Friday, August 28, 2009

Recently Read This...

...and a perverse little potboiler it was too!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

"I've been in the circus, I'm used to freaks."

Willie Dynamite (1974) - ** 1/2. Universal Studios tries to cash in on AIP's territory with fairly entertaining results. Willie's having a bad day with his stable and the heat is on. Was this supposed to be so funny??? Lots of familiar TV faces and Marcia McBroom (Beyond Valley of the Dolls) has about 2 lines.

Blondie of the Follies (1932)- ***.
Polly of the Circus (1932) - * 1/2.
Operator 13 (1934) - * 1/2.
Of these three Marion Davies films, Blondie is the best showcase for her comedic talents. Shares billing with luscious Billie (Howard Hughes' girlfriend) Dove in her last film. Davies plays Garbo to Jimmy Durante's Barrymore at a party.
Polly is an improbable romance between trapeze artist Davies and bishop Clark Cable. Irritating music underscores all of Marion's scenes, probably to help hide her lisp.
Operator is an unendurable Civil War romance with Marion in blackface. She says "yassah" alot and is constantly hit on by white soldiers. This film and Polly are prime examples of the kind of big budget dreck Hearst insisited Davies make, which is unfortunate because she's quite likable despite these trappings.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) - **. Usual effects-laden comic book theatrics, left open for a possible sequel. Oboy.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Found Object #5


The Ridgewood News, January 20, 1985
I wonder what he talked about....

Cover of the Week # 16768754337


Monday, August 3, 2009

Movies! OgawdYes Movies!!

The Sniper (1952) - **1/2. Nice little low-budget noir about a sexually troubled delivery man with a gun. Marie Windsor's demise is memorable, as is Charles Lane as a belligerent drunk and Jay Novello as a club owner. Arthur Franz convinces as a title character.
30 Days of Night (2007) - **. Another horror film with very few surprises. Josh Hartnett shows little range while everybody else is underwritten. Cool vampires though.
Burn After Reading (2008) - ** 1/2. Everything the Coens do is worth a look, though I found this rather trying. Veers too uncomfortably from comedy to drama with the only likable character leaving much too early. A mere trifle.
There Will Be Blood (2007) - ****. Daniel Day-Lewis (who never leaves the screen) channels Walter Huston to portray the epitome of evil (not that there's anything wrong with that). A stylized window into the birth of the modern age. A great, if exhausting experience.