Ride With The Devil (1999)

When the Civil War breaks out, two Southern childhood friends (Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich) join a non military unit loyal to the Confederacy that uses guerrilla tactics in fighting the North. Based on the novel WOE TO LIVE ON by Daniel Woodrell and directed by Ang Lee (ICE STORM). While well made, I found myself distanced from the film. I have no sympathy for the Confederate South and Lee's sympathetic focus is on the two Southern rebels who pillage and kill indiscriminately while the Northern soldiers are portrayed as duplicitous and murderous. It doesn't help that, Jeffrey Wright aside, he uses uninteresting actors in leading roles. The film fights to overcome tediousness and eventually loses the battle. On the plus side, Frederick Elmes' (WILD AT HEART) wide screen cinematography is impressive and Mychael Danna's score is a thing of beauty. The film was a box office flop and one can see why, the film seems uncommitted as if it didn't want to offend anyone. With Jewel (in her film debut), Mark Ruffalo, Simon Baker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, James Caviezel, Tom Wilkinson, Margo Martindale and Celia Weston.

The Night House (2021)

After her husband's (Evan Jonigkeit) suicide, a grieving widow (Rebecca Hall) finds it difficult to adjust to his death. Alone in the lakeside home he built, mysterious shadows and footprints begin appearing. Is she going bonkers or is there something more sinister afoot? Directed by David Bruckner, this is one of the best horror films I've seen in years! A thinking man's psychological horror film, Bruckner's movie is steeped with atmosphere and a sense of dread and most of the horror comes from the anticipation of something dreadful happening. The film literally gave me goosepimples and I even screamed out loud once (something I haven't done at a movie since I was in my teens). I worried that it wouldn't be able to sustain the building momentum and would limp to a banal finale but I needn't have worried. Bruckner uses sound to great effect and be forewarned, if you're watching with a good stereo sound system, there are several jump out of your seat moments. Hall gives a terrific performance, the best performance I've seen by an actress in a horror movie since Toni Collette in HEREDITARY (a film that disappointed me). I haven't given away any spoilers and this is the kind of movie that the less you know going in, the more effective it will be. A must for horror fans but if you're looking for gore, you're going to be disappointed. With Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis Hall and Stacy Martin.

Carousel (1956)

A rugged carnival barker (Gordon MacRae) marries an innocent young girl (Shirley Jones) but their marriage is an unhappy one as he refuses to take a job and he abuses her physically. They are living off her cousin (Claramae Turner) when he finds out his wife is pregnant and he joins his sleazy pal (Cameron Mitchell) in a plan to rob the owner (John Dehner) of a factory. Based on the Broadway musical (itself based on the play LILIOM by Ferenc Molnar) and directed by Henry King (THE GUNFIGHTER). I've never warmed to the uncomfortable central story of a young wife accepting her husband's physical brutality and even romanticizing it. Even if he didn't brutalize her, he's a no good bum yet she stands by him like a good little wife! On the plus side is the gorgeous musical score by Rodgers and Hammerstein with gems like If I Loved You, June Is Bustin' Out All Over and the Carousel Waltz. The choreography is by Agnes DeMille and Rod Alexander. With Barbara Ruick, Robert Rounseville, Gene Lockhart, Audrey Christie, Jacques D'Amboise and Susan Luckey. 

Devi (1960)

Set in 19th century Bengal, while his son (Soumitra Chatterjee) is away studying, his father (Chhabi Biswas) becomes convinced his daughter in law (Sharmila Tagore) is the incarnation of the goddess Kali. This obsession will lead to tragedy. Based on the short story by Provatkumar Mukhopadhyay and directed by Satyajit Ray. An unflinching and disturbing portrait at how destructive religion can be as well as a look at the repressive status of women in 19th century India. Tagore's 17 year old girl has the burden of divinity forced upon her and she's ill equipped to handle the responsibility. Religious fanaticism has no basis in fact, just faith and when that "faith" is perverted, it destroys the vulnerable and weak willed in its path. Ray's empathy for his characters, even the destructive ones, is passed on to the audience. One can't hate the misguided father and there's only sympathy for the daughter in law who doesn't have the courage or the societal standing to defy him. With Purnendu Mukherjee and Karuna Bannerjee.

Halloween (1978)

A mental patient (Nick Castle) who murdered his sister (Sandy Johnson) at the age of  six escapes from the asylum where he has been locked up for 15 years. His psychiatrist (Donald Pleasence) pursues him to the small Illinois town where the murder occurred. Meanwhile, a teenage girl (Jamie Lee Curtis) prepares to babysit on Halloween night. Directed by John Carpenter, this low budget independent film made slasher films mainstream and jump started the careers of director Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis (this was her film debut). The film is now considered a classic of the horror genre but although I like it well enough, I've never been a big admirer of it (I much prefer Carpenter's follow up feature, THE FOG) as some. It's an efficient little horror film, basic and crude, that does what it supposed to do but lacks that certain "something" (Style? Subtext?) that would elevate it to the next level. But hey, the film spawned a franchise that's still going so it must have done something right. Carpenter wrote the effective monochromatic score. With Nancy Loomis, P.J. Soles, Kyle Richards and Charles Cyphers.

Confidentially Connie (1953)

A college professor (Van Johnson) and his pregnant wife (Janet Leigh) struggle with money problems. They can't even afford red meat on his salary. When his estranged but meddling father (Louis Calhern) comes to visit them, he plots to have his son lose his job and be forced to return to the Texas ranch and take over the family business. Directed by Edward Buzzell (NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER), this comedy may be on the anemic side but it addresses some serious issues. Notably, how teachers are underappreciated and underpaid. The film is rooted in its 1950s mentality. Leigh's pregnant wife laments that she has to give up cigarettes, not because she's pregnant but because it takes away from her food budget! Leigh is overly perky, Calhern overdoes the Texas Neanderthal bit but Johnson manages to let some charm cling to his quiet reserve. The movie's obsession that red meat is the mainstay of the American meal is so relentless that I wouldn't have been surprised if it had been funded by the National Cattleman's Association. With Walter Slezak, Gene Lockhart, Marilyn Erskine, Hayden Rorke and Barbara Ruick.

La Fille De L'eau (aka Whirlpool Of Fate) (1925)

Set in the late 19th century, a young orphan girl (Catherine Hessling) runs away from the clutches of her brutal uncle (Pierre Lestringuez, who also wrote the screenplay) and joins a group of gypsies involved in petty crimes. Directed by Jean Renoir (RULES OF THE GAME) in his directorial film debut though you'd never know it was a first time film as he already directs with an assured hand. Still, I wouldn't call it one of his better movies. Hessling is as put upon as Lillian Gish in a D.W. Griffith film, always in danger and always rescued in the nick of time. The most unusual aspect of the film has Hessling having a surrealistic nightmare. It's a hallucinatory experience that's more reminiscent of Bunuel's early avant garde film making than we've come to expect from Renoir. Nevertheless, as cinema it's an important document announcing the emergence of one of the great film makers of the 20th century. With Harold Levingston, Pierre Champagne and Madame Fockenberghe. 

Beauty And The Beast (1991)

An arrogant Prince (Robby Benson) is turned into a beast by an enchantress for his lack of empathy. Her curse is that unless he is able to love and be loved in return, he will remain a beast forever. Enter a young maiden (Paige O'Hara) who offers herself as a prisoner in exchange for her father (Rex Everhart) who is being held prisoner by the beast. Based on the classic 1756 fairy tale by Jeanne Marie Leprince De Beaumont and directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. The first animated movie ever to be nominated for a best picture Oscar (two others have subsequently been nominated), this enchanting musical feels like a film version of a Broadway show. The songs by Howard Ashman (who died six months before the film's release) and Alan Menken are melodic and performed with panache. The movie moves beyond the usual Disney aim toward children and their tolerant parents, there's a sophistication and wit directly aimed at adults. An elegant and vibrant jewel in the Disney animation crown. With the voice talents of Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Richard White and Jo Anne Worley.

Two Faced Woman (1941)

A magazine editor (Melvyn Douglas) has a whirlwind romance with a ski instructor (Greta Garbo) and they rush into marriage. But their lifestyles and outlook on life are quite different and he returns to Manhattan while she remains at the ski lodge where they met. Based on the play by Ludwig Fulda and directed by George Cukor (THE PHILADELPHIA STORY). The film is infamous for being the film that drove Garbo away from Hollywood and she never acted again. The movie was a box office flop and she hated it. So, is it really that bad? Not at all and in fact, the first hour is quite charming before it crashes and burns in the dull last half hour. The original cut of the film (where Garbo pretends to be her twin to win Douglas back) was considered quite risque and it was condemned by the Catholic Legion Of Decency which caused MGM to cut the film and insert a sequence where Douglas realizes that its his wife impersonating her "twin sister" and thus remove the adultery angle. Certainly, not a classic but far from the disaster its reputation would suggest. Garbo seems uncomfortable in some scenes (like her rhumba number) but it works for her character who is playing something she is not. With Constance Bennett, Ruth Gordon, Robert Sterling, Roland Young and Gloria DeHaven.

In Name Only (1939)

Stuck in a loveless marriage to a duplicitous woman (Kay Francis), a man (Cary Grant) falls in love with a pretty widow (Carole Lombard). But his socially conscious manipulative wife won't give him a divorce and threatens to make the widow's life a living hell. Based on the novel MEMORY OF LOVE by Bessie Breuer and directed by John Cromwell (THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE). The film is unusual for two reasons. Grant and Lombard were expert farceurs and excelled in screwball comedy so it's curious that the two films they made together (the other was THE EAGLE AND THE HAWK) are dramas, not comedies. Also, Kay Francis suffered through out the 1930s as the put upon heroine but here, she's playing the bitchy wife causing others to suffer. As far as romantic soap operas go, this one isn't half bad thanks to the aforementioned trio who all give strong performances. If one isn't partial to the genre, you may find it hard going. Divorce in the 1930s wasn't as easy to obtain as they are today so it's frustrating that Grant puts up with Francis's manipulations when you just want him to walk out and dump her! With Charles Coburn, Peggy Ann Garner and Helen Vinson.

Titanic (1997)

In 1912 on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, an unhappy young girl (Kate Winslet) is being pushed into marriage to an arrogant millionaire (Billy Zane) by her mother (Frances Fisher). When she meets a poor young artist (Leonardo DiCaprio) from third class, she falls in love and seizes the opportunity to free herself. Written and directed by James Cameron (ALIENS). Has it really been over 25 years since TITANIC became a cinematic phenomenon? 11 wins out of 14 Oscar nominations and the first movie to gross over a billion dollars. Of course, such success resulted in the usual detractors, usually whining nonsense that it was a hit because 15 girls went to see it over and over. I loved it when I first saw it opening week but it had been over 20 years since I'd seen it and I wondered how I would feel about it now. No need to worry. It remains the greatest epic romance since GONE WITH THE WIND (no surprise but most TITANIC naysayers aren't fans of GWTW either). Running over three hours, Cameron's opus is able to balance the romantic elements with the explicit details of the Titanic sinking. The flaws are minor (did Bill Paxton's crew have to be such rubes?) and the Celine Dion song over the end credits is sappy. But its assets include astonishing art direction (you really get a sense of what it was like being a passenger on the Titanic) and costumes, superb special effects and solid star making performances by DiCaprio and Winslet. With Kathy Bates, Victor Garber, David Warner, Gloria Stuart, Suzy Amis, Eric Braeden and Jonathan Hyde.

Advance To The Rear (1964)

Set during the Civil War, a company of Union soldiers are sent West as punishment for "cowardice" after the cantankerous Colonel's (Melvyn Douglas) horse bolts and runs away from the battlefront and all his men follow. Meanwhile, a pretty Confederate spy (Stella Stevens) has orders to infiltrate the troop and arrange for an expected gold shipment to be stolen. Based on the novel COMPANY OF COWARDS by Jack Schaefer and directed by George Marshall (DESTRY RIDES AGAIN). An inane cavalry comedy that had me wondering how it ever got the greenlight. I have no idea if it "inspired" the TV sitcom F Troop (also about an incompetent Union infantry) which debuted the following year but I found that show inane too. Everybody runs about trying to be zany but to no avail, there's not a laugh to be had. The movie did spawn a hit song, TODAY sung by the New Christy Minstrels. With Glenn Ford, Joan Blondell, Jim Backus, James Griffith, Michael Pate, Jesse Pearson (BYE BYE BIRDIE), Andrew Prine, Yvonne Craig and Britt Ekland.

The Face Behind The Mask (1941)

A Hungarian immigrant (Peter Lorre) is enthusiastic at the prospects of his new life in America. But when a fire hideously disfigures him, he is shunned from society and unable to get a job. Driven to a life of crime, when he meets a blind girl (Evelyn Keyes), he begins to re-assess his situation. Based on the radio play INTERIM by Thomas Edward O'Connell and directed by Robert Florey (THE COCOANUTS). This B programmer courtesy of Columbia pictures was poorly received when it was first released but the movie has been re-appraised in the ensuing years and today, it comes across as a minor but effective crime film with noir-ish trimmings. It affords Lorre a chance to show his range as he turns from a meek emigrant to the bitter leader of a criminal gang and finally, a man in love who looks for redemption. Quick and efficient, it's a must see for Lorre fans and an easy watch for everybody else. With Don Beddoe, George E. Stone and James Seay. 

The Green Knight (2021)

At Christmastime, Gawain (Dev Patel), the nephew of King Arthur (Sean Harris) enters a lethal bargain with the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). If any knight is able to land a blow to him, they will get his green axe but next Christmas, they must meet him at the green chapel to receive an equal blow in return. The year passes quickly and Gawain begins his journey to the green chapel. Based on the 14th century poem by Anonymous and directed by David Lowery (A GHOST STORY). Visually stunning, this medieval revisionist fantasy isn't your typical knights and damsels Arthurian adventure. I wouldn't go so far as calling it an art film (well, maybe I would), it's closer to LANCELOT DU LAC than CAMELOT. Lowery takes his time and the story unfolds at a leisurely pace which may vex those who want their movies to move! I was under its enchantment almost immediately and while Lowery does flirt dangerously with self indulgence, I found it a near mesmerizing experience. I don't know as I would recommend it to everybody but for those who don't mind a bit of poeticism in their cinema, it's worth seeking out. With Alicia Vikander in dual roles, Joel Edgerton, Erin Kellyman and Sarita Choudhury. 

Cadaveri Eccellenti (aka Illustrious Corpses) (1976)

Set during a period of intense political unrest in Italy, a detective (Lino Ventura) is assigned to investigate the mysterious murders of some supreme court judges. But what at first seems a case of revenge morphs into a political conspiracy. Based on the novel IL CONTESTO by Leonardo Sciascia and directed by Francesco Rosi (THE MATTEI AFFAIR). Winner of the David Di Donatello (the Italian Oscar) for best picture and best director, I wouldn't call this a political thriller (frankly there aren't that many "thrills") as much as a political murder mystery. I found it more Agatha Christie than Z (1969). But whatever one calls it, it's an excellent film about uncovering a government turning into a police state. Its bleak ending with no catharsis, just a sad truth (the film's last line is "Truth is not always revolutionary") leaves no room for hope, just despair. Ventura's solid performance anchors the film. With Max Von Sydow, Fernando Rey, Renato Salvatori, Marcel Bozzuffi, Charles Vanel, Alain Cuny and Tina Aumont. 

Susan And God (1940)

A self centered flighty society matron (Joan Crawford) ignores her alcoholic husband (Fredric March) and their daughter (Rita Quigley). Returning home from a trip to Europe, she is obsessed with a religious movement and disrupts the lives of her friends by her unwanted meddling. Based on the play by Rachel Crothers and directed by George Cukor (GASLIGHT). I enjoyed the first half of the movie more than the second half where it falls into a predictable sappy conclusion. Crothers' play is essentially a sophisticated drawing room comedy with an unsubtle undertone regarding practicing what one preaches. The heroine's pompous proselytizing is actually destructive to those around her while she gets the happy ending for seeing the light. Crawford tries hard but she can't overcome the gross miscasting. She simply can't play high comedy (I developed a perverse sympathy for Crawford as she flounders about) but even with a strong comedienne like a Katharine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell in the role, I'm not sure the material is worth the effort. With Rita Hayworth, Nigel Bruce, Ruth Hussey, Rose Hobart, Gloria DeHaven, Dan Dailey, Marjorie Main and John Carroll.

Sister Mary Explains It All (2001)

A tyrannical Catholic nun (Diane Keaton) is giving her annual Christmas lecture when four former students (Laura San Giacomo, Jennifer Tilly, Brian Benben, Wallace Langham) crash the lecture and confront her about how her fanatical teachings and bullying ways have impacted their adult lives. Based on the play SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL TO YOU by Christopher Durang (who adapted his play for the screen) and directed by Marshall Brickman (an Oscar winner for co-writing ANNIE HALL). Some plays are conceived in a manner that are so rooted in a theatrical conceit that a transition to another medium like film or television renders the play ineffective. Durang's black satire is just such a play. In his play, the audience was part of the play as Sister Mary engaged directly to the audience. In the film (made for Showtime), the audience at her lecture are actors playing parts and their reactions throw the dark farce off kilter. None of it seems real, not even in the preconceived exaggerated unreality of Durang's universe. Still, to anyone who's been raised in the Catholic faith (as I was) and was taught by nuns (as I was), the shock of recognition makes the laughter catch in your throat. Those nuns were brutal! Worth seeing for Keaton's performance. With Martin Mull, Victoria Tennant and Max Morrow. 

Nosferatu (1922)

Set in 1838 Germany, a young man (Gustav Von Wangenheim) is sent by his employer (Alexander Granach) to Transylvania to visit a client (Max Schreck) who is interested in purchasing a piece of property in their town of Wisborg. Based on the novel DRACULA by Bram Stoker and directed by F.W. Murnau (SUNRISE). One of the greatest of the German expressionist films and one of the great horror films of all time as well as influential and not just in the horror genre. The "horror" comes not from sudden scares or jumps but from a sense of dread that infuses its visuals and atmosphere. The contribution of Max Schreck's performance as the rodent faced vampire cannot be underestimated and not even Bela Lugosi's Dracula can equal Schreck's creepy presence. Murnau and his cinematographer Fritz Arno Wagner have created indelible imagery that stays with you forever. A truly memorable film that remarkably never descends into silliness or camp that many vampire movies do. With Greta Schroder, John Gottowt and Ruth Landshoff.

The Case Of The Howling Dog (1934)

The renowned attorney Perry Mason (Warren William) is contacted by an unstable and nervous millionaire (Gordon Westcott) about two things. Assistance in completing his will and the howling dog next door. The very next day he disappears. Based on the novel by Erle Stanley Gardner and directed by Alan Crosland (THE JAZZ SINGER). The first film incarnation of Gardner's famous literary creation would be followed by five more with Warren William playing the part in the next three. The mystery itself is rather convoluted and a major character is talked about but never seen. But for murder mystery fans, it should prove a satisfactory meal. I don't think the movie falls under the category of pre-code so I'm surprised by the inclusion of an unmarried couple living together as man and wife as well as the ambiguous ending where a murderer goes unpunished by the law, however justified they may have been in the killing. With Mary Astor, Allen Jenkins, Grant Mitchell, Dorothy Tree, Russelll Hicks and Helen Trenholme as Della Street.  

The Canterville Ghost (1944)

In the 17th century, a father (Reginald Owen) has his son (Charles Laughton) walled up alive because of an act of cowardice. The father places a curse that his son's spirit will never rest until a kinsman performs an act of bravery to redeem him. Based on the short story by Oscar Wilde and directed by Jules Dassin (NEVER ON SUNDAY). This charming bit of fantasy combines several elements including horror, comedy, action and drama. I recall seeing the movie when I was very young, perhaps too young as the image of Laughton pleading to his father as he was entombed alive terrified me and gave me fears of being buried alive. Laughton is just wonderful here as the role gives him a chance to play broad comedy yet still bring a sense of tragedy to his ghost yearning for peace but condemned to wander for eternity. That uncanny child actress Margaret O'Brien holds her own in her scenes with Laughton, no small feat. With Robert Young as Laughton's only hope for redemption, Una O'Connor, William Gargan, Rags Ragland and Elisabeth Risdon.

Mission Impossible (1996)

The leader (Jon Voight) of a secret espionage agency and his team are assigned a mission in Prague to prevent the theft of a disc containing the names of agency operatives. However, things go horribly wrong resulting in the deaths of four agents leaving only two survivors (Tom Cruise, Emmanuelle Beart). Based on the television series of the same name and directed by Brian De Palma (CARRIE). The film was a massive hit and spawned a franchise but this splendidly made action movie remains a highpoint if only because of the relative restraint it shows while its sequels would get bigger and wilder with each subsequent movie. Incredibly, the film went into production without a finished script but you'd never know it. De Palma drives the movie forward as quickly as a bullet train with very few opportunities to linger over its far fetched narrative. A terrific rollercoaster ride of a movie! The large cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emilio Estevez, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny and Ingeborga Dapkunaite.

Little Voice (1998)

A reclusive young woman (Jane Horrocks) lives with her slutty mother (Brenda Blethyn) in a working class coastal town. She keeps to herself in her room listening to records by the great female performers and has the uncanny ability to mimic them. When a show biz hustler (Michael Caine) sleeping with her mother hears her, he coerces her into performing in public. Based on the play THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE by Jim Cartwright and directed by Mark Herman. I felt uncomfortable watching most of the movie. Horrock's character is clearly socially and emotionally stunted with an abusive mother and exploited by Caine's lounge lizard lothario. Horrocks' performance has been justifiably praised and she does all her own singing mimicking Garland, Bassey, Holliday, Monroe and Dietrich. But I was more impressed with Michael Caine's performance being both sympathetic to and repulsed by his character in equal measures. I found Blethyn's performance irritating and over the top yet inexplicably she received an Oscar nomination for it. Go figure! The contrivances of the movie's plot prevent it from being anything more than a one track gimmick. With Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent and Annette Badland.

The Horse Without A Head (1963)

Set in a small French town, a group of children inadvertently become involved in a daring train robbery when the key to where the money is hid is tossed into the cavity of their toy wooden horse. Based on the novel A HUNDRED MILLION FRANCS by Paul Berna and directed by Don Chaffey (JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS). A family friendly heist movie courtesy of Walt Disney with a set of children taking center stage. I suppose the children are meant to be adventurous and adorable but they came across as a public nuisance to me, always causing trouble and putting others in danger. Among the child actors, Pamela Franklin (THE INNOCENTS) stands out as a dog loving street urchin. The film benefits by the presence of some strong adult actors including Jean Pierre Aumont, Herbert Lom and Leo McKern. There's not much here for grown ups but the under 12 set should be entertained. With Peter Vaughan, Lee Montague and Michael Winters.

Chance At Heaven (1933)

The young owner (Joel McCrea) of a small town gas station is engaged to a local beauty (Ginger Rogers). But when a pretty Manhattan socialite (Marian Nixon) moves into town for the summer, he's smitten and his fiancee moves aside. Based on a short story by Vina Delmar and directed by William A. Seiter (YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER), this pre-code romantic drama is an interesting oddity. You think you know exactly where it's going but then it surprises you by doing a 360 turn around and then it does another turn around going exactly where you thought it was going in the first place. Though it's never explicitly stated, there's an indistinct implication that an abortion may have taken place. Nixon's other woman isn't played as a man snatching femme fatale but a rather sweet if inexperienced girl trying to find her place in the world but with a domineering mother (Virginia Hammond) who attempts to control every aspect of her life. With Andy Devine and Ann Shoemaker.

Twilight Of Honor (1963)

Appointed to defend a drifter (Nick Adams) who has confessed to killing a small town's leading citizen (Pat Buttram), an attorney (Richard Chamberlain) has serious doubts about his client's innocence. But when the state's attorney (James Gregory) starts pulling dirty tricks to railroad his client to the electric chair, the lawyer suspects political motivations. Based on the novel by Al Dewlen and directed by Boris Sagal (THE OMEGA MAN). The novel was well received critically but the movie is a potboiler. Its similarity to the superior ANATOMY OF A MURDER can't be overlooked. The film lacks any subtlety, its rustic bumpkin citizenry practically frothing at the mouth to lynch Adams without a trial. Still, it's good enough (or is it bad enough?) to hold your attention throughout. The film received two Oscar nominations: one for Adams' performance and one for the film's B&W art direction. With Claude Rains, Joey Heatherton, James Gregory, Linda Evans, Jeanette Nolan, Robin Raymond, June Dayton and Donald Barry.

The Thing (1982)

Set in Antarctica, the members of an American research station find themselves under siege from an alien lifeforce that has the ability to take over human bodies by metamorphosing into exact replicas. Based on the the novella WHO GOES THERE? by John W. Campbell Jr. (previously filmed in 1951 as THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD) and directed by John Carpenter (HALLOWEEN). The movie is such a huge cult favorite today that it's easy to forget how reviled it was when first released in 1982. Carpenter's film adheres more closely to the original Campbell story than the 1951 film did. Carpenter does a wonderful job of creating a claustrophobic tension and its ambiguous ending is pure perfection. On the downside, Carpenter unnecessarily ups the gross factor (courtesy of Rob Bottin) which takes away from the horror factor. Grossness isn't frightening, it's just disgusting. Also, the acting is uneven and in Wilford Brimley's case, downright bad. While never realizing its full potential, it's a more than respectable remake of the 1951 and in some respects, improves on it. With Kurt Russell, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Richard Masur and Donald Moffat. 

Le Journal Tombe A Cinq Heures (1942)

An aspiring reporter (Marie Dea) on a major newspaper is being mentored by a star reporter (Pierre Fresnay) although their relationship is often antagonistic. When he betrays her, will she be able to forgive him? Directed by Georges Lacombe (whose work I'm not familiar with), this is the French equivalent of those girl reporter movies churned out in Hollywood in the thirties and early forties. Unfortunately, Fresnay's arrogant reporter is on the unlikable side and I found his transgression toward Dea unforgivable. In fact, the movie's expose of a Paris newspaper (or should I say tabloid) is quite unflattering. There's a poignant subplot about a French movie star (Tania Fedor) working in Hollywood but returning to Paris incognito that's rather touching. The melodramatic finale on a lightship caught in a raging storm provides some needed impact. With Pierre Renoir, Bernard Blier, Marcel Vallee and Fred Pasquali.

Just A Gigolo (1978)

A young Prussian officer (David Bowie) is wounded in the last days of WWI. Returning to his Berlin home, he is shocked to discover his father (Rudolf Schundler) is paralyzed from a stroke, his mother (Maria Schell) is working in a Turkish bath and his home has been turned into a boarding house. Unable to support himself, he becomes a professional gigolo. Directed by actor David Hemmings (who also has a role in the movie as a Nazi recruiter), the film is a misguided failure on just about every level. It's like Christopher Isherwood's GOODBYE TO BERLIN stories but without any insight. Even Sydne Rome's amoral tart seems "inspired" by Sally Bowles! There is one bit of clever casting, however. Marlene Dietrich in her final film appearance as the madam of a stable of male prostitutes. Sadly, she's a shell of her former self (though she does get to sing the title song) but it's a sad swan song. The movie appears to be a satire of sorts but its clumsy execution only reiterates how pitiful the whole enterprise is. With Kim Novak (looking sensational), Curt Jurgens and Erika Pluhar.

The Angel With The Trumpet (1950)

In 1888, an Austrian woman (Eileen Herlie) is in love with the heir (Norman Wooland) to the Austrian throne. Unable to marry him, she enters a loveless marriage to the heir (Basil Sydney) of a piano manufacturing firm. Based on the novel by Ernst Lothar and directed by Anthony Bushell (TERROR OF THE TONGS). The film follows Herlie's character through WWI and later the rise of Nazism as it touches on anti-war sentiments, unrequited romance, illness, devotion to family and duty to country. Principally a stage actress in London and New York, Eileen Herlie's film career wasn't extensive. She's probably best known for her Gertrude to two film Hamlets, Laurence Olivier (1948) and Richard Burton (1964) as well as daytime TV audiences for the soap opera ALL MY CHILDREN. This period drama gives her an opportunity to display her talent in a leading role so for that reason alone, the film is welcome. However, the movie itself isn't anything special. The film is notable for being the English language debut of Oskar Werner and Maria Schell as Herlie's son and daughter in law respectively. With John Justin, Wilfrid Hyde White and Olga Edwardes.

The House On 56th Street (1933)

A showgirl (Kay Francis) marries a wealthy playboy (Gene Raymond) and for a few years, she leads a dream life including the birth of a daughter. But when an old flame (John Halliday) re-enters her life, fate deals her a cruel hand when she is sent to prison for 20 years for his murder. Directed by Robert Florey (MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE). Kay Francis never got to play MADAME X but this sentimental pre-code drama is about as close as she got. Francis gets the opportunity to play two different aspects of the same woman: the good wife and devoted mother before prison and the hard cynical gambling lady after prison. The first part of the movie, the pre-prison portion is on the dullish side but fortunately, things pick up considerably in the post prison sequences where Francis is all glammed up and pairs up with no good Ricardo Cortez. This being a pre-code film, a character is allowed to get away with murder! Francis fans should eat this up, others will be less charitable. With Margaret Lindsay as Francis's grown up daughter and Frank McHugh.

The Fast Lady (1962)

A cyclist (Stanley Baxter) is run off the road by a car driving tycoon (James Robertson Justice). After tracking him down to give him a piece of his mind, he encounters the tycoon's car mad daughter (Julie Christie) and is immediately besotted. Based on the novel by Keble Howard and directed by Ken Annakin (SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON). Innocuous enough, one's tolerance for this sort of semi slapstick farce depends on how amusing you find bumbling car drivers. There's a bit of allure at the beginning but its one joke premise gets old hat very quickly. Similarly, Baxter's exasperated cyclist has some appeal at the start but after exhausting his catalogue of piqued expressions, he recycles them and they don't always work the second time around. In only her second film role, Julie Christie is wasted as eye candy here but she brings a budding screen presence that would bloom a year later in BILLY LIAR. The film was a big hit at the British box office and spawned a sequel of sorts with the same cast sans Christie the next year. With Leslie Phillips, Kathleen Harrison, Allan Cuthbertson and Heidi Erich.   

La Passion De Jeanne D'Arc (1928)

Set in 1431, Joan of Arc (Renee Jeanne Falconetti) is brought to stand trial for heresy by French clergymen loyal to the English. Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, the screenplay is based on the actual records of Joan's trial. One of the supreme achievements of silent cinema, the film is notable for Dreyer's use of close ups so the actors (none of whom wear any make up) are totally exposed, both physically and emotionally. Through these series of naked close ups as well as the text of Joan's trial, we're thrown into the 15th century as if we were there. But this isn't a dry history lesson, it's fluid cinema and Falconetti's Joan is one of the two or three greatest performances by an actress on film. Raw as an open wound and once seen, never forgotten. As a silent film, there have been various scores accompanying it throughout the years but after watching it with Richard Einhorn's oratorio, VOICES OF LIGHT (courtesy of Criterion), it would be difficult for me to watch it again with any other underscore. With Michel Simon and Antonin Artaud.

The Voice Of The Turtle (1947)

Set in December of 1944, a struggling actress (Eleanor Parker) is having a difficult time getting over an affair with a Broadway producer (Kent Smith). When her actress friend (Eve Arden) stands up her date with a soldier (Ronald Reagan) to go out with another man (Wayne Morris), the actress and the soldier spend the weekend together. Based on the hit play (it ran for five years) by John Van Druten (I REMEMBER MAMA) and directed by Irving Rapper (NOW VOYAGER). Considered quite daring for its day, the play dealt with its heroine struggling with the practicality of chastity during wartime. Naturally, this being 1940s Hollywood, a film focusing on sexual matters was never going to happen so the film version changes the emphasis to a girl who falls in love too easily. The movie isn't successful in shaking off its theatrical roots so the film is filled with talk, talk, talk and not very scintillating talk either. The film might have worked with actors skilled in comedy but Eleanor Parker (Margaret Sullavan did the part on Broadway) and Ronald Reagan aren't the first actors one thinks of for romantic comedy (June Allyson and Van Johnson might have pulled it off). With John Emery and John Holland. 

Five Guns West (1955)

Given the choice of death or a deadly mission, five convicts (John Lund, Mike Connors, Paul Birch, Jonathan Haze, Bob Campbell) agree to hijack a stagecoach for the Confederate Army. The stagecoach is carrying a traitor (Jack Ingram) who absconded with 30,000 in gold but the convicts plot to keep the gold for themselves. Directed by Roger Corman in his directorial debut, this low budget western lacks the flair that would mark Corman's horror films. Shot in nine days and incorporating stock footage, it's a perfectly acceptable B western but it's so routine that it's quickly forgettable. The film shows where Dorothy Malone's career was at (Corman had also used her in FAST AND THE FURIOUS) at the time. Supporting roles in A movies and lead roles in B movies. But BATTLE CRY was about to be released which got her a lot of attention (the posters of this movie labeled her "That BATTLE CRY girl!") and the following year, WRITTEN ON THE WIND made her a viable name in Hollywood. Lund was a bland leading man which allows Connors, Haze and Campbell's despicable bad guys to take over the movie. Unless you're a westerns film buff, you can safely pass this up. With James Stone as Malone's uncle.  

Nashville (1975)

A disparate group of 24 characters criss-cross paths over a five day period in Nashville, Tennessee. Eventually, they all come together at a political rally/concert where a horrible tragedy occurs. Directed by Robert Altman, this is a staggering cinematic achievement. Working with an impeccable ensemble cast, Altman uses the Nashville music scene as a microcosm of the U.S. where political ambition, celebrity, greed and culture struggle with each other which leads to an eventual breakdown. Yes, it's an obvious metaphor. While the film can genuinely be called great (I think it's Altman's masterpiece), it's not without flaws. Altman condescends to the country music scene because it's an easy target. Would the film have worked transposed to the rock music scene or the world of classical music? I don't think so. Some of the actors are poor singers (Henry Gibson, Karen Black) and it takes a suspension of belief to see them as true country music icons. Even more so when the real thing comes along and Ronee Blakley as the fragile Barbara Jean recovering from a nervous breakdown and puts most of the other musical performances to shame. One of the great American films. The massive cast includes Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Ned Beatty, Shelley Duvall, Keenan Wynn, Barbara Harris, Jeff Goldblum, Scott Glenn, Barbara Baxley, Allen Garfield, Cristina Raines, Gwen Welles, Timothy Brown, David Hayward and as themselves, Julie Christie and Elliott Gould.

Prima Della Rivoluzione (aka Before The Revolution) (1964)

Set in 1962 Parma, a young student (Francesco Barilli) struggles with his commitment to Socialist political ideals and the comfortable bourgeois life he detests but enjoys the privileges of. When his Aunt (Adriana Asti) comes to visit, they begin an affair. Directed by a 22 year old Bernardo Bertolucci (THE CONFORMIST), this was only his second film. It's more a film I can admire from a distance than fully embrace. If Bertolucci's young protagonist can't be decisive then it's understandable that I can be ambivalent too. Curiously, Bertolucci doesn't make anything of the incest in the affair between the aunt and nephew and the casual acceptance of it is off putting (to this bourgeois anyway). I don't mean to denigrate the film because it's an astonishing piece of work on the whole. Aldo Scavarda's masterful B&W imagery is the equal to his stunning cinematography to L'AVVENTURA and there's an impressive sequence at the opera that's a tour de force! I have a feeling that this is a movie that will grow on me over time. With Allen Midgette and Morando Morandini.

No Time To Die (2021)

After retiring from Her Majesty's Secret Service, James Bond (Daniel Craig) retires to Jamaica. But when a Russian scientist (David Dencik) working for M16 on a deadly virus is kidnapped, Bond is recruited by the CIA into tracking down the scientist. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, the 25th entry in the Bond franchise is a strong denouement to the Craig years (2006-2021). In spite of its excessive length (it pushes the three hour mark), it's the most emotionally complex of the Bond series with a forceful finale, certainly the most emotional since ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Frankly, although the end credits promise that "James Bond will return", I think this would be a fitting and proper conclusion to cinema's longest running franchise. Alas, it won't happen because Bond is a cash cow and as long as there's milk to be squeezed out, it'll go on. The film has everything one could ask for in a Bond film: action, thrills, humor, glamour, mad villains, beautiful women and the added bonus of deeper than usual characterizations only adds to the movie's strength. My only nitpick (outside of its length) is the substandard score by that hack Hans Zimmer but the title song by Billie Eilish is lovely and Zimmer was wise to incorporate it into his underscore. Among the returning and new cast: Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Christoph Waltz, Ben Whishaw, Lashana Lynch, Jeffrey Wright, Ana De Armas (so charming, the movie could have used more of her), Billy Magnussen and Rory Kinnear.

Sphinx (1981)

An Egyptologist (Lesley Anne Down) doing research in Cairo witnesses the murder of an art dealer (John Gielgud), who gave her an important map before he was killed. Now she finds herself pursued by several sources, both good and bad. Based on the best selling novel by Robin Cook (COMA) and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (PLANET OF THE APES). Like Cook's COMA, the film is centered on an enterprising professional woman who finds herself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy. While it would never have made for a great film, there was no reason it couldn't have been every bit as entertaining as COMA. However, unlike COMA, SPHINX is flabby where it should be tight. Schaffner doesn't seem to have the knack for a romantic adventure/action hybrid. Down is beautiful but she doesn't have a very strong screen presence which is what is needed to carry a film like this (she's in almost every scene). The best thing about the movie is Ernest Day's wide screen lensing of the Egyptian locations which are colorful and sharp. With Frank Langella, Maurice Ronet, John Rhys Davies, Martin Benson, Saeed Jaffrey, Tutte Lemkow and Victoria Tennant.

Larceny (1948)

Along with his partner (Dan Duryea), a grifter called Rick (John Payne) attempts to swindle a war widow (Joan Caulfield) out of her savings by setting up a non existent war memorial to her dead husband. But things get complicated when he begins to have romantic feelings for the widow. Then there's his partner's no good mistress (Shelley Winters) who threatens to muck up the plan unless Rick runs off with her. Based on the novel THE VELVET FLEECE by Lois Eby and John Fleming and directed by George Sherman (AGAINST ALL FLAGS). For most of its running time, this is a solid crime thriller with noir-ish trimmings. Alas, it can't sustain its momentum and the film's rushed conclusion is a mess. It's a bummer because it had all the makings of a first rate B pulp film. The acting is decent and in Shelley Winters' case, more than that. She makes for a terrific brassy no good tramp. If you can forgive the movie its lame ending, crime and noir fans should find a lot to like here. With Dan O'Herlihy, Dorothy Hart, Percy Helton and Paul Brinegar. 

A Place In The Sun (1951)

The ambitious working class nephew (Montgomery Clift) of a wealthy manufacturer (Herbert Heyes) is given a job in his Uncle's factory. He begins an affair with one of the factory workers (Shelley Winters) but it's a beautiful socialite (Elizabeth Taylor) he falls in love with. Based on the novel AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY by Theodore Dreiser and directed by George Stevens (GIANT). Greatly admired in its time, the film's reputation is slowly receding. There was great consternation when it (as a "serious" movie) lost a best picture Oscar to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (a mere musical) but today, it's PARIS that holds up, not SUN. Stevens' film, while not without its merits, comes across as rather ponderous and heavy handed. Then there's the casting. Clift is excellent and Taylor is charming but one of the movie's themes, that of an ambitious working class guy deserting the poor working girl in favor of a woman who will bring him more social acceptance in his seeking of the American Dream is lost because of the casting. My God, who wouldn't prefer Taylor in the full flush of her teenage beauty to the shrill Winters? Pauline Kael suggested the film might have worked better if Taylor and Winters switched parts and I'm inclined to agree. The love scene between Clift and Taylor on the terrace remains one of the great love scenes in movies. The excellent Oscar winning score is by Franz Waxman. With Anne Revere, Raymond Burr, Fred Clark, Keefe Brasselle, Frieda Inescort, Ian Wolfe and Kathryn Givney.

The Secret Bride (1934)

The daughter (Barbara Stanwyck) of a state Governor (Arthur Byron) marries the state's Attorney General (Warren William) in secret. She intends to tell her father but before she does, a scandal involving her father taking a bribe from a man he pardoned breaks out and that scandal could wreck her new husband's career as well as her father's. Based on the play CONCEALMENT by Leonard Ide and directed by William Dieterle (DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER). Stanwyck was one busy lady in the early to mid 1930s (19 movies in the first five years of the decade) so it's natural that the quality of her films would be uneven. This routine mystery falls under the weak category though no fault of her own. As always she's wonderful but she can't save a lackluster script. Strictly for the Stanwyck completists and fans. With Glenda Farrell, Douglass Dumbrille, Henry O'Neill and Grant Mitchell.  

Fitzwilly (1967)

The once sizable fortune of an elderly philanthropist (Edith Evans) has dried up but she doesn't know it. Her loyal butler (Dick Van Dyke) and the rest of the staff commit a series of robberies to keep her checks from bouncing and to keep her in the lifestyle she was born to. Based on the novel A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS by Poyntz Tyler and directed by Delbert Mann (MARTY). There's a lot of sweetness and charm in this warm hearted caper but it's all dissipated by the end of the movie due to the humorless silliness that it descends into. Pity because Van Dyke plays off his two leading ladies (Barbara Feldon is the romantic interest) quite nicely and one is rooting for his character. The score is an early effort by John Williams (still being billed as Johnny Williams here). With Sam Waterston, John McGiver, Harry Townes, Norman Fell, Cecil Kellaway and Anne Seymour.   

Black Beauty (1946)

Set in 1880s England, a widowed country squire (Charles Evans) gives his high spirited daughter (Mona Freeman) the gift of a colt that she names Black Beauty. Her attachment to the horse is the basis of the film's story. Based on the beloved classic novel by Anna Sewell and directed by Max Nosseck (1945's DILLINGER). Freely adapted from Sewell's novel, so much so that there's very little of the actual book in the film. The novel is narrated by Black Beauty as he describes his life from his carefree days on a farm to his hard life as cab horse in London and finally, his contented retirement in the English countryside. The book accented animal welfare and the mistreatment of horses. The film focuses on the adolescent girl (not a character in the novel) as she grows from adolescence into a young woman and her romantic fixation on an American visitor (Richard Denning) takes as much precedence in her life as her horse. It's a wan excuse of a movie. Horses are among the most photographic of beasts so whenever they're on screen, one can't help but be engaged. The human drama as played out is trite. The underwhelming score is by Dimitri Tiomkin. With Evelyn Ankers, Moyna Macgill and J.M. Kerrigan. 

L'Attentat (aka The French Conspiracy) (1972)

Because of the current right wing government in his country, a North African politician (Gian Maria Volonte) lives in exile in Switzerland. As he plots his return to his homeland, the forces in his country form a pact with the French secret service and the CIA to assassinate him. A former leftist radical (Jean Louis Trintignant) now working as a journalist becomes an unwitting participant in the assassination plot. Directed by Yves Boisset, this is a fictionalized film inspired by the assassination of Mehdi Ben Barka, a Moroccan politician who "disappeared" on French soil and was later revealed to have been murdered with the cooperation of the French government and the CIA. While it was often difficult to follow the political dynamics of the narrative, this was an absorbing political thriller in the manner of Costa-Gavras' whose Z remains the benchmark of European political thrillers. Its downbeat ending reiterates that fascist governments are corrupt as if we didn't already know but a "happy" ending would have come off as pandering to the audience. The acting is quite good and features Jean Seberg, Michel Piccoli, Philippe Noiret, Francois Perier, Michel Bouquet and Roy Scheider.

The Split (1968)

A woman (Julie Harris, looking the most glam she's ever looked) finances a big heist at a football stadium where $500,000 in ticket sales are expected. The accomplices consist of five men (Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates, Jack Klugman) each of whom have their particular specialty. But of course, everything doesn't go according to plan. Based on the novel THE SEVENTH by Donald E. Westlake (under the pseudonym Richard Stark) and directed by Gordon Flemyng (DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS). Despite a splendid cast, this is a fairly routine heist movie with no surprises. There's one unpleasant scene with James Whitmore as a wacked out landlord attempting to rape Diahann Carroll which comes out of nowhere and throws the movie off kilter and it never recovers. The score by Quincy Jones screams out the 1960s! The film is notable as the first movie to get the R rating. With Gene Hackman (who doesn't come in until the film's last 25 minutes), Joyce Jameson and Jackie Joseph.

The Spider Woman (1943)

A bizarre series of suicides referred to as the Pyjama Suicides by the newspapers stump Scotland Yard. Who else but the great detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to break the case but first he must fake his own death. Cobbled together from several of the Holmes short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Roy William Neill. Outside of the notorious Professor Moriarty, the Holmes movies from Universal rarely had a nemesis that could match wits with the detective. Here, Holmes has met his match in the "Spider Woman" (Gale Sondergaard, who else?), a clever villainess that Holmes refers to as a female Moriarty and doesn't hold back his admiration for the woman's bravado. The mystery itself is merely okay but the interplay between Rathbone and Sondergaard ups the ante. Universal was pleased enough with Sondergaard's performance to give her her own movie, THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK (1946) which despite its title was in no way was a sequel. A pleasant diversion. With Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, Dennis Hoey, Vernon Downing and Mary Gordon.

Julia (2008)

A promiscuous alcoholic tramp (Tilda Swinton) is out of control. She refuses to acknowledge her alcoholism which prevents her from keeping a job or securing a relationship. When she meets another alcoholic, a psychotic woman (Kate Del Castillo) whose son (Aidan Gould) has been placed with his wealthy paternal grandfather, she agrees to help the woman kidnap her son but plots to double cross her and hold the kid for ransom. Directed by Erick Zonka, I found this a morally reprehensible film. While I can admire Swinton's committed performance and (no surprise) she's impeccable, the film attempts to somewhat redeem her douchebag character by the film's end but she's a total loser and all the crap that happens to her (including two murders) is because of her own greed and stupidity! John Cassavetes did it so much better in GLORIA (you know Zonka has seen the movie, when Swinton is asked her name, she responds with "Gloria") which has a similar theme of an aging gangster's moll and the reluctant bond she forms with a little boy. But Cassavetes' GLORIA had an ethical backbone which JULIA hasn't. At almost 2 1/2 hours, the film is way too long and bordering on self indulgent. Although filmed in California and Mexico in English, the film is a French production and Swinton received a Cesar (the French Oscar) nomination for her performance here. With Saul Rubinek and Bruno Bichir.

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)

A flying saucer descends on Washington D.C. but when the saucer's inhabitant (Michael Rennie) emerges, he is shot out of fear that he might do some harm. Taken to a hospital, the alien escapes and stays at a boarding house where he can study these humans more closely while figuring out his next step. Based on the short story FAREWELL TO THE MASTER by Harry Bates and directed by Robert Wise (WEST SIDE STORY). One of the great science fictions films of all time, DAY THE EART STOOD STILL was unusual in that it was an A picture from a major studio with a stellar cast and director at a time when most sci-fi movies were B films without any major director or stars. For the most part, it's an intelligent and literate film with no bug eyed monsters or aliens out to take over the planet. These are intelligent extraterrestrials who come in peace but are met with the violence so typical of humans when they are confronted with something they don't understand and thus fear. The analogy of Rennie's alien to Christ is subtle but it's most definitely there. The iconic score is by Bernard Herrmann. With Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier and Edith Evanson. 

The Man I Love (1947)

During a Christmas visit to her family in California, instead of holiday cheer, a torch singer (Ida Lupino) finds herself embroiled with mobsters, adulterous wives, war traumatized vets and a romance with a washed up jazz pianist (Bruce Bennett). Based on the novel NIGHT SHIFT by Maritta M. Wolff and directed by Raoul Walsh (HIGH SIERRA). This is a good one, a solid romantic melodrama with noir-ish coloring and one of Lupino's best performances. Ida Lupino had the misfortune of being at Warners where the cream went to Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and she got the leftovers. But she got lucky a few times and this was one of them. Lupino's Scotch soaked singing voice was dubbed in by Peg La Centra but at least it sounds like her. Luckily for us, the film sticks to its guns and doesn't go soft at the end and we're left with a bittersweet open ended conclusion. Reputedly, Martin Scorsese was influenced by this film which lead to his NEW YORK NEW YORK. The supporting cast consists of a solid group of Warner contract players including Robert Alda, Andrea King, Martha Vickers, Dolores Moran, Alan Hale, John Ridgely, Don McGuire and Craig Stevens.

The Hunger (1983)

Set in New York City, a centuries old vampire (Catherine Deneuve) and her latest lover (David Bowie) have been together for over 200 years when he suddenly starts to age rapidly. He attempts to seek help from a researcher (Susan Sarandon) doing work on the aging process but it's too late and his fate is sealed. Based on the novel by Whitley Streiber and directed by Tony Scott (TOP GUN). An elegant and chic horror film where style supersedes substance. Shot all in blues and smoky gray by Stephen Goldblatt (CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR), it's easy to get seduced by the film's stylish surface but eventually, the film abandons its own set of rules for a misguided finale. The film's highlight is an erotic lesbian love scene with Deneuve and Sarandon played to Sous Le Dome Epais from Delibes' LAKME. With Willem Dafoe, Dan Hedaya, Cliff De Young, Ann Magnuson, John Pankow, Beth Ehlers and Suzanne Bertish.