The London Nobody Knows - 1969 - UK

The London Nobody Knows - 1969 - 6/10

 
… or doesn’t want to know, or no longer remembers.
James Mason leads a walkabout tour of vanishing elements.
Cafes that serve fish pies and eels.  The egg breaking factory.
The music hall, resigned to the wrecking ball.
Mason is by turns wistful, then pragmatic.
The old gets replaced by the new, and what is new today will be old tomorrow and similarly replaced.
Above, he points out a Ripper site in Spitalfields.  Still existing in 1969, gone now.

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - 1988 - USA

Superstar:  The Karen Carpenter Story - 1988 - 7/10

 
Probably because I just watched a Paul Williams doc, I dug out this controversial film.
Superstar is a loving, banned, documentary/tribute to Karen Carpenter.
For multiple reasons, all too obvious, this is illegal to sell or distribute, yet easy enough to locate.
Todd Haynes short (45”) charts the rise, fame, and self destruction of the 70's singer.
Unfortunately, he failed to get any sort of rights at all - no doubt because denials would have been across the board.
The Carpenters estate launched an injunction against the film.
Most of the music is from The Carpenters, as well as label mates, so another cease order came from A&M Records.
Finally, there were no clearances from his troupe of actors - Barbie dolls - so Mattel sued.
For all that, a brilliant, inspired work, that has never vanished.

Note:  Audio is fine, video has always been nth generation.

Paul Williams Still Alive - 2011 - USA

Paul Williams Still Alive - 2011 - 7/10

 
Exasperating documentary about Williams, composer, celebrity, who was everywhere throughout the 70's and 80’s.
If you don’t know Williams, think “Rainbow Connection,” “Rainy Days & Mondays,” “Evergreen.”
The ‘moment’ never lasts forever, though.
Filmmaker interference seemed intrusive and constant.
Williams wanted to talk about his difficult childhood, the early death of his father;  the filmmaker focused on how Williams fell from Oscar winner to singing in hotels.  Williams agreed to a tour through terrorist filled Philippines;  the filmmaker griped and worried fearfully throughout.
The tour, by the way, was a huge triumph for Williams, in a part of the world where he is still renowned.
One gets the feeling the filmmaker had an agenda (similar to Bruce Weber's), accenting the negative, concentrating on the artist's fall from grace.
Afterward, I had admiration for Williams, not the least for putting up with that guy for two frakking years!

Step By Step - 1946 - USA

Step By Step - 1946 - 5/10

 
Recently discharged Marine chases a pretty blonde on the beach.
She smiles, laughs, but "slow down, tiger," she struts away.
Later, he knocks the door when she works as secretary.
Except!  Another female is introduced as secretary!
Fast paced, silly mishmash of stolen identities, spies, killings, and befuddled police.
Lawrence Tierney stars as the can-do, likeable Marine, with his trusty Scottie dog, Bazooka.
Interesting to watch Tierney here, before type-casting hardened his tough guy image.

You Never Can Tell - 1951 - USA

You Never Can Tell - 1951 - 6/10

 
Eccentric, elderly tycoon (of Polly crackers, the nibbles) dies and leaves his fortune to his pet dog.
This time, bad guys target the heir King.  And the dog, buys it!
In the afterlife, known as Beastatory, King pleads his case to the grand poobah and returns to Earth to put the bite on the real killer.
Dick Powell plays his incarnate human, detective Rex Shepherd.  Swear, I’m not making this up.
Imaginative, lite screwball comedy.
Depending on your tolerance for corn, an obscure gem.

Rhubarb - 1951 - USA

Rhubarb - 1951 - 6/10

 
Eccentric, elderly tycoon dies and leaves his estate and baseball team to pet cat.
Disgruntled heirs and gamblers betting against the team try to off or kidnap the feline.
Fairly predictable material here.  Good cast anchored by Ray Milland.
The cat, a rather ugly orange tabby, is a force of nature.

Velvet Goldmine - 1998 - UK

Velvet Goldmine - 1998 - 7/10

 
Rousing film about glam superstar, based loosely (ha!) on David Bowie and Iggy Pop, steeped in the blood of Oscar Wilde.
Rise of folkie into feathered rocker, peaking into Ziggy Stardust character, before disappearing.
Powerful cast with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Ewan MacGregor, and a young Christian Bale.
Terrific soundtrack, too, as young reporter, searching for vanished rocker, stumbles into rooms of glitz and glitter.
And who the hell is Jack Fairy?

Inspector Lavardin - 1986 - France

Inspector Lavardin - 1986 - 6/10

 
Jean Poiret returns as the French inspector, assigned to a seaside murder.
The corpse lies sprawled on the beach, stripped of clothes, the word ‘PIG’ written on his back.
An author, as well as a pious prig, he was not exactly popular
Prime suspects include the widow (second time around) who is Lavardin’s old flame, a jaded brother-in-law, and a secretive daughter.
Then there is a local club, catering to an underage set, and a prowler.
Everyone is rather shifty, including the Inspector, who ransacks interiors without warrants.
Chabrol film mixes dark elements with a satirical touch.

Ghost Stories - 2017 - UK

Ghost Stories - 2017 - 6/10

 
Muckraking reporter who exposes psychics, spiritualists, whatnot, receives summons from his inspiration, an older man who likewise derided frauds and phonies.
"I have three unsolved cases that make me wonder.  Had I been wrong?  Is there a supernatural sphere?"
Three investigations, three stories.  Each quiet, almost prosaic, though each carries chills.
I watch, not bored, but hardly engaged.
Until, one of the case characters tears the fabric of the structure.
That caught me off guard and the story became inspired -- for a bit.
Based on a play, which may explain why this is overly talky.
It also suffers "writing room syndrome," being too timid and creative risks seem scotched by compromise.

Red Rings Of Fear - 1978 - Italy

Red Rings Of Fear - 1978 - 6/10
AKA - Enigma Rosso

 
Saint Theresa's boarding school.  For girls, a dangerous place.
One has seemingly been raped to death.  Her three best friends keep silent.
The detective tries to break down the girls, school administration, teachers.
As he digs deeper, events grow more lethal.
Story is sleaze, but focus is on Inspector Di Salvo, and his deteriorating relationship with his casual girlfriend.
Procedural process dominates over the usual Giallo flourishes.  Even colors seem toned down.

The Revenant - 2009 - USA

The Revenant - 2009 - 6/10

 
This was on the top shelf, looking forlorn.  Also looked cheap and bad, yet it was calling to me.
Production was low-rent, but it did not wallow in its lack of money.  Instead il overcame fiscal limitations.
An opening desert drive was filmed at night with halogen headlights, smoke and dust.
A later sequence filmed along Sunset Strip must have been shot at 3:00 AM;  about the only time that street is ever deserted.
Nor was the film bad.  The story was steeped in dark humor and acid comments.  Most were from the two leads, but every character was given stellar moments.
Story wise, Bart ships off to Iraq, comes back dead.
Only he won’t stay that way.
He wakes up buddy, Joey, and they come up with a plan to keep him from rotting still further.
Laugh out loud funny.

White Night Wedding - 2008 - Iceland

White Night Wedding - 2008 - 6/10
AKA - Brúðguminn

 
On the eve of his second nuptials, Professor Jon reflects on the first marriage.
The first wife, an artist, grew bipolar.  The second, a former student of his, is twenty years younger.
Quirky comedy from Iceland, dosed with bitterness and creeping regret.
Assorted neighbors of his current residence, the remote and sparsely inhabited Flatey, are a mix of harmless, deluded, or resentful.  Add copious alcohol and an influx of wedding guests.
Mostly funny, and I gradually rooted for the young bride, but that twenty year difference gave me pause.
Time shifts occur frequently in this, viewers will need to stay sharp.

Le Chalet - 2018 - France

Le Chalet - 2018 - 7/10

Three couples head to remote, isolated village in French mountains for wedding event.
Just as they cross the boundary, the lone bridge is destroyed.

 
The village apparently has a dark history, and that story begins to interlayer this one.
Brutal French thriller, in the manner of "And Then There Were None".
Traps and snares unleash memories in the older residents.
Well plotted and diabolically structured series, with characters you hope are honorable.
Great suspense in gorgeous settings.

" ... the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin
than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.” - S Holmes

Summer Of Soul - 2021 - USA

Summer Of Soul - 2021 - 8/10
(...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

 
The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, in storage for over fifty years, forgotten.
Who’s there?  Pros like the 5th Dimension, David Ruffin, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight And The Pips.
Gospel greats like the Edwin Hawkins Singers and Mahalia Jackson.
A wild excursion into the future with Sly And The Family Stone.
Nina Simone, militant, provocative.
More!  Chambers Brothers, Staples Singers, Hugh Masekela, B.B. King ……
What happened?  Woodstock.  Film bookers thought there was only room for one music documentary.
This is great.  The audio quality superb.   Do not miss.  Sly will leave you higher!

Testament - 1988 - UK

Testament - 1988 - 8/10

 
Outstanding seven part biblical series hosted by John Romer.
Archaeologist, scholar, historian, Egyptologist, and serious Bible reader, Mr Romer wanders from Mesopotamia and Egypt, trailing Abraham.
Episodes show the gradual coalescence of Israel, the formation of the state, then the writing of the history - which became the Old Testament.
From there the splinter group of Christians, the spread and rise of the faith.
Romer is infectious, his love of the history and the land is apparent.
Most of the photography hails from digs across the holy land.

Distorted - 2018 - Canada

Distorted - 2018 - 5/10

 
Following a breakdown, artistic female starts seeing "things" no one else does.
Her husband blames their environment (spacious, well appointed apartment) and they move to the high tech condo.
- Unsaid is where does the money come from? -
Soon, lights flicker, the TV flashes - even when switched off, and neighbors hum "Beautiful Dreamer."
The plot, a garbled blend of conspiracy theory, mind control and surveillance, teeters from implausible to preposterous.
Piffle.

S.O.S. Eisberg - 1933 - Germany

S.O.S. Eisberg - 1933 - 6/10

 
A member of the Arctic expedition had wandered away, then presumed dead.
Except, 200 days later evidence surfaces of his dogged existence.
Four men set out to rescue, along with a Husky dog and a sled.
Photography in this is stunning, especially watching characters navigate glaciers, icebergs, pack ice.
Likewise aerial reconnaissance.  The planes weaving and banking between icebergs is breathtaking.
(Stunt pilot Ernst Udet had flown with von Richthofen’s Flying Circus and was an ace with 62 victories.)
There seem too many scenes of man vs nature, and heroic endurance.

As with US / Mexican versions of Dracula (1931), Universal made filmed the concurrent S.O.S. Iceberg, for US audiences, using most of the same cast (Leni Riefenstahl in both).

The Devil’s Whore - 2008 - UK

The Devil’s Whore - 2008 - 6/10

 
17th century costumer.  Four part series of the English conflict between Cromwell and Royalist cavaliers.
Sketchy overview covered a lot of historical territory, from the vantage of a fictitious lady observing famous names making history.
Seemed like the bulk of the story was accurate (I checked Wiki), though shallow.
I thought the show had nice production values, though adjacent audience members declared it cheap and confusing.
I was never involved nor interested.
Better for history buffs, unless cracking the research page isn’t beyond you.

Panic Attack - 2017 - Poland

Panic Attack - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Atak Paniki

 
Multiple storylines that connect ... somewhat.
A bride at her wedding, young boys getting stoned, a couple having lunch, airline passengers saddled with an overly chatty seatmate, a sex worker, an online gamer.  There may another, I don't remember.
Title might just as well be "When Disaster Strikes!"
This Polish film is not as funny as adverts declare.  Characters are, one way or another, spineless.
Despite a few clever premises and sympathetic acting, the writing does not deliver.

Leviathan - 2017 - Peru

Leviathan - 2017 - 5/10

 
Alonso inherits his father’s research papers, delving into the occult.
Caution to the winds, he attempts to organize and piece together the unsolved.
Short “Lovecraft” derived film has good sound, music and photography.
The script is an indecisive shuffle, however.
For no apparent cause, Alonso grows paranoid and anti-social.
I rewatched, this time deciding the father had been a college drama teacher.
All those papers were student plays, teledramas, criticisms, making Alonso unhinged.
It was pretty funny that way.

The Company You Keep - 2012 - USA

The Company You Keep - 2012 - 7/10

 
Nicely turned thriller of hunt for underground Weatherman.
If you are saying,  “Wha?”  that exposes an oversight in the script.
Precious little was given to the backstory, the late 60's - early 70's, when the Weathermen resorted to violence to end the Vietnam War, and also as a reaction to heavy handed government crackdowns.
Redford plays the underpaid, altruistic attorney who disappears into trains and rental cars, touching bygone comrades, with FBI agents and ambulance chasing reporters in pursuit.
Great cast with Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Julie Christie, Shia LeBeouf, Sam Elliot, among many others.
Held my interest throughout, followed by discussion why students are no longer so passionate.
“Cause there is no draft,”  someone said.  “Once students, male and female, get drafted for old mens’ wars, then they would make noise.”