Not much to say, since we’ve all probably known at least the basic premise of the story for most of our lives, but it is really the simplicity and sincerity - that is, the lack of complicated twists and a fairly simple yet moving message - that makes this story so great. Of course, the fact that it works so well is ultimately Dickens accomplishment, but it’s very well translated to the screen here. Straightforward, sentimental, and fairly understated compared to several other adaptations, this was a great choice to watch in order to get that Christmas feel just before Christmas eve (which is the big celebration day over here). Besides, George C. Scotts performance as Scrooge is simply great. It’s nuanced, restrained and really a slightly different approach to the character - and he has one of the very best fake British accents i’ve heard (I’m not a native speaker, so maybe i can’t judge him). David Warner’s performance as Bob Cratchit is equally great.
Overall, in spite (or maybe because of) the simple sentimentality as well as some slightly over-melodramatic moments (which again, are basically Dickens rather than the movie’s) this is a truly entertaining and heartwarming take on what is probably the most well known Christmas story of all time next to the birth of Jesus. For that, it certainly deserves an +8/10.
Returned from the in-laws this afternoon but the wife stayed behind to help her mother this week before yet another Christmas celebration this upcoming Saturday. This gave me an opportunity for a Tubi double feature and I was in the mood for something particularly brutal to cleanse the pallet of all the uplifting vibes of the holiday season. I like to stay even keeled.
I began with Klaus Kinski in Jess Franco’s Jack the Ripper (1976).
It was exactly what I expected…lots of gratuitous violence and scantily clad ladies of the evening. The one disappointment in this one was Klaus himself who was just a bit subdued for my taste. Sure, his performance fit the character but I just don’t think Klaus was entirely into it.
Since that didn’t quite scratch my itch, I followed that up with Sergio Grieco’s final film as a director Beast With a Gun aka Mad Dog Killer (1977) with Helmut Berger, Marisa Mell, and Richard Harrison.
Berger absolutely steals the show in this one as he is about as immoral, unfeeling, and as flat out scary as a villain can get. As bad as things got for him in the end, it wasn’t nearly enough.
I got a recommendation to watch a “horror” movie called ‘Nefarious’ (2023) with Sean Patrick Flannery, and decided to give it a try. I watched it on Amazon Prime yesterday. About halfway through I figured out (and this is not a spoiler) that the movie was made by Christian filmmakers with a religious agenda in mind. Flannery was great as a demon called Nefarious. But, I felt a little hustled and preached to when all I wanted was some scares, blood and guts.
Hidden figures.
Saw some clips of the movie that got me interested. Well played movie with historical characters and events. I was unpleasantly surprised about the racism issues. Can’t imagine people treated that way although it was another time period.
I decided to give Beast with a Gun another watch, and was delighted to Richard Harrison as Detective Santini! I then began to wonder if Helmet Berger and William Berger are related .
Absolutely … it has the most obnoxious characters, crappy scenes and dialogue, plus even the great Gene Hackman is wasted and miscast … it’s just horrible, horrible, horrible. It feels like the best members of the cast have been replaced by pod-people, a la ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ … to me it’s mindboggling that it gets such positive reviews (written by fellow pod-people I assume)
I love Poseidon Adventure. To me it’s the quintessential disaster movie. Slightly better than Earthquake. I also believe that it’s a vital part of the genre that all people in the films are obnoxious. Lol.
The only thing wrong with Poseidon Adventure is that there is no Gilbert Roland in it.
… the thing is, Gilbert isn’t even in my top 20 loathed actors - he’s only mildly irritating and slightly ridiculous … there are many actors out there, past and present I won’t touch or tolerate.
I also believe that it’s a vital part of the genre that all people in the films are obnoxious. Lol.