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Comments
Agreed. Great mood piece. But good god it was a chore to get through.
Pointless film.
Didn t expect much, but I was impressed.
Death on the Nile and Evil under the Sun. I'm looking forward
to the Kenneth Branagh re-make of Death on the Nile later this
year, as I loved his version of Murder on the Orient express. Although
I do love Peter Ustinov's version of Hercule Poirot.
This is truly a great movie! Murphy and Snipes are simply fantastic in it.
For the day that's in it, John Mackenzies superb thriller, telling the story of gangster Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) who has big plans to go into the property business, watches his empire crumble around him by an unknown source, on the day of the title!
Hoskins is fantastic, ( especially in a brilliant final scene!) And it has one of my favourite main themes by Francis Monkman! Cracking movie, still holds up well!
I haven't seen it for a few years bought the Blu-ray in 2010) and must admit I only remember part of it. But I rated it 8/10 on IMDb at the time, so I'd better revisit it pretty soon.
Last night, with the family. Fun with callbacks and new stuff. Enjoyed the effects, humor, characters.
So I liked it a lot.
[A fine movie theater experience. At what's become my favorite local theater, not huge, but I'd say 30% fill at this point in time was good turnout. Folks seemed to enjoy it as well.]
Another fine theater experience for the ages with family there was The Muppet Christmas Carol this past season. Michael Caine and all. Interesting times.
In this case regarding availability, there's all the time in the world for seeing Godzilla vs. Kong if I can say that.
Once a film exists, we always have it.
If G vs K was say £20 for a Home Cinema VoD release in 4K to keep I would pay that.
I will seek those opportunities Bond and otherwise.
Exactly I don't mind paying more money for a tent pole movie at the cinema, you pay for the night out the collective experience.
I enjoy watching films at home as I have a good Home Cinema set up, though at home I always want value for my money.
Interesting, realistic and pretty sad.
I remember waking up early the morning it hit Netflix and instantly watching and loving it. Had me laughing so many times throughout. One of Murphy's best, for sure.
Logan 4K one of the best films in the genre. Indy 5 is in good hands with Mangold.
I have the same feeling. What he did with the Old Man Logan concept was amazing. Perhaps he can do something similar in terms of originality and emotional impact with Old Man Indy.
I was thinking that Old Man Indy whilst watching the film, the tone of Logan would be perfect.
My big fat Greek wedding: I enjoy the film it’s a rom com with a weak plot but it works
Batman:hush this review will be long as I will be commenting while watching
5 minutes in I am actually turned off already the opening of the comic book was iconic with Croc instead the opening shot here is Bruce at a party with Selina and Thomas plus nightwing is vaguely doing cool things
The change from Killer Croc to Bane makes me realize people don’t understand the character of bane like at all
This Bane Brought to you by Joel Schumacher and Alkiva Goodman
Also the kid is annoying
And what is Lady shiva doing here ?
Music is ok
Poison ivy kissing catwoman is still hot
Bane detour is pointless
I dislike luthers voice
Why did this have to be in the dcamu
Ah the Batman Superman fight
I hate Damian I mean I really really hate Damian who knew I would be missing Tim Drake
Wow and I thought the young justice joker was bad this this wow
I am sad we don’t see hush saying “he is innocent get the joke”
A montage of Batman and catwoman fighting crime sigh
The couple dialogue is bland to say the least
Overall it’s well let’s just say I think killing joke is probably a better adaptation then this
Films I have seen in 2001
1. Casino Royale
2. Quantum of solace
3. My big fat Greek wedding
4. Batman: dying is easy
5. Across the universe
6. Batman hush
7. Batman ninja
8. Casino Royale 1954
FOXTROT (1976)
Peter O'Toole plays Liviu, an European aristocrat in the late 1930s, who goes to live in a deserted island with wife Julia (Charlotte Rampling) and friend and assistant Larsen (Max Von Sydow), to escape from the horrors of the war. The early scenes of the film already paint a morose picture of these people's lifestyle, as when we see them dancing, drinking or swimming in the island's waters, we get closeups of their stone-faced servants (especially Eusebio, played by Jorge Luke in a magnificent performance) that transform these moments of supposed happiness into something quite joyless. After they are forced to burn a crucial second boat they were expecting because of disease-carrying rats, they find themselves trapped on the island. Things get interesting as societal norms begin to break down between masters and servants, and resentment begins to rear its ugly face. It's a classic story: you can't run away from human decadence, because it's within you. I found a couple of aspects of the story a bit confusing, but I hope to better understand them in a second viewing. Still, I liked this one. It goes about its ugly business with a straight face; it never gets bogged down in melodrama. Claudio Brook (Montelongo from Licence to Kill) has a substantial supporting role. He also starred in director Arturo Ripstein's The Castle of Purity.
THE BLOCKHOUSE (1973)
Quietly harrowing film, based on a novel about seven WW2 POWs who escape from an Allied bombing over German-occupied territory, by hiding in an underground bunker, whose entrance is later blocked by a bomb. At first they're ecstatic about being alive and safe, and the bunker is stocked with candles, wine and cheese, so all they have to do is wait for a rescue party, since digging their way out through reinforced concrete is out of the question. We see them finding ways to pass time, either getting drunk, playing chess or riding a bike in a makeshift racetrack. They barely appear to discuss their lives outside of the present situation, which gives the film an immediate, abstract quality, making it less about these trapped POWs and more about merely witnessing how human beings respond to imprisonment. Eventually it becomes apparent nobody is going to rescue them, and the candles start to run out (there is no electrical power either). When is life no longer worth living? A downbeat but interesting picture. It features an ensemble cast that includes Peter Sellers and Charles Aznavour. As I said, the film is based on a novel, but the novel is inspired by a supposed real event, that was reported in 1951 by Time Magazine, among other sources. In real life, the trapped people were in fact German soldiers, and two of them were eventually rescued. I say 'supposed' real event because a West German film from 1958 named Nasser Asphalt (Wet Asphalt) deals with a reporter that makes up a story just like this one, which implicitly seems to call into question the veracity of the event. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating premise for a story.
DEADLOCK (1970)
The Kid, a criminal with a bullet hole in his arm, a briefcase full of money and an automatic weapon, arrives in a near-deserted mining town in the middle of nowhere to split the money with Sunshine, his sadistic partner in crime (played with quite the sense of threat by none other than Anthony Dawson!). Town resident Charles Dump is caught in the middle as he tries to take the money for himself. The setting is a big reason of why Deadlock works, as the town, with its crumbling, grimy buildings, has an ethereal, ghostly quality. We are never told where exactly is this place, and it's for the better. The film is fairly sparse in its storytelling, but it holds one's attention as the characters often seem to engage in cruelty out of sheer sadism or boredom, which stands in contrast to other films in which their actions would be more logic-driven. I found Dump to be an especially interesting character, as he tries time and time again to commit murder to get the money, but time and time again his more humane, or rather his weaker side, works against him. He's an indecisive, ambivalent and cowardly character, and I liked seeing the contrast between him and the other two leads. The film is often referred to as an Spaghetti Western, and to some extent it has a Western feel, but of course transported into the present day (there's a giant cowboy sign on the town, and it has a broken arm). But it's more psychological in nature than a Western would usually be. The music is by the band CAN, and its dissonant, degenerate sound suits the stark visuals on display.
ABSOLUTION (1978)
I saw part of this psychological thriller on TV some twenty years ago. The Catholic boarding school surrounded by those dense woods makes for a foreboding location. Father Goddard, a stern teacher played by Richard Burton, is subjected to increasingly sinister, and eventually murderous pranks by a rebellious student. Burton really sells his character's existential anxiety at the situation; in fact, even before the pranks begin, he already appears to be somewhat repressed, a prisoner of his religious lifestyle, which has turned him into a somewhat cold-hearted man. This film required an actor of high caliber to make its twists and surprises have an impact on the audience, and Burton is up to the task-- the ending is fairly hard-hitting thanks to him. The actors playing the students are also quite good. Stanley Myers' memorable opening banjo piece gives Absolution a suitable feeling of folksy horror. I enjoyed this one.
HOFFMAN (1970)
Peter Sellers plays the title role in a really good and provocative drama that they just wouldn't make today. Hoffman finds evidence incriminating Tom, an employee of his, of conspiring to rob him, and threatens to call the police, unless Ms. Smith, Tom's fellow employee and girlfriend, spends a few days at Hoffman's place, as he vies for her romantic affections, despite claiming otherwise. Initially appearing quite dominating and threatening, Hoffman's thoughts on women eventually betray a weak, pathetic and disillusioned character, with a childish, unrealistic view of relationships, and it's interesting to see the film go to different emotional places as Ms. Smith alternates between repulsion and affection toward this man. The poster makes this film seem like a comedy, but it's not. It's a mostly serious film about a flawed and desperate man and a woman who might or might not look past that. Sinéad Cusack, an actress I wasn't familiar with except for her relationship to Cyril Cusack and Jeremy Irons, is highly compelling as Sellers' co-star. Sellers himself is always a delight to watch. I found the music score by Ron Grainer very beautiful, and despite it being a little too animated, I wasn't bothered by it.
THE GREAT MCGONAGALL (1974)
Probably one of the quirkiest films I've ever seen. It's a biography of sorts of William McGonagall, a 19th century poet famous for being, well, bad. Spike Milligan plays him, with Peter Sellers co-starring as Queen Victoria. The cast also features John Bluthal and Victor Spinetti, both of whom Pink Panther fans might remember from The Return of the Pink Panther. The whole film was shot in Wilton's Music Hall in London. Without any particularly strong attempt to hide the artifice, the place doubles for pubs, mountains, theaters and houses-- it's fascinating stuff. The film references several events in McGonagall's life, such as his trip to Balmoral Castle to see Queen Victoria, which was a failure as he was rejected at the gates. The Great McGonagall is full of insane humor: dwarf postmen, pies and boxing gloves hitting people in the face, characters getting into bed with other characters mid-conversation for no apparent reason. I really missed having English subtitles and it wasn't very funny (except for this bit, which I love), but I've never seen anything else like it, and I appreciated watching it on that basis. Also, the ending is very touching in an unexpected way. I leave you with a substantial article on Kettering magazine regarding the film, with interviews with the director and several members of the cast: http://www.bodnotbod.org.uk/kettering/Kettering1.pdf
THE OPTIMISTS OF NINE ELMS (1973)
Peter Sellers plays a poor London street musician who meets two children that live nearby, and becomes a kind of surrogate father for them, as their real parents are too busy at work trying to get the family's financial situation to improve. The first hour is a bit uneventful, but the film gets more interesting as it goes along, building up to a nice conclusion about how we can sometimes fail to nurture the relationships with our loved ones. There are dogs in the film: they are not only cute, but also function as a symbol of sorts for the characters' longings. Sellers is terrific as usual, fake nose and everything, though I wish the film had told us something about his music hall past. The child actors and their parents are well cast (David Daker as the father especially gets to shine at the end). Great location shooting in London that goes beyond the typical landmarks and has a down-to-earth, documentary feel. The modern buildings the children visit about halfway through the film stand in stark visual contrast to the other old-fashioned locations, which reinforces one of the film's subject matters, that of times gone by. The music score is by George Martin and is fairly charming.
THE MEDUSA TOUCH (1978)
This film begins as a police procedural and slowly transforms into a supernatural thriller. It does a terrific job at it, I must say. Richard Burton plays John Morlar, a barrister-turned-novelist, who through the years, seems to have caused several accidents and catastrophes --which resulted in the death of a number of people-- solely through the power of his mind. By means of flashbacks, we explore his life and the events that shaped his pessimistic, misanthropic worldview, and we get to witness several displays of his unusual powers. Burton also gets to deliver some exquisite speeches with that dark, powerful voice of his. It's fascinating to discover the contradiction that exists in Morlar's mind, seeing he thinks of himself and his "gift" as embodying the worst qualities of the human race, while simultaneously being repelled by them when witnessing them in other people, using his powers to strike against them. While Morlar is the character around which the entire story revolves, he spends much of the present time of the film in a coma, which leaves second-billed Lino Ventura as the actual lead of the film, the character propelling the story. Ventura is terrific as Inspector Brunel, bringing an intelligent, no-nonsense quality to the role. He's surrounded by a top-notch cast which includes brief but splendid appearances by actors like Derek Jacobi and Jeremy Brett. Going back to Ventura, it is during the truly unnerving last moments of the film that the impact of his performance is most strongly felt, but I can only discuss that within a spoiler tag, so here it goes.
NOSFERATU A VENEZIA (VAMPIRE IN VENICE) (1988)
The atmosphere of this film is truly off the charts. At star Klaus Kinski's insistence, shots were captured of him walking through a fog-covered Venice at dawn, and their mysterious, dreamlike quality is highly engrossing. Early in the film, flashbacks of the 1786 Carnival of Venice show us a city ravaged by the plague, while a costumed inhabitant still dances through the misty streets in the aftermath of a celebration that came to an abrupt end. A costume party later on has much of the same oneiric feel. All these images are greatly complimented by a beautiful synthesized score by Luigi Ceccarelli (based on Vangelis' album Mask). Unfortunately, for all these good qualities, the plot of Nosferatu a Venezia is a mess and its characters are underdeveloped and underused, probably because filming came to a close with much of the script yet to be shot, no doubt in part because of Kinski's usual shenanigans. Also, the climactic scenes of the film are devoid of much-needed dramatic intensity. At least Christopher Plummer gives the film his all in the role of Professor Van Helsing Paris Catalano, who is after Kinski's Nosferatu, and Kinski himself brings a certain power and a sense of tragedy to his role with mostly physical acting. The atmosphere of this movie makes it pleasant enough to watch, but witnessing the unexplored potential and obvious areas of improvement is frustrating.
KINSKI PAGANINI (1989)
For the most part, it's Kinski/Paganini playing the fiddle or walking down the street in slow motion, while women have sexual fantasies about him, or have sex with him, or are abandoned by him. The rest of the time, we see him riding around in horse-drawn carriages, or physically expressing affection toward his son (played by his son) in weird, uncomfortable ways. The film is basically one long montage, with barely any dialogue. Nonetheless, it manages to present an interesting idea, about Kinski/Paganini's immoral tendencies being impossible to separate from his virtuoso violin playing, a thought which is even more provocative when viewed through a religious prism, as the film does. Beyond that, the picture doesn't offer much food for thought, since it's more about erecting a visceral monument of adoration to Kinski and his alter-ego, Paganini. With his jet-black hair and ugly, aged face, Kinski looks like some kind of neanderthal, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was going for that effect, since at the beginning he is said to be hideous and pathetic-looking, yet the women can't help but go absolutely crazy about him when he plays that violin. A monotonously paced and slow-moving film, but there some degree of fascination in its montage style --its kaleidoscope of sights and sounds-- and its eschewing of dialogue. Also, the boldness and egomania of Kinski are something to behold. Analyzed from a certain point of view, the film is laughable, but Kinski takes it so seriously that one does too, to a certain extent (I can't think of another film whose title includes the director/actor's name-- I love it!). One final note, before I forget: the film was directed by Klaus Kinski.
I then decided to go in a more mainstream direction, with
NOVOCAINE (2001)
Steve Martin stars as dentist Frank Sangster, a client of whom seduces him before stealing drugs from his clinic. He's eventually framed for murdering the client's brother, and must try to clear his name. It's a crime story with a cynical and disillusioned (though admittedly, not overly grim) worldview. On that basis, Novocaine appears to aim for film noir, and in noir tradition, Sangster makes his share of bad choices, such as falling for the femme fatale. But Novocaine is not without a sense of humor. For the most part, Martin plays it straight, and very well too, but amusing supporting characters come and go throughout the film and give it some levity. I really liked the plot and the performances (I'd like to single out underrated actor Elias Koteas as Martin's brother). I think the film is slightly jarring in how it transitions back and forth between relatively more serious and relatively more funny moments, but since the tonal difference isn't that strong, it's only a minor issue. The ending is something else! I'll definitely watch this one again; it's great fun.
Now, on to me : Today, I revisited The Abominable Dr. Phibes, with Vincent Price. A great horror classic of the 70s, but still influential today. And featuring two Bond lovelies, to boot : Virginia North (Olympe, Draco's mistress in OHMSS) as the mute but eerie and fashionable Vulnavia, and Caroline Munro (Naomi in TSWLM) in a very flat part (a first for her, for sure). Too bad I have to wait until june to get a french Blu-Ray release of the follow-up, but it will be worth the wait, I think.
I started watching The Medusa Touch on TV a few years ago though stopped watching as it grabbed my attention so ordered the Blu-ray, yet to watch it all the way through.
Wait til you get to the sequels!!
I was just thinking the same thing!
From the Childrens Film Foundation (who remembers them?)
This was great fun , boys own story, this tells the simple tale of local kids (lead by a very young Dennis Waterman!) taking on the bullys ( lead by Frazier Hynes!) in a Go Kart derby!
Haven't enjoyed a movie so much in a long while. Ideal Bank Holiday entertainment!