 minutes and were pretty cold and wet by the end. The team did vote on the team name and chose the Rockets.

We being the dumb boys that we are, chose not to go home to get dried off and cleaned up before going to dinner. Instead we went straight to Circo Circo and chowed down on Mexican food. We did clean up before we settled in to watch our feature presentation. Jeremy wanted to laugh so he chose....

Date watched:5/19/2007
Title: The Pink Panther Made: 2006
Genre:Comedy Extras: Commentary, Documentary, Music video, Trailer, Alternate opening and deleted scenes, Featurettes, Anamorphic WS.
# of times viewed: First

Stars:
Steve Martin--Clouseau
Kevin Kline--Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Jean Reno--Ponton
Emily Mortimer--Nicole
Henry Czerny--Yuri
Kristin Chenowith--Cherie
Roger Rees--Larocque
Beyonce Knowles--Xania
Phillip Goodwin--Deputy Chief Renard
Henri Garcin--President

Taglines: Pardon his French!

Get a clue! (Which would have been good advice for the writing staff)

Plot: A re-imagining of the 1964 classic with Peter Sellars and a stellar cast.

Clouseau (Steve Martin) must solve the murder of France's greatest soccer coach and the theft of the famous Pink Panther diamond that he was wearing in a ring. Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) has Clouseau assigned to the case so that his incompetnce will have him fumble his way through the investigation without solving it. This will allow Dreyfus to work behind the scenes with France's best detectives so that when Clouseau falls on his face Dreyfus can swoop in for all the credit and glory. Dreyfus also assigns one of his men Ponton (Jean Reno) to "help" Clouseau, but he's really just a spy for Dreyfus.

During the course of the investigation Clouseau meets a very familiar looking agent.
Clouseau, "I am Inspector Jacques Clouseau. I am here on a very important case."
Suave Agent, "Boswell. Migel Boswell. Agent 006. Know what that means?"Clouseau, "Of course I do. You are one short of the big time."

The combination of bad accents and attempted slapstick makes for a less than satisfying mix. Martin is at his worst as the pompous and bumbling Clouseau. The wonderful Jean Reno is wasted as a sidekick to Clouseau in a very undemanding role. Kevin Kline gives the only lead performance that isn't an embarrassment. I was okay with this movie until Clouseau starts to get romantic with Beyonce's Xania. There is an extended sequence with Clouseau in the bathroom looking for his "miracle pill for middle-aged men." This was a definite Eeeeehhhhww moment that was just disturbing. The only saving grace was that it was handled in a manor that went over Jeremy's head.

3* (out of 10) Why, oh why, would be my question. Some remakes are just doomed before they go in front of the cameras, and this would be one of them.

7* (out of 10) On the Jeremy-meter. There was enough goofy slapstick and visual gags to satisfy an eight year old mind. Maybe that's who the film was intended for.


This season of soccer requires us to alter our schedules a bit. We have practice on Thursdays and Fridays and play games on Tuesdays. So our weeknights will be really busy, but it leaves our Saturdays flexible which is nice.

[cinemalover]

A low-budget western with a twist of gender....

Date watched:5/18/2007
Title: Two-Gun Lady Made: 1955
Genre:Western Studio:Associated Film Releasing Corp.
Format: DVD-R Source: Western Channel
# of times viewed: First

Stars:
Peggy Castle--Kate Masters/Karen Marshall
William Talman--Marshal Dan Corbin
Marie Windsor--Bess
Earle Lyon--Ben Ivers
Ian MacDonald--Jud Ivers
Robert Lowery--'Big Mike" Dougherty
Joe Besser (Three Stooges)-- Don McGinnis
Barbara Turner--Jenny Ivers
Norman Jolley--Gruber
Kit Carson--Pete

Taglines: Every man was her target!
She had other weapons besides guns....and she knew how to use them!

Plot: Kate Masters (Castle) comes to town to perform in a trick shooting act. She establishes early on that she'll take no guff from any man, and that she has ulterior motives. Kate is gunning for the men who killed her parents before her eyes when she was 8 years old. She knows who did it and she's been waiting a long time for payback. She has spent years perfecting her fast draw and accuracy just for this purpose.

When she confronts one of her targets, Jud Ivers (MacDonald), they exchange barbs.
Jud, "Well, what ya' waitin' for? Maybe you think I won't kill ya'!"
Kate, "I don't think you'd try....'less I turn my back on you!"

Joe Besser plays a dippy drunk that is Kate's accomplice. With the rest of the cast there is a lot of method acting being practiced, and that method is wooden. The furniture has more range than Ian MacDonald. Kate's other intended target, Ben Ivers is played by Earle Lyon. Earle is of the belief that showing emotion is just a matter of clenching one's teeth at various angles.

4* (out of 10) The unusual approach of featuring a confident female avenger that has devoted a sizable chunk of her life to revenge is the best part of the movie. Castle is up to the task, unlike most of her supporting cast.

[cinemalover]

Date watched:5/18/2007
Title: Twister Made: 1996
Genre:Action/Drama Extras: Commentary, Documentary, Music video, Trailer, Production notes, Anamorphic WS.
# of times viewed: 2

Stars:
Helen Hunt--Dr. Jo Harding
Bill Paxton--Bill Harding
Cary Elwes--Dr. Jonas Miller
Jami Gertz--Dr. Melissa Reeves
Philip Seymour Hoffman--Dustin Davis
Lois Smith--Meg Greene
Alan Ruck--Rabbit Norrick
Sean Whalen--Allan Sanders
Scott Thomson--Jason "Preacher" Rowe

Tagline: The dark side of nature.

Plot: Bill Harding (Paxton) has been a professional tornado chaser with his wife, Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) and their team of experts. Now they are seperated and about to finalize their divorce. Bill has moved on and accepted a job as a TV Weatherman, an occupation that is held in low-esteem by his former colleagues. Bill is engaged to his new girlfriend, Dr. Melissa Reeves (Gertz). Apparently he's only attracted to PhDs.

Bill and Melissa have traveled to Where Jo and her team are tracking tornado activity to get Jo to sign the divorce papers so that they can proceed with their wedding. A series of major league tornadoes sidetrack that chore as Bill literally gets sucked back into the adrenaline rush of his old job.

There is also a second group of scientists and glory hogs competing against Jo's group. This group, which loves publicity more than actual discovery, is spearheaded by an Ego eith legs, Dr. Jonas Miller (Elwes). The two groups are both trying to be the first to launch equipment into the eye of a hurricane that would gather information about how tornadoes work, and could save lives by extending warning times.

The special effects are above par, and the flying cow scene will stick with you. The plot as a whole is pretty outrageous but it is a worthwhile popcorn action flick. The tension builds to the finale which is breathtaking. If you allow yourself to suspend rational logic you can enjoy this ride.

Hunt is outstanding and appealing. She gave me a whole new appreciation for hot scientist women, not that I know any. Paxton is the weak spot for me. He gets wide-eyed and weak and his emotions switch allegiances far too quickly. He just makes a squinty face that annoys me. Philip Seymour Hoffman doesn't get a lot of screen time but his character helps keep things grounded and as close to logical as they're going to get in a movie like this. Elwes is appropriately dislikable as the attention whore that piggybacks on other's talents.

6* (out of 10) Mental cotton candy, pretty to look at and the taste is sweet, but it instantly dissolves into nothing.