The Artist

I've talked here before about how fun it can be to see a silent movie.  But normally a silent film is something that's released prior to the invention of talkies. However, this year is the year where it seems everything old is new again, as there's a new silent movie out, called "The Artist".  It's also shot in black and white, and in the pre-1950's square screen ratio format.  

The girls and I went to see this the other night, and I just have to say, what a treat.  The movie takes place in Hollywood, around the time of the transition from Silents to Talkies. I stars French Actor Jean duJardin as a big-time silent movie star who pridefully refuses to make the transition, and then has to live with the consequences of that decision.  And Berenice Bejo is the former protege who makes the transition and ends up becoming a huge star.  It also has a host of well-known character actors in supporting roles.  Part "Singin in the Rain", and part "A Star is Born", it's clever, it's funny, it's sweet - it's everything a movie-going experience should be.  I highly recommend it.

(Something else I noticed while I was sitting there - with no dialog, and limited music, I could actually hear the sound of the film rolling upstairs in the booth. I honestly can't remember the last time I heard that sound at a movie, but it was so refreshing - movie's today are so stinking loud.)

Westward the Women

Denise Darcel died today.  She was a popular French actress from the early 50's. She appeared mostly in B pictures, but there were a few gems among them - for example "Battleground", "Veracruz", and one of my all-time favorites, "Westward the Women".  Starring Robert Taylor and John McEntire, "Westward the Women" is a terrific picture about a wagon train of women, headed for California to become brides.  

Taylor and McEntire are the men guiding them in their journey, and both of them, particularly Taylor, were big stars at the time.  But the real stars of the movie are the women themselves, Denise Darcel among them.  Along the way they learn to shoot, handle mule teams, and face different hardships, such as untimely death, assaults from bad men and unfriendly Indians, and even childbirth.  It also shows how physically demanding such a journey would have been (and let's just say, that after my first viewing, I was mighty glad I was never a pioneer).  Just when you think they're never going to make it, the train pulls through, and everyone lives happily ever after.  The movie's tagline says it all - "Never underestimate the will of a woman when there's a wedding ring in sight!"

Top 5: Oh Captain, my Captain

Today is the birthday of my all-time favorite Canadian - Captain Von Trapp himself, Christopher Plummer.  Amazing as it is, he is 82 today, and still as dashing as ever.  So, in celebration of the big occasion, today's edition of Top 5 is dedicated to Christopher Plummer movies.  Admittedly this is a difficult task, as he's been in just about everything.  But here goes...

1. The Sound of Music - I'm sure he probably hates it, but how could this not be number one on my list?  It's the movie that got me in to movies to begin with, and I've been looking for a handsome, charismatic widower ever since.

2. Sta Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - As General Chang, not only is he a terrific movie villain, but he gets to speak Klingon (which is becoming a lost art), and spout Shakespeare at the same time.

3. The Insider - As Mike Wallace, he uses Whistle-blower Russell Crowe to break the story of what Big Tobacco really knew. And he ends up being a better Wallace than the actual man himself.

4. Somewhere in Time - How can you not loathe him as the interfering Manager who's constantly trying to keep Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve apart?

5. Up - Here he's the voice of the famous Adventurer Charles Muntz, who allows his obsessive ways to eventually turn him into the ultimate bad guy.  He not only goes after kids and senior citizens, but dogs and birds, too.  One of Disney's classic villains.

Honorable Mention: The Lake House - He's this generation's Frank Lloyd Wright, a man who can design a building, but not talk to his grown children. Heartbreaking.

Top 5 - John Williams

The other night on TCM, they had a special about the art of collaboration.  And to start it all off, they had John Williams and Steven Spielberg.  For the uninitiated, these two have collaborated for over 40 years, and dozens of pictures.  In fact, Steven Spielberg is on record as saying he will never use anyone but John Williams for his music.  Of course, being the cinephile that I am, I absolutely had to watch.  They discussed their artistic partnership, their creative process, and showed clips from some of their favorite scenes from their movies.  In the immortal words of Mr. Spock, it was "fascinating".

Since I was feeling somewhat inspired, I decided it was time to recognize some of film's Music Men, beginning with John Williams himself. Here they are, my "Top 5 John Williams Movie Scores" (which was admittedly hard to whittle down, since IMDB has him listed as composer of 140 films) :

1. Star Wars - Go ahead, tell me you're not humming Darth Vader's theme in your head right now...

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark - Harrison Ford, rolling boulders, 'nuff said.

3. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial - A kid on a bike in the night-time sky, with a full moon as a back-drop.  The first time I really ever remember thinking a movie was beautiful.

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Speaking of conjuring, the main theme sucks you in and suddenly you're transported into a land of magic and make-believe, flying along with Harry on his Nimbus 2000. Takes the breath away.

5. Catch Me If You Can - What sets every caper movie apart is a terrific soundtrack, and this one is no exception.  It perfectly captures the mood of the early 60's, and the cat and mouse game played by Leo and Tom Hanks.

Honorable Mention: Super Man, Schindler's List

(And for those wondering why I didn't mention JAWS or Close Encounters: I don't do scary fish movies, and Close Encounters is just boring) 

Top 5 - Cool Cats

I've seen some movies recently that have made me think of what it means to be "COOL".  Movies where the men are men, but with romantic souls, big guns, and awesome wardrobes.  So today I thought I'd take a stab at naming my all-time Top 5 Cool Cats, who defined "COOL" in the movies.

1. Robert Mitchum - For me, it doesn't get any cooler than Mitchum.  Whether on the run from mobsters, or the cops, or shooting it up in a western or a war movie, he was always cool. With his drooping eyes, his swagger, and his way of not taking anything too seriously, he was always cool.  To see him at his coolest, check out "Out of the Past" and "Thunder Road".

2. James Coburn - Nobody really wore clothes better, and nobody was as quietly intense, or as deadly with a knife as Coburn.  Check him out in "The Magnificent Seven", "Our Man Flint", and "The Skyriders".

3. Jean Reno - A modern-day cool cat, known mostly for his work in French films, but who does the occasional film in English.  He's brooding, intense, and with his drooping eyes, always has an undercurrent of sadness and resignation. Check him out in "Ronin", "Mission: Impossible", and "The Professional".

4. Chow Yun-Fat - The coolest cat in Hong Kong, Chow is intense, romantic, and resolute.  Check him out in "Anna and the King" (he particularly defines "cool" in the battle on the bridge), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and "Bulletproof Monk".

5. Steve McQueen - He'd probably be tops on most lists.  For me, he makes the list on the strength of three movies. Check him out in "The Great Escape" (terrific sequence with the German's chasing him on his motorcycle), "Bullitt" (best-ever car chase sequence), and the original "The Thomas Crown Affair" (He and Faye Dunaway sizzle while playing chess).

Advise and Consent

Otto Preminger is said to have been a beast to work for, shouting at and generally humiliating everyone who worked on his pictures.  Surprisingly the method worked, as the man made some highly successful and classic movies during the 1950's and 60's.  Case in point, this gem from 1962, "Advise and Consent". 

Despite his temper and his technique, Preminger had a knack for assembling a bunch of terrific actors, and giving them all great parts, even in the smaller roles.  In this picture alone, besides Fonda, we have Walter Pidgeon (love him), Charles Laughton, Gene Tierney (looking fabulous as usual), Peter Lawford, Franchot Tone (mighty handsome man in his time), Lew Ayres, Paul Ford, Burgess Meredith, George Grizzard, and Don Murray.

Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Advise and Consent" is the story of a man, played by Henry Fonda, who has been nominated by President Franchot Tone to serve as Secretary of State, and his Senate confirmation process. Sounds pretty dry, right?  I beg to differ.  This is suspenseful, edge of your seat type stuff.  It seems that Fonda has a skeleton in his closet that certain parties will stop at nothing to reveal, that would prevent him from being confirmed.  Other parties will stop at nothing to see that he does get confirmed, even going so far as to blackmail committee chair Don Murray, who has his own skeletons, and make him vote yes. 

This was pretty heady stuff for it's time, and Preminger does a great job of showing the Senate processes and politics at work, while unraveling both conspiracies.  Fonda, and in particular Murray are both fantastic at displaying the fear that comes from having past mistakes possibly be revealed.  

I loved this movie - It's like the cinematic equivalent of a Grisham thriller, one that is too exciting to be put down, and then keeps you up all night.  Definitely one to add to the collection.

Interesting side note: There was still a production code in place in 1962 - and not only does Gene Tierney use the "B" word, but there's a scene that takes place in a gay bar.  It's as if Preminger took the Production Code and ripped it to pieces.

The Help

Yesterday I finally saw what has turned out to be THE movie of the summer, "The Help".  It's taken from a very popular recent book, and although I've not read the book, I had a vague idea what it was about.  But since it takes place in Mississippi, I was definitely motivated to go see it, having lived there for awhile many years ago.  The verdict?  It's a really great movie, and everyone should see it.  The acting is absolutely phenomenal in all cases, and Mississippi was as beautiful to look at as ever.  On a side note, there were also some scenes where different Southern foods were laid out on the table, and I was salivating - I miss the food there so much.  

Would I see the movie again?  Probably not.  Although there were definitely funny moments, there were also a lot of difficult, and I have to say, ugly, heartbreaking moments.  There were actually a couple of times I wanted to get up and walk out, because the behavior of some of the characters was so disturbing.  I guess that's because the topic the movie deals with is so important.  It probably also has to do with some of the conflicting feelings I have about Mississippi and my experiences there.  But I highly recommend it.