sonny_1963 Reviews

Nude Django (1968)

A Different Kind of Western

[10 May 2007]

When I saw this film in the theater, I couldn't believe how long the whipping scene was - 40 lashes with a bullwhip. A few male customers in the theater shouted out "enough" as the beating of this woman went on and on.

The scene has a good prelude as the three men string her up to a tree branch and let her hang by her wrists. After they take off her hat, they open up her blouse and then lay it on her breasts and stomach. The guy with the whip seemed to know what he was doing. The scene looked authentic as red welts started to appear on her body.

The good guys show up late but do rescue her. It was amazing she was able to walk away with them after receiving such a beating.

Rocky Balboa (2006)

Stallone's Greatest Performance

[24 March 2007]

Rocky 1 - move over. "Rocky Balboa" is a winner with an emotional beginning, a good middle and a terrific ending. Add Bill Conti's rousing "Rocky" theme to the mix and you have a true film classic.

An aging Sylvester Stallone gives us a psychological insight into into the mind of an aging Rocky Balboa. Not happy with his life as it is, he yearns to get back in the ring against aging boxers like himself.

But then an opportunity comes along that will cast him back in the national spotlight. Rocky can't resist, and accepts an offer to fight the world heavyweight champion.

What follows will keep you on the edge of your chair. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one.

Gable and Lombard (1976)

A Glimpse of Old Hollywood

[17 March 2007]

James Brolin and Jill Clayburgh pull it off as one of old Hollywood's most dashing couples.

The ambiance of 1930s-1940s Hollywood almost steals the show, but Brolin, Clayburgh, a fine script and a beautiful score are the real wonders of this film. The title characters are believable and interesting to watch. Red Buttons also does a good job in a small role.

We see how Gable and Lombard met and how they had to face all of the impediments that were trying to ruin their love affair.

The film does not have a happy ending because it's based on fact. As a matter of fact, you will need some tissues when you watch the final scene. It's that moving.

Six Women (1971)

Mishandling of Women Prisoners

[26 January 2007]

This is a low budget, David Friedman western about six undesired women who are taken out of a western town and transported to prison.

Their adventures along the way are the basis for the film. The head man, Charley, is in charge of making sure the women stay in line.

One night, Dolores, a Mexican girl, tries to escape. Charley catches her and has her tied to a tree, hanging by her wrists, for punishment. He strips her to the waist and lays a bull whip on her back. The other women are forced to watch the punishment.

Finally, one of the guards tells Charley that Dolores has had enough. Charley agrees and has her untied from the tree. The other women take her and clean her up.

The story continue on their journey and that's where I'll end this.

La rebelión de los colgados (1954)

Cruel Punishment

[10/10 · 15 January 2007]

"Rebellion of the Hanged," alludes to workers who broke any rules being stripped to the waist and hung by their wrists high above the ground for countless hours on end. Some were even whipped while they were hanging Then they fought back.

This cruel punishment just made living and working in a Mexican mahogany plant that much worse. The workers were not certified slaves, but they may well have been, because quitting the job was impossible due to no way to get out of that part of the forest.

Pedro Armandariz is excellent as the father of a young boy, trying to support both of them. Ariana Welter is fine as a woman who arrived with him and the boy at the camp. In one sad scene, she tells the son that his father is working, when he really is hanging in pain.

This film is an indictment of conditions that existed at that time.

Elvis (I) (1979 TV Movie)

The Ultimate Film Bio

[10/10 · 19 December 2006]

Kurt Russell IS Elvis, plain and simple. His dedication to this role resulted in what I think, is the best movie bio ever. If you're an Elvis fan, see it if you can.

The made-for-television film was made two years after Elvis' death.

One piece of advice, there are two versions - one at 180 minutes and one at 117 minutes. The only one to watch is the longer one. The shorter one has more than one hour of footage edited out. It just does not work because the scenes in it are often dependent on the scenes that were cut.

This masterpiece takes you from Elvis childhood through his emergence as entertainment's greatest star. Shelley Winters and Bing Russell (Kurt's real dad) are excellent as Elvis' parents. And Pat Hingle delivers a very competent Col. Tom Parker.

Long live the King!

A Man, Eight Girls (1968)

Hippies & The Whip

[6 December 2006]

All about hippies (a man, eight girls) who settle into a commune. Lots of bare women and if you are into female whipping scenes, the one here is probably the best ever.

It contains frontal whipping. One bare woman bullwhipping another bare woman whose hands are tied above her head to a tree. Lots of blood and sweat in a long graphic scene.

The film is from 1968 when being a hippie was fashionable. Not very good acting but lots of female flesh to look at.

It's doubtful if this film will ever get to DVD.

If it does, I will certainly buy it.

You Are There (1953–1972)

An Early Television Gem

[12 August 2006]

Hosted by Walter Cronkite before his bigger successes, "You Are There" created something totally new for television - a reporter with a camera and microphone who covered historical events as though they were breaking news.

One example was, "The Assassination of Julius Caesar." He interviews many of the people who took part as they stand over Caesar"s body.

"Excuse me, sir," he asks Marc Antony. Antony takes a moment to be interviewed. What a fascinating concept.

The only other episode I remember seeing live was, "The Capture of Jesse James," with an unknown James Dean in the title role.

If the episodes have not been lost, they should be put on DVD for today's generation to watch.

Return to Treasure Island (1954)

Enjoyable 1950s B Fare

[9 August 2006]

The best thing about this film is the young, lovely Dawn Addams. As you read earlier, she is a direct descendant of Jim Hawkins, and along with a young Tab Hunter, follows a map that will lead her to the treasure.

Bad guys are in the mix, too. Our young heroine is captured by the bullies and whipped to make her tell where the map is. She refuses and must now figure a way to escape their clutches.

A typical B movie shot in color,it was released to 1954 audiences at a time when this type of fare was quite popular. B movies were a staple of Hollywood up until about the late 1950s.

If you can find it, it will take you back to a good time in moviedom.

Good Times (1974–1979)

Knock On Any Door

[23 May 2006]

Knock on any door in the low-income areas of America and you will find the Evans family - black, white, hispanic, etc.

This was an accurate account of a family living week-to-week. It was the 70s, but the problem still exists today.

Just the right amounts of comedy and drama made this show believable. It stood above the other African-American-type shows because it was real.

I think John Amos, as the family patriarch James Evans, was the cornerstone of the show. Would he be happy or mad when he walked through the door? If mad, it was only because he had to struggle with racial problems and low-income jobs in order to support a family of five. I thought Amos was truly superb in his role. Esther Rolle as Florida and the rest of the cast could draw tears from the audience as easily as they could draw laughter.

The fact that they could show comedy through the drama makes it, I think, one of the top 10 television series of all time, even though it declined after John Amos left.

Sinatra (1992)

Not Bad

[23 May 2006]

I thought this was a good bio of Sinatra. It was produced by his daughter, Tina.

The only problem I had with it was that she chose to omit the kidnapping of Frank, Jr., in 1963. I would guess that her father told her not to cover it.

Otherwise, it seemed like a true adaption of Sinatra's life and times. The film pulls no punches with his loves, either. We see that he truly was an undevoted husband.

All in all, I recommend this film to anyone who liked The Chairman of The Board. Philip Casnoff is truly delightful in the title role. And Gina Gershon is believable as Nancy, Sr.

The Big Story (1949–1959)

Interesting TV Classic

[20 May 2006]

I loved this show when I was young. It was on NBC for years.

Every Friday night they would cover a recent story from the news of the day. The show was narrated and that just made it better.

The only "big story" I remember was in 1951 and that of a 104-year old man who claimed he was Jesse James. He said the Ford brothers were true friends who killed a "double" and claimed it was Jesse. The murdered man, who was a traitor to the James gang, looked like Jesse.

The old man went by the name of Dalton. That was Jesse's mother's maiden name. Jesse was related to the infamous Dalton gang of the 1890s.

Following the television episode, doctors and scientists determined the old man was lying. They even had the body of Jesse James exhumed to prove it was really Jesse in his grave.

The whole affair was most interesting and that episode of "The Big Story" is still in my mind today.

The Detention Girls (1969)

Girls In Jail movie

[16 March 2006]

This film has no great attributes. Filmed in black & white, it's about a pretty college student who is arrested for a campus demonstration. She is taken to a detention center where she encounters lesbian inmates and lesbian guards.

What she dosen't know is that the warden uses the bullwhip for punishment. The girl is framed as a rule breaker and is taken to the basement. A lesbian guard orders her to take off her smock, and while she is doing that, the guard picks up a bullwhip and starts snapping it. Then she ties the naked girl to a post with her wrists tied above her head. The warden enters, rolls up her sleeves, and delivers many lashes to the girl's bare back. After the punishment, she is untied and faints.

Not a good day for this young lady.

Lash of the Penitentes (1936)

A Topless Scene Which Was Rare For This Time

[16 March 2006]

Actress Marie DeForrest plays the lead female character, Raquel. Her topless scene in this film was a rarity for the 1930s.

This is in the fictionalized part of the film, not the documentary part. The locals know she has been talking to the man who has secretly been filming their rituals. They kill him and then abduct her from her home. She is taken by foot near the top of a mountain and stripped to the waist. They tie her wrists to a board and raise her a few feet from the ground, hanging by her wrists. She receives a brutal whipping as punishment.

This is the only part of the film that made people sit up in their seats and look in amazement. I saw this film in the early 1960s in a grindhouse theater. It is on DVD, but all of DeForrest's scenes are cut out.

The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)

I Liked This Movie

[14 March 2006]

I thought Klinton Splsbury was a good Lone Ranger and Michael Horse was a good Tonto.

The magic of this film, for me, is the first half, when we see how John Reid becomes the Lone Ranger.Also, a great scene where he finds a wild white horse, breaks him, and names him Silver. But a later scene just blew my mind away.

In that scene,after Reid and Tonto bury his brother and the other ambushed Texas Rangers, he decides to wear a mask so the bad guys won't recognize him. He tells Tonto the mask will be a symbol of justice. At this point, we have not yet seen his alter ego.

That changes when we see him from the back kneeling at his brother's grave and vowing to avenge his death. Then he puts his hat on, turns around, and as we see him in his mask for the first time, blaring trumpets sound out the start of the William Tell Overture. Being a Lone Ranger fan, this literally sent shivers down my spine.

The scene continues as they both ride away to more of the overture, and, of course, we hear "Hi yo, Silver, away."

Breathtaking!

Leap of Faith (1992)

Great Film

[10/10 · 26 December 2005]

Steve Martin plays it straight in this drama which should have at least earned him an Oscar nomination for best actor. It is a story of a phony evangelist who preys on down and out people just to get the last few dollars they have. It makes no difference to him that the people of the town he has come to are praying for rain to save their crops so they will be able to live a meaningful life again.

But then things start to happen that he cannot explain. He begins to question his own presence of being. Is he truly a miracle worker? Or is there another explanation for what is going on?

Credible supporting performances by Debra Winger and Liam Nisson. See this film and appreciate a role that Steve Martin was born to play.

The Fugitive (1963–1967)

The Fugitive

[9 August 2005]

David Janssen was terrific as Dr. Richard Kimble, the Stafford, Indiana doctor who eluded the law for four years after wrongly being convicted of murdering his wife. Based on the 1954 Dr. Sam Shepard Cleveland murder case, the series follows the theme of "Les Miserables," with the police inspector chasing the accused criminal.

The series started in black & white and ended in color. The ending in 1967 was a TV movie called, "The Judgement," in which Kimble is cleared after a one-armed man is killed by police. The man was the one who Kimble said he saw run out of his house after his wife's murder.

This series was made into a good 1993 movie, with Harrison Ford in the title role.

By the way, for the finale of the television series, Janssen suggested that the ending show that Kimble has finally stopped running. He is living on an isolated island. As the final scene fades out, Kimble is going in for a swim and starts unscrewing his artificial arm. The producers said no to that ending.

Father Knows Best (1954–1960)

1950s Americana

[7 June 2005]

The town was Springfield but we were never told the state. I always pictured the setting to be a very long way from either coast. Maybe Ohio, Indiana or Iowa. Wherever it was, it was far away from any of the country's real problems of the time.

There were no civil rights issues, no murders and no rapes in Springfield. Everyone was white, which was the norm for television of this era. Springfield was a make-believe fantasy by today's standards, but back then, it was the majority of real America.

With that said, I watched the show every week and wished I was a member of the Anderson family. Having belonged to a somewhat volatile family, I had the 30-minute escape every week to be a part of a caring, loving clan.

The kids had the normal 1950s problems of a white, middle-class family. Robert Young as the patriarch, Jim Anderson, showed an understanding that was not only appreciated by the rest of the family, but by the viewers, too. He was right up there with Andy Taylor and Ward Cleaver as the fathers America loved at the time.

Corny? To some it might be, but to many others, including myself, it was the family we wanted but never had.

Dying Room Only (1973 TV Movie)

Knock Knock - Are you OK, darling?

[8/10 · 3 June 2005]

You've read the plot for this television film on this page. What can I add? A married couple pulls up to a seedy diner on the way home from vacation. They are smack in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the desert.

They encounter a nasty cook and a goof-ball customer. Both enter the bathrooms to wash up. She comes out, but he does not. She knocks on the door calling to him. No answer.

The fun begins. Kind of spooky at times. Good entertainment. Cloris Leachman is very good in this film. So are Ross Martin and Ned Beatty. And Dana Elcar does a good job as the sheriff. Oh, and the husband is a very young Dabney Coleman.

I would love to see this one again.

The Man (1972)

Presidential Succession and Bigotry

[3 June 2005]

The President of the US is killed. So is the Speaker of the House. The Vice President is ill and cannot accept the presidency.

Enter US Senator Douglass Dillman, who is president pro tempe of the senate. He is also black. He accepts the presidency to the discontent of many cabinet officials, especially the secretary of state. He would be president if not for Dillman.

Racial feelings are revealed among several politicians as Dillman sits in the oval office, determined to overcome the bigotry of those around him and to be as good a president as he can be.

An early vehicle for James Earl Jones, who as Dillman, is brilliant. Excellent performances by the supporting cast. Hopefully, this film will one day be on DVD or VHS. It's also a good potential historical lesson to be absorbed by Americans if this situation should ever happen.

Double Indemnity (1944)

The Grandaddy of Film Noir

[10/10 · 22 May 2005]

This is my favorite movie. I think Fred MacMurray gives his best performance ever. Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson also stand out. The script, co-written by the film's director, Billy Wilder, and mystery author Raymond Chandler is crisp and tough. MacMurray's lines are memorable.

It is a story of greed, fear and lust. Greed so intense that it drives the mild-mannered MacMurray to murder. And fear, grasping at his senses, that it permeates his ability to think reasonably. And, of course, lust, the kind of lust for the equally bad Stanwyck that drove him to commit evil in the first place.

If you like old films, especially film noir, see this one. It is absolutely perfect.

Valentino (1951)

"Valentino"

[22 May 2005]

Filmed in 1951 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the actor's death, "Valentino" is part fact and part fiction. Photographed in glorious Technicolor, the true charm of the film is the uncanny resemblance of actor Anthony Dexter to the silent screen legend.

Although some characters are fictionalized and some were real with name changes, the film moves along nicely, especially when the title character does some tango dancing under the direction of Lewis Allen. Young people will not enjoy this film, unless they are into older movies.

But for older viewers, watch this film if you can. I don't believe it's on VHS or DVD, but hopefully, it will be one day.

Bonanza (1959–1973)

The Great Western

[22 May 2005]

"Bonanza" aired on NBC in September of 1959. Filmed in color, it was put in the 7:30 PM slot on Saturday nights so that people in the appliance stores could see it on the television sets and be convinced to buy an RCA color television. The ploy worked.

In 1961 it was moved to Sunday nights after NBC realized they had a hit on their hands. It lasted another 13 or so years before being canceled. But it is a landmark in television history.

One suggestion - if you ever find a DVD of "Bonanza" and an episode titled "To Die in Darkness" is listed, don't hesitate to buy the DVD. The episode guest-starred James Whitmore and was filmed in about the mid-1960s. All I will say is that the episode was probably the best of the series.

I've Got a Secret (1952–1967)

The Best "Secret" in the Show's History

[22 May 2005]

It was in 1955 and I watched in amazement as a 95-year old man came out and whispered into host Garry Moore's ear a secret that knocked my little socks off - he was the last survivor of the audience present at Ford's Theater the night Abraham Lincoln was shot. He said the only thing he could remember was seeing John Wilkes Booth grab hold of an American flag and crash to the stage.

He said he was five years old when this happened. He didn't know who Booth was but had a vivid memory of him falling unto the stage. At the time that the show was telecast, Lincoln's assassination had occurred 90 years earlier.

What a moment in early television history.