Haven’t watched it, I usually avoid a Verhoeven movie not made by Verhoeven 
My fellow dutchman is not the most subtle artist in the business, but you don’t get the knickname ‘Master of Schlock’ for free, you must deserve it.
I love Verhoeven. This was made by Claudio Fäh
Yeah that’s why I avoided it: Hollow Man I was made by Verhoeven, so in my opinion the sequel is a ‘Verhoeven movie not made by Verhoeven’.
In Holland there have always been lots of discussions on his work: most Dutchmen are proud of what he achieved - after all he is our most famous film director - but most of those who are proud don’t really like his movies: too excessive, relying on shock effects, too much sex and nudity, etc. I always defended hi, even though I don’t like all the things he did (Flesh & Blood for example is a misfire). Some of the early work, made in Holland before he became a well-known Hollywood director is exceptional: Soldaat van Oranje, Spetters, De Vierde Man…
I saw that on television when I was about 12 years old, I had nightmares for days (or rather nights)!
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Somwe Hollywood dramas from 1956
The Killing (Kubrick / 9/10)
Julie (Stone / 7/10)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (Hitchcock / 7/10)
The Wrong Man (Hitchcock / 8/10)
The Harder They Fall (Robson / 8/10)
A pretty good bunch really. You can really see how Tarantino was influenced by The Killing for Resovoir Dogs.
The Yards. Spaghetti Western stars Tomas Milian and Tony Musante in this
- Barnet: Girl with the Hatbox 4/10
- Kotcheff: Wake in Fright 10/10
- Larraz: Vampyres 3/10
- Park: Decision to Leave 6/10
- Ashby: Harold and Maude 10/10
- Marins: When Gods Fell Asleep 4/10
- Beresford: Double Jeopardy 6/10
- Hitchcock: Vertigo 9/10
- Leone: Duck You Sucker! 9/10
- McCarey: Duck Soup 10/10
I must admit to having a real soft spot for this one.
Watching Larraz’s Vampyres made me appreciate more Jess Franco and Jean Rollin who made some fascinating films with similar erotic vampire horror themes. Larraz just bored me.
I have to agree with Bill that it was mostly boring.
And unlike Rollin and some Franco films it was quite unerotic despite trying to be.
Some westerns from 1956. A couple from the top drawer of the genre.
The Searchers (Ford / 9/10)
Backlash (Sturges / 6/10)
7 Men From Now (Boetticher / 9/10)
The King & Four Queens (Walsh / 7/10)
Jubal (Daves / 6/10)
The First Texan (Haskin / 3/10)
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Jubal is very ambitious and therefore also interesting, but things don’t quite click. Although based on a western novel, its usually regarded as an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello. Clint once said that Shakespeare would have ‘made a good western’, and probably he would have, if the genre had existed in his days, but most adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays in western form feel … what shall I say … a bit forced, distorted or whatever, and this one is no exception. The complex plot about trust, jealousy, betrayal and resentment has been turned into a romantic drama (probably more in keeping with expectations of fifties’ audiences). And as more often is the case, I was put off by Rod Steiger’s loudness as Pinky/Iago. In spite of the title, Othello is very much centered around Iago, who has more lines than the titular character. He’s no doubt one of the most sinister villains in world literature, a manipulator and conspirator, vile but clever, skillful in deceiving others, almost charming in his persistent wickedness. He’s also my favourite Shakespeare character . This shrewd person is far removed from Steiger’s loud-voiced, sexually obsessed Pinky, who’s simply irritating and pathetic.
But, as said, it remains an ambitious, interesting movie. 6/10 seems reasonable.
Yes Scherp, the Othello connection is clear but Borgnine’s character lacks the depth of tragedy formed in Shakespeare’s play and Jubal focuses far more on Glenn Ford’s romantic hero. Also, Borgnine’s wife is no Desdemona. Othello’s wife is innocent of any wrongdoing, Borgnine’s is very keen on being unfaithful and it appears that before she sets her eyes on Ford she was making do well enough with Rod Steiger. Anyhow, as you say, it all descends into romantic drama doesn’t quite land successfully. Interesting but nothing more than that and probably one of Daves’s weaker westerns.
Yep, Jubal could be better, I give it a 7 though. I like Steiger in this one.
But Phil, what’s wrong with this one:
Man With the Gun (Wilson / 5/10)
Isn’t that an unusual western for the 50s? With a protagonist who does not always control his violent impulses and some well made shoot-outs. And a great Mitchum in the lead. Only the last scene feels wrong, looks like the “changed by the producer” kind of end.
There was something which made me downgrade this one from a six and I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. On the whole it was interesting but there was something which triggered the down grade. Sometimes it’s just how you feel on the day I guess but there was something about it which didn’t gel for me despite having Mitchum which is usually worth an extra point on its own. Guess I’ll have to rewatch it to jog my memory. 
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Some British and a French from 1956.
The Battle of River Plate (Powell / 4/10)
Reach for the Sky (Gilbert / 5/10)
A Town Like Alice (Lee / 7/10)
My Teenage Daughter (Wilcox / 5/10)
Yield to the Night (Thompson / 8/10)
Bob Le Flambeur (Melville / 7/10)