Three Blind Mice 2008
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 2000's
Three Blind Mice is the directorial debut of Matthew Newton , and
covers 24 hours in the Lives of three young Navy officers on shore leave, Sounds familiar? Well Its not, No Gene Kelly or Frank Sinatra to be found, The film delves well into dark territory of Navy bastardization and friendship.not since before the Director George Marshall who brought us Destry Rides Again ,The Blue Dahlia and The Forest Rangers (especially) have we seen such an effortless sway between Comedy and Dire Tragedy ,This was like watching ‘On the Town” with out the singing and dancing , having your guts wrenched out and a moment later being wildly tickled by them to the point of hysteria.Starring Ewen Leslie (Kokada),Toby Schmitz (Somersault) and as well as directing Matthew Newton (“Changi” and Looking for Alibrandi) as the seemingly fearless Three traveling through the slings and arrows of Outrages Fortune ,involving prostitutes, Swinging Middle aged future Parents Inlaw, and broken bady parts, But aside from this it deals with the darker subject matter of friendship after abuse, alla “the Kite runner’ emotional self sacrifice, redemption through acceptance, and maybe Love?
This is not a Taratino humor nor a Melinda and Melinda,,its anxious rollercoster ride of fear, and humor that can change in a wink of an eye and still really work. Cast also Includes Gracie Otto as the leading love interest throughout the film,who shines in every scene with a script that rips through the likes of ‘Network’ and seems more spontaneous,(she also edited this film),Brendan Cowell, as a side of the armed forces we are not willing to acknowledge, Pia Miranda as the shirrty fiancee,Alex Dimitriades (Head On), Marcus Grahem( “Underbelly” and Mulholland Dr. ,Jacki Weaver (Picnic at Hanging Rock) Barry Otto( Strictly Ballroom)and the Great,Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell ( Murder She Said, and ‘Breaker’ Morant) and inhabits a Musical score by John Foreman.Everyone you can think of was here and aside from the three blokes have their own moment to shine. A stella cast (Aside from the absence of Jack Thompson and Noni Hazelhurst)all take their turn to make bloody good Cinema, Aside from ‘the Black Balloon’ this is one of the best Australian films to be received this year if not the last 5 years,.
I have to assure , I didn’t not watch and review this film on the basis of its ‘lineage’ because , its made by the son of ‘this person’ or the daughter of ‘that person’, its better than most American films Ive seen this year.This film needs to be seen overseas ,it maybe set in Australia, but these things could happen , and have happened everywhere. After you have seem it you wont be crying and you wont be pissing yourself , but you will feel Different, and better for it.
Tags: Abuse., Alcoholism, Black Comedy, Comedy, Friendship, Military Abuse, Sailor, Self Sacrifice
Mildred Pierce 1945
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1940's
Mink Clad Murder
Mommie Knows Best…..
In time middle of the night in a beach house on the upper side of town shots ring out, The Dead Man crys out……..Mildred!……and falls to the floor its seems an open and shut case,,,,but what really happened?
Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford Strange Cargo)a housewife spoils her daughters Especially the eldest while husband Bert looks over the fence for some afternoon delight while his buddy Wally Fay(Jack Carson’A Star is Born) trys to get is paddle in(In Vain) . They soon divorce, leaving Mildred to raise the girls on her own. Elder postwar class driven daughter (Biatch)Veda (Anne BlythThe Great Carouso) goads her mother about their lack of money and in response Mildred proposes opening a small restaurant. one thing leads to another,and she becomes incredibly successful and even love seems to be around the corner, but money soons starts to by love in the manner of clothes, education, and payoffs all of which leads to the beginning of the film in classic noir style .Also in the cast a wonderfull sardonic Eve Arden (Grease) is the wise cracking sidekick to joan crawford to give humor to this black film.
Its only that sort of mother loving that Joan Crawford can deliver…….
What Price a Mothers Love ?
Tags: Alcoholism, Based off Novel, Divorce, Gun, james m cain, Joan Crawford, Love for Children, Love Triangle, Marriage, Max Steiner, Mother Daughter Relationship, Murder, Noir, Rise and Fall, Self Made Woman, Self Sacrifice
A Star Is Born 1954
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
One Star Rises as Another Falls
Directed by George Cukor
The Second of Four Major Remakes which include….
What Price Hollywood,Title of the same name,and the Barbara Version….euh
But is undoubtedly the best Version, Esther Blogett(Judy Garland) is picked up off the sidewalk of divebars and side shows an is transformed into Hot Hollywood Property with a Makeover and name change ‘Vicki Lester’, by Hollywood Falling Movie Star, Norman Maine (James Mason), Her Triumph , is Ultimately his failure , its the oldest story in Hollywood , and although its not the first its the ultimate Musical and Dramatic Staging , with Numbers sung by Garland like ‘The Man that Got Away’ and ‘Swannie’ and that breakdown scene in the trailer, If People think all Garland did on film thats worth watching was “The Wizard of OZ”
Tags: Alcoholism, George Cukor, Movie Star, Musical, Oscar, Remake, Rise to fame, Self Sacrifice, The Price of Fame
Under Capricorn 1949
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1940's
Under Capricorn is a bit of a space oddity , Directed By Alfred Hitchcock, set in Australia in the earl 1800’s and Beloved by the French Critcs,Hitchcock fnished the decade the same as he did with the last , with a arty experiment, “Jamaica Inn ‘ this Like Rope has a series of unedited shots and is More of a psycho-Drama , Think Rebecca Downunder
but unlike rebecca the only thing that holds it is Ingrid and the many secret devils she deals with through drink and forgetfullness , its shot in colour and looks great,
dosnt really show any signs of be “hitchcokian’ till the last part of the film, Hitchcock only went down the period drama three times, ‘Waltzes from Vienna ‘ wich he only did for the money lets face it, “Jamaica Inn” has its moments but not many and ‘Under Capricorn’
its not widely seen so give it a go…
Tags: Australia, Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Madness, Psychological Thriller, Self Sacrifice
All This And Heaven Too 1940
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1940's
Warning…. will empty a tissue box really quickly
This fits into the Mary poppins /sound of Music gene of Nanny comes into home and brings happiness to family with two exceptions, No singing and ends in a grisly Murder/ Based of a true event
a governess in 19th Century France, who lands a position working for Theo, Duc De Praslin (Charles Boyer) and his family. The childern adore the new, governess, but Boyer’s psycho bitch wife, the Duchesse (Barbara O’Neil), is resentful of the intrusion into the family. The new addition to the family works her magic on everyone but the Duchesse. Theo and Henriette, predictably, begin to fall in love, which further complicates things, sending the crazy wife into even more rages of insanity. All of this builds momentum until a climactic crime of passion takes a life.
its been forgotten but is really a good story, It shouldnt be remade but it is was it could win a swag of oscar
Tags: Accusation, Forbidden Love, Love for Children, Madness, Max Steiner, Nanny, Self Sacrifice, Trial
