Tuesday, 18 August 2015
New acquisition: The Evil Dead (1981)
Last time saw The Evil Dead was 1981; afterwards it was banned in Germany. In the early 90s the German court for consitutional issues reversed the ban, and we played it as one of the first in our cinema, but I didn't really watch at the time. So, now I'd like to see it again finally.
Sunday, 16 August 2015
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
A senator, who became famous for killing a notorious outlaw, returns for the funeral of an old friend and tells the truth about his deed.
Much-loved classic Western with a dream cast that leisurely spins a tale self-reflecting the genre and its political implications.
Halliwell***: "Clumsy, obvious Western with the director over-indulging himself but providing some good scenes in comedy vein."
Maltin****: "Panned and patronized upon original release, but now regarded as an American classic; one of the great Westerns."
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
When a man begins to shrink because of exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide, medical science is powerless to help him.
Magnificent sci-fi classic manages to create an existentialist drama out of a simple story with some very memorable scenes and a now famous closing monologue.
Halliwell*: "Horrifyingly inevitable sci-fi with imaginative touches gracing a cheap production."
Maltin***1/2: "Intelligent, serious approach, exceptional effects for the period, and a vigorous leading performance result in a genuine sci-fi classic, unsurpassed by later attempts."
You and Me (1938)
An altruistic department-store owner hires ex-convicts in order to give them a second chance at life, and one of them marries a co-worker, unaware she's on parole.
Strange mixture of romance, crime drama, comedy and musical (music by Kurt Weill!) does show Fritz Lang's signature moments and some great Noir photography, but simply doesn't add up to a convincing story; and George Raft seems at loss cast as a good-guy ex-convict.
Halliwell (no star): "Curious comedy drama which never has a hope of coming off."
Friday, 14 August 2015
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