A thinking man’s nuclear apocalypse movie — from 1948? Science fiction fans will find Otakar Vávra’s highly original response to the worldwide atomic panic to either be too intellectual … or the most intelligent anti-nuke picture ever. Made in Czechoslovakia before the communist coup, it’s free of Soviet propaganda … the message is humanist,…
It’s fundamentally a dum-dum ’90s disaster picture, an action-jeopardy roller coaster ride tailored to compete with the Roland Emmerichs and the Michael Bays … and we liked it. Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton and director Roger Donaldson put it across so well that we don’t mind the silly science or the cute dog; the special effects…
Quite a few films noir approach perfection: this almost-perfect RKO production was abused by Howard Hughes, only to bounce back as one of Hollywood’s most notable ‘sleepers’ — word-of-mouth made it into a solid box office hit. Gravel-throat detective Charles McGraw is suspected of being on the mob’s payroll, a charge that is tested when…
A Shot in the Dark 1964 – 2.35:1 Kino Lorber – 4K Blu-ray Starring Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Elke Sommer Written by Blake Edwards, William Peter Blatty Directed by Blake Edwards If a fountain is nearby he will fall into it, if a rake is close he will step on it, if an unloaded gun…
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies, and many more, at Trailers From Hell. This week, we toast three films dealing in fairy tales, from good, to funny, to very bad. Once upon a time there were two brothers. They are the subject of The Wonderful World…
It’s an epic seen through the eye of an artist. We know the past of Europe through great paintings, but Stanley Kubrick uses fine art as a filter to stylize a bygone era. His adaptation of the Thackeray novel uses new approaches to low-light cinematography. We are witness to a rogue’s progress through troubled times;…
Italo pioneer in Gothic horror Ernesto Gastaldi stepped up to directing with this not-bad murder thriller for the Euro exploitation market circa 1965. It’s Giancarlo Giannini’s first film, as an heir to a fortune with inconvenient psychological issues … he can’t say for certain that he isn’t a latent sex killer apt to strike any…
Trailers From Hell Guru Allan Arkush’s The Last Reel video essay series continues with its first installment of a TWO-PARTER about the great Questlove. Today’s episode includes Allan’s TFH commentary for Summer of Soul, Questlove’s band The Roots performing, Adele jamming with The Roots in The Tonight Show‘s Toy Instrument Orchestra, and part of the…
John Huston’s final work is a personal production filmed under ideal conditions, with an ideal Irish cast. Screenwriter Tony Huston adjusts the acclaimed short story for film but keeps it more or less intact — a single dinner party covers most of the running time. Anjelica Huston is James Joyce’s Gretta and Donal McCann is…
