Films and Cinema

Film Review: A Hidden Life (2019)

~ beetleypete ~ 41 Comments

Today I bring you a review of a film that will require 2 hours and 53 minutes of your life to watch. That’s a big ask, I know. As it is a true historical story, there are plot spoilers in the review.

From Terence Malick, the director of such wonderful films as ‘The Thin Red Line’, ‘Days Of Heaven’, and ‘Badlands’, you can be assured of spectacular widescreen cinematography that is rarely equalled. There is a welcome absence of any CGI or special effects too.

Some might describe this slow and thoughtful film as something only a ‘film buff’ might bother with, but I will try to convince you that it is a film for anyone.

This is a true story of one man’s refusal to participate in WW2. We see a family living in a remote mountainside farming community in Germany at the start of the war. A loving couple of hard-working farmers with two small daughters, helped by the wife’s sister who lives with them. The local community is religiously Catholic, and everyone helps each other when it comes to harvest time. They live a simple life, making a living from the land.

When war breaks out, Franz is required to attend military training at the barracks in the nearest town. But with the fall of France in 1940, it is decided to send the farmers home, as production of food will be important. He goes back to his family, and they resume their almost idyllic pre-war life. A year later, and there are rumours of a new call-up. Franz is not keen to go, and searches his conscience about the conduct of the war, the killing of civilians, and the destruction being wrought. However, when his papers finally arrive, he reports as required.

But when he is told to swear the Hitler Oath, he refuses. Treated roughly, and then asked again to swear the oath, he once again refuses. This has him transferred to military prison in Berlin where he joins a mixed crowd of other prisoners, some of whom are also objecting to serving in the army, while others are quite obviously mentally ill. The commandant offers him the opportunity to serve as a non-combatant, working as a medic. But as that still requires swearing the Hitler Oath, he refuses again.

What follows is brutal treatment, both physical and mental. Franz holds on to his faith to see him through, helped by the letters he writes to his wife, and her replies. Meanwhile back at the farm, his family are ostracised by the once-friendly neighbours and villagers. Nobody will help them, and they are shouted at and spat at because Franz is the only villager who has refused military service. But his wife remains completely loyal and does her best to get his case reviewed, with no success.

After two years of imprisonment, Franz is taken before a Military Tribunal. His appointed lawyer tells him he will be freed if he agrees to work as a hospital porter in a military hospital, and he will never have to be near the front line. But as this still involves taking the Hitler Oath, he once again refuses. Even the officer in charge of the tribunal appeals to him privately, to no avail.

He is sentenced to death by beheading, along with several of his fellow prisoners. Allowed one final visit from his wife, she tells him he must do what his faith tells him to do.

I have one word for this film, and that word is flawless.

The sense of period is completely authentic. Use of location photography, lighting, and editing is second to none. The acting is first class from all concerned, and it is a completely emotional experience that goes further than just ‘watching a good film’. This is enhanced by a soundtrack of classical and choral music that is never intrusive. The actors speak English most of the time, and when they are not on screen the narration is in English too. Some dialogue is in German, but there are no subtitles as the action is obvious to the viewer.

This is a film I will never forget. It brought me to tears.

It is quite simply outstanding.

Songs I Like (23)

~ beetleypete ~ 29 Comments

Following on from number 22, here is another song from the film ‘Saturday Night Fever’ that doesn’t feature the falsetto vocals of the Bee Gees.

Yvonne Elliman is a Hawaiian musical theatre singer and actress who featured on the soundtrack of the film. She began her career in London, before being cast as Mary Magdalene in the musical ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, going on to tour with the production and star in the film adaptation. She later toured with Eric Clapton’s band as a vocalist and got a recording contract. She was asked to record this song for the new film, and it went on to become number one in America.

To this day, Yvonne still performs occasionally at music festivals and charity concerts.

Don’t know why
I’m surviving ev’ry lonely day
When there’s got to be no chance for me
My life would end
And it doesn’t matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time
If I turn away
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
Can’t let go
And it doesn’t matter how I try
I gave it all so easily to you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, uh huh, ah
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb

Film Review: 20 Days In Mariupol

~ beetleypete ~ 33 Comments

This is a 95-minute documentary film about the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, focused on the southern port city of Mariupol. It was filmed by a Ukrainian team of reporters working for the news agency, Associated Press.

Winner of the BAFTA for best docmentary, followed by winning the Oscar for best documentary, it was shown on the mainstream TV channel C4 here recently, and is widely available on streaming services. I watched it yesterday afternoon, and could immediately see why it won both prestigious awards.

**I have to start with a warning. Although much footage of the war has been shown around the world, the scenes in this film are uncut, and filmed as they happened. Some scenes are very distressing, including traumatic injury, dead children and babies, mass grave burials, and bodies lying on streets.**

Despite my many years as an EMT in London, I found this film a hard watch, as it reminded me of some of the worst things I had seen, and the inconsolable grief of parents seeing their children killed before their eyes. But it is nonetheless a riveting film, proving that war has changed little since the end of WW2 in 1945. While armies fight, terrifed civilians live in fear, with little or no information about what is happening around them.

Mariupol was quickly surrounded by the Russians at the start of the hostilities, and they soon began air attacks and rocket and artillery attacks against civilian targets in the large city. The film makers do not hide away, or film from afar. They drive into the action, and stand and film as people and babies die in front of the camera. And in most cases they do so with the complete cooperation of those involved, who wanted this film to be shown around the world so that everyone would know what was happening.

We also see another side to human nature at a time of war. Looting of shops where the looters had once been well-known customers. Breaking into banks to steal money while the staff take shelter in basements, and destroying ATM cash machines to steal the contents. Some people even believe that it is the Ukrainian army attacking them, not the Russians.

I will leave it there, without giving a complete run-down of events. The crew spent 20 days in the city during heavy fighting, before joining a Red Cross refugee convoy so that they could get the film and photographs out of the country to be shown. It is an important film, and one that I think every adult should watch, if they can stand it.

The commentary is in English. There is some necessary translation in on-screen subtitles, but not enough to distract from the impact of the film.

Highly recommended.

Here is the official trailer. (No unduly upsetting scenes in this)

Retro Music 95

~ beetleypete ~ 27 Comments

Here is Ruby Keeler singing and tap-dancing her way through the song ’42nd Street’ from the musical film of the same name.
Later joined by the rest of the cast for a grand finale.

This film was released in 1933, and was a huge hit. I probably saw it 30 years after that, and loved the songs. I still do.

In the heart of little old New York,
You’ll find a thoroughfare.
It’s the part of little old New York
That runs into Times Square.
A crazy quilt that “Wall Street Jack” built,
If you’ve got a little time to spare,
I want to take you there.

Come and meet those dancing feet,
On the avenue I’m taking you to…

Come and meet those dancing feet,
On the avenue I’m taking you to,
Forty-Second Street.
Hear the beat of dancing feet,
It’s the song I love the melody of,
Forty-Second Street.

Little “nifties” from the Fifties,
Innocent and sweet;
Sexy ladies from the Eighties,
Who are indiscreet.

They’re side by side, they’re glorified
Where the underworld can meet the elite,
Forty-Second Street.

Retro Review: Sea Of Love (1989)

~ beetleypete ~ 25 Comments

**No Spoilers**

I have had a mixed relationship with the acting of Al Pacino. Flawless in Serpico, the Godfather Trilogy, Dog Day Afternoon, and Carlito’s Way. Then a descent into shouting and hysteria with Scarface and Scent Of A Woman, before the superb performance in Donnie Brasco.

Al has played a cop in a few of his films too, not least in Sea of Love, one of his most complete roles. A film that is often overlooked when his career is discussed, also starring Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, and Michael Rooker. The cast is so packed with talent that even Samuel L. Jackson has a bit part in it, credited only as ‘Black Guy’.

Frank Keller is a cop familiar to film fans. Divorced, drinks too much, abrasive, yet very successful. A determined detective with 20 years in, and no intention of retiring.

When there is a rash of serial killings in New York, all connected to Lonely Hearts Ads and the record ‘Sea Of love’, Frank comes up with a plan to track down the killer. He will take out an ad in the newspaper, and meet all the women who dated the dead men. Convinced it is a woman doing the shooting, he embarks on numerous nights of dating to collect their fingerprints and assess the character of each one.

During this mission, he works with Queens-based Detective Sherman (Goodman), and meets Helen on one of the dates. Ellen Barkin plays Helen, and even though he suspects that she is the killer, Frank cannot stop himself falling for her. What follows is a cat and mouse game of ‘Is she-isn’t she?’, leading to the ultimate reveal.

This film really satisfied me. Pacino acts with nuance and restraint, Goodman is on great form, and Barkin perfectly captures the vulnerability of a single mother looking for some stability in her life with a genuine romance. Great New York locations, a real feel of time and place, and enough suspense to keep me interested until the end.

Highly recommended.

Here’s a trailer.

Film Review: Midsommar (2019)

~ beetleypete ~ 26 Comments

**No Spoliers**

There was a lot of ‘buzz’ around this film on release, and I avoided reading any reviews as it seemed like something I would like to watch. The only name I recognised from the cast was Florence Pugh, an English actress who has received much praise.

Last month, I settled down to watch a TV showing, aware that I had to dedicate two and a half hours of my time.

This is the general story. A troubled girl, Dani, (Pugh) has a difficult relationship with her boyfriend. She is haunted by the fact that her mentally ill sister killed their parents, and then herself, and she has become obsessively needy in her relationship with Christian. He is tiring of her, and egged on my his college friends, he is thinking of dumping her. One of the college guys is from Sweden, and he has invited the ‘gang’ to travel to his remote home town to enjoy the traditional midsummer celebrations.

Christian feels guilty, so eventually asks Dani to come along, much to the chagrin of his friends.

The action switches to Sweden, and a long journey into the remote countryside where they discover their friend lives on a commune populated by characters who seem to come out of the middle ages. (Something like the Amish people) After a warm welcome, everything starts to go terribly wrong, and I mean terribly.

I won’t go into detail, but there is some (moderate) gore and violence, some (moderate) nudity and sex scenes, and anyone who has ever seen a film in their life should be able to work out the ending halfway through. On the plus side, it looks wonderful, and is beautifully filmed. But it’s at least 45 minutes too long, telling a story that we already know, and are waiting to end.

My verdict? Watch The Wicker Man instead, the 1973 British-made original version. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917/

If you prefer to try Sweden, here’s a trailer.

Retro Review: Jackie Brown (1997)

~ beetleypete ~ 26 Comments

**No spoilers**

Of all the films made by Quentin Tarantino, this is by far my favourite. It is neo-noir, and as good as it gets in that genre. Adapted from the book ‘Rum Punch’, by Elmore Leonard, Tarantino assembled a mouth-watering cast for this tale of a street-wise air hostess and the criminal underworld of Los Angeles. Casting, direction, filming, great songs on the soundtrack, this film has it all. And if I gave star ratings for films, this would be a solid 10/10.

Jackie Brown is a 40-something air hostess. Down on her luck, working for one of the smallest and crummiest airlines, she has resorted to bringing in illegal money for a local gun dealer. Jackie is played by the marvellous Pam Grier, once known as the star of many films in the ‘Blaxsploitation’ genre. Given the chance to take a lead role that holds the film together, Pam grabs it with both hands, delivering a lifetime best performance.

That gun dealer is played by Samuel L. Jackson, who gives his usual solid turn with a hint of parody that is ideal for the character of Odell. He works from an apartment at the beach, where he lives with his surfer-girl girlfriend Melanie, and his old prison friend, Louis. Melanie is played by an astonishingly youthful Bridget Fonda, who convinces as the lazy airhead ex-hippy, and Robert De Niro is Louis. Just out of prison, not that bright, and full of barely-concealed rage and frustration. As I said, what a cast! And there is more to come.

Bail Bondsman Max Cherry has connections to both the gun dealer and the air hostess, arranging bail for them or their associates. When he encounters Jackie, he falls for her immediately, and finds it hard to conceal his admiration for her. When Jackie is targeted by an ATF agent, Max arranges bail for her, and becomes involved in her convoluted plans to escape the life she has been leading.

Max is played by Robert Forster, a terrific American actor in what is also his best role ever. The ATF agent is played by Michael Keaton. See what I mean about the cast?

What follows is two and a half hours of pure cinema joy. Plot twists, double-dealing, stellar performances, and a film in which even De Niro is happy to play a small supporting role. With no spoilers, I cannot tell you much more, but I really do urge you to see this for yourself.

This is ultimately Pam Grier’s film, a legacy for her to leave behind. I saw it at the cinema, and have watched it at least three times since. I could watch it again next week, and still enjoy every minute of it.

Here’s a trailer. (The film is much better than it looks from that)

Retro Review: Event Horizon (1997)

~ beetleypete ~ 42 Comments

**No Spoilers**

Twenty-six years ago, I saw this film at a cinema in London, and earlier this week I watched it again on TV.

One of those films that raises a familiar argument, “Sci-Fi, or Horror?” As with the legendary ‘Alien’, this film is a bit of both. Something horrible happens, and it happens in the far reaches of space.

The Event Horizon is the name of a space craft that went missing many years earlier, close to the planet of Neptune. It had been given up for lost when suddenly its distress beacon sends a message. It is decided to send a rescue mission, and the Lewis and Clark is sent in search of it, captained by Laurence Fishburne. Added to the crew is a civilian, the designer of the Event Horizon, played by New Zealander Sam Neill.

Some other members of the crew are played by British actors; Jason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee, and Joley Richardson.

They undertake a long flight, involving time spent in life-sustaining modules. Arriving at the source of the distress signal, they find the Event Horizon in orbit around Neptune, and dock with the enormous spaceship before a team uses the airlock to enter it. They have already learned from the designer that the derelict ship has an unusual drive system, one invented to ‘fold space’ so that Event Horizon could travel between galaxies instantly, literally entering a different time dimension.

We soon discover that something is very wrong. There is little trace of the crew, save for some horribly mutilated bodies and a great deal of blood. The unusual drive system is still functioning, and once all the support systems are reactivated, the crew of the Lewis and Clark begin to experience some bizarre hallucinations. We are in no doubt that the spaceship has brought something back from an unknown dimension. And that something is not friendly.

Not long after, it is decided to abandon the Event Horizon and return to Earth. But the designer refuses to agree with that, and the film takes a very dark turn.

Without spoilers, that’s about it for the story.

The film was a box-office flop, and lost a lot of money. The film’s director Paul Anderson objected to the shortened cinema release version, and the extensive cuts applied by the distributor. However, the film enjoyed a resurgence on DVD sales and TV showings, but it was too late to restore it to its original length as the extra footage had been lost or destroyed.

So did I like it? Yes, very much. The special effects are numerous, and I found them convincing. I liked the casting a lot, and the sense of dread was nicely conveyed.

Is it as good as ‘Alien’? No, but nothing in this genre is. But it’s a very capable sci-fi, with just enough horror to keep the viewer interested.

Here’s a trailer.

Film Review: Life (2017)

~ beetleypete ~ 28 Comments

I saw this film recently on a TV showing, and although it is six years old, I had never heard about it before.
**No real plot spoilers**

It is a science fiction film, set in the near future (2200s) and all the action takes place in outer space. The multi-national cast was impressive enough to make me want to watch it, and includes Jake Gyllenhall and Ryan Reynolds.

A space station has been circling Earth for a long time, and the crew of six is excited, anticipating the arrival of a Mars proble that they have been waiting to collect and examine. Once the probe is on board, they begin to make experiments on the soil samples found within. One scientist discovers a single-cell life form in the soil, and decides to try to reanimate it. After various attempts he manages to bring the cell back to life, and it begins to grow.

This generates huge celebrations on Earth, as the first solid proof of life existing on another planet. They even give the creature a name, Calvin. Following safety protocols, Calvin is kept in a sealed container, inside a sealed room. It is not to be allowed to be transported to Earth -just in case- and all experiments wil be confined to the space station.

As you might expect, Calvin continues to grow, but it also shows signs of extreme intellingence and cunning, as well as huge strength for its size. It eventually escapes the sealed container, and the horror begins.

Feeling like you have seen this all before? Well you have. It was called ‘Alien’, and was released in 1979. A crew trapped on a space vehicle, trying to find a deadly intruder. It has never been done better than that film, and certainly isn’t in this one. That feeling of déjà vu continues throughout the film’s (close to two hours) running time, and I did well to sit through to the end.

The special effects are fine, but once again nothing we have not seen before, and done better. The cast take their roles seriously, but there is an element of type-casting of the various actors that signals how they will behave, react, and more importantly, if they will survive the alien.

And there is a twist at the end. But such an obvious twist that I was already expecting it halfway through the film.

Despite its best efforts, this film fails to convince, and I ended up wishing I had watched the 1979 film ‘Alien’ again instead.

On the plus side, it does serve as a timely warning about reanimating samples found on other planets, or in frozen places on Earth.

If you are still interested, here’s a trailer.