The Seventh Seal (1957) Max von Sidow will forever be, for me, the knight in Ingmar Bergman’s medieval tapestry. Of course his talent led him to many other memorable roles for different filmmakers. However, close-ups of his anguished face have made him the crucified Christ ever since. This motion picture set the standard for Art … More The Seventh Seal (1957)
The River (1951) In the aftermath of Edward Said’s “Orientalism” and Gayatri Spivak’s “Can the Subaltern Speak?” what can be said of Jean Renoir’s first Technicolor film, shot in documentary fashion on location in Bengal, with a mix of actors and local nonprofessionals? The emphasis on British colonial life through the eyes of Harriet, a … More The River (1951)
Charade (1963) What a surprise treat this Stanley Donen screwball comedy and spy thriller remains, whose plot twists not as cleverly as the wit between Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Among the many murderous thieves are Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy, Dominique Minot, Ned Glass, and Jacques Mann, most of whom meet untimely ends, … More Charade (1963)
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) Aloysious T. McKeever [Victor Moore], a drifter with a dog Sam, from patriotic concern invites an out of work veteran Jim Bullock [Don Defore] to stay in the house of a real estate tycoon on Wall Street that is unoccupied during winter because the wealthy vacation in Virginia every … More It Happened on Fifth Avenue
The Big Parade (1925 silent) Another of King Vidor’s masterpieces, this epic tackles machine guns and gas warfare in the trenches of World War I. John Gilbert stars as the spoiled brat from a rich family who joins up to be with his friends in what they expect will be a great adventure. While stationed … More The Big Parade (1925 silent)
Mysterious Object at Noon (1997–1999) Apichatpong Weerasethakul documents where stories come from. “The Mysterious Object and the Dogfar story had been told and acted by the Siamese Villagers from the north to the south and ended in December 1998.” What results is an innovative deconstruction of narrative itself. Elvis Mitchell wrote, “Mr. Weerasethakul’s film … More Mysterious Object at Noon (1997–1999)
Follow the Fleet (1936) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance in this homage to the U. S. Navy, singing music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Lucille Ball and Betty Grable appear in supporting roles, in an Art Deco set designed by Carrol Clark. “Id Rather Lead a Band” showcases Astaire’s theatrical ability to tap off … More Follow the Fleet (1936)
The Harder They Come (1972) Penny Henzell directs Jimmy Cliff in this reggae crime drama, which became a breakthrough sensation in Jamaica for shooting on location using the local Creole dialogue. Roger Ebert wrote, “the movie’s ending is an exercise in plot; its beginning and its music deserve better than that.” The film made a … More The Harder They Come (1972)
The Wasp Woman (1959) Roger Corman directed, and has a brief cameo in this drive-in cult horror film, in which a cosmetics company owner, Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot) tries to save her company from sliding sales by hiring a scientist, Dr. Eric Zinthrop (Michael Mark) who proposes to use enzymes from the royal jelly … More The Wasp Woman (1959)
The Falcon and the Snowman (1985) John Schlesinger adapts this true espionage story, based on the book by Robert Lindsey and screenplay by Stephen Zaillian. Timothy Hutton plays Christopher Boyce, who uncovers CIA projects to destabilize and depose Prime Minister Gough Whitlam of Australia. Using his friend, a drug dealer Daulton Lee, played by … More The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)
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