My Life In Film: Part 39

Welcome to the #Lockdown edition of #MyLifeInFilm.  Hope you’re all keeping safe and well and that this weird situation we find ourselves in hasn’t taken its toll on you too much.  Me?  Nothing’s changed, apart from my lack of motivation to get anything done, hence the delay in getting this out.  But we’re here now, so let’s do this…

 

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963)

This classic sword-and-sandals epic used to be the centrepiece of every Christmas or Bank Holiday television schedule.  As a kid I remember being mesmerised by the skeletons and monsters but not really ‘getting’ it.  As an adult, however, I am able to appreciate the majesty of Ray Harryhausen‘s work.  Based loosely on the stories of Greek mythology, Jason (Todd Armstrong) leads his team of intrepid adventurers in a dangerous quest to find the Golden Fleece.  Exemplary special effects for the time period and non-stop adventure, Jason and the Argonauts is joyously camp, cheesy and wonderful cinema.

WATCH IT FOR: Skeleton Fight!

 

DUEL(1971)

Starting out life as a made-for-TV-movie, Duel’s director, Steven Spielberg, was called back to add further scenes to create a 90-minute film that was suitable for a cinema audience.  Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, a businessman travelling through the desert for an appointment with a client who is harassed by a sadistic truck driver following an innocent altercation.  Pursued across the desert, Mann finds himself increasingly at odds with the unseen driver, culminating in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase to a deathly climax.  Spielberg’s impressive big-screen debut is full of the trademarks that we’d all come to know and love in his later films, complete with a magnetic lead performance from Weaver.

WATCH IT FOR: Phone Booth

 

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994)

This is the film that launched the worldwide career of Hugh Grant.  It was also responsible for a string of copycat romantic comedies that failed to live up to the magic of this one.  Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Mike Newell, the film follows confirmed bachelor Charles (Grant) as he and his friends attend various functions, contemplate life and love while trying to find the perfect companion for themselves.  The film was a massive success on its release, breaking records and stealing hearts across the globe and its not hard to see why.  Its funny, heartwarming and, at times, truly heart breaking.

WATCH IT FOR: Best Man’s Speech

 

TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983)

This beautiful, heartfelt comedy drama from James L. Brooks showcases the staggering talents of its stars Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger and Jack Nicholson.  Following the often fractious relationship between MacLaine’s Aurora and her daughter, Emma (Winger), the film manages to make you laugh, cry and, ultimately, care about all those involved.  I’ll be honest, this isn’t my usual kind of film to watch, I thought it would be maudlin and depressing but it wasn’t (all the time). It is uplifting, despite some of the more sombre moments, and lives on because of the strength of storytelling and character.

WATCH IT FOR: “You do bring out the Devil in me”

 

SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON (1964)

Myra Savage (Kim Stanley) works as medium, holding weekly seances from her home while her devoted, out of work husband, Billy (Richard Attenborough) supports her.  Her plan to raise her public profile is simple; kidnap the daughter of a wealthy couple and, using her psychic ability, help the police locate her. The couple soon begin to crumble under the pressure of hiding the child while still maintaining a level of normality within society. What is great about this film is Kim Stanley’s heart-breaking portrayal of a mother, still grieving for her still-born son and her slow descent into a spiral of depression.  Director Bryan Forbes brings out the very best of his cast in a film that will stay long in the memory.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

CUBAN FURY (2014)

What the world needs right now is some honest-to-goodness feelgood pleasure.  Cuban Fury might just be the way to find it.  Based on an original idea from leading man, Nick Frost, it sees the rebirth of a put-upon everyman who finds his mojo and rekindles his first love.  As a teenager, Bruce Garrett was on the verge of greatness at the UK Junior Salsa Championships but, following a traumatic incident, he hangs up his heels and vows never to return.  That is until Julia (Rashida Jones), his beautiful new boss, arrives and stirs his passion once more.  Frost is wonderful as the adult Bruce, regaining his confidence and proving he’s more than just comedy buffer material.  Solid support from Ian McShane and Chris O’Dowd raises this above the usual romantic comedy fare and provides us with something to really enjoy and love.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

THE NEVERENDING STORY (1984)

I remember first seeing this on VHS when I was a kid.  At the time, even though I enjoyed it, I didn’t really like it all that much.  Over time, though, it has become one of those films that resonates with a certain part of childhood where the line of fantasy and reality are blurred and all you had to do was believe.  Bastian (Barrett Oliver) is your typical 80s child – bullied at school and living in a single-parent household where he feels invisible.  One day, while on the run from the bullies, he hides in a bookshop where he finds a mysterious, old book that he soon ‘borrows’.  Hiding in the school attic, Bastian is soon immersed in the mythical world of Fantasia which is in need of a hero to save it from annihilation.  Magically entwining the modern world and that of Fantasia, the film takes us on a wonderful ride, meeting curious creatures, adventurous heroes and evil villains.

WATCH IT FOR: The Power of The Nothing 

 

ARACHNOPHOBIA (1990)

Frank Marshall dons the director’s hat for the first time with this hark back to classic B-movies.  A large, deadly spider from the jungle of South America finds its way into cargo headed for America where it mates with a local spider.  Soon, local residents are disappearing and spider bites are on the rise.  Dr Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels) and his family are soon infested and call on the help of exterminator Delbert McClintock (John Goodman) to stop the spread.  This is a fun adventure with enough scares to frighten even the hardiest of spider lovers.

WATCH IT FOR: Delbert

 

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

As epic as a movie could get, Lawrence of Arabia garnered 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for David Lean.  It has everything the Academy loves about films of this scale – brilliant camera work, breathtaking scenery and a beautiful score. The performances are outstanding, especially Peter O’Toole as the eponymous hero and Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali who, along with Lawrence, rebels against the orders of Lawrence’s superiors and endures an arduous camel trek across the desert to attack a heavily-guarded Turkish port. It is a hefty watch (almost four hours) but well worth it to see how majestic can really be.

WATCH IT FOR: Ali’s Well

 

ROAD HOUSE (1989)

This film is so 80s it hurts!  Patrick Swayze stars as Dalton, a cool as you like bouncer with an expertise in martial arts.  His reputation is well-known and so, is hired by the sleazy club The Double Deuce to clear out the riff-raff.  Complete with dodgy businessman, Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara) and local doctor, Elizabeth (Kelly Lynch), Road House has all the hallmarks of a classic, cult eighties action flick.  Add it to the ‘so bad it’s good’ pile.

WATCH IT FOR: “You’re too stupid to have a good time”

 

Well, it’s better late than never! Part 39 of #MyLifeInFilm done and dusted.  Another eclectic mix, don’t you think? Hopefully it won’t be as long until the next one arrives – all depends on whether my mojo sticks around long enough! If you like what you’ve seen here today please feel free to get in touch.  That goes for if you didn’t like it as well, I’m not prejudiced – I won’t reply to you, but just know that you’re also welcome!  Until the next time…

“Having a luck dragon with you is the only way to go on a quest”

My Life In Film: Part 38

Just when you thought it was safe to open your internet browser… #MyLifeInFilm is back, back, back!  It hasn’t all been wasted time, though, as you were ‘treated’ to my regular Halloween and Christmas specials.  But now it’s time to get things going again, sharing those films that I’ve loved, or that mean something special to me.  This time around there will be swords & sandals, psychos & psychics and at least one mermaid!

 

BLUE STEEL (1990)

Here’s a truly underrated gem of a thriller from writer/director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker) and starring the fabulous Jamie Lee Curtis.  Megan Turner (Curtis) is a rookie cop who, on her first day with NYPD shoots and kills a supermarket robber.  When it subsequently transpires that the robber had no weapon and the witnesses couldn’t corroborate Turner’s story, she is suspended from active duty.  She is temporarily reinstated, this time as a homicide detective, when a bullet turns up at another scene with her name on it.  Enter commodities broker Eugene Hunt (the magnificent and much-missed Ron Silver) who shared a date with Turner when she was suspended and has developed a dangerous obsession with her.  Silver plays the bad guy so well and is the perfect foil for Curtis’ rookie cop.  Sure, it’s a pretty paint-by-numbers thriller but the performances elevate it above the mundane.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

TRON (1982)

Tron is one of those films that, while gloriously failing at the box office, has since gone on to become a cult classic.  Most of that can probably be traced back to the ground-breaking special effects combined with the boom in computer games.  Jeff Bridges plays arcade owner/computer hacker Flynn who is transported into the world of computer games by the villainous software pirate, Master Control (David Warner).  Whilst there, Flynn, along with his friend, Alan (Bruce Boxleitner), must participate in gladiatorial games in order to escape.  As you’d expect for a film that is almost forty years old, it has dated quite a lot but there’s no denying the film’s appeal, so much so that a sequel was made in 2010 with Bridges and Boxleitner reprising their roles.

WATCH IT FOR: Light Cycle Battle

 

THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997)

After the monster successes of Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List, director Steven Spielberg took a rare break from making movies.  Four years later and we are treated to a Jurassic sequel.  But how do you follow a behemoth like that?  Answer: with more dinosaurs!  Yes, The Lost World is everything you could want from a sequel, complete with at least one returning character, double the action and roughly 50% more dino action than the original.  Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm and joins Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn and Pete Postlethwaite on an island eight-seven miles away from the original site to research and document the liberated animals.  Unfortunately, the greedy types at InGen have sent a separate team to capture and transport the creatures to San Diego.  What could possibly go wrong?  While not on the same level as the first film, The Lost World has plenty going for it including some fine set pieces and, of course music by John Williams.

WATCH IT FOR: Over The Cliff

 

SINGLE WHITE FEMALE (1992)

In the early nineties there were a number of films classed as ‘psycho thrillers’.  Depicting damaged characters as crazy killers.  Single White Female portrays a very broken young woman, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, who infiltrates the life of Bridget Fonda leading to all manner of dangerous situations.  Allison (Fonda) places an ad in the paper for a Single White Female to share the rent now that she’s ditched her boyfriend.  When Hedra (Leigh) answers the ad, all seems perfect.  Until it isn’t.  For the most part this is your average run-of-the-mill ‘psycho thriller’ but if it weren’t for the two leads, this would be a made-for-TV affair.  Both Fonda and Leigh are magnetic together in a film that will make you think twice about renting a room to a stranger!

WATCH IT FOR: Worried Sick

 

SPARTACUS (1960)

It seems fitting that Spartacus should appear in this edition as we say farewell to a true cinematic icon, Kirk Douglas, who passed away recently at the grand old age of 103!  This is, perhaps, his most famous role among dozens of outstanding performances and its not hard to see why people love it so.  Stanley Kubrick‘s monumental epic follows the rise of Douglas’ slave, Spartacus as he leads a revolt against the Roman Republic including Charles Laughton and Laurence Olivier.  Douglas is superb as the reluctant hero alongside Tony Curtis and a gallery of who’s who in Hollywood.

WATCH IT FOR: I’m Spartacus!

 

BLITHE SPIRIT (1945)

After the success of his play in the West End and on Broadway, Noel Coward was inundated with offers from Hollywood to turn it into a film.  Instead, Coward took the project to his friend, David Lean, who made some alterations to the original play to which Coward was not best pleased.  For this big screen adaptation, Charles (Rex Harrison) and his second wife, Ruth (Constance Cummings) are being haunted by the spirit of his first wife, Elvira (Kay Hammond).  They soon decide to enlist the help of local medium, Madam Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) to try and exorcise Elvira from their lives but things don’t go to plan.  It’s a wonderfully witty and wry comedy with a stand-out turn by Rutherford. Its hard to believe that, on its initial release, this film tanked on both sides of the Atlantic!

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

DEAD CALM (1989)

Here’s another example of a damaged character being used as the villain in this stylish thriller from Philip Noyce.  John (Sam Neill) and Rae (Nicole Kidman) are taking a sailing trip in the Pacific in order to escape a terrible tragedy.  While out on the open sea they discover a ship in distress with one survivor, the disturbed Hughie (Billy Zane), who is not all that he appears to be.  What follows is a tense game of cat and mouse with all the claustrophobia of the best of Hitchcock.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

SPLASH(1984)

Director Ron Howard brings us a modern-day fable starring the soon-to-be-worldwide-treasure, Tom Hanks.  As a kid, Allen (Hanks) is rescued from drowning by a young mermaid.  Years later and he finds himself back in the same spot and, after falling into the water, is rescued once again by the mermaid, Madison (Daryl Hannah).  They go their separate ways but Madison sets out to find him in New York City.  Once they meet up again, they fall for each other but the course of true love never runs smooth.  Featuring support from John Candy, Splash is one of those delightful romantic comedies with a fishy twist.

WATCH IT FOR: What’s Your Number?

 

FRANTIC (1988)

This is a stylish mystery thriller in the vein of the classic film noirs of old.  Harrison Ford stars as Dr Richard Walker who, along with his wife, Sondra (Betty Buckley) are in Paris to attend a medical conference.  When Sondra disappears in mysterious circumstances, Walker is plunged into the murky underworld of drugs and espionage.  Director Roman Polanski cranks up the tension while Ford is at his best as the distraught husband caught up in a web of intrigue.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

VERTIGO (1958)

I’ve made mention this edition of Hitchcockian moments in modern thrillers, well here’s the man himself doing what he does best.  James Stewart stars as former San Francisco police detective John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson who becomes dangerously obsessed with Kim Novak in a suspenseful tale of betrayal and deception.  While the story takes a backseat, the real treat for the viewers (apart from Stewart and Novak) is the visual style, the use of the camera and, of course, Bernard Hermann’s atmospheric score.  Rightly regarded as one of Hitch’s classic thrillers, Vertigo may feel a little leaden at times but in the reliable hands of Jimmy Stewart, it almost zips along.

WATCH IT FOR: Scottie’s Nightmare

 

And there you go, another fine batch of cinematic classics that have, in one way or another, made some sort of impact on me.  It’s good to be back and I’m looking forward to bringing you plenty more examples of celluloid gems very soon.  If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen here today, feel free to get in touch, I’m always open to chatting with new people, especially with a love of film.  Until the next time…

“Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and um, screaming”

 

My Life In Film: Part 37

As the dust settles on The Academy Awards for another year, it’s time, once again, to take another trip into my cinematic archive.  I know I say this every time but this edition of My Life In Film… really is quite eclectic.  Disasters, epics, romance and yutes all convene to bring such varied movie treats.  So, without further ado, let’s get down to business…

 

MY GIRL (1991)

After the huge global success of Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin was one of Hollywood’s hottest properties.  In the space of just a couple of years he made some of the biggest well-loved films including this one where he plays Thomas, best friend to Anna Chlumsky‘s Vada Sultenfuss, a bright, intelligent girl prone to being a hypochondriac.  When her mortician father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd) hires a new secretary in the form of Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) life in their small town will never be the same again.  The two young leads are superb as they navigate their tricky early adolescence in a film that could quite easily have turned into a sickly melodrama.  Be warned, though, there may be tears by the end.

WATCH IT FOR: She’s My Best Friend

 

THE FISHER KING (1991)

Jeff Bridges plays Jack, a popular New York talk radio DJ who, during one of his shows raging against the rise of the Yuppie, inadvertently inspires a man to go on a rampage in a local bar. Feeling dreadful remorse for the incident, Jack descends into a spiral of drink and pity where he strikes up an unlikely friendship with Parry (Robin Williams), a former professor who became mentally unbalanced and homeless after witnessing his wife being gunned down in the bar attack.  Parry believes himself to be on an important quest to track down the Holy Grail, a quest that Jack finds himself assisting with as a way of seeking his own redemption.  Director Terry Gilliam brings his dazzling visual style to this modern fable and delights us with fine performances from the two leads as well as an Oscar-winning turn from Mercedes Ruehl as Jack’s girlfriend.

WATCH IT FOR: Grand Central Station

 

EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987)

Based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, Empire of the Sun is the story of Jim Graham (Christian Bale) who has his life turned upside down with the Japanese invasion of December 1941.  Living a privileged life, Jim soon finds himself separated from his parents, captured and interred in a concentration camp where he finds a new way of living and surviving.  Steven Spielberg has expertly crafted a stunning visual epic that takes a different look at the war and the people involved.  With a supporting cast that features the likes of John Malkovich, Nigel Havers, Leslie Phillips and Miranda Richardson, this is one of Spielberg’s more underappreciated films that, given the scale and depth of it, should really be given more love.

WATCH IT FOR: Cadillac Of The Sky

 

THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979)

In this slice of seventies paranoia Jane Fonda plays Kimberly Wells, an opportunistic television reporter who stumbles across a huge cover-up at a nuclear power plant. While covering a story on the use of alternative energy sources at the plant Wells, and her cameraman Richard Adams (Michael Douglas) are witness to an accident.  Keen to publicise the incident, Wells and Adams come up against the full weight of corporate power in the shape of Richard Herd‘s Evan McCormack who wants to silence the whole thing.  With Jack Lemmon and Wilford Brimley as workers at the plant providing solid support, The China Syndrome is as bleak and relevant today as it was back then.

WATCH IT FOR:  Trailer

 

AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

It’s the end of summer, 1962 in a small town in Southern California.  A group of friends gather for one last night before they each head off to college.  Director George Lucas brings us a love letter to a golden age of Americana with drag racers, drive-ins and the end of the rock ‘n’ roll era.  Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams and a then unknown Harrison Ford remind us of a happier, more carefree time when the only problem a kid had was finding a way out of their dead-end town.  Add in to the mix a spectacular soundtrack of classic hits and you’ve got yourself a bona fide cult smash.

WATCH IT FOR: “Must Be Your Mama’s Car”

 

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)

In the 1970s there was a wave (pardon the pun!) of big budget epic disaster movies including this absolute classic.  Concerning the final voyage of a majestic cruise ship on New Year’s Eve that takes a different route thanks to an undersea earthquake, The Poseidon Adventure throws everything at you.  Of course, you’d expect nothing less from producer extraordinaire Irwin Allen.  A huge, all-star cast that includes Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons, Ernest Borgnine and Roddy McDowall must battle against the elements as the ship is turned upside down in the middle of the ocean and the remaining passengers strive for power and survival.

WATCH IT FOR: The Ballroom Floods

 

MY COUSIN VINNY (1992)

In this courtroom comedy from director Jonathan Lynn, Joe Pesci stars as Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, an inexperienced lawyer who has never been to trial, who is called upon to represent his cousin, Bill (Ralph Macchio) and Bill’s friend, Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) when they are arrested for murder in rural Alabama.  Vinny clashes with the locals as well as Judge Haller (the brilliant Fred Gwynne in his final screen role) as he desperately tries to get to the bottom of the case.  Aided by his brash girlfriend Mona Lisa Vito (an Oscar-winning Marisa Tomei), Vinny soon finds that he might need some help.

WATCH IT FOR: Two “Yutes”

 

GROSSE POINTE BLANK (1997)

Martin Q. Blank (John Cusack), a freelance hitman who has recently developed a conscience, is advised to attend his high school reunion in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.  Coincidentally, he has been contracted to kill someone in this very suburb.  As he tries to justify not killing, he is pursued by the FBI, one assassin who wants to kill him and another assassin who wants to recruit him.  All the while trying to reconnect with the girlfriend he left behind.  It’s sharp, funny and has a brilliant soundtrack to boot.  This film (and, indeed Cusack) deserves more love and appreciation.  Get on it, people!

WATCH IT FOR: Work Less, Make More

 

THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (1978)

There may be some that would disagree with this particular version of John Buchan‘s classic novel being included, especially when Hitchcock‘s (perhaps) definitive version has already been featured.  I say to you, that I don’t care.  It’s my list and I do what I want!  That being said, it is far from being the best-loved of Richard Hannay’s adventure through wrongful arrest, murder, intrigue and espionage but I love it.  Robert Powell takes the reins as the hero fighting his way through the quagmire of lies and deception that takes him to the highlands of Scotland and ends with a spectacular denouement in London.  Featuring a veritable who’s who of British acting greats, this is great fun for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

WATCH IT FOR: Big Ben

 

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (1969)

If you’re only going to play James Bond once, you might as well make it one of the best films in the franchise.  George Lazenby takes over the role in one of the most Bondian of Bond films as he travels to Switzerland to face off against Blofeld (Telly Savalas) one more time.  Going undercover, Bond discovers the real reason behind Blofeld’s allergy clinic high above the mountains and even falls in love with Tracy (Diana Rigg).  The action zips along and there are some spectacular set pieces but it is the romance between Bond and Tracy that really ignites this film.  A romance that, we know, is doomed but is, ultimately, worthwhile.  For whatever reasons Lazenby only made this one film, it remains a titan among the fold and still holds up today, fifty years on.

WATCH IT FOR: Blofeld

 

And that, as they say, is that.  Another fine batch of films for your viewing pleasure and, once again, quite eclectic.  I hope that this blog inspires you to seek out some of these films to watch, maybe for the first time or, perhaps, for the hundredth.  Whatever your feelings, I’d love to hear from you.  Feel free to get in touch and let me know what you think.  My door is always open.  Until the next time…

“This never happened to the other fella”

 

 

 

My Life In Film: Stinkers II: Stink Harder

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…

Following on from last year’s runaway success, it was almost inevitable that a sequel was given the greenlight.  The original Stinkers saw the likes of Titanic and the truly awful Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice take the honours.  As with most sequels, this one features some familiar faces as well as a guest star from a Hollywood legend.  What I must stress here is that the views expressed in the following are my own but if you happen to share them then I think you’re alright!  If you don’t…I think you might need to get some help! Anyway, prepare yourselves, we’re going in…

 

BAYWATCH (2017)

I’ve got absolutely nothing against Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson other than some of his work-related choices.  This one, in particular, brought me out in hives and made me want to throw things.  Based (very, very loosely) on the hit eighties kitsch television show of the same name, Baywatch sees lifeguard Mitch Buchanan (Johnson) clash with hot new recruit, Matt Brody (Zac Efron) while foiling a criminal plot.  I have many issues with this film, not least the brand of ‘humour’ that seems to be rife in modern comedies.  Gross-out humour, as its known, does absolutely nothing for me nor does the excessive use of the F-word.  I lost count of how many times it was used within the first five minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a prude by any means but there comes a point when you wonder how these films get made. Vulgar comedy, to me, isn’t comedy.  It is just a cheap way to get laughs from people who don’t know any better.  How I managed to make it through to the end of the film (and the unbelievably unfunny outtakes) is beyond me.  Its such a shame because Johnson has made better movies than this, I just think he needs to consult better people about the choices he makes.

VERDICT: I’ve had tooth extractions that were funnier!

 

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017)

Not surprisingly, another remake makes the cut in the form of this terrible sci-fi mess. The film didn’t get off to a great start with all the negative press surrounding the casting of Scarlett Johansson as the Japanese lead character.  Online protests over the whitewashing in Hollywood were made worse when it was reported that the VFX team were working on making the actors look Asian, although these were rejected.  In spite of this, the film itself is a complete mess.  A case of style over substance with the makers trying to recreate the stunning visuals of the original Anime feature.  To give you an idea of how bad this film is, I didn’t even make it through to the end.  I managed about 40 minutes before I gave up.

VERDICT: Ditch this and go watch the original instead, much better acting!

 

THE FLINTSTONES (1994)

Sometimes, the casting of a film is so much better than the film itself.  This one of those times.  It was while working on his 1989 movie, Always, that Steven Spielberg told John Goodman that he would be a great Fred Flintstone.  To all extent and purposes he is a great Fred Flintstone, its just unfortunate that the movie is a honking mess.  Even with Rick Moranis as Barney Rubble and having the lure of Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor out of retirement, The Flintstones just doesn’t work.  Everyone in the movie business always extols the virtue of a great script so it always baffles me when stuff like this gets the go-ahead.  And don’t even get me started on the sequel!!!

VERDICT: In the words of the late, great Barry Norman: “Yabba-dabba-don’t”!

 

YOUNG EINSTEIN (1988)

In the late-eighties and into the early-nineties I was never out of the local cinema.  I would go with friends and watch literally anything, even this.  Regarded as one of Australia’s most influential and avant-garde artists, Yahoo Serious shot to international fame with this comedy about the young Albert Einstein who, as well as discovering the theory of relativity, discovers rock music.  Serious wrote, produced, directed and starred in what is, essentially, an over-zealous vanity project.  I remember at the time that I was taken with the quirkiness of film but sometimes, quirky just isn’t enough.  Granted, I haven’t seen the film since – I doubt its even been shown on TV or even has a DVD release – so it could be better than I remember.  Unlikely, though.

VERDICT: Seriously?

 

COP AND A HALF (1993)

Oh, Burt Reynolds, you really have made some out and out turkeys.  Take a look down his list of credits and you could take your pick of any number of disasters but, for me, this one takes the biscuit.  A smart-ass kid, played by Norman D. Golden II, witnesses a murder but refuses to testify unless he can become a police officer.  Enter Reynolds’ child-hating veteran cop and you’ve got one of the worst buddy movies ever made.  Reynolds’ career has had more ups and down than most with this one being on the down trajectory.  His career would receive a boost a few years later with Striptease and Boogie Nights but, in all honesty, he’ll be best remembered for his hits in the seventies and a string of disappointing bombs like this one.

VERDICT: Hardly worth half a star!

 

SUBURBAN COMMANDO (1991)

It was a tough choice between this and Mr Nanny as the Hulk Hogan film that would make the list.  While Mr Nanny is truly awful, this sci-fi caper is phenomenally dire.  Hogan plays an intergalactic hero who crash lands on earth and must hide out in suburbia until he can get back home.  Situations like this have been done to death and much, much better but the fact that Hogan, who was (surprisingly) a huge draw at the time, can do little but grimace and flex, shows the weakness of the script.  Despite the presence of Christopher Lloyd, Suburban Commando is proof that some films only get made because of an idea rather than a fully rounded screenplay.

VERDICT: A big, Hulking mess!

 

SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL (1997)

What happens when you take one of the biggest action movies of the nineties and give it a sequel that is so unbelievably awful that one its stars declares it to be “the biggest piece of crap ever made”?  Sandra Bullock (who has starred in her fair share of turkeys)supposedly said that about this film in a 2000 interview and she’s not wrong.  You’d think it would be difficult to find a duller screen pairing than Bullock and Keanu Reeves but, somehow, the makers of Speed 2: Cruise Control managed it.  Jason Patric, who hasn’t made a decent movie since Sleepers in 1996, takes over the action man mantle from Reeves who opted to tour with his band, Dogstar (good choice!) rather than feature here.  There’s no point trying to talk about plot or performances, unless you want me to mention Willem Defoe‘s OTT villain?  No?  Fair enough.  Jan de Bont has five directing credits on IMDb and, with the exception of the original Speed and Twister, all of them are horrific!

VERDICT: Rush hour hits the water…and promptly sinks without trace!

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017)

Just when you thought a film couldn’t be any worse than Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, along comes Justice League.  I can only tell you what I think of the first 40 minutes of this film as that’s when I had had enough and switched it off.  What I can tell you is that in those first forty minutes, absolute nothing of any significance happens.  Its slower than my broadband provider and about as entertaining as listening to Glenn Hoddle commentate on an England football match.  Ben Affleck, as Bruce Wayne/Batman, has no charm whatsoever and mooches about like a bored teenager during the school holidays.  I could say that the addition of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ezra Miller as The Flash brought something special to proceedings but they really didn’t.  Watching this felt like I was wading through a vat of treacle and my only saving grace was that I could switch it off.  I knew I wouldn’t like it before I put it on yet, like a scab on your knee, my curiosity got the better of me.  Never again!

VERDICT: There ain’t no justice in this world!

 

PROBLEM CHILD (1990)

The problem with Problem Child is…well, there are far too many problems with it. I tried to watch it again recently and, honestly, as well as the poor script and direction it really hasn’t aged well at all.  A truly despicable child is shipped from one orphanage to another, seemingly causing destruction wherever he goes.  He is eventually palmed off on a couple so desperate for a child that they will accept anything.  Even the ever reliable John Ritter can’t save this tragic waste of celluloid.

VERDICT: Monstrous!

 

Once again I must stress that these are purely my views, you might have other ideas about what constitutes a Stinker.  I’ve found, though, the older I get less tolerant of lazy filmmaking and underwhelming movies.  The world doesn’t need more Kevin James movies, nor does it need a never ending conveyor belt of ever-weakening comic book franchises.  I know I’m not alone in this sentiment but it seems that this is the way it is, for now.  Anyway, for a look at a better class of movies you could always check out my growing list of #MyLifeInFilm posts…currently numbered at 300 films, this is a list of cinemas best as well as those movies that have made some sort of an impact on me over the years.  New posts are imminent (Part 31 will follow this post) as well as the occasional special feature.  For now, though, I hope you’ve enjoyed my little rant at some of (in my opinion) cinema’s worst movies and I hope to see you at the pictures again very soon…

 

My Life In TV: Part Twenty Six

Previously on “My Life In…”

This whole thing began in May 2014 when I decided to compile my very own list of favourite movies.  This was swiftly followed in the August of that year by the very first My Life In TV… I only take you down this brief memory lane for it has occurred to me that this very post, Part 26 of my televisual odyssey, is my 100th post in total on this blog. A blog that began in 2012, very simply, as a means for me to share my poetry and the odd piece of longer-form writing.  The fact that the Film and TV side of things has taken over has become somewhat of a personal albatross paradox.  A burden that I detest and love in equal measures.  Its one of those things that I really wish I hadn’t started but at the same time, can’t imagine not completing…if there ever will be a completion!  That’s not on my radar at the moment, though, there’s still plenty of work to do in the meantime…

 

DASTARDLY AND MUTTLEY IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES (1969-1970)

Dick Dastardly and his canine sidekick, Muttley are now World War I flying aces who, along with the Vulture Squad, try and fail to stop Yankee Doodle Pigeon from delivering messages to the enemy.  A spin-off from Wacky Races, this was a completely silly Hanna-Barbera cartoon that owes much to the relationship between Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote.  A smart bird evades capture from a bunch of inept idiots.  The show is usually known as either Catch The Pigeon or Stop The Pigeon, probably due to its extremely earworm-worthy theme tune “Stop The Pigeon” that I guarantee you won’t get out of your head for days!

WATCH IT FOR: Sorry…Theme Tune!

 

BRUSH STROKES (1986-1991)

Karl Howman plays Jacko, a painter and decorator with an eye for the women.  He likes them and they always seem to like him, too.  Will he ever find his true love, though?  Written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, the men behind The Good Life, Brush Strokes followed in the tradition of British sitcoms with a loveable rogue at the helm.  Mike Walling, Gary Waldhorn and the late Howard Lew Lewis co-starred in one of the last of the ‘classic’ British comedies.

WATCH IT FOR: Theme tune – Because Of You by Dexys Midnight Runners

 

AMAZING STORIES (1985-1987)

Steven Spielberg presents a series of truly fantastical and, indeed, amazing stories that form the basis for this anthology series.  In much the same vein as The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits, each episode is a standalone story.  Each week a cast of established actors would appear alongside a roster of young, up-and-coming stars.  The stories themselves were usually of the fantasy variety that Spielberg had made his own mixed with supernatural and mystical elements.  Cutting edge filming techniques and animation were used in this wonderfully offbeat series that really does deserve a repeat viewing.

WATCH IT FOR: Opening credits

 

SMALL WONDER (1985-1989)

The Americans always seemed to do these extremely off-the-wall sitcoms very well.  This bizarre show was one of the weirdest.  A robotics engineer creates a robot modelled on a little girl and then tries to pass her off as an adoptive daughter.  Dick Christie, Marla Pennington and Jerry Supiran star as the family with Tiffany Brissette as Vicki, the small wonder of the title.  I have very vague memories of watching it and only really remember it for the robot storyline anyway.  Definitely one for the “What on earth?” category!

WATCH IT FOR: Opening titles with traditionally cheesy theme song!

 

WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (1988-1998)

Actors and comedians perform improvised sketches based on suggestions from the studio audience.  In true parlour game fashion, and hosted by Clive Anderson, this show was a huge hit on Channel 4 back in the day and proved a fertile ground for either fledgling or established performers.  Tony Slattery, Josie Lawrence, Ryan Stiles and Greg Proops to name just a few who became household names.  I always remember it being so funny and, because of the improvisational nature of the show, quite erratic and manic which only added to the hilarity.

WATCH IT FOR: A full episode

 

LIGHT LUNCH (1997-1998)

Before they were queens of the Bake Off (and before they ruined The Generation Game!) Mel & Sue hosted their own daytime show.  Light Lunch was a live, cookery-cum-chat show that was the perfect vehicle for this comedic pair.  Featuring top chefs and celebrity guests, Light Lunch soon evolved and was replaced by Late Lunch (1998-1999) keeping much the same format only for an early evening timeslot.  Complete with a house band (“Steve, Matt, Dylan and Dan!”) that had a different pun-related name each episode, Light/Late Lunch was unmissable for me.  Its just a shame that Mel & Sue haven’t been able to replicate this magic in their other shows.

WATCH IT FOR: A full episode from 1997!

 

GENTLE BEN (1967-1969)

Even though this programme was made in the sixties, it became a staple of British television in the eighties when it was shown as part of the BBC’s children’s television output.  Following the adventures of a Florida Everglades game warden, Tom Wedloe (Dennis Weaver), his wife Ellen (Beth Brickell), their young son Mark (Clint Howard) and Mark’s tame bear, Ben.  Gentle Ben was always on our screens, usually during the school holidays and was one of those very family-friendly shows that TV just can’t seem to get right these days.

WATCH IT FOR: Opening titles

 

CHALLENGE ANNEKA (1987-1995)

Most of the television programmes today that focus on completing a massive project in a limited amount of time have much to thank this show for.  Challenge Anneka (created and presented by Anneka Rice) would see Rice given a task to complete, usually within only a matter of days, and would then have to convince local businesses to take part for free.  The projects were mostly for a charitable cause and would often get the local community involved.  It was such a great programme to watch, not only for Rice’s enthusiasm but also for the drama of getting the thing done in time.  The show was revived by ITV in 2006 for two specials with an eye to produce more, but subsequent ideas were scrapped.

WATCH IT FOR: A full episode

 

WYCLIFFE (1994-1998)

Set in the glorious surroundings of Cornwall, this police drama was one of my mum’s favourites.  Not only for the scenery but I think she was rather taken by Jack Shepherd, who played the eponymous detective.  As British cop shows go, Wycliffe is one of the more subdued and cerebral.  It is very much about the solving of the crime, the knowledge of the detectives and, of course, the gorgeous scenery.  One of the things that stands out for me, though, will always be the haunting theme tune that will sometimes creep into my head when I least expect it!

WATCH IT FOR: Opening titles

 

THE BANANA SPLITS ADVENTURE HOUR (1968-1970)

This was trippy! The Banana Splits were a fictional rock band made up of four furry animals (Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper & Snorky) who would host live-action and animated features amid their own sitcom-like show.  The live-action serial Danger Island, was shown along with cartoons of Arabian Knights and The Three Musketeers, with the all the live-action stuff being directed by Richard Donner.  It was fast, offbeat, psychedelic and completely bonkers.  With a theme tune that fit the manic nature of the show, The Banana Splits has since become one of a long line of cult kids’ TV shows.

WATCH IT FOR: That fabulous opening/closing theme tune!

 

There you have it, blog post 100 and Part 26 of my television odyssey.  I think you’ll agree there are a couple of fine entries here as well as the weird and wonderful.  If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen here today, please feel free to get in touch I’d love to hear from you.  Here’s to the next 100 posts and, hopefully, some more weird and wonderful TV programmes from days gone by!  Until the next time…

“Nab him, jab him, tab him, grab him…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Life In Film: Part Thirty

Here we go, part thirty of my cinematic odyssey comes to you courtesy of a couple of legends and one of the most recent films to feature in the list so far.  At the end of this there will have been 300 films featured.  Not all of them are classics in the traditional sense but they are to me.  As usual, My Life In Film… will take a short break while I return my attention to the next batch of television programmes that have made an impact on me.  But before that happens, we’ve still got some work to do…

 

CASPER (1995)

Based on the Harvey comic and cartoon series, Casper sees Bill Pullman as Dr Harvey, a recently bereaved paranormal expert, move to a new town with his teenage daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci).  Harvey is hired by the owner of a mansion who believes it to be haunted and wants the spooks gone so she can claim her ancestor’s hidden fortune.  This is a delightfully enchanting film that doesn’t go too mawkish or sentimental and deserves a lot more love, especially for James Horner‘s beautiful score.

WATCH IT FOR: Kat meets Casper

 

YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES (1985)

This is one of those films that, over the years, has amassed a strong cult following.  It’s not surprising really, being based (very loosely) on the youth of a certain master detective.  Nicholas Rowe stars as the young Sherlock who meets a young John Watson (Alan Cox) while they are both at an elite boarding school.  Soon they discover some strange goings on and decide to investigate, getting into all sorts of adventures.  One great bit of trivia, this film features the very first appearance of a fully-CGI character, animated by Industrial Light and Magic and overseen by John Lassetter in an early credit for the behemoth that is Pixar.

WATCH IT FOR: That groundbreaking piece of CGI

 

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002)

Leonardo DiCaprio takes the lead here as Frank Abagnale, Jr, a resourceful high school kid who goes on the run from the feds after defrauding millions of dollars, all in the name of recouping the money his father lost to the IRS.  Doggedly pursued by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), Frank poses as an airline pilot, teacher and doctor before being extradited for cheque fraud.  Director Steven Spielberg brings a light, old-fashioned Hollywood-style to proceedings while still maintaining the pace of a heist movie.

WATCH IT FOR: Frank and Carl cross paths

 

THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997)

This wild and colourful sci-fi adventure from Luc Besson (Nikita, Leon) sees Bruce Willis play a taxi driver who finds himself caught up in the search for a legendary weapon.  It’s a visual treat for the eyes but sometimes falls short on plot and storytelling.  Willis is his usual wisecracking, sarcastic, action hero self while able support comes from breakout star Milla Jovovich and recent Oscar-winner Gary Oldman.

WATCH IT FOR: Shootout

 

THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

Pixar movies have taken over the world and proven that animated films are often bigger and better than live-action.  This one, featuring voice work from Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson, sees a family of superheroes trying to live their quiet, suburban lives but who get sucked back into the crime-fighting ways in order to save the world.  Its fast-paced, full of action and comedy and is, quite possibly, one of the best animated movies ever made.  This summer, after fourteen years, a sequel is finally due to be released!

WATCH IT FOR: “No capes!”

 

EASTER PARADE (1948)

In this classic MGM musical, Fred Astaire plays Don Hewes who, along with his partner Nadine Hale (Ann Miller) perform a very successful dance act.  But when Nadine decides to go it alone, Don takes it upon himself to train the next girl he sees and turn her into his next dance partner.  That girl is Hannah Brown (Judy Garland) and pretty soon the two of them are the talk of the town.  Its an age-old romantic musical with performances from two legends at the top of their game.

WATCH IT FOR: A couple of swells!

 

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (2003)

This is one of those heart-warming family comedies that just make me smile.  Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and his wife, Kate (Bonnie Hunt) are at the head of a huge family of twelve children.  When Kate has to go out of town for a book tour, it is left to Tom to take care of the kids.  Although there is plenty of slapstick elements and silly humour, Cheaper By The Dozen is a good, old-fashioned comedy that warms the cockles of any a cold heart.  A sequel followed in 2005 but this, to me, is the better of the two.

WATCH IT FOR: Preparing dinner!

 

FOUL PLAY (1978)

Here’s a comedy/thriller that seems to have been forgotten by many.  It’s a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously while at the same time emulating the great films of Hitchcock.  Goldie Hawn plays a shy librarian who gets caught up in a bizarre mystery that sees her fending off killer albinos and savage dwarves.  With the help of San Francisco cop Chevy Chase, the two begin an adventure and soon fall in love.  This film very rarely sees the light of day on television, I don’t think I’ve seen it for years, and is one of those rare movies that have slipped by the wayside.  It’s a shame, because it is a great deal of fun.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

SWITCHBACK (1997)

Here’s an interesting one.  This film did very little to dent the box office or the rental market but, and I don’t know how, I discovered it on VHS and it has remained one of my firm favourites ever since.  Dennis Quaid stars as Frank Lacrosse, an FBI agent who is on the hunt for his kidnapped son, taken by a dangerous serial killer who slaughtered the babysitter.  Quaid is excellent as the distraught father and dogged investigator who will stop at nothing to find his son.  Jared Leto, Danny Glover and R. Lee Ermey provide solid support in this sadly-forgotten thriller.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer

 

BABY DRIVER (2017)

I believe this is the most recent film to feature in this list of (now) 300 films.  It’s not hard to see why.  I’ve said before that Edgar Wright is one of the most exciting filmmakers of this generation, combining witty dialogue, sharp editing and camera work with banging soundtracks.  With Baby Driver he takes this to a whole new level.  Ansel Elgort plays the eponymous hero, a hearing-impaired getaway driver for a crime boss who gets coerced into driving one last job.  It’s fast, sharp and exciting as you’d expect from Wright, but Baby Driver amps it up and is much more of a kinetic musical.  Jamie Foxx, John Hamm and Lily James co-star in one of the most breath-taking films I’ve ever seen.

WATCH IT FOR: Chase scene

 

And that’s a wrap on this edition, 300 films down already and there’s still so many more to feature.  As I said at the start, My Life In Film… will be taking a break while I return to My Life In TV… but, rest assured, it will be back!  If you like what you’ve seen here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and spread the word, I’d love to hear from you.  Until the next time…

“Was he slow?”

 

My Life In Film: Part Twenty

Can you believe it?  Part twenty!  At the end of this there will be 200 films in this countdown of my favourites.  I was just looking through the list I’ve accumulated so far and was shocked to find a couple of absolute classics that I’ve missed!  Don’t worry, that error has been rectified, so settle in for some more eclectic cinematic treats!

 

KUFFS (1992)

This is one of those curious films that nobody else seems to remember, and there’s probably a very good reason for that!  It isn’t the greatest film ever made, nor is it the worst (I’ve seen plenty of those in my time!) but it is an interesting one.  Teen heartthrob Christian Slater plays George Kuffs, a guy who isn’t really going anywhere in life, who loses his job and finds out his girlfriend (Milla Jovovich) is pregnant.  He visits his older brother, Brad (Bruce Boxleitner) to ask for a loan but Brad is suddenly killed and Kuffs finds himself taking over Brad’s police patrol special district (Yeah, I know!.  Ultimately, this film (which was written specifically for Slater) fails because it doesn’t really know what it’s trying to be.  It’s funny, slightly irritating (Kuffs talks to camera a lot!) but it does have some great music on the soundtrack.

WATCH IT FOR: The trailer!

 

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

Here’s a classic example of the power of home video sales turning a relatively disappointing run at the box office into a massive, global success.  The Shawshank Redemption, while only doing modest business in cinemas became a phenomenon that saw it nominated for 7 Academy Awards (sadly, going home empty handed) and continually atop Greatest Film polls.  Based on a short story by Stephen King and directed by Frank Darabont, it’s the tale of two men, imprisoned together for many years who find solace and hope in one another.  Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are on spectacular form as are the rest of the stunning cast.  This film will uplift you, even though the subject matter might not.  It really is a sensationally brilliant film.

WATCH IT FOR: Opera

 

WORKING GIRL (1988)

Melanie Griffith is frustrated secretary Tess McGill, struggling to find her way in the world of big business in New York.  When her boss, played by Sigourney Weaver, breaks her leg on a skiing holiday, Tess gets her chance to shine.  She teams up with investment broker Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford) to reach a deal.  But then her boss returns!  This wonderful comedy from director Mike Nichols showcases Griffith’s hitherto unseen acting chops and gives us a chance to see Ford and Weaver in rare comedic roles.  To top it off, there’s the best Oscar-winning song ever from Carly Simon!

WATCH IT FOR: “A head for business…”

 

BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

It was, perhaps, almost inevitable that Tim Burton would return to the dark streets of Gotham City following the huge success of Batman (1989).  Michael Keaton returns as the Dark Knight and his alter ego Bruce Wayne, as does Michael Gough as his trusty butler, Alfred.  This time around, though, there is more evil in the city in the shape of The Penguin (Danny DeVito), Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) and the delectable Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.  It is an admirable sequel that sometimes falls apart trying to manage multiple villains (although not as bad as the later sequels) but on the whole it is just as enjoyable as the original.

WATCH IT FOR: Meow!

 

STEPPING OUT (1991)

Did somebody say “Curveball”?  Well, I probably wouldn’t have given this film a chance had it not been for my sister and her love of all things Musicals.  It’s a surprisingly delightful film that only gets better on repeat viewings.  Liza Minnelli plays Mavis Turner, a former Broadway star who now provides tap dancing lessons to a group of misfit performers, including Julie Walters and Bill Irwin.  As they dance together, they begin to realise that they’re not that bad and find themselves taking part in a charity dance recital.  Stepping Out delivers everything you’d expect from a great underdog story and lifts the spirits.

WATCH IT FOR: The trailer

 

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)

The brilliant, and much missed, Gene Wilder plays the grandson of the infamous scientist, Dr Frankenstein.  He is a neurosurgeon trying to put his family’s legacy behind him when he finds out that he has inherited his grandfather’s castle.  Upon arrival he discovers his grandfather’s notes on reanimation and soon the family legacy is brought back to life.  Wilder wrote the script and offered it to director Mel Brooks while the two were working on Blazing Saddles with the stipulation that Brooks not appear as it would distract the audience.  It is, quite rightly, a classic comedy thanks, in part, to the fabulous cast.  Marty Feldman as Igor (with his moveable hump!), Teri Garr as Inga and Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher, but it is Peter Boyle as The Monster who steals the show.

WATCH IT FOR: Puttin On The Ritz

 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)

What started out as a ride at Disneyland has turned into a leviathan of a movie franchise with a fifth entry due in cinemas any day now.  This first film, though, is the best of the lot by far.  Orlando Bloom plays Will Turner, a blacksmith who crosses swords with the eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and join forces to search for Will’s true love, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) who has been kidnapped by the feared Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush).  This is swash-buckling at it’s best from director Gore Verbinksi and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer.  The quality of the sequels diminished but this original, and best, shows what Hollywood can do when it cares about a subject.

WATCH IT FOR: The first appearance of Jack

 

FORREST GUMP (1994)

Ask most people and they would probably tell you that Forrest Gump shouldn’t have won the Best Picture Oscar in 1995.  Popular opinion would suggest either Pulp Fiction or the aforementioned The Shawshank Redemption should have taken the prize.  That’s how it goes sometimes, The Academy “makes mistakes”.  I’m happy it won, to be honest, because it’s a beautiful film, if somewhat over sentimental.  Tom Hanks plays the eponymous hero, a simple man with a low IQ who just happens to have participated in some iconic moments in history.  Sentimentality aside, Forrest Gump is a beautifully imagined fable reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood.  Director Robert Zemeckis uses every trick and technique in the book to bring Forrest’s stories to life while the supporting cast of Sally Field, Gary Sinise and Myketi Williamson add substance to his tales.

WATCH IT FOR: Forrest and Bubba talk shrimp!

 

THE EXPENDABLES (2010)

The Expendables is all-action, gung-ho, boys-own nonsense and I love it!  Sylvester Stallone directs and leads an all-star cast of action superstars that cross the generations.  The plot, inconsequential as it is, sees a CIA operative hire a group of mercenaries to eliminate a dictator and rogue CIA agent.  The main draw, though, is the first time that Stallone share the screen with his 80s action contemporaries Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.  Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Mickey Rourke are among the other iconic stars taking part in the action.  The two sequels (so far!) take the numbers higher and the quality lower, but that’s beside the point.  The point is action and fun, and this film has both!

WATCH IT FOR: Old friends!

 

SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

Schindler’s List proved that director Steven Spielberg can do more than just fantasy and action adventure films.  It’s a more personal film than anything he had made previously, focussing on the horrors of the Holocaust.  Liam Neeson is Oskar Schindler, a usually greedy businessman who becomes an unlikely humanitarian when he discovers his Jewish workforce is being persecuted by the Nazis.  Everything about this film is immense, from the black and white cinematography, the outstanding performances (Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley shine) to the heart-breaking John Williams score.  The film garnered 7 Academy Awards, including the first for Spielberg, but it’s the film’s legacy – The Shoah Foundation – that is the true winner here.

WATCH IT FOR: The List Is Life…  You need to watch it anyway as it stands as a learning tool for future generations…

 

And there you have it – 200 films!  There are more but, for now, this is where the list ends.  I will be returning to it at a later date once I’ve gathered a little more research and searched the memory banks!  I’m also looking into doing a shorter list of films that I really don’t like that much.  It seems only fair to share the yang to my ying (or vice versa!).  Until we meet again I’m off to reanimate a few corpses, maybe!

“You poor guys.  Always confusing your pistols with your privates”

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Life In Film: Part Seventeen

As sure as tock follows tick, night follows day, Part Seventeen must surely follow Part Sixteen.  Another batch of ten films in my ever multiplying list of favourites from over the years.  As a great man once said: “It’s not the years honey, it’s the mileage” – some of these films really have the mileage…see if you can spot the curve ball in this rundown!

 

ANCHORS AWEIGH (1945)

Two sailors on a four day shore leave in Hollywood meet an aspiring young singer (played by Kathryn Grayson) and try to get her signed to MGM.  It’s pretty much standard movie musical fare when it comes to plot but that’s not the reason to watch it.  Gene Kelly is, as always, magnificent alongside fellow sailor Frank Sinatra.  A young Dean Stockwell plays Grayson’s nephew who wants to join the navy and grows attached to the two sailors.  There are some great song and dance numbers, none more so than the brilliant Jerry Mouse routine.

WATCH IT FOR: Gene Kelly dances with Jerry Mouse – “Look at me, I’m dancing!”

 

GALAXY QUEST (1999)

Sci-fi conventions are THE place to go to catch a glimpse of your favourite stars from television and film.  When a group of TV stars of the past reunite at a convention they get a little more than they bargained for.  Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and the ever brilliant (and much missed) Alan Rickman play the stars of TV’s ‘Galaxy Quest’ and are approached at a convention by real aliens believing their characters to be the real deal.  Their help is needed to solve a problem of intergalactic proportion!

WATCH IT FOR: The show must go on!

 

BIRDMAN or (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) (2014)

Michael Keaton knows a thing or two about playing a famous superhero, having played Batman twice, so it’s interesting to see him here playing an actor trying to shake off the spectre of an all-encompassing role and be taken seriously.  Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, an actor who made his name playing Birdman in three movies, who is trying to stage an epic comeback by writing, directing, starring-in and co-producing a play on Broadway.  What we see is a man in meltdown and the consequences this has on the people around him.  His daughter, played by Emma Stone, his friend and co-producer Zach Galifinakis and temperamental star Edward Norton.  It is a daring, imaginative piece of filmmaking from Alejandro G. Innaritu which rightly won four Academy Awards, including a nomination for Keaton.

WATCH IT FOR: “Does she talk?”

 

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN (2011)

Based on the classic comic books by Herge, this is the first animated feature film from director Steven Spielberg about the intrepid young reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell) and his faithful dog, Snowy.  In this story he goes on a treasure hunt for sunken treasure with help from drunken sea-dog Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis).  Using motion-capture and animation techniques, its a fun thrill-ride of an adventure and, according to IMDb a sequel is on the way!

WATCH IT FOR: Falcon chase

 

REMO: UNARMED AND DANGEROUS (1985)

Or Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, to give it it’s original title.  A James Bond-style franchise was planned with this film based on “The Destroyer” novels but this film didn’t play well and all we’re left with is this bizarre gem of an action flick.  Fred Ward stars as Remo Williams a cop who is supposedly killed in the line of duty and subsequently trained as a lethal assassin to work for the US President.  With a strange mix of action, martial arts and just a hint of the supernatural, Remo is an underrated cult classic with an iconic scene atop the Statue of Liberty.  Stellar support from Wilford Brimley and the ever wonderful Joel Grey as Remo’s mentor.

WATCH IT FOR: Statue of Liberty and walking on cement!

 

ROXANNE (1987)

This is one of my favourite Steve Martin performances.  Based on the play “Cyrano De Bergerac” he plays C.D. Bales who, while having an unusually large nose, falls for the beautiful Roxanne (Daryl Hannah).  Unfortunately, though she’s attracted to his personality she falls for the looks of another man (Rick Rossovich) who seeks Bales’ advice on wooing Roxanne.  It’s a delightful comedy that showcases Martin’s charm and wit.

WATCH IT FOR: Insults to a nose

 

FARGO (1996)

Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) works in his father-in-laws car dealership and has got himself into some serious financial strife.  He sets a plan in motion for two men (Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi) to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom but he didn’t bet on the men being inept at their job and the amount of bloodshed it entails.  He is further hampered by the local Sheriff, played to perfection in an Oscar-winning role by Frances McDormand who is determined to find the killers whilst nine months pregnant.  This is a brilliant and twisted thriller from The Coen Brothers which has since gone on to spawn a very successful television series.

WATCH IT FOR: Frances McDormand’s wonderful performance

 

DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE (1975)

This is one of those films that is just so bad it’s actually pretty awful but still ok to watch every now and then.  Based on the pulp novels about an intelligent superhero in the 1930s and starring Ron Ely as the titular title character.  Doc Savage returns home to find his father has died and that he has become the target of an assassination plot.  He assembles his team “The Fabulous Five” (Paul Gleason, William Lucking, Michael Miller, Eldon Quick and Darrell Zwerling) and vows to solve his father’s murder.  It’s cheesy, camp and over the top but with enough action and humour to keep you watching.  This film used to be shown quite a lot during the school holidays but has since been banished to the “best left forgotten” pile.

WATCH IT FOR: The cheesiest of cheesy trailers!

 

QUICK CHANGE (1990)

Grimm (Bill Murray) enters a New York bank dressed as a clown in order to commit a robbery.  With the help of his two friends (Geena Davis and Randy Quaid) the pull off the heist but their biggest problem is escaping the city and getting to the airport.  Murray acted as co-director on this film with his co-writer Howard Franklin.  The idea of Murray, with his deadpan demeanour, dressed as a clown is superb and the supporting cast are excellent.  It’s surprising then, that the film isn’t as fondly remembered as it should be.  It’s certainly one of Murray’s best performances, if not his famous.

WATCH IT FOR: The trailer

 

THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)

This is one of those films that Hollywood used to do so well.  A massive, ensemble piece with glorious scenery, plenty of action and a leading man so damn cool it should be illegal.  Steve McQueen leads the all-star cast as Allied soldiers plan a daring escape from their Nazi camp during World War II.  Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasence, James Garner, James Coburn, David McCallum, Charles Bronson and Gordon Jackson are just some of the stellar line-up in John Sturges‘ epic (almost 3 hours!) perennial favourite that features some of the most iconic scenes in movie history not to mention one of the most famous pieces of film music ever written!

WATCH IT FOR: McQueen’s motorcycle escape

 

If you were to look up the word “eclectic” in the dictionary I’m pretty sure you’d find this edition of My Life In Film… From singing sailors to deadpan bank robbers, ace reporters to The King of Cool this has a little bit of everything.  That’s pretty much how my taste in film goes as well, a veritable concoction of movie genres and a cornucopia of actors and actresses.  If you liked what you saw here today, please feel free to get in touch – you can message me direct on here or find me on Twitter as @Shadow_Chaser – I’d love to hear your thoughts.  I’m off to throw a baseball against the wall for a few hours!

 

 

My Life In Film: Part Sixteen

“This means something.  This is important”  Well, at least that’s what I keep telling myself.  It might not be moving any earth or shaking any trees but this countdown of my favourite films certainly means something to me.  It’s giving me a focus, a purpose if you will.  Like I’ve said before, I’m really enjoying revisiting these classics and sharing them with you.  Even if you’re not actually reading any of this!

 

PULSE (1988)

This is one of those films I’m going to file under “nobody else remembers this”.  I first saw it when it was tucked away in the late-night schedule and immediately loved it.  I think I’ve only seen it once since then and haven’t seen it shown anywhere else.  There’s an unseen, electrical force taking out whole neighbourhood’s and taking lives.  Joey Lawrence plays David, a young boy visiting his father (future star of Face Is Familiar… Cliff De Young) and new stepmother (Roxanne Hart) when he discovers this strange force is out to harm him and his family.

WATCH IT FOR: Trailer – “Spooky, ain’t it?”

 

UNBREAKABLE (2000)

Following the success of The Sixth Sense, writer/director M. Night Shyamalan brought us another suspense thriller.  Bruce Willis is David Dunn, the sole survivor of a massive train wreck who walks away without a single scratch on him.  Samuel L. Jackson‘s mysterious Elijah Price has a strange theory as to why this happened to him.  As in his previous film, Shyamalan weaves a seemingly simple story that captivates right through until the twisty final act.

WATCH IT FOR: Comic Book Store

 

THE ROCKETEER (1991)

Long before comic books spawned a thousand blockbuster movies, this pulp graphic novel hero reached for the stars.  It’s a 1930s Hollywood complete with Nazi spies, gangsters and a young pilot (Bill Campbell) who stumbles across a top secret jet pack that allows him to become a masked hero.  With the help of his friend/mentor (played by Alan Arkin) he rescues his girl (Jennifer Connelly) from the clutches of Neville Sinclair (a deliciously hammy Timothy Dalton) and takes to the skies as The Rocketeer.

WATCH IT FOR: A daring rescue

 

TOY STORY (1995)

It’s a common sight now but back in 1995 Toy Story was the first full-length computer animated film.  And what a film it is!  Woody (Tom Hanks) is Andy’s favourite toy but then, for his birthday, Andy is given the all-singing-all-dancing Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).  Trouble is, Buzz isn’t aware that he’s a toy – he thinks he’s a real space ranger.  The drama comes from Woody’s jealousy which leads the two of them lost in the big, wide world and needing to work together to get home.  Toy Story is an absolute joy of a film and a landmark in modern cinema.

WATCH IT FOR: “You are a toy!”

 

AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (1997)

Essentially, this is a love letter to the British spy films of the sixties from Mike Myers (Wayne’s World).  Austin Powers is a super-hip spy in swinging sixties London who is cryogenically frozen and awoken 30 years later  in a radically different world in order to defeat his nemesis Dr Evil.  Myers plays both Powers and Dr Evil with great energy and humour and sends up the spy film brilliantly without making fun of it.  Support comes in the form of Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York and the brilliant Robert Wagner, whose performance is a revelation.

WATCH IT FOR: Myers having fun as Dr Evil

 

RANSOM (1996)

This gripping thriller from director Ron Howard sees the son of millionaire businessman Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) kidnapped and held for ransom.  At first Tom works alongside the police but soon takes matters into his own hands.  Gibson is great as the desperate father willing to do anything to get his son back.  Rene Russo and Gary Sinise provide excellent support but this is really Gibson’s movie which grabs with both hands.

WATCH IT FOR: Tom turns the tables

 

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008)

Yes, this film has plenty of flaws but I love it!  Almost twenty years since he cracked his whip in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Harrison Ford returns as the man in the hat for an adventure that takes him further into the realms of the supernatural.  During the Cold War, Indy is approached by Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) with a coded message from an aged colleague Harold Oxley (John Hurt) that leads them to the legendary Crystal Skull.  Hot on their trail is Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) who will stop at nothing to claim the skull for herself.  Although it does lack a lot of the heart of the original films, Spielberg does pepper the story with nods to the past including the return of Marion (Karen Allen) but, ultimately, it just doesn’t stand up as well with the others (Mutt’s character grates and the swinging through the trees scene is just stupid!).  That aside, I enjoyed seeing Ford as Indy again (a fifth instalment has also been announced, due in 2020!)

WATCH IT FOR: Indy’s back

 

CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Much revered and usually found atop most Top Ten lists, this film is a work of genius from one of Hollywood’s greatest maverick filmmakers.  Orson Welles plays Charles Foster Kane, a multimillionaire media tycoon who, upon his deathbed, utters one single word: “Rosebud”.  This leads a group of reporters, including Joseph Cotten, to try and decipher it’s meaning and thus begins Kane’s story.  Through flashbacks we see Kane’s rise to the top and ultimate downfall using many cinematic techniques that were fresh and new for the time.  Welles was just 25 years old when he co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in this film and created an iconic piece of cinema.

WATCH IT FOR: “Rosebud”

 

JERRY MAGUIRE (1996)

I’ve never really been a huge fan of sports movies but this one really caught me out.  Tom Cruise stars as Jerry Maguire, a narcissistic sports agent who one day has an epiphany about his job and is fired for expressing his feelings about it.  He decides to take his new sports philosophy and try it out on the only athlete who has stayed with him.  Cruise is on excellent form as the self-obsessed Maguire who, along with Renee Zellweger takes Cuba Gooding Jr‘s football star to new heights.  It’s a masterful story from Cameron Crowe about the human condition and what it means to be successful.

WATCH IT FOR: An Oscar-winning Cuba Gooding Jr – “Show me the money!”

 

THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)

Irwin Allen was the master of the disaster movie, having already brought us The Poseidon Adventure (1972).  Here we are in similar territory with a huge construct, poorly built and full of party guests, stricken by nature and threatening to engulf the whole lot.  Paul Newman is the architect who discovers that while he was away his wiring schematics haven’t been followed correctly.  Whilst at the inaugural party, a fire breaks out and disaster is only a matter of time away.  Chief fire officer Steve McQueen leads the charge against the flames trying to protect the all-star cast inside.  Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Vaughn, Richard Chamberlain and an Oscar-nominated Fred Astaire are just some of the big names attracted to this mammoth project.

WATCH IT FOR: Explosions and panic

 

And, as the smoke clears, we find another batch of cinematic gems to enjoy.  Yet another eclectic mix, don’t you think?  Each of these films is great (or terrible) in its own right and hopefully this is giving you the inspiration to view some of them for yourself.  Or maybe you’re compiling your own list?  Either way, let me know what you think of this group and I’ll see you on the other side…

Music by John Williams

He is one of the most successful film score composers of all time with 47 Academy Award nominations and five wins.  He has scored numerous movie and television soundtracks from Land of the Giants to Amazing Stories and Fiddler on the Roof to Lincoln.  His music is instantly recognisable and is known throughout the world and, in a career spanning over six decades, he shows no sign of slowing down.  Lucky for us…

John Towner Williams was born in New York on February 8th 1932 to Esther and Johnny Williams.  In 1948 he and his family moved to Los Angeles where John attended North Hollywood High School, graduating in 1950.  He later attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) before being drafted into the U.S. Air Force in 1952.  After his service ended in 1955, he moved to New York where he studied at the prestigious Juliard School.  During this time he worked as a jazz pianist in New York’s many clubs and eventually studios, most notably for composer Henry Mancini.

After his studies at Juliard and the Eastman School of Music, Wililams returned to Los Angeles where he began working as an orchestrator at film studios.  Among other composers, Williams worked with Bernard Herrmann, and Alfred Newman Williams was also a studio pianist, performing on film scores by composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, and Henry Mancini. Williams recorded with Henry Mancini the film scores of 1959’s Peter Gunn, 1962’s Days of Wine and Roses, and 1963’s Charade.  Williams (often credited as “Johnny Williams” i.e., John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965)) also composed the music for various TV programs in the 1960s: The pilot episode of Gilligan’s Island, Bachelor Father (1959-1960), the Kraft Suspense Theatre, Lost in Space (1965–68), The Time Tunnel (1966–67), and Land of the Giants (the last three created by the prolific TV producer, Irwin Allen).

Williams’ first film composition was for the B movie Daddy-O and his first screen credit came two years later on Because They’re Young.  He soon began to gain notice in Hollywood for his versatility in jazz and symphonic music.  He was nominated for his first Academy Award for Valley of the Dolls (1967) and was nominated again for 1969’s Goodbye Mr. Chips.  His breakthrough came in 1971 where he won his first of five Academy Awards for his score to Fiddler on the Roof.  Williams grew to prominence in throughout the 1970s thanks to his scores for Irwin Allen’s movies The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno as well as Earthquake for director Mark Robson.

In 1974, Williams was approached by director Steven Spielberg to compose the score for his first feature The Sugarland Express.  They teamed up again a year later for Jaws, a score that is widely regarded as a classic of the suspense genre which garnered him his second Academy Award and his first for original composition.  Thus began one of Hollywood’s most successful collaborations.  Following his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg recommended his friend to George Lucas, who was looking for a composer for his adventurous science fiction epic Star Wars.  The film went on to become one of the most successful films of all time, and Williams’ soundtrack won him another Academy Award.  Williams would also score the following films in the Star Wars universe, earning more nominations along the way.

In 1978, Williams worked with Richard Donner on Superman, a score that also became one of the most memorable in cinema history before rejoining Spielberg for the Indiana Jones films and E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (for which Williams won a fourth Academy Award).  His collaboration with Spielberg continued through the eighties and nineties where he won his fifth Academy Award for the sombre score to Schindler’s List, regarded as their masterpiece the film won a further six awards in 1993, including the first for Spielberg as director and producer.

His scores for Spielberg films The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse saw his 46th and 47th Academy Award nominations making him the most nominated musician in history and the second most nominated overall (Walt Disney has the distinction of being the most nominated of all time with 59). His 48th nomination came with Lincoln, Spielberg’s biopic of the US President.

As well as his film and televison scores, Williams has also been comissioned to compose music for NBC news, the Statue of Liberty’s rededication and music for four Olympic Games.  He regularly conducts with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and performs concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.  In addition to his Academy Award tally, Williams has also won 3 Emmy’s, 4 Golden Globes, 22 Grammy Awards and 7 BAFTA awards.  He has been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame.  His music is known globally and is among the most famous pieces of music ever known.  In 2016 he will be presented with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, the first time a composer has been given this honour.

Not only is John Williams one of the most successful composers of all time, his music has touched lives and generated feelings and moods.  He has inspired us, made us cry and compelled us to think and to listen.  But, above all, he has entertained us and continues to do so with yet another big score on the horizon: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it looks like his music will be around for a long time to come.