'The Artist' - A fraud that has stolen from other artistic masterpieces!

'The Artist' (2011)

I watched ‘The Artist’ at the Greenwich Picturehouse on Sunday and I thought that it was another over-rated modern film. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, the critics called it “original” yet it is clear that so many scenes in the film were robbed from better films from the golden age such as ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘The Thin Man’ and countless Chaplin movies. It has become clear to me that modern film critics have no knowledge of Hollywood cinema heritage. ‘The Artist’ is so thinly plotted, I could tell you the whole story in one sentence and not leave out a single thing. What annoys me most about ‘The Artist’ is that the musician (Ludovic Bource) is up for a Golden Globe for Best Original Music, yet Bernard Herrmann’s original score for Hitchcock’s masterpiece ‘Vertigo’ was used in some of the vital final scenes in the film to enhance the tension. Kim Novak, the lead actress from the 1958 Hitchcock film, is quite right when she said earlier today that the theft of this music to enhance ‘the Artist’ is nothing short of artistic rape. I wished that this old-styled black and white silent comedy picture ‘The Artist’ would be that refreshing change we wanted so badly in face of the bilge of modern 3-D and SFX-ridden blockbusters but it was not to be. To be frankly honest, I think that this simple-plotted silent film is an insult to the incredible master-works created by legendary film-makers of that era. For the ultimate homage to the silent era, try watching the 1952 Stanley Donen/Gene Kelly musical masterpiece ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and do not get excited by this cinematic novelty disguised as art.

'Vertigo' (1958)

'For A Few Dollars More' - A stylish and influential western!

The 1965 western classic For a Few Dollars More (Original Italian Title: Per Qualche Dollaro in Piu) is the second film of Sergio Leone's famous Dollars trilogy starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Gian Maria Volonte.

Born in Rome, Sergio Leone had built his reputation as an assistant to the legendary Italian film director Vittorio DeSica and as an assistant director for films shot at the famous Italian Cinecitta studios, such as Quo Vadis (1951) and Ben-Hur (1959). It was not until the 1960s when Leone shifted his attention to the subgenre called Spaghetti Westerns, Italian films styled on the American western.


Leone's westerns may have been influenced by the Hollywood western especially the films of John Ford but differed significantly from them in terms of plot, characterisation and mood. Leone's vision of the American West is shown as more violent and morally complex than what was conveyed in the traditional American Western. Leone wanted to show the protagonists in his film as less moral than the conventional western character.

After the success in Italy of A Fistful of Dollars (1964), director Sergio Leone wanted to make a sequel but he knew that he required the lead star Clint Eastwood to agree to star in it. Eastwood had not yet seen the final print of A Fistful of Dollars and he had a few concerns about participating in the sequel. The US version had yet to be released and Eastwood was still relatively unknown, remembered only for playing the character of Rowdy Yates in the successful US western series Rawhide in the late 1950s. Eastwood was persuaded to make the sequel. The Dollars trilogy was to become hugely successful at the box office which built Sergio Leone's reputation and made Clint Eastwood a huge international star.

Television westerns were very popular in the 1960s especially in Italy and having Eastwood play the lead meant that Leone had a recognised face of an American TV cowboy even though Eastwood was not his first choice. Leone had Henry Fonda in mind.  Leone managed to have all of his dreams realised because after Eastwood starred in the hugely successful final part of the Dollars trilogy The Good, The Bad and The Ugly in 1966, he was able to hire Henry Fonda to play a memorable villain in his classic western spaghetti epic Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). 

Clint Eastwood as the iconic "Man with No Name"

For a Few Dollars More is my favourite Leone western. I could have chosen any of his Dollar films or Once Upon a Time in the West but for some reason the sequel does it for me. A Fistful of Dollars may be the first of the trilogy but it is a stylish remake of the Japanese classic Yojimbo. The higly regarded Japanese director Akira Kurasawa won a lawsuit against Leone for breach of copyright so it is in my opinion that this sequel develops Leone's cinematic style without standing on the shoulders of any other classic.

A typical scene shot in Techniscope, an Italian invention that retains both foreground and background focus

In For a Few Dollars More, Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef play bounty hunters who reluctantly join forces to take on the psychotic bandit El Indio (a brilliant sinister performance by Italian actor Gian Maria Volonte) and his gang (which includes Klaus Kinski as a hunchback). As in the previous film,  For a Few Dollars More was filmed using Techniscope, an Italian invention that retains both foreground and background focus.This technque gives the actor less to do and so the film could become about something else which enhances the visual style.

Sergio Leone directing Clint

This film boasts another memorable score from the now-legendary Ennio Morricone who was to write the scores to all of Leone's great films. in 2007, Morricone received a special Academy Award to honour his contribution to the art of film music (presented to him by Clint Eastwood). For a Few Dollars More is the first Leone film that contains a musical theme embodied within the film itself where the music is often diegetic and non-diegetic especially in those scenes when the pocket watch is used. The overall effect is original, haunting and memorable.

After his great films of the sixties, Sergio Leone made a only few interesting films of note and interestingly turned down the chance to direct The Godfather. It was not until 1984 when the classic gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America was released but had been re-cut before release. The restored director's cut has since been hailed as a masterpiece. Sergio Leone died of a heart attack in 1989 at the age of 60.

Despite the fact that it is not spoken about in the same regard as the other Leone films, For a Few Dollars More is a remarkably stylish and violent western. It is as hugely influential as the other films from the trilogy and more importantly, it is very entertaining.

Compilation of segments from the scores of 'A Fistful of Dollars' (1964) and 'For a Few Dollars More' (1965) by Ennio Morricone. 

'A Hard Days Night' - a massively influential band starring in a massively influential film.

The Beatles has to be regarded as artistically and culturally the most most amazing rock band in history. Their influence on popular music is beyond question and along with Elvis, were the biggest music force in the world. 1964 was the first year of their global domination but many people had thought that The Beatles were nothing more than a fad that would disappear quickly. So it was inevitable that they would make a major film before the end of the year. There is nothing unique about pop stars starring in films or musicals to cash on their success but nobody quite knew just how wonderful the fab four's debut film would be.

Written by Alun Owen and directed by Richard Lester, 'A Hard Day's Night' was made in the style of a documentary, describing a couple of days of the band as they travel to London to appear on a television show. It is a witty semi-fictional film with surprisingly fresh performances from John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It also stars memorable British stars from the period such as John Junkin, Norman Rossington, Victor Spinelli and Irish actor Wilfred Brambell as Paul's grandfather who is always described in the film as "very clean", obvious punning with his "dirty old man" character in the famous BBC sitcom 'Steptoe and Son'. 

'A Hard Day's Night' was a massive critical and financial success which influenced many films during the 1960s. The photography and editing style had been acknowledged by many pop video directors as a major influence and it was rated by 'Time Magazine as one of the all-time great 100 films. The film can also be regarded as an historical document of the British show business scene of the day. Most importantly though, ' A Hard Day's Night' is a delight to watch and as you can expect from The Beatles, the music is great too. A British cinematic masterpiece.

Maureen O'Hara - A quick tribute to Ireland's greatest leading lady!

Maureen O'Hara is Ireland's most successful leading lady and one of the surviving stars from Hollywood's Golden Age. She was recently a guest on RTE's 'The Late Late Show' in Dublin and there were special recorded tributes to her from many famous luminaries such as Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Liam Neeson and Martin Scorsese.  Here is a selection of moments from Maureen O'Hara's cinema performances, assembled for an Irish Film and Television Lifetime Achievement Award she received in 2004.

The trailer (and a short features review) for the Blu Ray version of 'Ben-Hur'

I watched the classic 1959 William Wyler version of 'Ben-Hur' on Blu Ray last night and I must say that I was very impressed with the quality of the restoration. The high definition picture and sound just made the whole experience exciting! This DVD contains plenty of extra features including the 1925 classic silent version with Roman Novarro and Francis X Bushman. This Blu Ray contains so much and is most definitely value for money!

A few members of the cast and crew of 'Ben-Hur': William Wyler (director), Charlton Heston (actor), Joseph Vogel (MGM President), Stephen Boyd (actor), Sam Zimbalist (producer) and Haya Harareet (actress).

The 'Adventures of Don Juan' - the last hurrah is a resounding success!

‘Adventures of Don Juan’ is a romantic adventure made in colour by Warner Bros in 1948. The film stars Errol Flynn as the great lover Don Juan and Viveca Lindfors as the Queen with Robert Douglas, Alan Hale, Ann Rutherford, Robert Warwick acting as support.

The film begins during the reign of Elizabeth I of England when Spanish nobleman Don Juan is sent back from London to Madrid after a scandal caused by his affair with the British fiancée of a Spanish duke. The Spanish ambassador in London, Count de Polan (Robert Warwick) sends a letter of recommendation to his friend Queen Margaret (Viveca Lindfors), asking her to provide an opportunity at the court to reform Don Juan after the rumours about his love affairs. Don Juan is hired as a fencing instructor at the Spanish Academy. But Don Juan discovers a plot by the Duke de Lorca (Robert Douglas) to overthrow Queen Margaret and usurp power in Spain so that he can declare war on England.

Ably directed by Vincent Sherman and written by George Oppenheimer, ‘Adventures of Don Juan’ is the last quality Errol Flynn swashbuckling adventure. Flynn is well cast as the famous lover but he is now looking much older despite being only 39 when the film was released. Flynn would star in various films for another decade but the years of alcohol abuse was beginning to take its toll. However, Flynn does produce a great star turn in this film. The other performances are also worthy of the production especially from Robert Douglas as the villainous Duke de Lorca.

The film was originally to be scored by the legendary Erich Wolfgang Korngold who had composed the scores for 'Captain Blood', 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' and 'The Sea Hawk' but he had retired at the time of production. Max Steiner’s score works wonderfully and uplifts this very enjoyable adventure.

THE BEST CINEMATIC SHERLOCK HOLMES IS SIMPLE TO DETECT!

It was really great to watch the 1938 film version of Arthur Conan Doyle's story 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' again. A new Holmes film is about to hit the cinemas but it is worth checking out the best ever Sherlock Holmes on film.


'The Hound of the Baskervilles' begins with Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. John Watson receiving a visit from Dr. James Mortimer (Lionel Atwill). Mortimer wishes to express his uneasiness about the arrival of Sir Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene), the heir of the Baskerville estate and the last of the Baskervilles because of a family curse. Dr. Mortimer tells Holmes and Watson about the legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles, a demonic dog that first killed Sir Hugo Baskerville and then to to kill all the Baskervilles in the region. Reluctant at first, Holmes agrees to look into the case but sends Watson ahead with Sir Henry.

Pacing may be suspect at times but this is a genuinely atmospheric film and very enjoyable. Effective direction (Sidney Lanfield) and good production values are just part of what makes this vintage film so special. Basil Rathbone is quite simply the best cinematic Holmes and Nigel Bruce provides a lovable, more fumbling older Dr. Watson (even although he was only three years younger than Rathbone in real life!). Greene received top billing as Sir Henry because Fox studios did not think that the film would be such a massive hit and so the studio promoted Greene because of his youthful looks. Forget the horrible recent attempts directed by the inadequate Guy Ritchie containing the rather peculiar interpretation of Holmes by Robert Downey Jnr., the 1938 version of the 'The Hounds of the Baskervilles', followed by the 1939 classic 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' are the definite film versions of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary character.

'The Best Years of Our Lives' is no masterpiece!

'The Best Years of Our Lives' was released in 1946 to universal acclaim. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn, written by Robert Sherwood and directed by William Wyler, the film tells the story of three US soldiers trying to adjust to their home town after the war. Starring Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright and Hoagy Carmichael, the film was praised for the honest depictions of the lives of these three men. 'The Best Years of Our Lives' was a massive box office success and won heavily at the Oscars, collecting seven Academy Awards including one for best picture. It is considered a classic by many film historians.

I think the film is extremely over-rated. With the exception of the wonderful deep focus photography by Gregg Toland and a few of the performances, I think the film struggles to be above-average at best. Some moments may be interesting but once you get around the commendable fact that Hollywood dared to make a film showing a different view of the ex-servicemen, then you have to judge the film on its own artistic merits. All I can take from this picture is that it is an interesting but over-long melodrama with a rather obvious plot.

The very average 'Ides of March' does not even have an ending!!!!

I watched the highly acclaimed George Clooney political movie 'The Ides of March' a few weeks ago and I was certainly left short-changed. Good production values and performances but the story is so predictable and wafer thin. There are no twists and when the film begins to gather some momentum it ends abruptly - for no reason! No ending - not even an open ending! The film becomes completely pointless. A thoughtful twist at the end would have made such a difference! Failure snatched from the claws of victory indeed! A weak episode of 'Dallas' (with the last ten minutes wiped off) is better than this! What a disappointment!

'SCARFACE' IS A COMPLETE FAILURE! KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS VERSION!!!

I watched the 1983 version of 'Scarface' at the cinema when it was released. I remember everybody talking about the theatrical poster back then but showing little concern for the film itself. I hate film reputations created by other criteria rather than the film itself. 'Scarface' is a dreadfully directed picture (Brian De Palma was the weak link in the Hollywood movie brats from the 70s) with banal dialogue (from Oliver Stone)and hammy acting (yes, even from the usually remarkable Al Pacino). I think that the poster is wonderful and I think that it is that which has produced the cult status of the remake because the film itself is quite boring. Buy the poster by all means but avoid this tedious remake! Watch the 1932 version if you want to be entertained.

All That Money Can Buy (aka 'The Devil and Daniel Webster') is priceless!

'All That Money Can Buy' (aka 'The Devil and Daniel Webster') was released by RKO Pictures in 1941 and I have just managed to watch it on DVD for the first time this evening. It is based on the short story by Stephen Vincent Benét about the New Hampshire farmer in the 1840s who sells his soul to the Devil. This classic film is a fine example of cinematic sophistication courtesy of a remarkable screenplay (Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benét), astounding photography (Joseph H August), classy direction (William Dieterle), superb music (Bernard Herrmann) and a stellar cast especially Walter Huston as Mr Scratch. This film is still revered by film historians around the world and is easily in the same class as 'Citizen Kane'. Sheer cinematic genius!

'Lost Horizon' is still a fantasy film to enjoy!

I had the pleasure to watch 'Lost Horizon' on DVD last night for the first time since I don’t know when. It is a splendid fantasy film made by Columbia Pictures in 1937, starring Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt and HB Warner. Directed by the legendary Frank Capra and written by Robert Riskin from the book of the same name by James Hilton, the movie typifies the high standard of film making that Hollywood could produce back in the golden age of cinema. The story tells what happens to a group of people whose plane crashes in the Himalaya and finds a hidden place where there the people live in peace and complete happiness, living very long lives. This place is a contrast to the war stricken world they have left. Although the film had been re-cut on various occasions, almost the whole film has been restored to its full length except for six minutes for which stills had to be used for the lost sequences. Frank S. Nugent from 'The New York Times' wrote that 'Lost Horizon' is "a grand adventure film, magnificently staged, beautifully photographed, and capitally played”. It is most certainly brilliant and more enjoyable to watch than anything you can possibly see at the cinema today.

'Frankenstein' released on this day in 1931

The horror film masterpiece 'Frankenstein' was released by Universal Pictures in the United States 80 years ago today. The film starred Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff (who gave quite a memorable performance as the monster). The film has so much to admire including the screenplay (Francis Edward, Garret Fort), the flawless direction (James Whale) and German Expressionist photography (Arthur Edison), not forgetting the iconic make up by the legendary make-up artist Jack Pierce. It is a film that deserves its accolades and is noted to be one of the few films made with an even more impressive sequel: 'Bride of Frankenstein' (1935).

Hollywood today needs film worthy of Apocalypse Now!

The original version of Francis Ford Coppolla's war classic 'Apocalypse Now' (1979) was went on limited released earlier this year and it is clearly now a film that you would wish Hollywood would have the nerve to make today. 'Apocalypse Now' (and 'Raging Bull' directed by Martin Scorsese and released a year later) marked the end of an era for mainstream Hollywood creativity. The second golden age of cinema had ended leaving a glorious run of great films which were mature and adult. Cinema has now since been dominated by infantile popcorn movies and although a few gems crop up from time to time such as 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981), 'Back to the Future' (1985) and 'Toy Story' (1995), the target audience has become increasingly younger and the movies have become mostly poorly crafted CGI-laden nonsense with no cinematic flair or creativity. Film versions of comic books are the norm now and after watching the recent version of 'Thor', I have lost interest.

For those who still don't know, the story of 'Apocalypse Now' is based on the acclaimed novel 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad and it is set during the Vietnam war. US Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is sent by Colonel Lucas (Harrison Ford) and General Corman (GD Spradlin) to carry out a mission to seek out a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando), whose army has crossed the border into Cambodia and is conducting hit-and-run missions against the Viet Cong and NVA. The army believes Kurtz has gone insane and Willard's job is to kill him!

The making of 'Apocalypse Now' is now the stuff of legend with stories of Martin Sheen's heart attack, the director's suicide threat and Marlon Brando's size now belonging to Hollywood folklore. The sheer scale of the film, the performances, the direction and the screenplay (by John Milius) are simply components that make up this masterpiece. It is common knowledge that movie legends Billy Wilder and Akira Kurosawa adored the film during a test screening. If you have not seen 'Apocalypse Now' yet, get the DVD and watch it on a big screen! You will definitely admire the craftsmanship and the sheer madness of this project! A masterpiece! (Rating: **** An enjoyable epic on a massive scale).

'Sweet Smell of Success' is still sweet after all these years!!!!

After watching the 1957 classic film 'Sweet Smell of Success', you will be even more amazed to learn that the initial reviews for the film were rather mixed. The film is one of those classics that has gained its impressive reputation over time!

The film tells the story of a powerful newspaper columnist who uses his connections to ruin his sister's relationship with a musician he considers inappropriate. Burt Lancaster plays JJ Hunsecker, the intimidating columnist who is expecting Eddie Falco (Tony Curtis) to produce the goods and save his sister (Susan Harrison) from marrying Steve Dallas (Martin Milner).

Hunsecker's obsessive protectiveness of his sister borders on incest and Falco's ability to grovel low to his every whim brings out two new types of cinematic protagonists - two characters whom we should detest with a whim but are fascinating to the core. The early critics got it wrong probably because they could not digest a film containing leads with no morals. However, 'Sweet Smell of Success' has gained stature over the years not just because of the superb performances by the leads, the perfect Clifford Odets/Ernest Lehman script, the taut direction by Alexander McKendrick (formerly of Ealing studios), the classy score by Elmer Bernstein and the stylish photography by James Wong Howe but that the film is simply terrific! Rating: **** (Very entertaining and very stylish. A classic!)

It has been a while!

It has been a while since my last blog but better late than never! I have not lost my passion for classic films that Hollywood and film companies from various other countries have produced over the past century! I have watched many films, have met a wonderful star from the golden era and I have even taught film studies for five years. Although I often complain about the quality of movies today, some interesting films do get made from time to time. I wish that new films are worthy of the masters from the golden age of cinema but it is very difficult for creativity to exist in a film environment where the companies are more worried about losing money than making money! That aside, I hope that everyone can share my passion for cinema regardless of what age you are! Try to avoid watching films on a laptop or a handheld device if you can! There is really only one place to watch a big film - on the big screen!
With many regards, Paul B.

Star Trek - Boldly Gone Where No Star Trek Film Has Gone Before!

This prequel is a chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members is a surprise package of excitement, special effects and imagination. Nobody really expected this film to be such an enjoyable adventure but it could not fail to disappoint. Even the moments when the young Kirk (Chris Pine) goes through a period of certainty before he gets on board the USS Enterprise is enjoyable enough and the film progresses at a relentless pace. Thumbs up for the screenplay, the direction and the faultless casting! A blockbuster that actually delivers!

RATING *** Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Zoe Saldana, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg.
Screenplay: Roberto Orci, Alx Kurtzman
Direction: JJ Abrams

Shall make a bigger effort.....

I hope you had a wonderful St Patrick's Day! I did! Lots of beer and food - and Ireland won the Six Nations Rugby tournament! It has been such a long time since I have posting anything on my blog website. I suppose that there has not been many decent films of interest or maybe I am just using that as an excuse! The recent Indiana Jones film was a disappointment, the major blockbusters have not really been more than average and even the critically acclaimed films have been overrated. I liked 'Slumdog Millionaire' but was it really worth eight Oscars? Anyway, I shall try to continue to add more comments to this website.....

Charlton Heston October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008

Charlton Heston was the first movie star I had ever sen on the big screen. When I was a boy, I watched 'The Ten Commandments' at the local cinema and I was enthralled by the size of the picture. Such movies needed a big man to be the leading star and they do not come much bigger than Heston. His roles in such great films as 'The Big Country' (1958), 'Planet of the Apes' (1968) and my favourite film, 'Ben-Hur' (1959) were startling and memorable. Born John Charles Carter in 1923, I did not care for much of his right-wing politics that he seemed to have adopted later in his life but Heston used to be quite a liberal and a supporter of Martin Luther King. Suffering from Altzeimer's since 2002, Heston's passing is the closing of the door of a great era.

It was thirty years ago today!

It has been thirty years today since I watched Ben-Hur for the first time. It is one of my favourite two films (the other being Roman Holiday) and I have watched it so many times since! I remember the day well. It was a Saturday, January 28th 1978. I watched the film with my brother at the local cinema in Donegal. I can not wait to watch the film again. Read my review 'Ben-Hur'.

Something to look forward to in 2008!

Happy New Year! At long last there is a film to look forward to: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, to be released in May 22nd. Set in 1957, the film stars Harrison Ford as a more mature Indy and Cate Blanchett as the villainous Russian agent Irina Spalko. Here is the new teaser poster!

ENTER 'CAPTAIN BLOOD' - STILL EXCITING AFTER 72 YEARS!

Captain Blood is the archetypal high seas swashbuckler set in the seventeenth century. The film tells the story of an Irish doctor called Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) who is convicted for treason for treating a rebel during Monmouth rebellion and sent as a slave to the Caribbean, only to be bought by the colonel's niece, Arabella (Olivia De Havilland). However, Peter Blood and his fellow slaves manage to escape. They steal a Spanish ship and sail the seas as pirates!

The film was released in 1935 and was hugely successful but Warner Brothers chief Jack Warner and chief executive Hal B. Wallis had taken a huge risk in hiring the then-unknown Errol Flynn. This was his debut lead performance and he is quite outstanding as the wronged doctor. Flynn became an overnight sensation but it must be remembered that the film provides many other pleasures too! Despite being modestly produced, the film is superbly directed by the Hungarian-American Michael Curtiz with all his unusual camera angles, shadows, camera movement and subjective camera styles very much in evidence from the beginning. The film is also noted for the stirring score by the highly acclaimed Erich Wolfgang Korngold whose career with Warner Brothers and Errol Flynn went from strength to strength, peaking at the inspirational score for The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

Along with Flynn, the performances from the cast are outstanding, most notably from Basil Rathbone as evil French Pirate Levasseur and Olivia De Havilland (in her her first major role) as Arabella. Lionel Atwill is convincing as the sinister Colonel Bishop and so is Ross Alexander as Blood's friend Jeremy Pitt. Alexander's performance seems more touching when we learn that he was a troubled soul who committed suicide shortly after the release of the film.

The screenplay is expertly written by Casey Robinson (based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini), Captain Blood is no history lesson but pure classic Hollywood entertainment! RATING ****

'Portait of Jennie' is unforgettable!

Portrait of Jennie (1948) is a fantasy story about a struggling artist in the depression-hit New York who meets a young girl in old fashioned clothing. He begins to draw a portrait of her from his memory but each time he meets this mysterious girl, she is clearly a few years older. The artist begins to realise that the girl had lived many years before and he is confused to why she is here now. But he is so much in love with the girl...
Although not accepted by the critics at the time, Portrait of Jennie is now regarded as a classic. It boasts another fine performance from Joseph Cotten, who plays the role of Edem Adams, the struggling artist, with a lot of sensitivity and even a sense of loneliness. The talented and beautiful Jennifer Jones is enchanting as well as quite haunting as the mysterious Jennie Appleton! What is also remarkable about this film is Dimitri Tiomkin's use of themes from Debussy in his score and the atmospheric cinematography by Joseph August. It is also finely directed by William Dieterle. Although a black and white film for the most part, the producer (David O' Selznick, who had produced Gone With The Wind almost ten years earlier) added a tinted colour sequence near the end of the film and the final shot is shown in technicolor. Portrait of Jennie is only one of the first films to have no title sequences at the beginning.

Although the narrative does not always flow smoothly, Portrait of Jennie is a haunting, beautiful and compelling film. Unique and completely unforgettable! RATING ****

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmtN8aG3zQ

'The Ghost and Mrs Muir' to be shown again on the big screen!

The heart-warming comedy The Ghost and Mrs Muir (1947) will be shown at the National Film Theatre in London during December. This atmospheric and romantic film stars Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. It is one of my personal favourite films which I am sure will delight my fellow classic film enthusiasts.

The best Dracula to get your teeth into!!!!!!

Dracula (1958), otherwise known as Horror of Dracula (for US Audiences) begins with a narration from the diary of Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen), who arrives at Castle Dracula at the latter part of the 19th century with the purpose of killing the evil Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). After being bitten by a vampire, Harker succumbs to Dracula's power. He knows that he himself is cursed to walk the earth eternally as a member of the "undead". His only hope is that someone will find his diary and do whatever is necessary to release his soul and to get rid of this evil man.Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) arrives at a nearby inn to find out what happened to Harker and a trip to Castle Dracula awaits him. Can Van Helsing achieve what Harker failed to do?
This is easily the best version of Dracula ever filmed. It began a commercially successful series of Dracula films for the British Hammer studios and made the relatively unknown lead stars into household names. This is also the first Dracula film to be shot in colour, with added blood and an element of sexual overtones which shocked critics when the film was originally released. Dracula may not look so shocking now but it is still compelling entertainment. Despite a modest budget, the film often looks sensational and a unique gothic look. Despite the odd dated moment, there is much to enjoy. The film has colourful set designs, an absorbing screenplay by Jimmy Sangster, a wonderful satanic score by James Bernard and brilliant direction by Terence Fisher (who had a real eye for visual set-pieces). To top all of this, the performances from Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are truly striking which helps makes this Hammer film stand out as a horror movie to savour. RATING ****

(In order to celebrate the fifty years since the release of the film, a digitally re-mastered version of Dracula has been re-released and shown at selected cinemas during November 2007)

Classy 'Ninotchka' works on every level!

"Garbo Laughs!" That was the tag on the initial release poster for Ninotchka in 1939. The film begins with three Russians (Sig Ruman, Felix Bressart and Alexander Granach) who are in Paris to sell Jewelry that was taken from the aristocracy during the Russian Revolution of 1917. They meet Count Leon D'Algout (Melvyn Douglas) who is working for a Russian Grand Duchess who wants to retrieve her jewelry.The Russians send their cold-spoken envoy, Nina Yakushova (Garbo), to sell the jewelry and to bring the three men back to the USSR. However, Nina slowly becomes seduced by the west....

A wonderful comedy directed by arguably Hollywood's most sophisticated director, Ernest Lubitsch. The film is also remembered as being the breakthrough success for the legendary Billy Wilder who along with Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch, wrote the sparking screenplay. The performances are sublime too, especially from Garbo. Utterly memorable! RATING ***

MOVIES TODAY DO NOT KNOW WHEN TO FINISH!

Spider-Man 3 was a resounding box-office success which was even more profitable than the successful and critically-acclaimed Spider-Man 2. The success of this franchise is almost guaranteed courtesy of the Spider-Man brand name. So why does the writer/director (Sam Raimi) play it safe by supplying an ending that is clearly too long! Without fear of spoiling the plot, there is a moment when the leads are on a building with a sunset in the background - this would have been an apt time to finish the tale!

In a Hollywood system where studios' executives are so worried about losing money, it may be understandable for them to approach the safe route and produce a film that is formulaic so that they can make a profit in the first week of release. However, Spider-Man 3 was such a highly-anticipated film that surely it's profits were assured. So the creators decision to be produce yet another predictable and over-long ending is truly baffling!

What is so annoying about Spider-Man 3 is that it is not a bad film. It is just that it could have been so much better. However, Spider-Man 3 is just another example of the powers-at-be in Hollywood being more worried about losing money and ever-more responsive to the reaction of test audiences rather than break the formula so to create an ending that makes the film a lot more memorable.

We have witnessed loads of these films which could have been better over the past ten or fifteen years or so. One notable example is the 2000 Steven Spielberg movie AI: Artificial Intelligence. This film is clearly 20 to 40 minutes overlong that even the die-hard Spielberg fans were looking at their watches before long. The critics were quick to seize on the over-sentimentalised and overlong ending. But what was really sickening about AI: Artificial Intelligence was that the film had begun so well and had the makings of being a modern classic. This was one of those films that the late great Stanley Kubrick wanted to be involved in. So what really is going on?

It is quite simple. The tail is wagging the dog and therefore the creative elements in Hollywood needs to stand up to be counted. I do not know how this is going to happen but as I have asked my film Studies students if they thought that Casablanca would have been as effective had Rick given a "hill of beans" or if they thought that Gone With The Wind would have been as memorable if Rhett Butler had given a damn. Such great endings do not always give the audiences what they really want but by doing just that they often make the movies into gems that will never be forgotten. So let's hope for better endings - and even I have clearly outstayed my welcome already!
Spider-Man 3 RATING: *

'Ratatouille' is simply a delicious movie!

In the new animated Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille, Remy is an unusual rat. His father, brother and the other scavengers eat just about anything to survive but Remy is different. He has a gourmet sense of smell and prefers food that is refined and cultured. He has learned his specialised cooking skills by watching Auguste Gusteau's cookery television programme on the television at an old woman's house where his colony of rats live. After watching that his hero Gusteau has just died following the severe criticism of his restaurant by evil food critic Anton Ego, the colony of rats are found by the old woman, who then tries to shoot them. They escape but only to lose Remy on the way. Remy finds his way to Gusteau's restaurant in Paris and it is by the vision of Gusteau who inspires him to help a talentless rubbish cleaner Linguini, who has no cooking talents, to become a gourmet genius. However, the former sous-chef, Skinner is in charge and does not warm to Linguini and needless to say that the evil Anton Ego, whose reviews had destroyed Gusteau's life, is due for a re-visit in the near future.

Ratatouille is a wonderful return to form by Disney and Pixar. Written and directed by Brad Bird (of The Incredibles), the film is witty and stylish,which keeps the attention of the viewer throughout. The visuals are simply amazing and even the rats look cute, despite not looking that much different to real rats! The vocal performances are striking especially from Patton Oswald (Remy), Peter Sohn (Emile), Janane Garfalo (Colette), Ian Holm (Skinner), Brian Dennehy (Django), Brad Garrett (Auguste Gusteau) and Lou Romano (Alfredo Linguini). However it is Peter O'Toole's sinister performance as the creepy Anton Ego that is the scene stealer in the movie! The performances are a major ingredient in what is a meaty and spicy film that will swallow loads of awards - including Oscars! Enjoy! RATING ***

BEN-HUR: SIMPLY MY FAVOURITE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE!

Ben-Hur (1959) has always been one of my two favourite films, along with Roman Holiday (1953), both of which were directed by veteran director William Wyler. The story is set in Judea during the time of Jesus Christ when the Roman Empire was in the ascendancy. The film focuses on Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a Jewish nobleman who greets the arrival his old Roman childhood friend, Messala (Stephen Boyd) who is now in command of the local Roman garrison. Messala lets Judah know that more legions of Romans will be arriving in Judea very shortly but he promises Judah that he and his family will be saved.

After meeting Judah's mother (Martha Scott) and sister (Mary O'Donnell) at the house of Hur, Messala's real intentions become known. He tries to force Judah to name any Jewish "troublemakers" to him so that they will be punished. Judah angrily refuses Messala's request and after an angry exchange of words, Messala gives Judah a straight forward ultimatum that he is either FOR him or AGAINST him. Judah's response is "if that is the choice, then I am AGAINST YOU!" Messala leaves Judah's house in disgust.
Later Judah and his sister overlooks the welcoming parade for the new Roman governor from the rooftop of their house but a broken brick becomes dislodged and falls off, barely missing the governor. Despite knowing that Judah and his mother and sister are innocent, Messala decides to arrest them anyway. Judah's family are a powerful Jewish family and Messala uses this moment to make an example of them. He sends Judah's mother and sister to prison and sends Judah to the galleys, without even a trial. Judah does get a chance to make one promise to Messala just before he is dragged away by the Roman soldiers: "God grant me vengence that you will live when I return!" The adventure for justice begins....

Ben-Hur was an exceptionally expensive production made for a then-unheard figure of $15 million. The production required 200 sets scattered over 340 acres (or 1.4 km²).

The original silent version of Ben-Hur was made in 1925 on an expensive budget and was a huge gamble for the new MGM studios but the final result was a critical and commercial success. Once again, the 1959 version was a huge gamble made by MGM to save itself from bankruptcy which did pay off, earning a then-huge figure of $75 million. However, the producer of the movie, Sam Zimbalist, suffered a fatal heart attack during production which many colleagues believe was due to the stresses of making such a hugely important picture.

The film delivers. It is a visually a gigantic epic, filmed in a process called MGM Camera 65, with an aspect ratio of 2.76:1 which is one of the widest prints ever made. The width is almost three times its height. The amazing music opus by Hungarian-born film composer Miklós Rózsa is truly epic and the overall production is amazing to behold. Although the set pieces such as the sea battle are well-staged, it is the memorable chariot race that is the highlight of the film. The chariot race took over three months to complete, using 8000 extras on the largest film set ever built. Although filmed in the days long before computer generated images, the chariot race is still extremely enjoyable and even by today's standards, it is considered by most critics as one of the most exciting action sequences ever filmed.

Charlton Heston is convincing as the downtrodden Judah Ben-Hur and deservedly won an Academy Award for this performance. Irish actor Stephen Boyd plays the evil Messala with a perfect measure of venom and camp that suits the character. He was awarded the Golden Globe that year. The other actors such as Jack Hawkins (Quintus Arrius), Hugh Griffith (Sheik Illderim), Haya Harareet (Esther), Sam Jaffe (Simonides) and Finlay Currie (Balthasar) provide sensitive performances. The screenplay is credited as written by Karl Tunberg, but it seems certain that he had written the original draft before it was re-written by Gore Vidal and Christopher Fry. This was a contentious point but Charlton Heston paid tribute to Fry's contribution during his Best Actor Academy Award acceptance speech.

Ben-Hur was expertly directed by William Wyler and co-directed by Andrew Marton who played an enormous part in the filming of the amazing chariot race. The film went on to win eleven Oscars including Best Picture, a record that was only equalled recently by 'Titanic' (1997) and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003).

Ben-Hur is without question the film in which other epics are measured by. It is not without flaws but they are really so few. In the recent four-disc DVD edition there is a unique documentary included entitled 'Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema' with current filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and George Lucas discusses the importance and influence of the film.

In regards to me, I remember watching Ben-Hur all those years back at the old Scala Cinema in Letterkenny. I was taken away by the experience and I have not recovered since. I love Ben-Hur so much and along with Roman Holiday, this is my favourite moment in film history! I have seen the film so many times already but I look forward to watching it again and again! RATING ****

Wendie's favourite films - for the moment!!!!!

I have known my dear friend Wendie from Arizona for almost 7 years now and I still haven't got the slightest clue about what films she likes! So her comments will be news to me!
Well, I've been thinking of my top 10 movies all week; and I am not that good at performing this task because I keep changing my favorite movies. I like:
1. The Crow with Brandon Lee
2. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (A stupid, cheesy flick that made me afraid of clowns as a child, but always brings a smile to my face.)
3. Knocked Up (I've seen this one 3 times in the theatres. I just bought the dvd, and the deleted scenes are hilarious!)
4. American Beauty (I hated this movie the first time I watched it. The ending is quite beautiful.)
5. Sideways (b/c I've always appreciated real-life situations, although too depressing for some)
6?. There's some romantic wine movies out there, but I've forgotten the titles.
7. Waking Life (b/c it's deeply philosophical and intellectual)
8. Boondock Saints (b/c it's awesome!)
9. Amelie (b/c it's sweet)
10. What the Bleep do we Know? (intellectual)
11. Harry Potter (Who doesn't like HP?)

Another enjoyable trip on the River Thames!

This is me on the river Thames in August with the famous landmark called "Monument" standing right behind me! Monument was built to commemorate the great fire of London and it is a 61-metre (202-foot) tall stone Roman doric column, near to the northern end of London Bridge. It is located at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, from where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. The guide on the tour mentioned film references on this boat trip including where Michael Caine worked (real name Maurice Micklewhite) in Billingsgate Fish Market before he became a world famous actor.

My two favourite films of all time to be reviewed shortly!

My two favourite films of all time are 'Ben-Hur' (1959) and 'Roman Holiday' (1953). I remember watching 'Ben-Hur' on the big screen during it's last run before it was shown on television and I loved watching it so much. I still do. I remember watching 'Roman Holiday' on TV on a Sunday night when I was a young boy and then on January 1988. To think that on September of that year I was so lucky to have met the lead actress, Audrey Hepburn. I have so many reasons to love these wonderful films and I can not wait to share them with you in the very near future.