newbear Reviews

Schindler's List (1993)

not a great testimony for a historical education in U.S.

[7 January 2004]

Friends, I hail from Czechoslovakia, former "Boehmen und Mahren Protectorat" and I am familiar with some of the Jewish fates there, the citizens of the town of SVITAVY NA MORAVE even wrote a letter to the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, to ban this 'movie', but to get the stock answer : this is a free country. Those citizens simply objected to the fact that a California Jew named Spielberg has cynically selected,(40 years after the fact), this Gestapo agent victimizing Czechs in their above-mentioned town, for a glorification attempt in a country where MATRIX and TOLKIEN pseudo-religious stuff flies sky-high. Well, the high schools of America, I take my hat off for you. You manage to keep most of the budding adults off the payroll.

Manon (1949)

Great director, great film

[20 September 2003]

I have seen this film a long time ago, perhaps in 1958 at Prague Film School (FAMU). It still haunts me, unlike many, many other entirely forgettable "movies", I would love to have a copy. The film has an essence of what my generation lived, what my children have forgotten, and what we are powerless to remind them of.

Clean Slate (1981)

One for the re-makes

[9/10 · 25 July 2002]

I would like to know, honestly, how many people (film lovers, that is), really like the recent remakes of "The Vanishing" or "La Femme Nikita". The trend is, in this country, toward "A Beautiful Mind" or "The Phenomenon", where the genius is the aberration and the malignancy, isn't it !! Or is it the infantile transexualism of "Tootsie" and the overwhelming and inocuous blandness of a Tom Hanks character in any movie he's blessed with his presence, a subtle glorification of "tabula rasa" innocence (stupitidy ??). Well, all these people wonder what is going on in their lives, despite the lousy scripts they signed off on - the answer is either Dianetics or Buddhism. Ain't that funny, they still remember the McCarthy stuff and defend themselves. But we know no U.S. aging star could act in a Tavernier movie without a fistfight.

Clean Slate (1981)

this is an original U.S. phantasy

[9/10 · 17 July 2002]

written by jim thompson, originally located in Florida, adapted by Tavernier, suspected by american viewers --- does it make sense ? the Thompson novel ? Who read it ? Not me, did not know it existed, how did Tavernier find it ? His mind more open ? I know, too many question marks, but there are many excellent movies (films) made out of (below) average novels - "The Informer" or "The Shop on the Main Street" come to mind. It seems to me that the Hollywood formula for sex and violence has you by the "cojones" and has got to include a lot of music - especially in a "film noir". If it does not then the film is "too noir", what you gonna do about it ???

The Great War (1959)

anti-war film par excellence

[3 December 2000]

I saw this in Czechoslovakia way back in 1960's and still remember it. I am glad it lists here as a "comedy", it sure is one. That is why it will not be available to us on video of any format in any language under any circumstances. It subverts the "enetertainment' concept. An alternative ? Try Roberto Begnigni, the schlemiel nouveau.