Robs takes on Media and Entertainment

“A Tale of Two Critters” (1977) opens with a riff on the first two clauses in Dicken’s first sentence. I think they should have skipped down a skosh to “age of wisdom, age of foolishness” or “spring of hope, winter of despair”. Maybe threw in some take from the closing stanzas about [holding sanctuary in their hearts]. It was clearly titled and scripted to evoke Dickens, but that is pretty much where the similarities stop. This is a Buena Vista Films production - released theatrically in the middle of the summer - at a time when (a) Disney would produce a G-rated movie and (b) movie theaters would take up summertime seats with a 47 minute nature flick. I wonder if it came as a double feature. I could not find anything about the box office numbers. The original song is fun and I would have sworn the orchestrated score kept calling back the hymn “I’ll Fly Away”. If you have seen Milo and Otis (1986), you have seen this - except this is half the time commitment. I would guess they are bot...

I was asked by a friend to check out “Black Legion” (1937) because he seemed to appreciate my movie reviews. That led me through a rabbit warren of two movies, two radio shows, one 50 page “pamphlet” written by a 1936 American communist published by The University of Texas in Austin, and lots of other people’s internet research. All of the ‘entertainment’ media was produced in that ‘36~’38 window. I appreciate being asked, but you have to be careful about fan-service folks - it can get you a second job while you aren’t looking. 1937 shows young Bogart - well before he met Baccal and before it was obvious he was going to die soon. Most consider “High Sierra” to be his star-making role, but you can see it coming here. This year also gives us a spot in the fat of the Hays Code. PCA compliant “Code” movies tend to feel either like a children’s Sunday School lesson or very simple drama / action stories. This is neither and yet both. I came in to watch unprepped thinking I was getting a noir...

“Nightmare Alley” never stops giving. You can check out the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Graham, 1947 movie directed by Edmund Golding, and 2021 movie directed by Guillermo del Toro. If you have read/seen one, you have read/seen them all – and yet they are simultaneously worthwhile and VERY different presentations on the same story. I really liked the 1947 movie - it was an early film in terms of post-Hays code. I think today’s MPAA would give it PG13. The subject material and story are definitely not meant for children, but the rating board would be hard pressed to compile enough stuff to bump it up a level. The 2021 movie is rated R (probably edited so audiences know this is for adults and to avoid disappointing kids looking for “American Horror Story”). I would say the Graham novel is for an even more mature reader than GdT’s movie. As an adult reader, I decided I was mature enough to fast forward through a few sections that I wasn’t adult enough to let rattle around in my brain. T...

Ready … or not [Fan service the movie] - [80’s pop culture reference parade] - [Nostalgia necropsy] These could have been alternate titles or tag lines. Steven Spielberg knows how to make a ‘high concept’ movie that makes money for sure. And “Ready Player One” (2018) is that - a money making set of moving pictures. I give it an A for production design - beautiful CG & sets. I give the screenwriters an A for cleaning up the novel a bit to make it PG13. I have read it - it is not better than the movie. Beyond that, it is 140 minutes of ‘ I guarantee I know how this will go ’ and ‘ How many comic / television / music references from the 80’s can you clock per 30 minutes? Ok - Go!’ I am guessing 30% of the budget went to securing the IP rights for that stuff. If I think about this in the context of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or “Jurassic Park” or “Adventures of TinTin” or “The BFG” - this movie is just as well made and could be entertaining. If I think about it in terms of the source m...

Except in this case it was Humphrey Bogart, Edward Robinson, Lionel Barrymore, and a really creepy performance by Thomas Gomez. We are talking John Huston’s version of “Key Largo” (1948) For 1948, this is a weird amalgam of home invasion tension, and post WW2 molasses. I couldn’t quite decide if I was caught up in the thrilling drama or eye rolling at the hamfisted coward to hero journey we were supposed to be on. I would say the Huston & Richard Brooks’ screenplay sort of missed his set up at the beginning and so it was quite a short shallow valley through ‘contempt of coward’ to ‘person has to be true to their being … and this being is a hero’ - hence, who cared. It is based on a play about a deserter from the Spanish Civil war which Huston thought wasn’t any good - but I will have to see if I can find that screenplay to make up my mind about who wore it best. I don’t think I have seen anything else with Edward G. Robinson - I most know him from Bugs Bunny impersonations. It was ...

I saw a film, and as I watched, I said to myself: “Raul, you know what - I didn’t think anyone but the French made absurd films”. And then Raul said “mmmhmmm. Stop talking. This is funny.” Raul was right - so I just settled back in for the 86 minute ride. Afterwards, I opened up Wikipedia and realized I was right - that WAS a French film - it was just stocked with American actors. “Rubber” (2010) is an absurd comedy-¿horror? It comes with three scoops of meta: it tells you in the beginning, middle, and end that it is being absurd on purpose. I mean - literally - the characters tell the audience or each other that this makes no sense. They are not lying. You were warned. For anyone who has trouble noting when the first, second, third act start precisely in a film - I recommend you watch “Rubber” and every time they tell you this makes no sense or there is no reason to what is happening, THAT was the start of the next chapter. The lack of sense or reason did not make it unwatchable, or u...

I got around to watching the original 1958 comedy caper film - the one that "Welcome to Collinwood" was pantomiming. "Big Deal on Madonna Street" is hilarious. It is 25 minutes longer than the remake and never once did I feel the need to check my watch. I even paused to go refill my water glass. There will be no problem telling who is who or how the story goes - it is well shot and characters are unique. The story is a simple and fun. Comparing the "BDoMS" and "WtC" - they are identical in terms of characters and scenes. "Big Deal on Madonna Street" street is terrific, and "WtC" is a slog. The biggest difference is seen in the dialog. In "Big Deal" the people just talk, like you might expect people to talk. They are funny, but not odd. The colloquialisms happen, but they aren't hard to see through. In "WtC", they are using a vernacular to make sure you are immersed deep in an Eastern European ethnic nei...

I tried to watch both versions of “The Big Sleep” in close proximity to each other. I am very glad I went with 1946 first. I suspect the 1978 version more closely mimics the more lurid details of the Raymond Chandler novel, but salacious content does not make an interesting movie. 1946 is a great noir movie. 1978 is like watching a double episode of Falcon Crest; rather than noir, it is taupe. In 1946, we had a 47 year old Humphrey Bogart playing alongside his new bride, the 22 year old Lauren Bacall. Bogart and Bacall are captivating. The rest of the cast is on their game and into the story. It is a blast from top to bottom. You really come to feel conflicted about Bacall’s character and her intentions. The two bit players that are the main bad guy’s henchmen are a hoot. This thing is funny and intense and the dialog is great. In 1978, we have a 61 year old Robert Mitchum playing against and along with a 37 year old Sarah Miles - and everybody looks like they just finished a large tur...