Movie review - "The Night They Raided Minsky's" (1969) ***

 Interesting. A movie famous because the editor claimed he saved yet. Yet it's not a classic or a big hit. I think it did okay. William Friedkin admits he didn't do a great job. Yet it wasn't At Long Last Love or Lucky Lady.

Decent production value. Too many characters to service - Forrest Tucker, Elliot Gould, Norman Wisdom and Bert Lahr feel underutilised. Jason Robards no chemistry with Britt Ekland - their romance is yuck. Ekland doens't have anything to do really until the end.

But it moves. It's colourful. There's great actors. 

Movie review - "The Birthday Party" (1968) **

 The photography is stunning, the art design perfect, the acting excellent. Good on Friedkin for making it and Palomar (ABC) for backing it. It's a faithful version of the play.

I note Pinter's talent. But sorry this is a 40 minute story at most. It might play better on stage with the intensity of the actors being there. On film it doesn't work.

If you love Pinter go for it. 

Movie review - "Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any more" (1944) **1/2

 Simone Simon's accent limited her job offers but she's a cutie in this sweet screwball comedy - she lives in a flat where keys have been given to servicemen and shenanigans ensue. There's a fantastical element about gremlins introduced but not developed - they may as well have cut it out.

Directed by Joe May. I couldn't tell the men apart aside from Bob Mitchum who appears at the end. I like how everyone liked Simon and she was spending time wondering who she'd be with.

Not a masterpiece or even that funny but high spirited. 

Movie review - "Good Times" (1967) **1/2 (re-watching)

 Sonny and Cher film was financed by Steve Broidy, formerly of Allied Artists, and randomly directed by William Friedkin.

Fun sketches. But they're sketches. It's like an episode of a variety show. Dumb plot where George Sanders offers to fund a movie and then insists on them sticking to a dumb script and threatening to sue Sonny and Cher and the singers stick to their guns and Sanders respects him. That's dumb. Don't sign the contract, dude. Smart arse boomer stuff.

One stand out number - "Good Times" with dancers. Fans of the duo will enjoy it. Should've been made for not much money. Went over budget due to Friedkin. Not dull. 

Movie review - "Shalako" (1968) **1/2

 The press got hysterical about this movie - Sean Connery in a Western. Connery appearing opposite Brigitte Bardot. 

It's a strong story, and looks great (vistas etc). But it's an ensemble piece - sort of like Stagecoach, about Europeans on a hunting trip encountering Apaches. There's various subplots like Jack Hawkins' wife Honor Blackman having it off with Stephen Boyd. Connery is a former cavalry officer who advises them to get out and they odn't.

There's too many characters to service so the strong cast don't have anything to do. Connery and Bardot don't have anything to play. They should have written him as taciturn and explosive but unused to women - or something. He's just a guy. She's just Bardot, and not attractively costumer. Honor Blackman is better because she's got something to play. Connery isn't even that tough - he doesn't do much through the film.

There's also Peter Van Eyck, Eric Sykes, Alexander Knox, Woody Strode. 

Also never makes sense why posh types are hunting in New Mexico which is really rocky and desert-y. The plains would have made more sense. 

Movie review - "Premonition" (1972) **

 Alan Rudolph's first movie as direcotr is hard to get through. Some hippy goes to the desert with a professor and sees something weird, then years later the hippy and his band members go out there and sense weirdness.

It's so padded. I kept waiting for weird stuff to happen. Just felt like lazy dope smoking movie making. There's even a  pretty girl to soothe the hero's furrowed brow. 

No characterisation. Best moments are the bit towards the end where someone gets lot in the desert and dies. I wish this had been a proper horror film. Amateurishly made. 

Movie review - "The Secret Lives of Dentists" (2002) **

Nicely acted and stuff but there's not enough story here for a feature. Campbell Scott is a dentist worried his dentist wife Hope Davis is cheating. He has fantasies, spurred on by visions of his cranky patient Dennis Leary and hot receptionist Robin Tunney.

Scott has a lovely speaking voice and can act but isn't that compelling - it would be fun to watch, I don't know, Woody Allen be racked with jealousy. I didn't care about him, or his marriage. Sorry. The details of modern marriage all felt real - logistica of kids who are often sick etc. I just didnt think it was a feature.

Maybe it would work better as a play - the intimacy, the actors up close...