The Fury (1978)

 

A former CIA agent uses the talents of a young psychic to help retrieve his telekinetic son from terrorists, who want to use his mental powers for evil.

From memory: Although the supernatural story doesn't quite convince or make much sense, for that matter, this thriller is fast-paced and exciting and offers some quite spectacular set pieces.

Halliwell*: "Flashy, kaleidoscopic nonsense which never even begins to make sense but is used as the basis for the director's showing-off, which is occasionally worth a glance for those with hardened stomachs."

Maltin***: "Stylish trash...Bloody and violent - the ultimate litmus test for those who prefer form over content." 

 

The Story of Three Loves (1953)

Paths of Glory (1957)

On the set: Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

A man is reunited with his childhood friend and her husband, who believe he knows the truth about the death of her rich aunt years earlier.

High-pitched melodrama with Noir elements takes its intricate plot to its bitter ending; the star cast make it work.

On rewatching: Indeed a pretty good Noir melodrama with a superb cast.

Halliwell**: "Irresistible star melodrama which leaves no stone unturned; compulsive entertainment of the old school."

Maltin***: "Gripping melodrama..."

Home Movies (1979)

A cult guru urges a shy disciple to make life a movie and be its star.

Ostensibly made by director De Palma as an exercise with his film students this is a haphazard satire with some neat cinematic ideas and a lot of hit-and-miss humor.

Maltin*1/2: "Flaky farce reminiscent of De Palma's early work...Original in concept but tiresome in execution, although nobody eats a hamburger like Allen."

Ulisse (1954)

Ulysses' efforts to return to his home after the end of ten years of war.

Homer's epic trickled down to an adventure suitable for a younger audience; neverthless, quite entertaining.

Halliwell*: "Peripathetic adventure yarn not too far after Homer; narrative style uncertain but highlights good."

Maltin**: "Hokey, lumbering costumer..."

Man Without a Star (1955)

A drifter working as foreman for an iron-fist female rancher must chose sides between his attractive employer and the other neighboring settlers who are mistreated by her.

Above-average Western with some complex plot development; as so often, Kirk Douglas carries the show.

Halliwell*: "Conventional but entertaining star Western."

Maltin***: "Boisterous Western..." 

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

A man is reunited with his childhood friend and her husband, who believe he knows the truth about the death of her rich aunt years earlier.

High-pitched melodrama with Noir elements takes its intricate plot to its bitter ending; the star cast make it work.

Halliwell**: "Irresistible star melodrama which leaves no stone unturned; compulsive entertainment of the old school."

Maltin***: "Gripping melodrama..."

Spartacus (1960)

On the set: Stanley Kubrick and Kirk Douglas

The Last Sunset (1961)

At a Mexican ranch, fugitive and pursuing sheriff agree to help rancher drive his herd into Texas where the sheriff could legally arrest the fugitive but the rancher's wife complicates things.

Unusual larger-than-life Western melodrama compels with a complex plot and psychological depth.

Halliwell (no star): "Slow psycho-Western with pretensions to tragedy."

Maltin***: "Strange on the range, courtesy of Aldrich and scriptwriter Dalton Trumbo."

Kirk Douglas

New aquisition: Paths of Glory (1957)

One of the movies not in my Stanley Kubrick box set.

The Final Countdown (1980)

A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

On the surface a silly time-travel story wasting talent and presenting bad special effects; in reality it's a commercial for the U.S. Navy.

Halliwell*: "Quite an enjoyable bit of schoolboy science fiction, but containing no more body than an episode of Twilight Zone. The ending, as so often, is impenetrable."

Maltin***: "Familiar but satisfying fantasy yarn; perfect TV fare although better viewed in widescreen."

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

A letter is addressed to three wives from their "best friend", announcing that she is running away with one of their husbands: but she does not say which one.

I Walk Alone (1948)

A convict leaves prison expecting a share from his ex-partner but Prohibition bootlegging didn't prepare him for Big Business.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.