Movie review - "The Bride" (2026) ***

 Bold, imaginative and very watchable, anchored by two dynamic performances - Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Doesn't quite build and nail the emotional core but there's always something going on. Maybe I was distracted by other films this could have been eg Buckley as Mary Shelley. Also some things didn't feel quite 1930s - 3D movies and drive ins feel more 1950s.

Movie review - "F1" (2025) ****

 Like Housemaid, throwback to another time - big fat star vehicle, uses the widescreen has a solid story, the filmmakers embrace the genre. Brad Pitt channels Steve McQueen, the female role feels well integrated (always a challenge in race car movies traditionally).

Movie review - "Housemaid" (2025) ****

 Good old school psycho/gaslighting thriller with stars, nice decor, twists, sex and violence. Not terribly original but but put together well. .Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are an ideal team.

Movie reviwe - "The Gypsy Moths" (1969) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 John Frankenheimer really loved making this movie, good for him, but it doesn't quite work. Burt Lancaster is in a role that neesd a Steve McQueen - once they cast Lancaster they should've rewritten it to make it more lively. Scott Wilson is a good actor but that part needed a star.

It's a movie of interest. Gene Hackman is excellent. Nice midwest atmosphere. It's pervy - the three skydivers go to a strip club and watch a long topless dancing scene. Deborah Kerr goes topless in her love scene with Lancaster (while wearing a perm and pearls) and shows her backside. She was 47! Go Deb! Sheree North works at the club. Bonnie Bedelia is very young and pretty but it's not much of a role.

The film falls down in two areas. It didn't convey why Lancasster woud kill himself, there's no build. Also the relationship between Wilson and Lancaster didn't work. It was... I'm not sure.  

Movie review - "Threads" (1984) *****

 The greatest TV movie ever made? Powerful. Uncompromising. Important. Starts as gritty British drama (shotgun marriage, squabbling family). Torn apart. So many terrifying things including this - the government do a lot. Tries to keep order, gets involved in planning. It's not enough.

Movie review - "Journey into Fear" (1943) (rewatching) ***1/2

 I read an interview with the author of a book on the production of this movie, so decided to re-watch it. Norman Foster directed as opposed to Orson Welles but it is full of Welles touches like the magic show and it is a Mercury Production.

Laurence Olivier did this on radio in 1946.  It was also filmed for TV in 1956. Ben Hecht did the original script.

It's a lot of fun. Everyone's trying to kill Joseph Cotten. Cotten is a whimp. Welles hams it up. Dolores del Rio is enjoyable. Jack Moss is great. It's not a masterpiece but has some nice style.

Movie review - "The Extraordinary Seaman" (1969) *

 MGM took some big swings in the late 1960s - sometimes it hit, other occasions missed, this being a case in point, a film that brought John Frankenheimer's hot streak to an end - he never really got it back.

Four lost American seamen (including a young Alan Alda) come across a disgraced British naval officer (David Niven) trying to redeem the family honour.

It's set in the Philippines but was shot in Mexico. Faye Dunaway is a local woman who owned a garage and fires a gun which I think is supposed to be Frankenheimer being progressive.

These sort of anti war comedies are hard to do. Frankenheimer can't do it. The film was shot in 1967 and not released for two years.

May as well have been a TV play. It's only 80 minutes and feels padded. Intercutting with documentary footage is annoying. The whole movie is annoying. The music score. David Niven always drinking. The antics. 

This movie sucked. 

Movie review - "The Fixer" (1968) **

 This was given a lot of money because John Frankenheimer was "hot" and the novel was a big deal in its day. Its day has passed.

This starts off lively with a good old progrom in 1910s Russia  then becomes bogged down as handyman Alan Bates goes to work for Hugh Griffith whose daughter Elizabeth Hartman is horny for him - this is a basic stock situation but takes around 40 minutes to get us there. 

At heart this is a television play - a man is falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit, because he's Jewish. There's some fancy production values at the beginning but the guts of this takes place in prisoin cells and interrogation room.

Fine acting from Bates, Dirk Bogarde (tortured official),  Ian Holm (prick), David Warner (aristocrat), Carol White (ex wife). It has views of sixties in that women are bitches - Hartman fakes a rape claim, White is a harlot. The characters say the word "Jew" in dialogue a lot.

It's not dumb, it tries to be decent, it has some moments but it's a slog. Kind of like Birdman of Alcatraz. 

I think it needed a plot witith someone on the outside. 

Movie review - "The Young Stranger" (1957) ***

 A nepo baby movie in a way - based on a TV play Deal a Blow by Robert Dozier, son of William Dozier, and starring James MacArthur, son of Ben Hecht and Helen Hayes. When William Dozier became head of RKO he greenlit a film version and got the director of the TV version, John Frankenheimer, to do the job again. Frankenheimer later the experience - he was younger than the crew, who grumbled and fought with him,

It's still basically a TV play. A solid one. MacArthur is a middle class kid, his dad thinks he's done a decent job providing which he has but he hasn't spent any tme.

David Shipman the critic loved this. I'm not sure why - maybe it was personal. MacArthur has a close friendship with a fellow male teen. 

I liked that the mum and dad had a relationship that was wobbly but feel this could've done with more scenes outside, in high school, with a girlfriend. 

Interesting autobiographical touch in that the kid's dad is a film producer - I was reminded of the Rob Reiner film about his sin. 

Movie review - "The Train" (1964) ***1/2

 Burt Lancaster called in John Frankenheimer to replace Charles Crichton on Birdman of Alcatraz and did something similar after he booted Arthur Penn from this movie. It's has a fabulous concept - the Germans are trying to take French art works from Paris as the Allies approach and the French resistance is trying to stop them. Burt Lancaster is the leader of the French.

It's smart. Looks great in black and white. Long. As French as it can be. Lancaster strong star, Paul Scofield ideal. I would've liked more of a character relationship with Lancaster and someone. I know that was tricky. 

Movie review - "Seven Snipers" (2026) **

 Starts strongly, then gets more and more wobbly as logic holes emerge (why do they stand around so much? why don't they call for help). The film really should've been about seven snipers after Radha Mitchell. There is some Bondi casting when using more authentic military types might've been better. Some effective moments. Tim Roth looks as though he's about to fall asleep.

Book review - "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship" by Charles Cassilio

 Montgomery Clift comes out of this badly - bitchy, self pitying, smart, whining about his loss of beauty, a junkie, a pain. People loved him though. And even people he annoyed worked with him again. Liz Taylor comes out of this wonderfully. Brave, funny, loyal, smart.

Gossipy but done with scholarship. And you know something? The small size of Clift's manhood is not insignificant. 

Each film the two made together were iconic in their way - Place in the Sun, Raintree County, Suddenly Last Summer and (in planning) Reflections in a Golden Eye.  But sorry Clift was a bit of a loser.

Movie review - "Grand Prix" (1966) *** 1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 MGM's big roadshow made some money but I don't think recouped its cost. Director John Frankenheimer had a great time as he should with Bob O'Brien (very talent friendly) as the studio head, a large budget and European locations.

The movie was meant to star Steve McQueen, who turned it down, as did Paul Newman and Robert Redford, despite the latter not being famous yet. They got James Garner who was trying to be a movie star then. He doesn't quite work - the head is too big or something.

Two other big movie stars are in it - Toshiro Mifune and Yves Montand, who are comfortably cast (not always the case in their English language pictures).  Mifune's role is not that large and he is atrociously dubbed - I wish he'd been a race car driver. Montand is one of the four main stars. The other two are Brian Bedford and some Italian guy, Antonio Sabato.

The racing sequences are superb - justly famous. The land stuff is bland. It didn't have to be - it's not that interesting, that's all. The romance between married Montand and Eva Marie Saint is just... whatever. Saint is a great actress but wasted in the part. Who cares? Why have him married? At least Saint gets a chance to emote with Montand dies. 

Garner's plot is alright - seeking redemption after an accident. Ditto Bedford's.   I just wish more attention had been paid for it.

I'd love to see this on the big screen. 

Movie review - "Linda" (1960) **1/2

 Engaging B picture from Independent Artists/Bryanston directed by Don Sharp. It focuses on young people in love - Carol White, eventually to be legendary, and Alan Rothwell.

White was cast by the producers after working for her in Never Let Go. She was just seventeen. She and Rothwell genuinely seem young - I mean, they are, but seeming it is a different thing to being it. 

The plot has Rothwell hanging around with a Bad Lot (milk bars, table tennis, juvenile delinquency), on the verge of being a criminal, to the worry of a smug, friendly local vicar. He romances local girl White - they have a nice day trip (pleasing location scenes), then he paws her, she says no, she goes on a date, he thinks she's putting out, he sulks and acts possessive and controlling, then they get together, and agree to get married. So it's a film of it's time.  The structure is solid. You just sense he's going to be bashing her in a few years.

White hadn't grown into her looks let, she seems to be a kid. Rothwell is fine - everyone can act.

Don Sharp directs quite well. 

For a long time this movie was considered missing.  It's not a msterpiece or a gem, it feels like a television episode with decent production values, but ti's not bad.

Movie review - "The Challenge" (1982) ***

 John Frankenheimer action flick which had to be rewritten at short notice by John Sayles to change it from a Chinese setting to a Japanese one. Scott Glenn was being trialled in a few leads around this time (eg The Keep) and he's quite good as a boxer. The Macuffin is a sword.

This is a decent movie - it tries to be good. There maybe could be more action. A fair bit of character stuff - Glenn complained more was cut out, but actually I'd rather more action. Not enough Glenn-Mifune.

The villainous henchman who's playing video games was effective. Pretty production value. 

Movie review - "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962) ***

 Famous Burt Lancaster movie with a troubled history - original director Charles Crichton was fired during filming and replaced by John Frankenheimer.

Frankenheimer wanted to make it for TV. The story does suit it but the director is glad he didn't because of the issue with birds. 

A good movie - serious, intelligent, well made and all that. Lancaster brilliant. But a hard slog. Such a hard slog.

It doesn't deify Stroud at all, it's fairly clear he's a brute. It shows how dehumanising prision is and I think people felt guilty so lashed out at the film "glamourising" Stroud. 

Movie review - "Interrupted Melody" (1955) ***1/2

 Decent biopic which has terrific source material - Aussie girl seeks to become opera singer, falls for doctor, they argue over career versus marriage, she gets polio, makes a comeback singing to troops.

Eleanor Parker is a little dull just playing ordinary but comes alive in opera scenes and when she emotes in wheelchairs and considers suicide. Roger Moore is okay as the brother - probably needed to be more of an atagonist. Glenn Ford is strong - has something to play. Cecil Kellaway as dad.

Aussie touches are limited - opening scenes up until around 10 minutes, and with Lawrence/Parker singing 'Waltzing Matilda' to Aussie troops. 

Movie review - "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" (2026) ****

 There's a lot going on - satire of Hollywood, feminism, queer text, blood, silliness, camp. Takes bold swings, loves its genre.

TV review - "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis - Pilot" (1958) ***

 Famous sitcom arrived fully formed. It helped that it was based on pre existing IP, the stories of Max Schulman, but the producers cast it beautifully - Dwayne Hickman coming off years on The Bob Cummings Show in the lead, Bob Denver full of energy as his beatnik friend, and Tuesday Weld as the materialistic Thalia... but her materialism is well motivated because her sister married a deadbeat.

Production values are fine, the jokes are solid albeit of their era - Hickman's dad continually talks about wanting to kill his son, Hickman stalks Weld even when she says she's not interested. The device of talking to the screen works a treat.

Movie review - "Rally Round the Flag Boys" (1958) **

 George Axelrod complained he and Leo McCarey came up with a bold plan to adapt this novel but Fox backed out and so Axelrod left. Maybe his approach would've been better. But it's hard to see even that working with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in the leads. Both are attractive and obviously talented actors but their comic timing is a mess and they seem too young - as does Joan Collins. Newman's trying to be Cary Grant but he doesn't seem like a family man especially one with an itchy eye. Maybe Tom Ewell? 

Joan Collins is better - too young as well but she's hugely fun. She would've been better a decade older but I liked her. She's stronger than Jayne Mansfield (the original choice vetoed by the Newmans) would have been.

Tuesday Weld is perfect as their yappy babysitter. She is involved in a very funny love triangle with Dwayne Hickman as a Marlon Brandon worshipper and some yokel soldier. This is funny. Jack Carson is funny too as a bombastic soldier.

But Newman wrecks it, basically. 

Movie review - "Blowing Hot and Cold" (1984) **

 Rosa Colosimo was a produced who figured out 10BA enough to finance a batch of films including this. It's a buddy flick about a colourful Italian (Joe Dolce) whose car needs fixing by a mechanic (Peter Adams) - Dolce can't pay so Adams makes him work it off and Dolce gets drawn in to Adams' life which includes shagging married Elspeth Ballantyne and chasing after adducated daughter Kate Gorman.

The cast is of interest - Dolce was iconic because of his song, and Adams because of his performance as JJ in Cop Shop. There's also Denise Drysdale, Mary Coustas, Ballantyne, people like that. 

The culture clash doesn't really work - boorish Dolce is a little too similar to boorish Adams. Some more conflict would've worked - like I don't know a soccer versus Aussie rules thing, or paying cash or concrete.  

Nothing wrong with a subplot involving gangsters - Ken G Hall would do that all the time - but they took their eye off the comedy. 

Briab Trenchard Smith was going to make this at one stage. 

Movie review - "Roadhouse" (1948) *** (re-watching)

 I was in the mood for this - some low rent melodrama with Ida Lupino in a Joan Crawford role hooking up with Cornel Wilde despite Richard Widmark. Everyone is young and hot Lupino wears a swimsuit and sings off key. Celeste Holm impresses though her character should've done more. Wilde teaches Lupino how to bowl.