Movie review - "The Warriors" (1979) **** (re-watching)

 Great fun and style. Love the differentiation in the warriors - the gay artist (well, coded gay), the dumb big white guy, cocky Ajax, taciturn Swan, the whimpy white guy who gets knocked out. Spooky sequences like the baseball furies and the Lizzies though I have a soft spot for the Orphans, desperate to prove they're cool.

Keith Carradine Top Ten

 

Re watching Southern Comfort (1981) prompted me to revisit Keith Carradine's filmography. I haven't seen all he's done, esp in recent years, but his run in the 70s-80s alone is easy for a top ten.

1) McCabe and Mrs Miller (1971) - one scene but maybe the best scene in the movie

2) Thieves Like Us (1974) - astonishingly good and touching in another Altman masterpiece

3) Nashville (1975) - another Altman: I'm not actually a huge fan of the movie but he's terrific

4) Emperor of the North (1973) - counter balances Marvin and Borgnine wonderfully

5) The Duellists (1977) - I feel like this movie gets rediscovered every seven years or so; he's great

6) Pretty Baby (1978) - this film would be illegal if made today - he's very good

7) The Long Riders (1980) - the brothers should've worked more together, they all rock in this.

8) Choose Me (1984) - I'll put this in for all the other Alan Rudolphs I haven't seen

9) Chiefs (1983) - splendid mini series

10) Southern Comfort (1981) - my favourite Carradine performance I wish he and Powers Boothe had worked together again

NB recognise he has done much fine work post-1984 this is just to cover that first 15 years

Movie review - "Rio Lobo" (1970) **1/2 (re-viewing)

 Not a good movie but I enjoy it, with its 70s hair, John Wayne beaming at the inadequate supporting cast, Jorge Riviero not up to it, neither Chris Mitchum or Jennifer O'Neill, but Jack Elam fun, and plenty of random helpers eg Shelley Lansing.

But no one has much of a character to play - Victor French (baddy) has a clear goal (money) as does O'Neil (revenge) but everyone else feels sketchy. 

Movie review - "Up the Creek" (1984) ***

 Loved it as a kid, the three stars is generous but it's fun enough, helped by decent production values (Oregon location, rapids, bars, extras, a mini flood) and a classy support cast: James Sikking s in there, John Hillerman. Tim Matheson is full of handsome confident swagger that promised a stardom which never came; the bloke from Porky's seems a little lost, Stephen Furst is fat, the nerd is an alcoholic which is interesting. Jeff East is an ideal villain. Jennifer Runyon is very sweet as the love interest - she and her friends are very sexually aggressive and not punished. Blaine Novak's Coyote-style army villain entertains. Cheap Trick didn't like its theme song but I felt it was fun.

I'm not objective about this film but it's fun. One of Sam Arkoff's post AIP efforts.

Movie review - "Hang 'em High" (1968) ***1/2

 Overshadowed in memory by Eastwood's Leone films but a very good, tough Western with a superb support cast including Charles McGraw, Bruce Dern, Ben Johnson, Inger Stevens, Dennis Hopper, James Macarthur, Pat Hingle, etc. Interesting views on law and order, well motivated Pat Hingle.

Book review - "Vera Miles: The Hitchcock Blonde Who Got Away" by Christopher McKittrick

 Miles was a solid, pretty actor who delivered solid performances over the years, including some classics - The Searchers, Psycho, The Wrong Man, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I think it's fair to say she's no one's favourite part of these movies but she doesn't let anyone down. The most interesting thing about her career is Hitchcock was briefly obsessed with her and wanted to star her in Vertigo but she fell pregnant and he ended up using Kim Novak.

This is a conscientous, dogged book, like a Miles performance, not that gripping - her life and career wasn't that interesting. She had a few divorces, the Hitchcock interlude... that was about it. She seems like a nice person who married a few dodgy men. The book might've been better putting more dates and credits in an appendix than the text.

Movie review - "El Dorado" (1966) ****1/2 (rewatching)

 I like spending time with these people. Loses half a star for the Chinaman sequence. Wayne is excellent, Mitchum fun, James Caan great, Michelle Carey energetic, Charlene Holt winning, Chritospher George impressive, Ed Asner is fine. Memorable action. Wonderful mood. Makes me feel good.