Flamingo Road - 1949 - USA

Flamingo Road - 1949 - 7/10

 
Another turn for the carnival, dash outta town before the sheriff seizes assets.
Except Lane (Elaine), cooch dancer, decides to stay in Bolton after the deputy takes a shine to her.
Thing is, she doesn’t count on the sheriff, who owns the town.
Hell, the entire state seems in his pocket, via bribery, blackmail, political machinery.
Then, this becomes a bruising battle of iron wills,

 
Noir drama is ostensibly a Joan Crawford vehicle, though she seems too old.
Tell that to Sidney Greenstreet, who shines as the unscrupulous, manipulative Sheriff Semple.
For innocents who assume only top officials are corrupt.

The Mad Adventures Of Rabbi Jacob - 1973 - France

The Mad Adventures Of Rabbi Jacob - 1973 - 6/10
AKA - Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob

 
Pivert witnesses the attempted murder of a revolutionary.
Assassins are in pursuit, followed by uncomprehending police.
His wife is badgering him, too.  Their daughter’s wedding is tomorrow.
Mind you, Pivert, who is bigoted against all save Catholic French, will impersonate a rabbi.
The first ten minutes load the narrative, and well as the pace, which is frantic.
French comedy roars into farce without blinking.
Silly by every definition, almost nonstop with gags and jokes.

Premonition - 2004 - Japan

Premonition - 2004 - 6/10
AKA - Yogan // 予言

 
Select individuals, like our male protagonist, catch the odd newspaper clipping.
Or it flat lands on their desk or windowpane.
Foretelling upcoming death.  Solo or multiple.  Of course, he is skeptical.
First casualty, his own young daughter.
Slow boil, J-Horror, similar in tone and style with other of this era, eg: Ringu, Pulse.
Guilt and grief permeate the first two-thirds.
Then, timeslips and alternate possibilities shift at an increasingly giddy pace.
Glad I hung with this, although the slow build might put some off.

Abigail Leslie Is Back In Town - 1974 - USA

Abigail Leslie Is Back In Town - 1974 - 5/10

 
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Abigail is back in backwater fishing village, Baypoint.
If she had a wanton reputation before, now she’s raunchy with a mission.
Boink and dive all her friends, frenemies, boyfriends, girlfriends, whoever and whenever.
Softcore exploitation (look hard and specifics are soft) has an awful lot of walking and talking.
Sad to say, this is Dullsville.
Attractive cast includes Sonny Landham, who would regret these choices when he ran for governor.

Coma - 1978 - USA

Coma - 1978 - 6/10

 
Patients beware of Operating Room 8, unless you have a death wish.
Pity the whole staff isn’t in on this, since all it takes is one do-gooder to spoil the scam.
We’re talking body parts, organ harvesting, and none of that grave robbing skullduggery.
Very good thriller, especially for those with upcoming surgery.
Major or minor surgery.  Plus, who are those folks behind the masks?
Geneviève Bujold drives this as the out of her depth medico, digging for answers.

Our Man Flint - 1966 - USA

Our Man Flint - 1966 - 6/10

 
Likely overdue, following the 1960’s spy craze of Bond, UNCLE, Harry Palmer, etc …
Derek Flint, agent for Z.O.W.I.E., must take down runaway scientists, demanding world peace.
Gadget, a tricked out cigarette lighter.
Parody of spy genre all the way, would have likely been a goofy dud (like the Helm films) had it not been for the magnetism of James Coburn.
He exudes coo and panache throughout, even during the most absurd moments.
Great viewing when I was a kid, still funny.

Murder By Numbers - 2002 - USA

Murder By Numbers - 2002 - 6/10

 
Hard turn for Sandra Bullock, as troubled police officer, headstrong and unlikable.
Rich boys murder for kicks, and plant evidence on a patsy.
The female detective weighs evidence against intuition.
Good police procedural, yet better as a character study.
Bullock had done dark parts before, but she really nails this one.
Likely opened doors for acclaimed dramatic roles.

Once Upon A Time In The Midlands - 2002 - UK

Once Upon A Time In The Midlands - 2002 - 6/10

 
On live telly, Dek proposes to Shirley, who says no.
To the immense relief of her ex, Jimmy, holed up in Glasgow.
Who decides, following a robbery of a truck full of clowns (don’t ask), he will win Shirley back.
Never underestimate the emotional power of the old flame.
Peculiar British Rom-Com straddles crime, comedy, romance and kitchen drama.
Indeed, it is wishy-washy about Shirley’s heart, and the merits of the bachelors.   
Too many minor, purposeless characters in what feels like a half-finished movie.
Not a bad flick, just pales next to a hundred other Rom-Coms.

The World’s Greatest Sinner - 1962 - USA

The World’s Greatest Sinner - 1962 - 6/10

 
Insurance salesman Clarence, bored and disillusioned, gets himself fired.
High on the vast potential of life, Clarence decides to write a book - and - enter politics.
The book is more a pamphlet on ultimate self-improvement.
From ordinary folk to super-humans to being gods.
Swelling followers are soon chanting, “We are gods, we are gods” while destroying things.
Clarence, by the way, has renamed himself to simply – God.
And, being a god, proceeds to violate taboos, especially sexual.
Bizarre film best viewed as inspired Outsider Art.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3359935

Reilly, Ace Of Spies - 1983 - UK

Reilly, Ace Of Spies - 1983 - 7/10

 
Before Ian Fleming envisioned 007, there was the actual, British agent extraordinaire.
Sam Neill shot to fame as the womanizing, double-dealing, articulate agent.
Most of the timeline runs from 1904–1924.  Arms deals, wars, espionage, sabotage.
Adversaries include Basil Zaharoff (the Merchant of Death), Felix Dzerzhinsky and Stalin,
Excellent production values, especially for television of this period.
At 12 episodes, this also breathes a bit.
Based on a real individual, exploits dodgy, yet stands with the finest spy films.

Affliction - 1997 - USA

Affliction - 1997 - 7/10

 
Wade, small town sheriff, senses a fatal hunting accident might not be so accidental.
Investigating, however cautiously, is nigh impossible in such a hamlet.
Add that Wade’s mother has been found dead (freezing) in her own home.
Next room, Dad sits drunk.  At least he won’t beat her any longer.
Although there are the two boys, Wade and his brother, both abused since childhood.
Less a mystery than a harrowing character study or tortured lives.
Difficult and painful cinema.
I once listened to a Q&A with director Paul Schrader: Casting Coburn was a coup, as they needed someone who would seem physically imposing to Nolte.

When Worlds Collide - 1951 - USA

When Worlds Collide - 1951 - 6/10

 
Rogue star is heading Earth’s way.  Destruction imminent.
Yet, the star has an orbiting planet, perhaps humanity can hop there.
Governments of the world ignore the looming disaster.
Luckily, ka-zillionaire types subsidize rocket building … just like today!
Who gets to go?  Who decides?  And how will the teeming hordes react?
Old school SciFi (based on a 1930’s Pulp novel) has moments here and there.
Drama and melodrama retard the pace and thrust, however.

Great Expectations - 2013 - UK

Great Expectations - 2013 - 7/10

 
Young boy Pip, barely more than an urchin, aids an escaped convict.
The man does not forget, even after the wiles of Miss Havisham torture the lad.
Pip has aspirations, expectations, far above his social level.
Heady condensation of Dickens’ novel, and stylized to boot.
Saturated in Gothic, most this unrolls like a walking nightmare.
Characters from the deep past resemble cadavers, while cobwebs are everywhere.
Although we read this in grade school, this is not a children’s story.
Adult Pip, reliving his youth, the stuff of nightmares.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3359934

Cave Of The Living Dead - 1964 - Yugoslavia

Cave Of The Living Dead - 1964 - 5/10
AKA - Der Fluch der Grünen Augen

After death number six, Interpol sends agent Dorin to a small village.
While all the slain women show neck punctures, the local doctor marks heart failure.
Villagers disdain strangers, yet live in fear of the grotto area, as well as the castle.
And – the titled professor who has taken it over.

 
Superstition be damned, Dorin soon finds a cross more effective than a pistol.
Not to mention the local gypsy fortune teller, more attuned than the doctor.

 
Routine storyline from Yugoslavia, with assorted character types, easy to differentiate.
The photography, sharp black and white, deep shadows, cutting and angles, is first rate.
Locations from cave corridors to castle interiors are sheer Gothic, and look authentic.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3359933