Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #194

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with Walky Talky Hawky (1946). This short film was created as a starring vehicle for the character Henry Hawk, who had previously appeared in the Chuck Jones directed cartoon The Squawkin' Hawk (1942). However, this film is best known for introducing the world to Foghorn Leghorn. This cartoon was directed by Robert McKimson, who would go on to direct all the Foghorn Leghorn shorts. Appropriately this cartoon was featured in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Now for a classic Terry Toons short, The First Robin (1939). 

Now for a real classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, On Ice (1935). This cartoon stars not only Mickey but also Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy. Despite being a short film, this movie gives ample time to each of the main characters and gives them all their own little story (though Mickey and Minnie share their story). Some of the characters' little stories even intertwine at the end. Even in this silly slapstick cartoon, the Disney studio's great storytelling ability at this time period is shown perfectly through this and it is easy to understand, why for so many the Disney cartoons stood out during this time period. Goofy especially gets time to shine here and gets some of the best gags. He is heavily animated by Art Babbit here, who was one of the finest animators for this character at this time. Despite his little screentime Art Babbit's animation makes Goofy feel like a fully formed character. Here Goofy sings the song, The World Owes Me a Living. That song was introduced in the Disney short, The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934). There the song was sung by a grasshopper. That grasshopper was also voiced by Pinto Colvig, who used pretty much the same voice he used for Goofy. This song would go on to become Goofy's unofficial theme song. 

Next, we join Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in The Ginger Bread Boy (1934). Though most people today are probably most familiar with Oswald from his early cartoons by Walt Disney, I have a special fondness for these shorts produced by Walter Lantz. This is probably because they were my introduction to the character. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next is a delightful silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, The Dog and the Thief (1922). 

p next is the Silly Symphony, Moth and the Flame (1938). This film began creation in the summer of 1935. However, it was shelved and not picked up again until spring of 1937. In 1935, Dave Hand (supervising director for the Disney features, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942)) was set to direct. However, after Burt Gillett (who directed the most famous Silly Symphony, Three Little Pigs (1933)) returned to Disney from the Van Beuren Studio, Gillett was placed as director. However when Gillett left Disney again midway through production, Dick Huemer (who would work on such Disney feature films as Fantasia (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (fol1941), Dumbo (1941), Saludos Amigos (1943), Make Mine Music (1946) and Alice in Wonderland (1951), and had done great work at the Fleischer Studios during the silent era and worked on some of the Scrappy cartoons at Columbia in the early 1930's) would become the film's director. Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman's book on the Silly Symphonies credits Gustaf Tenggren with "Inspiration art." Tenggren played an important role in the Disney studio at this time and had designed backgrounds for the Disney features, Snow White and Pinocchio (1940). All the Disney films he worked on were pure visual delights and had a real sense of atmosphere that I find irresistible. Win Hoskins, who would work on both of the Fleischer Brothers' feature films, Gulliver's Travels (1939) and Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941), animated the opening of the film. Archie Robin animated the moths eating the costumes. Izzy Klein, who would later write many of the Popeye and Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons for Famous Studios, animated our heroes entering the shop. Milt Schaffer, who would go on to write some great cartoons for both Disney and Walter Lantz, animated the boy getting burned, the girl being caught in the web, the boy trying to trap the flame and the boy rescuing the girl. Ed Love, who would later animate for Tex Avery at MGM, animates the scenes with the girl and the flame as well as ending scene. Louie Schimdt animated the boy pouring water on the flame. Don Williams, who worked on many cartoons for Warner Brothers and DePatie-Freleng, animated the moths filling the bagpipes. This cartoon premiered at the Radio City Music Hall on September 22, 1938, with the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie, Carefree (1938). Its television debut was on October 22, 1956, on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club. The following are some exhibitors' reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney cartoons - This was particularly good - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General Patronage." Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney Cartoons - Still tops among cartoons or have you heard? - C. Fismer, Lyric Theatre, Hamiliton, Ohio. Family Patronage."  "Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney Cartoons - A real humdinger! Very clever. - L.A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." 

Now we join Donkey Kong in Greenhouse Gorilla (1983).  This cartoon comes from a TV Show called Saturday Supercade. Each episode of this show was made up of multiple cartoons based on popular video game characters. Other video game characters featured in this show included Frogger, Donkey Kong Jr., Q*bert, Space Ace, Kangaroo and Pitfall Harry. In this cartoon, Donkey Kong is voiced by Soupy Sales, a comedian best known for his TV work in the 1950's and 60's. Mario is voiced by Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with Itchy and Scratchy in Cat Splat Fever. This cartoon comes from The Simpsons episode, Radio Bart (1992).  

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck. 

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman

 Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Movie Review: El Halcon / The Hawk

 

Michael's Movie Grade: F

An unbelievably bad movie from Mexico.  

This film takes place in a world where wrestlers are masked vigilantes of the Batman variety. Not only does this premise sound stupid but the film is horribly made. This movie feels amateurish in every department. This is especially obvious in the cinematography. It looks like it was shot by someone holding an iPhone and just learning how to make videos on it. The camera is constantly moving for no reason whatsoever and occasionally it will simply zoom in on a random spot. The odd placements of each closeup shot are unintentionally funny at first but simply get annoying as they persist. This is especially distracting during the fight scenes, where the camera never focuses in on the important part of the action. This movie is also a failure in both the story and character department. The story feels like it was written by an elementary school kid during a single recess. It makes no sense, and it lacks the self-awareness that such a ridiculous premise needs. At first, I thought this was going to be a silly comedy with how ridiculous everything was. However, if that was the intention there are no real jokes in the entire film. Not only this but the story feels like it is always copying some other movie that did everything much better. The characters themselves are as bland and boring as can be. It is hard to care for any of them at all. 

This is simply a mess and it hard to believe something this bad found its way to theaters. 

Movie Review: The Greatest of All Time

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

An exciting and well-made action thriller from India.

There is a lot to enjoy about this movie. The action scenes are a lot of fun. They are very well paced and staged as well as feeling larger than life in a good way. The main character is quite likable. While he is not complex, it is very easy to root for him. The song numbers are a lot of fun. This is true of both the songs themselves and the choreography. For Bollywood fans this film is also loaded with fun references to various gems of Indian cinema. However, where this movie shines the best is in the last third. The last hour (of this three-hour movie) is very well made. There is a real sense of suspense and urgency throughout as well as some plot twists that keep you guessing what is going to happen next. Much of this is due to the great villain of this movie. When he shows his true colors, he is quite chilling and unpredictable. You never know what he is going to do next, and this kept me firmly on the edge of my seat. There is also some great uses of crosscutting as our heroes try to save the day, while he is growing increasingly dangerous. 

This movie does have the same problem as many Bollywood films today. That is overlength. There is no reason for an action flick like this to be three hours and it definitely feels overstuffed. This movie really drags at times especially in the middle. The special effects here also often look very fake. 

Despite its flaws, this is an exciting action thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

Movie Review: Blink Twice

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D-

 Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut is a misguided, clichéd and unsubtle thriller. 

The main problem with this movie is that it is incredibly predictable the whole way through. It is one thing if a comedy, an action flick or a romance film are this predictable. However, in a suspense movie being predictable is deadly. It is hard to be on the edge of your seat, when you figured out what is happening so early on. When the big reveal takes place there is not an ounce of surprise or shock because all the clues leading up to it were so obvious. In fact, this even makes the film really drag at times, while you wait for the characters to finally figure out what you already knew. What doesn't help is that there are scenes that remind you too much of other recent thrillers like The Menu or Don't Worry Darling, though this film is much weaker than those two. In fact, when those scenes came up, I was wishing I was watching those films instead. As well as being a thriller this movie also tries to be a social commentary and a dark comedy. Unfortunately, it fails at those as well. Despite being so desperate to say something, this film does not say much of anything. Acknowledging that rich people who use their wealth and power to take advantage of woman are horrible people is not saying anything groundbreaking but instead simply using common sense. We know these are horrible people and the film hardly offers us further insight than this. There is also a message about women needing to stand with each other rather than against each other. I completely agree with this message but the way it is delivered is horrible. The way this message is delivered is through awkwardly written dialogue that lacks even the tiniest bit of subtlety. The dark humor on the other hand is never that funny and often leans more on characters being obnoxious rather than any clever writing.

The only thing about this movie that work is the look. This is a very handsome looking movie. The sets, the cinematography and the lighting all make this a visual treat. Unfortunately, it fails completely in every other department.

Go watch something else.              

Movie Review: Toyko Cowboy

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful feel-good movie. 

In many ways this film about a Japanese businessman going to America with his pitch for how a group of American ranchers should do things and gaining a better understanding of these people instead, is quite familiar. However, this film tells the story with such sincerity and convection that it feels completely fresh. What makes this movie work so well is that the filmmakers obviously have respect for each character. The filmmakers acknowledge the differences between the two cultures and often use this for humor. However, the characters themselves never come off as jokes or meanspirited caricatures. Also, the big city slicker never comes off as the villain intruding on the ranchers. Rather this is a film about two different sides growing a greater understanding of one another. This is something that is frankly more interesting than what a Hallmark type of movie would have done with this premise of having the businessman either as the villain or the love interest who learns how evil his company is. However, the main character does go through a bit of transformation through the film. Yet this is done in a way that feels completely believable and never forced. The character feels like the same man all the way through. Though there are many ways he changes, there are many ways we know he will never change. This movie is also very funny, and I was surprised at just how many times I laughed out loud watching this. 

This is a pure delight of a movie.   

Cowboy Church #191

 Hello my friends and welcome back to another service of Cowboy Church, 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Whispering Hope. This beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians.

This is followed by Kitty Wells with Jesus is Coming Soon. This recording comes from her 1965 gospel album, The Kitty Wells Family Sings Gospel Songs.

Then comes Wade Mainer, Zeke Morris, and Homer Sherrill with their 1937 recording of Just One Way to the Pearly Gates.

Next is Merle Haggard and The Carter Family with Precious Memories. Though this is a sweet uplifting song, it was based upon a tragedy. In 1922, John Wright lost his five-year-old son. Wright would later say about this song, “’Precious Memories’ was born in the midnight hours as I bathed by pillow with tears, likewise all my songs came through life’s severest tests.” Though this is a very famous hymn, John Wright only received $36 for writing it. He would remain a janitor that was always struggling to make ends meet for his entire life. This version of the classic hymn comes Merle's 1971 gospel album, The Land of Many Churches. 

Afterwards is Red Sovine with his 1956 recording of I Got Religion the Old Time Way. Red co-wrote this song with fellow country singer Webb Pierce. 

Now for Tennessee Ernie Ford with Blessed Assurance.  This hymn came about when songwriter Fanny Crosby visited composer Phoebe Palmer Knapp. Knapp played a tune for Crosby and asked what came to her mind with that tune. Crosby said, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" She then immediately followed it with more lyrics that would be in the finished song. The song was published in 1873 and first appeared in a monthly magazine for which the editors were Joseph Fairchild Knapp and Phoebe Palmer Knapp (who were husband and wife). When it later appeared in 1887's Gospel Songs, No. 5 by Ira Sankey, this we lead it to greater fame as it would be commonly sung in the revivals of Dwight L. Moody and Sankey. By 1889, the hymn commonly appeared in Methodist hymnals. 

This is followed by Bob Dylan singing In the Garden. This recording comes from the second of Bob's three Christian albums, 1980's Saved. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1951 recording of The Wonderous Word of the Lord. Hugh Farr delivers the wonderful bass vocals on this recording. 

Now for an episode of the Roy Rogers radio show. 

Now for a message from the Reverand Billy Graham. 

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalms 9:1

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Proverbs 17:17

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. Proverbs 10:12

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #193

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Bugs Bunny film, Baseball Bugs (1946). This short film is a pure classic. Though there have been many funny baseball cartoons, this may be the best. The cartoon is simply one great gag after another. This includes a screaming liner pun that was used before in Porky's Baseball Broadcast (1940). The slow ball gag would later be used in the Bobo the Elephant short, Gone Batty (1954). The batboy gag would later be reused in the Cool Cat cartoon, Bugged by a Bee (1969). This is one of only two Looney Tunes that ends with Bugs popping out of the drum at the end instead of Porky. The other was Hare Tonic (1945). In both these films he states, "And that's the end!" instead of "That's all Folks!" This short was appropriately included in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Next comes another masterpiece of a cartoon, Minnie the Moocher (1932) starring the one and only Betty Boop. This cartoon is a pure example of what the Fleischer studio did better than anyone else. The film is full of incredibly creative, surreal and just plain weird gags that are executed to complete perfection. This cartoon is the first of three Bettys to feature jazz singer Cab Calloway (the other two being Snow White (1933) and the Old Man of the Mountain (1933)). In all three of these cartoons, the singer was not only used to sing his song, but his iconic dancing was captured by the dancer via rotoscope. A review in the Film Daily stated "This swell Max Fleischer musical cartoon is the best turned out so far with the cute pen and ink star, Betty Boop, who seems to get more sexy and alluring each time and her boyfriend Bimbo. The musical selection is supplied by Cab Calloway and his orchestra and what these boys can't do to the Minnie the Moocher number is not worth mentioning."

Next comes Mighty Mouse in The Helpless Hippo (1954). This cartoon was directed by Connie Rasinski.

Now for a Walter Lantz Oswald short, A Jungle Jumble (1932). The animators on this film include future legendary cartoon director, Tex Avery (credited as Fred Avery) and Les Kline, who would animate on Walter Lantz cartoons all the way into the 1970's. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a silent short directed by Walter Lantz before he would become well known as the creator of Woody Woodpecker. His co-director on this film is Clyde Geronimi, who would later direct many films for Disney including being a co-director on the feature films, Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955), Sleeping Beauty (1959) and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1960). So, enjoy The Leopard's Spots (1925). 

Now for Donald Duck in How to Have an Accident at Home (1956). This was the first of four planned safety films by the Disney studio. These films would teach about how to prevent accidents in various environments by showing you the wrong way to do things. Donald Duck himself was given the "privilege" of showing us the wrong way in these films. Each cartoon would feature Donald going through various slapstick mishaps and the audience would learn from his mistakes. Story man Roy Williams (who old TV fans might know for being the Big Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club) began working on ideas for these films in 1953. This cartoon would begin production in 1954 but wouldn't see movie screens until 1956. Much of the animation in this short was done by former effects artist Jerry Hathcock. He animated the opening scene, Donald in traffic (with Earl Combs), Donald reading, Donald trying to nail the picture to the wall, Donald lighting his pipe, Donald falling with the fishbowl, Donald in the bathroom, Donald's accident with cleaning fluid and the closing scene. Earl Combs animates Donald in traffic (with Jerry Hathcock), Donald's landing after falling with the fishbowl and Donald having trouble with the chair's springs. George Nicholas animates Donald avoiding the piano and the kid on the bike, Donald falling down the stairs in slow motion and Donald with the TV set. Volus Jones animates fate lecturing while Donald has trouble with the toaster. Bob Bemiller and Ed Solomon animate Donald fixing the stairs, plugs, and throw rug. Ed Solomon also animates Donald entering the dynamite plant. There would only be one more of these safety films to follow, How to Have an Accident at Work (1959), the other two would never be completed. 

Now we join Donkey Kong in Mississippi Madness (1983). This cartoon comes from a TV Show called Saturday Supercade. Each episode of this show was made up of multiple cartoons based on popular video game characters. Other video game characters featured in this show included Frogger, Donkey Kong Jr., Q*bert, Space Ace, Kangaroo and Pitfall Harry. In this cartoon, Donkey Kong is voiced by Soupy Sales, a comedian best known for his TV work in the 1950's and 60's. Mario is voiced by Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers. 

Now to end today's cartoon selection with a very educational film. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck. 

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/donald-the-educator/

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A very fun sequel to the 1988 classic. 

This is one of the most playful and fun movies that Tim Burton has made in decades. Though the film may not be perfect, it is simply a blast to watch. It accomplishes the most important part of any comedy. That is to say it is laugh out loud funny. This film is full of gags and yet nearly every one of them hits. The comedy in this sequel is even more over the top than the original to the point where at times it almost becomes a live action Tex Avery cartoon. This cartoon-y over-the-top comedic approach could have been off-putting, if it wasn't so darn funny. The humor here may actually be even funnier than the original. I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I laughed watching this. Adding to the fun is the sheer creativity of the afterlife. All the scenes taking place there are incredibly creative and fun. This is the opportunity for the filmmakers to simply let their imaginations run wild and they do this in a specular fashion. The morbid humor in these scenes only adds to the wonderfully playful but spooky atmosphere. 

The characters in this film are also great, both old and new. Of course, Michael Keaton is back as Betelgeuse (the ghost with the most babe) and he is wonderful, retaining the pure comic energy of 36 years ago. While he receives more screentime in the sequel than in the original, he never overstays his welcome and stays the same fun to watch sleaze-ball that we enjoyed in the first film. The returning members of the Deetz family are just as great here, and I love how they made Lydia feel like the same character in some ways, while acknowledging how much a person changes in 36 years. And of course, Winona Ryder is wonderful. However, the new characters were a lot of fun as well. Lydia's daughter Astrid (played by Jenna Ortega, who Burton had directed in the TV series Wednesday) is a very likable character and one that is easy to relate to. Like Lydia in the first film, she is the emotional anchor here and she fills this role very well. However, the scene stealer is Bob (a guy with a shrunken head like the one we see briefly in the first film), who is truly hilarious and charming. 

This movie does fall into one trap that too many sequels do. The first film has a charming simplicity to it. The first Beetlejuice is a simple story simply told. This gives it almost the feeling of a dark fairytale. However, this sequel has too many characters and too many plot points, that it loses some of the simple charm that the first film had plenty of. Having subplots about Betelgeuse's ex-wife and an actor that use to play a cop, distract from the Deetz's story and rob the film of some of the simple charm of the first one. 

While this movie may get bogged down by too many subplots and characters, it is so darn much fun that you may not care.   

 

Superman the Movie (1978)

 

Superman the Movie is one of the most important movies in the history of superhero cinema. This is the movie that graduated superhero films from cheap B movies and movie serials to high budget blockbusters. Yet its historical importance is not the only reason this is essential viewing for any superhero fan. Even with the incredible wealth of superhero movies that followed (and are still being made today), this still stands as the greatest superhero movie ever made. This is the golden pinnacle amongst which all superhero films must be weighed. 

This movie recounts Superman's origin story from the destruction of the planet Krypton to him arriving on Earth to him growing up as Clark Kent in Smallville to him moving to Metropolis to him taking on his first real supervillain. 

Many superhero films are fun, exciting and even emotional. Yet none of them quite capture the sheer awe and wonder felt throughout Superman the Movie. This is as much of an old school epic as it is a superhero adventure. As much as I love the MCU and the DC films that followed, none of them have the same feel as this movie. Perhaps something about these superhero stories has been lost and watching this movie it is hard not to view that as a shame. Scenes like the opening on Krypton, the Kents discovering the baby by the side of the road, the introduction of the fortress of solitude and Superman flying Lois Lane through Metropolis are scenes that stay in your mind well after the film ends. This is not only done through great visuals that still look fantastic today but through the way they are presented as well. This movie treats these fantastical scenes with the upmost sincerity and a sense of childlike wonder. Because of this watching this film makes one feel like a child again. A child that is eagerly awaiting to go to the comic book story to see Superman's latest adventure, going to the movie theatre every week to see the new Superman movie serial, getting up early on Saturday morning to see new cartoons or discovering the true magic of movies for the first time. Yet this movie is not simply style over substance. The storyline is a lot of fun and even at times quite emotional. The story is in many ways a simple old fashioned superhero adventure and there is nothing wrong with that. The simplicity of the basic story adds to how this film truly makes you feel like a child while watching it. There is still something that is so satisfying about watching Superman save the day and help people out. Little scenes like Superman catching a falling Lois Lane, saving an airplane full of people and helping a little girl get her cat out of a tree add so much to this movie that would not be there if the entire film focused on his fight with Lex Luthor. The movie is also full of delightful action scenes that are still a lot of fun and a delightful sense of humor. As well as the fun and wonder here, this movie also has some very emotional moments. The greatest of these emotional moments comes before we even see Superman in costume. This is when Clark stands over Pa Kent's grave stating that even with all his powers he couldn't save him. This scene still hits me right in the gut every time I watch.   

Of course, one of the main ingredients that makes this film work is Chistopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Superman. He becomes this character and when you look at the screen, it is like Superman just stepped out of the comic book and into the real world. For a movie that is supposed to feel larger than life this is incredibly important. We forget that we are watching an actor, and we believe that Superman is as real as we are. Part of the reason his performance makes the character feel so real is that in a way Reeve believed in Superman. In his memoir Nothing is Impossible, he wrote, "To say that I believed in Superman is quite an understatement. Of course, I knew it was only a movie, but it seemed to me that the values embodied by Superman on the screen should be the values that prevail in the real world. I've seen first-hand how Superman actually transforms people's lives. I have seen children dying of brain tumors who wanted as their last request to be able to talk to me and have gone to their graves with a peace brought on by knowing that their belief in this kind of character is intact. They're connecting with something very basic: the ability to overcome obstacles, the ability to persevere, the ability to understand difficulty and to turn your back on it." He took the role seriously from the start. He not only went through intense bodybuilding, but he also tried to get into the mind of the character. He would later write, "Truth and justice seemed relatively easy to understand but what about 'the American way?' What does that mean? Is the American way different from the way of other countries that uphold democracy and human rights? After considerable thought and discussion with friends, I decided that because the character is a hero for the entire world, nationalism was not an issue. I thought about other aspects of the American way and the basic rights of pluralistic societies: equal opportunity, equal rights, tolerance, free speech, and fair play." When it came to his secret identity Clark Kent, Reeve based his performance off of Cary Grant in the classic screwball comedy, Bringing Up Baby (1938). It is no wonder that Reeve became the ultimate depiction of Superman for a generation. However, Reeve was not the first considered for the role. The studio (Warner Brothers) wanted a bigger star in the role like Robert Redford in the role. However, director Richard Donner would state that he, "had to convince the audience that the man who was playing that role could fly. And I could not believe Redford or Newman in blue leotards and a red cape, flying." Yet he felt that newcomer Christopher Reeve would be completely believable. About Reeve Donner would state. "I didn't find him. God sent him to me." 

The movie also benefits from a really strong supporting cast including Marlon Brando as Jor-El, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, Glenn Ford as Pa Kent, Phillis Thaxter as Ma Kent, Marc McClure as Jimmy Olson, Jackie Cooper (who had been one of the Our Gang (or Little Rascals) kids in the 1920's and 30's) as Perry White and the beautiful Valerie Perrine as Lex Luthor's sexy girlfriend Eve Teschmacher. Marlon Brando received top billing and was the highest paid. For doing this film he received $3.7 million for only 12 days' work and 10 minutes of screen time. Marlon Brando showed none of the passion for the project that Reeve had. He refused to memorize his lines and, in the scene, where he is placing the baby in the escape pod, he is actually reading the lines off the baby's diaper. Lois Lane's parents are played by Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill, who had played Superman and Lois in the 1940's movie serials. Jeff East, who played the young Clark Kent was Glenn Ford's son in real life. 

Director Richard Donner took this film just as seriously as Reeve did. While making the film he would say, "The minute you lose the truth or make fun of it or begin to parody it, you destroy the line of tension, the honesty." Donner would express great disappointment in the first draft of the script stating that it "was like 400 pages. It was ridiculous. They had Superman flying down looking for Lex Luthor, but he stops Telly Savalas on the street, who says, 'Who loves ya baby.' It was just sickening. It had no approach, no sense of its own verisimilitude - its own life in the reality of what Krypton was, what Smallville was, what the transition to Metropolis was going to be." It is Donner's pure passion that would make this movie so special. Donner would even state, "I was making it for me. . .. This picture is the biggest Erector Set given to the biggest kid in the world." 

John Williams score is also fantastic for this movie. There is hardly a movie fan that doesn't recognize his Superman Theme. Williams would state, "Superman was the perfect hero to be musicalized in quasi-operatic or balletic fashion." He would also state, "My challenge and opportunity was to capture musically Superman's optimism and invincibility and athletics and heroism. The perfect fifth and the perfect octave are heroic intervals that have a strength and a core power to suggest just those qualities of heroism and heroics."     

The movie was a massive hit, setting off records at the box office. With this it would naturally spawn multiple sequels. The movie was also praised by critics with Roger Ebert calling it, "a wonderous combination of all the old-fashioned things we never really get tired of adventure and romance, heroes and villains, earthshattering special effects, and you know what else? Wit." Ebert would later include this in his famous list of great movies.    

Resources Used

https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/91973/superman-the-movie#articles-reviews?articleId=66930

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078346/

Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye. 

Movie Review: Across the River and Into the Trees

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel. 

Though many don't consider Across the River and Into the Trees one of Hemingway's lesser novels, director Paula Ortiz (with her first (mostly)English language film) captures the power of even the author's lesser work. This is the type of film that takes its time and where the story isn't as much the point as the characters and the setting. Because of this though the story moves at a leisurely pace, it does not take long until I simply got whisked into the world of the film. Our main character (who is brilliantly played by Liev Schreiber) is the perfect Hemmingway protagonist. He is a tough guy who has become jaded and cynical because of his military life and having faced two world wars. The character is a perfect mesh of toughness and vulnerability. They these words both describe him, the do not feel like contradictions but simply two parts that make a whole person. If there is an actor capable of making such a character work, it is Liev Schreiber. He perfectly captures the complexities of this character and makes him feel incredibly real to us. The romance in this movie is also wonderful with Matilda De Angelis having incredible chemistry with Liev Schreiber. This movie captures what is the most important aspect of relationships (romantic or otherwise) in movies. That is that both characters bring out something in the other. These two characters bring out each other's vulnerabilities while also making the other feel real joy in the midst of the pain. Yet in this movie Vience is just as much a character as any of the human characters. This film makes us feel like we have taken a trip to Vience for nearly two hours. Not only does the film perfectly capture the visual beauty of its setting but it also shows how the setting effects our main characters. This movie could have not taken place anywhere else. If it did it would not be the same movie. 

This movie finds the incredible beauty in what is even considered one of Hemingway's lesser works. It is simply a must see.   

Movie Review: 1992

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

A fun and thought-provoking heist movie. 

This film takes place against the backdrop of the 1992 LA riots. Two stories are told here. One about a group of criminals trying to pull off a massive heist. Another about an African American man trying to raise his son among all the racial unrest going on. 

The heist story may be something simple and familiar, but it works quite well. One reason for this is that the film takes its time building up the stakes before going into the action. In the third act, this becomes an all-out action film. However, this action packed third act, works so well because of the successful build up. It doesn't help that the execution on the action scenes is a whole lot of fun. The characters may not be complex, but they work quite well. We truly like the heroes, and we truly hate the villains, and this is sometimes all you need from an action flick. Great performances from Tyrese Gibson, Scott Eastwood, and Ray Liotta (in his last film role), helps make these characters engaging to watch. Though the basic story is familiar, it keeps you engaged and never loses your attention. 

The social commentary in this movie is very well done. Though the riots are mostly used as a backdrop, but the film takes a surprisingly complex look at them. The film doesn't wholly praise them as the right course of action, but it also takes a very sympathetic and understanding look at those rioting. The one thing this movie does come right out and condemn is horrifyingly dangerous absurdity of racism. One scene involving a couple of cops pulling our hero and his son over is chilling and will rightfully make you angry. The riots being used as a backdrop also help this film stand out from so many similar heist films. 

Admittedly because the movie often delves into familiar clichés, the story becomes all too predictable. There is never a single doubt about how the film will end. There are also too many plot points that simply don't make sense but with this type of film that is simply what we expect anymore. 

Despite its familiarity, this is a very engaging action thriller that also leaves some food for thought.    

Silent Film of the Month: The Sealed Room (1909)

 

Run Time: 11 minutes. Studio: American Biograph. Director: D.W. Griffith. Based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe and Honoré de Balzac. Main Cast: Arthur V. Johnson, Marion Leonard, Henry B. Walthall. Cinematographer: G.W. Bitzer. 

Edgar Allan Poe was a major influence on D.W. Griffith and this influence can be felt through many of the director's films. His early feature The Avenging Conscience (1914) adapted two of Poe's stories and one of his short films was even called Edgar Allen Poe [sic] (1909). The Sealed Room is based off of Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado as well as Honoré de Balzac's La Grande Bretêche. 

In this short film a count discovers that his concubine is having an affair with the court troubadour. When he finds that they are meeting in a certain chamber, the count comes up with a plan to get revenge on them. 

While this film can seem simplistic compared to Griffith's later work, it is still very engaging today. As is important for any costume drama, this is a very handsome looking film. It may have a smaller budget but that hardly shows at all. The set designs look wonderful and truly give this whole film a very atmospheric feel. They set designs even help create the suspenseful feel of this short. It helps give the film a delightful claustrophobic feel at times. The set of the court is large and open, while the set of the actually sealed room is small, empty and claustrophobic. This contrast between the two sets creates a great sense of suspense. The suspense is also helped by an incredible use of cross cutting that was well ahead of its time. Cutting between these two rooms helps heighten the danger and makes this film all the more successful. Marion Leonard (who plays the countess) was a constant presence in the early Griffith films. 

Naturally with such a short runtime the story and characters are very basic. However, the visual filmmaking is what this film is all about and that still holds up very well today. Though the cinematography is basic, having Griffith's regular cinematographer G.W. Blitzer certainly doesn't hurt. 

For those of you familiar with Griffith's films, this short is full of familiar faces. The minstrel is played by Henry B. Walthall, who is best known for playing the little coronel in Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915). He also appeared in the Griffith features Judith of Bethulia (1914), Home Sweet Home (1914) and The Avenging Conscience (1914) as well as more Griffith shorts than I have time to mention. Arthur V. Johnson (who plays the Count) had played the father in Griffith's first short film The Adventures of Dolly (1908) and would continue to appear in many of Griffith's early short films. 

For anyone interested in watching this film, it can easily be found online including below.