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Reviews
Mikey and Nicky (1976)
Don't Spend More Than a Buck on This One.
(When will I ever learn-?) The ecstatic reviewer on NPR made me think this turkey was another Citizen Kane. Please allow me to vent my spleen...
I will admit: the setting, presumably New York City, has never been so downright ugly and unappealing. I am reminded that the 70's was a bad decade for men's fashion and automobiles. And all the smoking-! If the plan was to cheapen the characters, it succeeded.
For a film to work (at least, in my simple estimation), there has to be at least ONE sympathetic character. Only Ned Beaty came close, and I could not wait for him to finish off Nicky. If a stray shot had struck Mikey, well, it may have elicited a shrug of indifference at the most.
I can't remember when I detested a film as strongly. I suppose I'm a rube who doesn't dig "art" flicks. Oh, well.
Porky Pig's Feat (1943)
A Gem from Warner's Lesser-Celebrated Director
As a cartoon director Frank Tashlin, in my opinion, was greater for his use of cinematic angles.
In the matchless "Pig's Feat," the size of the surly manager is emphasized by Tashlin's tight cropping and extreme closeups. Where else in history have we ever seen a character stuff his head down another's throat and bawl him out-? To the accompaniment of rumbling tympani drums-? One of the most startling and hysterically funny sequences in all animation.
"Feat" employs some really breathtaking tricks to heighten the spatial quality of many scenes. And it is rapidly paced. Pay close attention to the rather angular aspect of Daffy's body when he loses the money and later as he's held captive. Tashlin's interpretation of Daffy has always been my favorite (Jones later destroyed the Daffy I loved--but that's another subject).
The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall (1942)
A Watershed Film for Chuck Jones
For me, the Dover Boys marked the time when Jones left behind for good the "cute" look and made animation art that pushed the known limits.
What a hoot. The staged poses of the characters lampooned the stuffy portraiture of the Victorian era, gaining breakneck speed and stopping suddenly...it must have been hard to "time" this film.
The sequence in which Dan Backslide steals the "runabout" stands alone in cartoon history--Jones creates an almost 3-D world, and his use of the rubbery single-frame "takes" to highlight the rapid moves was inspired.
Of course, the goofy guy in the bathing costume finally wins Dora (he was the only character to exhibit any fluidity, finally freeing Dora to dance along in syncopation). What was the message here-? How the heck would I know-? Was Dan's resemblance to Dick Powell accidental-?
Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips (1944)
Animation Tour de Force
Aside from all the hand-wringing over offending Japanese, a few features of this crazy cartoon should be mentioned: the fabulous planning of "takes" (frames with the artwork stretched to absurdly weird extents to lend realism to rapid movement). When Bugs battles the big soldier in a sumo match, freeze-frame the action for some surprises.
Bugs was a character who could afford a little sexual ambiguity (I guess) and often appeared camping it up as a female (What's Opera Doc was probably the best) and he makes a cute geisha in this 'toon.
I admit: listening to Bug's racial pejoratives as he hands out grenade-laced "Good Rumor" bars to the Japanese soldiers makes me wince a little, but I simply remember the context in which it was created. My father-in-law, a veteran of the Pacific Theater, will be happy to explain.
The Hep Cat (1942)
Loaded with Sly Sexual Inuendo
I am a huge fan of this cartoon.
I'll skip all the editorializing and simply list my favorite parts: the short vignette of the cold-shouldered little female kitty , with her high-heeled feet, moving in beat to a fine boogie-woogey score, and the resulting tongue-wagging suitor panting along to the beat is hilariously sexy (I can't believe the censors missed it).
And the horny tomcat romances the pussycat puppet, excitedly feeling her posterior (the dog's nose)--finally receiving a kiss, springing out erect (!) and then streaming down the steps in a flaccid puddle...incredible-! The cat & dog chase scene is a little tiring, and a letdown after the hot & heavy courting. But--this is one heckuva cartoon. Eleven stars.
Screen One: A Foreign Field (1993)
Loss of youth, tragedy of war, lost love, loyalty and finding peace
I visited Normany, all along the coast on D-Day, 2000, culminating in a walk through the Omaha Beach cemetery seen in "...Pvt. Ryan." I saw hundreds of sweet old vets...Allied and Axis...resplendent in their ribbons and old uniforms, toasting each other in small villages. It was among the most powerful experiences in my life (my dad, a WWII ETO vet, had recently died).
This movie is equally stirring, and I defy anyone with half a heart to ever hear "Lili Marlene" again without shedding tears. Lauren Bacall, hitherto seen mostly hanging on Bogey's arm or chasing a rich husband, steps away from her glamor roles and plays an honest and sympathetic woman. Guinness, as usual, absolutely becomes his character, unafraid to assume the "challenged" persona of a simple, loyal but damaged veteran. Leo McKern moved beyond his grumpy barrister role from TV, exhibiting a depth and humanity that surprised me. I saw this movie on PBS once and never forgot it; I am happy to see it mentioned here.
I recommend this movie without reservation. It may even be meaningful for teens, especially with a discussion afterwords. For those of us with some years of experience, it's a triumph.
Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster (1965)
Worse than Plan Nine from Outer Space-!
**Note: I have checked the "spoilers" box to prevent any of the riveting details of this epic to slip out--you have been warned-!**
Of course, Plan Nine has the cache of being filmed by the immortal Ed Woods, but "...Puerto Rico" must be seen to experience the absolute lowest level of cinematic efforts. The sequence in which the villainous extraterrestrial commanding the space ship orders an attack was repeated-! I assume this was simply to save time. And the Head Bad Guy's bald wig creases and strains with every grimace--fabulously bad makeup--the control room of the space ship is comprised of folding tables, chairs and an array of shortwave radios; I'll swear I even saw the wall studs. Wonderful-!
On earth, a pretty brunette and the heroic male scientist ride tandem on an Italian scooter to a snappy bossa nova score (incongruously) and the scooter breaks down, causing her to lay the machine on its side. After the inevitable crisis in the adjacent patch of woods leaves the hero incapacitated, the girl hurries back to the stricken bike, picks it up and streaks away-! Delicious-!
The big climax involves a tinfoil robot battling an astronaut with a horribly burned face--really cheesy and fun. Don't spend more than a buck to rent this, but give it a try-! Two thumbs down-!