Yesterday, it was 6th June, so it had to be…
1962
Followed by…
2019
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Carrying on with my WW2 weekend…two of my all-time favourites.
They really don’t make them like this anymore…Inspirational, up-lifting, and bloody marvellous!
1977
1955
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‘A Bridge Too Far’ is also a great favourite of mine … underappreciated at it’s time of release, and tagged with that smug Barry Norman comment, better calling it, ‘An Hour Too Long’ … wanker!
I think it’s a superb achievement and a highly entertaining picture, which I watch once a year - PS: Was amongst my very first Blu ray purchases … which says a lot.
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Barry Norman wasn’t a great fan of the spaghetti western either. Although he did grudgingly admit that Leone’s westerns had their admirers.
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He was great at delivering scathing reviews from the safety of his autocue … but it was a very different matter when he was actually interviewing some big star or director … obsequious Uriah Heap wouldn’t have a look in against Barry Norman … I think he had what most of these critics suffer from … frustrated filmmaker reduced to hack journalist status syndrome … but I suppose they are a necessary evil to some extent.
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Yesterday I watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and its sequel, Mysterious Island. James Mason was excellent in the original, but I gave the sequel 1/2 star higher rating (4/5) just for the story.
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Yesterday I watched a couple of old favourite sci-fi movies, ‘Logan’s Run’ (1976) and ‘Futureworld’ (the sequel to ‘Westworld’), from the same year. I thought some of the interiors looked similar so I looked it up; ‘Futureworld’ utilized the ‘Logan apartment set’ and redressed it to be the Futureworld bar. Funny the things that you learn after nearly half a century…
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Directed in 1966 by Arthur (‘Bonnie & Clyde’) Penn, and starring Marlon Brando…
Courtesy of ‘Powerhouse Indicator’ (long may this company continue), I watched this 60’s gem yesterday, and opted for the extremely informative Audio Commentary that went into great detail about this oddity production…
It was a good commentary, because it was from the heart, by people who genuinely love the film, and know the history behind it; , but can also see it’s faults and misfires. That’s the kind of A.C. I love to hear.
As regards the film, I used the word ‘oddity’, simply because the audience at the time were not sure what to make of it…the Director practically disowned it…and the Producer, Sam Spiegel (Lawrence of Arabia’) changed everything whenever he felt like it…
According to the commentary, Spiegel’s mind changed as often as the would-be starlets on his casting couch…a money-maker most definitely, but also a philanderer and opportunist…
The film has the most basic of plots…a very unlucky prisoner (Robert Redford) escapes jail, tries to fight his way to freedom, but inevitably is drawn back to his home town of alcoholics, misfits, bullies, racists, adulterers, shit-stirrers…all of whom are arse-licking the town’s benefactor (the always excellent E.G. Marshall)…
This is, indeed a town without pity…and one that is waiting to boil over into anarchy.
Meanwhile, the town Sheriff, (Brando), is trying to keep the peace, is fed up of the greedy, conceited, bigoted townsfolk, and just wants to get the hell out of it with his faithful and devoted wife (the gorgeous Angie Dickenson).
The film is famous for one brutal scene, in particular, but that I will leave for others to discover. When it arrives, it is (as Brando himself described), a master-class in method-acting…
So…all in all, not a very likeable film, featuring some even more rotten to the core characters…
It is slow-paced…but that’s not always a bad thing.
If you are going to watch it, then don’t expect a fun ride, filled with non-stop action and thrills.
Look elsewhere for that.
If you are in the mood for a discontented America in the 60’s, then this fits the bill perfectly…
Is it worth watching? In my humble, a resounding yes. If you like to see a film take it’s time, enjoy seeing several major stars and up and coming thespians (Jane Fonda, James Fox, Robert Duvall) and accept the fact in life that tales do not always have a happy ending, then give this a twirl.
Of special mention as the town sleaze-ball, racist and philanderer, is the wonderful Richard Bradford…who would go on to success in the UK, Lew Grade TV series, ‘Man in a Suitcase’…
As mentioned earlier, I can thoroughly recommend the A.C. on the ‘Powerhouse’ BD…
There are also many other extras to be savoured…
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