Movie review - "Starhops" (1978) *1/2 (re-watching)

 I wonder what Julie Corman, Stephanie Rothman and Barbara Peeters all thought of each other. Rivals? Friends?

Rothman wrote this script but it was rewritten so she took her name off it. Barbara Peeters directed. Steve Zaillian edited.

This isn't good. It has some cohesian - three girls defending their restaurant - but feels padded, with scenes of sunset and a disco. It's hard to tell the girls apart - especially as they're often wearing the one costume. One has a German accent I guess. Slabs of the action turn to a guy, who is going undercover to get dirt on the restaurant, which is annoying.

Normally in these films you get some social conscience. There's none here. Or some genuine sexiness. Again, none.

There's high spirits, I guess. Peeters made a great three girls film with Summer School Teachers. I wonder what happened here.

Book review - "Duane's Depressed" by Larry McMurtry (1999) (warning: spoilers)

 McMurtry really liked this novel I think because he identified with Duane so much. Sonny is barely in it - he's live, just decaying - while he's killed off Jacey which seems a little mean. Was this because McMurtry had fights with Tim Bottoms and/or Cybill Shepherd?

So we've got Karla and also Duane, who is still handsome and seems to have money after Texasvill and is admired, who has a little melt down, goes walking a lot one day and moves into a cabin. He sees a shrink. The novel goes into his head a lot. The second act twist is they kill Karla and the contrast between the depressions is well done and takes on another dimension.

It is a satisfying read, very internal - hard to film. Duane's kids and grandkids are ciphers as are most of the town. Ruth is in it going blind, Sonny dies unmemorably. But the internal stuff is strong and I was moved by the end with Duane reading Proust and finally going overseas after he's cried about his dad because McMurtry is so clearly into it.

TV review - "The Artful Dodger Pilot" (2023) ***1/2

 Classy, entertaining and lots of fun. Impressive production design. Liked it a lot.

Movie review - "Eyes without a Face" (1960) ***

 Didn't know much about this or French horror at all but it was a classy shocker, with some former A listers (Pierre Fresna and Alida Valli) and a good old fashioned junky plot (face's transplants). There's not much gore but when it's done it is effective. They might have had more spookiness and the police were very incompetent getting that girl to be decoy for a fan they suspected was a killer then believing his explanations.

Top Ten Beach Party Movies

 Going off the description in Tom Lisanti...

1) Gidget (1959) - feminist (ish), fun, great star turn

2) Where the Boys Are (1960).- light but also serious in a good way

3) Bikini Beach (1964) - Beach Party started it but this is the most pure

4) Ride the Wild Surf (1964) - angst! But also a more serious exploration ofbeach life

5) Beach Ball (1965) - fun, terrific music

6) Girl Happy (1965) - Elvis does beach party, great fun

7) Pajama Party (1964) - underrated musical, bright and poppy, heaps of fun

8) Beach Party (1963) - kicked off the series, often overlooked, but great

9) Ski Party (1965) - a bit smarmy but great snow, and tunes, and the Avalon-Hickman combo works

10) Blue Hawaii (1961) - aww, Elvis... look not really beachy but beach-ish and gorgeous

Top Ten Westerns of the 1980s

 1) Lonesome Dove (1987) - TV but who cares?

2) The Man from Snowy River (1982) - can I include this? stuff it, I will

3) Pale Rider (1985) - Clint does Shane, quite well

4) Silverado (1985) - flaws, but so much richness

5) Young Guns (1989) - historically quite respectible, fun film

6) The Long Riders (1980) - not my favourite Hill, but heaps of great stuff

7) Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) - I don't care if it is modern day

8) Heaven's Gate (1980) - oh, why not?

9) Barbarosa (1982) - look I haven't seen this but everyone says it's good

10) Death Hunt (1981) - mountie-sploitation, I've always enjoyed this

Top Ten Three Girl Movies

 (I'm also including ones with four girls)

1) Three on a Match

2) How to Marry a Millionaire

3) Where the Boys Are

4) The Student Nurses

5) Summer School Teachers

6) Valley of the Dolls

7) Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

8) Hollywood Boulevard

9) Night Call Nurses

10) 9 to Five