Glenn Erickson's Reviews: Month: March 2021

Gorath 03/30/21

This one really needs a Region A release, with English subtitles! It’s largely unavailable, especially the original Japanese version. The third Ishiro Honda / Eiji Tsuburaya outer space action epic is probably the best Toho science fiction feature ever, an Astral Collision tale in which the drama and characters are as compelling as the special effects. Nothing can stop a colossal planetoid heading toward Earth, but science comes to the rescue with the biggest construction job ever undertaken by mankind. The fine screenplay generates thrills, suspense and human warmth. It also takes place in the far, far future: 1980. with Ryô Ikebe, Yumi Shirakawa, Akira Kubo, Kumi Mizuno, Akihiko Hirata, Kenji Sahara, Jun Tazaki, Ken Uehara and Takashi Shimura. Not on legit Disc.
03/30/21

Isle of the Dead 03/30/21

The WAC comes through with another Val Lewton classic, this one starring Boris Karloff as Greek General caught in an outbreak of the Plague, who quarantines some superstitious civilians on a lonely island — and then goes mad, believing one of them to be a vampire-like devil’s pawn. The shocks are low-key but even the critic James Agee said that the last reels were a series of major scares! It’s all based on the famous Arnold Böcklin painting — one of the spookiest paintings ever. With Ellen Drew, Marc Cramer, Ernst Deutsch, Katherine Emery and our favorite Skelton Knaggs. Reviewed by Charlie Largent!  On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/30/21

The Bad News Bears 03/27/21

A favorite irreverent comedy!  Michael Ritchie followed his painfully honest Americana satire Smile with this beautifully rendered skewering of America’s idea of sportsmanship and fair play — featuring realistically, hilariously profane kids on a little league team for ‘losers,’ sponsored by a bail bond outfit. It’s also commercially brilliant, combining Walter Matthau with Tatum O’Neal and Jackie Earle Haley, and it generated a stack of sequels, a TV show, etc. Instead of ‘Garbo Laughs’ it was ‘Tatum swears!’  We’re hoping that Charlie Largent eases up on the profanity for his review, we’re getting letters about that. On Blu-ray from Viavision [Imprint].
03/27/21

Journeys Through French Cinema 03/27/21

Bertrand Tavernier breaks the barrier between fans of European movies and 101 classic French pictures that most of us never got a look at. It’s an eight-hour film clip excerpt round up, but the key is the hosting-curatorship of Tavernier — the fascinating miniseries has plenty to offer people that have never seen an old French movie, as well as fans that have seen some but want to know more about them. He’s a great storyteller, rounding up his favorite underrated / great directors, actors, composers, and relating them to major events in history (there was this 5-year occupation, see…). He’s also a genius at picking clips — all are riveting, none are spoilers, and you’ll come out learning fifty new French words. Highly, highly recommended. With Danielle Darrieux, Jean Gabin, Louis Jouvet, and 200 great personalities you didn’t know existed. On Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group.
03/27/21

Five 03/23/21

The first post-nuclear science fiction thriller is a grim & gripping end-of-the-world tale with rough content for its year. Arch Oboler’s best movie watches as five motley survivors discover that their pre-apocalyptic prejudices have survived as well, precipitating a savage struggle in the shadow of doom. The filming was an artistic collaboration with established film theorists and their film-student disciples — call it ‘lyrical neorealism.’ Starring William Phipps, Susan Douglas, James Anderson and Charles Lampkin. A new transfer and new extras accompany the atomic classic’s world debut on All-Region Blu-ray, from Viavision [Imprint].
03/23/21

Arizona Colt 03/23/21

CineSavant reviewer Lee Broughton rides in with a review of Michele Lupo’s attractive Spaghetti Western, in which every gunslinger is ruthless and greedy, even star Giuliano Gemma’s anti-heroic bounty killer of the title. Gemma goes nose to nose with Fernando Sancho’s villainous Mexican bandit. It’s nearly two hours of gunsmoke and sadism, and the womenfolk take their share of the punishment as well. Collateral damage comes in the shapely form of fan favorite Rosalba Neri while Arizona’s highly reluctant love interest is played by none other than Corinne Marchand, of Agnès Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7. Also with Roberto Camardiel, Nello Pazzafini, Jose Manuel Martin and Andrea Bosic, on All-Region  Blu-ray from Wild East.
03/23/21

Crossfire 03/20/21

Hollywood learns to imbed a social message into a crime thriller. John Paxton’s adaptation of Richard Brooks’ neat murder tale is solid noir because it sheds light on the malaise of returning soldiers. No parades and confetti here: Robert Ryan is the hateful bigot but the other characters live amid equally shadowy values — laid-back Robert Mitchum, unhappy bar girl Gloria Grahame. Edward Dmytryk puts a polish on a fine screenplay with a fresh viewpoint, that avoids thriller clichés. With Robert Young, Paul Kelly, Sam Levene, Jacqueline White, Steve Brodie & William Phipps; on Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/20/21

Nosferatu in Venice 03/20/21

This obscure Italian horror has Christopher Plummer, Donald Pleasance and atmospheric locations — and a making-of story that Severin tells in full unexpurgated detail. Never released in an English- language territory, Augusto Caminito’s brooding shocker had four directors. Its commercial chances were derailed by its deranged star, Klaus Kinski, who poses well, molests his female co-stars and sabotages what was supposed to be a high-end horror attraction. Maybe Werner Herzog could wring what he wanted out of Klaus, but the manic prima donna gave everyone else the shaft. On Blu-rayfrom Severin Films.
03/20/21

Battle Hymn 03/16/21

This dubious mix of war combat and faith-based inspiration is as well directed as any of Douglas Sirk’s films, even if literally every scene seems to be saying the wrong thing. Combat pilot Col. Dean Hess helped found and publicize a major orphanage in South Korea, but as personified by a pious Rock Hudson, his story comes off as a public relations gambit. A fine cast empowers the grandstanding bid for sainthood, where ‘Killer Hess’ channels his guilt into good works. The aerial footage is outstanding — Sirk really loved his airplanes. With Dan Duryea, Anna Kashfi, James Edwards, Martha Hyer, Philip Ahn, James Hong, Don DeFore and Jock Mahoney; on Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
03/16/21

Twentieth Century 03/16/21

Often identified as the first screwball comedy, Howard Hawks’ film is too funny and too original to be pigeonholed. Ace writers Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s wickedly witty dialogue zingers bulldoze us with a constant flow of deadpan one-liners and arcane classical allusions. Viewers who relate John Barrymore only to Grand Hotel will be surprised to see his magnificently overplayed theatrical ham. As his emotionally spoiled star performer, the beautiful Carole Lombard is almost as manic. Immortal dialogue: “I close the iron door on you.” Co-starring Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Charles Lane & Etienne Girardot. Reviewed by Charlie Largent, on Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
03/16/21

The Bridges at Toko-Ri 03/13/21

The most glamorous movie about the Korean War experience lauds the bravery of Navy aviators while spelling out the downside of fighting an unpopular war. William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March and Mickey Rooney turn in sharp performances, and Charles McGraw gets his best character part as a no-nonsense flight commander. Paramount’s special effects department outdid themselves on this one — the illusions are beautifully matched to the live-action filmmaking. Heaven help the good civilian soldier that finds himself asking how he ended up getting shot at in a ditch in some far-off foreign country. With Earl Holliman, on Blu-ray from Viavision [Imprint].
03/13/21

The Criminal Code 03/13/21

Howard Hawks’ early sound picture is a worthy prison drama — with top performances from Walter Huston and Boris Karloff, both just as their film careers began to take off. Huston shows the screen how a stage actor can take command: his DA-turned warden character is corrupt yet retains his air of authority. Karloff’s convict seethes with raw menace, and Hawks uses him better than anyone except James Whale. That ‘other’ Code, the Production Code, found this show to be unbearably tense — even though all the brutality happens off-screen, violence is soaked into every scene. With Constance Cummings and Phillips Holmes. On Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
03/13/21

Damn Yankees 03/09/21

A musical that charms even audiences that don’t like musicals, this adaptation of a big 1955 Broadway hit captures all of the original’s power and brilliance — more legendary stage performances should be filmed like this, immortalizing theater history that otherwise disappears into the ether. Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown and star replacement Tab Hunter shine, yet ‘unknown’ Broadway talent Shannon Bolin and Robert Shafer earn just as much applause. The Verdon-Bob Fosse creative hookup is at its strongest here, complete with a show-stopper of a dance duo. Come to think of it, almost every song in this thing stops the show, like one of Joe Hardy’s home runs: Wow!  It’s a real boost for morale. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
03/09/21

The Time Travelers 03/09/21

Ib Melchior’s best directed movie is a futuristic space opera with a time travel theme, all done at a production level suitable for a Halloween fun house. Yet its talented crew comes up with exciting visuals to match Melchior’s flaky-but-fun eclecticism: Androids, Mutants, ‘deviants,’ hydroponic gardens, force fields, time warps… and a sexist attitude or two to remind us that we’re seeing 2071 through the eyes of 1964. It’s one of the earliest Hollywood credits for cameramen Vilmos Zsigmond and Laszlo Kovacs. With Preston Foster, Merry Anders, Philip Carey, John Hoyt and Steve Franken, on Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing / Kino Lorber.
03/09/21

Apocalypse Now Final Cut 4K 03/06/21

Apocalypse Now in 4K?  After The Wild Bunch this is one title likely to get me to invest in a new format. Francis Coppola & John Milius’ Vietnam War epic may not be perfect, but it is one of the most exciting movie experiences ever and one of the top achievements of the first film school generation of world-class moviemakers. The release is agreeably all-inclusive: the original Road Show cut and the two revised versions are here along with the excellent making-of feature Hearts of Darkness. Re-tooled and polished up for picture and audio, this qualifies as a prime audio show-off disc too. Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest and Laurence Fishburne all get ticketed for speeding at the Indy 500. On Blu-ray from Lionsgate.
03/06/21

The Flame Barrier 03/06/21

Nope, it’s not on disc but it’s getting written up here because so few people know it and it’s been difficult to see my entire adult life. The fourth Gardner/Levy United Artists horror picture of ’57-’58 is another trip into a jungle’s Heart of Darkness, where awaits a deadly satellite fallen from orbit. Have we missed something Spectacular? Fantastic? Incredible?   This seventy minutes of cheap program filler is nobody’s favorite, but CineSavant embraces Sci-Fi orphans of every description. Stars Arthur Franz and Kathleen Crowley can’t have been pleased by the result. How will THE HORROR affect YOU?
03/06/21

The Masque of the Red Death 03/02/21

Whoa!  CineSavant reviewed a different release of this movie just four months ago. Roger Corman’s 7th Poe/Gothic adaptation is probably his best, thanks to a Beaumont/Campbell screenplay that fully engages with Edgar A.’s morbid agenda. It’s not really kiddie fare, what with the unrelenting emphasis on cruel torture, perverse values and Godless nihilism. Vincent Price’s Prince Prospero has a real philosophy behind his twisted obsessions. Higher English production values and the riveting cinematography of Nicolas Roeg push this one into genuine classic status. The 2018 restoration was aided by Trailers from Hell’s Joe Dante and Jon Davison –several bits missing from censored versions have been reinstated — saved by film collectors. On Region B Blu-ray from Studiocanal.
03/02/21

Show Boat (1951) 03/02/21

MGM’s remake of the grand musical can’t be ignored — the restored transfer is stunning, demonstrating the studio’s technical skill at full tilt. There are good aspects to this version, even if it’s more notable for sticky production backstories. It’s Kathryn Grayson’s high water mark at MGM and Howard Keel does his usual fine work, but Ava Gardner steals the show. MGM’s musical arrangements for the Hammerstein / Kern songbook is as good as ever. Critics in 1951 loved the bright Technicolor and it was one of the top $ money earners of the year. Co-Starring William Warfield, Joe E. Brown, Agnes Moorehead and Marge and Gower Champion. On Blu-ray from The Warner Archive Collection.
02/03/21