Invaders form mars

Invaders form mars review

William Cameron Menzies’ frightening portrayal of a Martian menace is blessed with his own fantastic production design, brilliantly weaving a world from a child’s perspective as this fun b-movie is fades form memory as i review this movie also the 1986 remake as also i do a modern remake of it with mar’s attacks all three movies really are the mar’s invading us idea given to us in each a differnt way as the 1950’s era was a ripe era for scfi b-movie as such given on on the Forbidden Planet DVD we see watch the skies which talks about how it was about the fears of the time. So i begin b-movie month with my frist b-movie review of this month.

Invaders from Mars has a simple setup, but is executed with such precision and strong performances that it goes above and beyond the expected alien invader scenario as the simple story is really such a deeper story beyond the core simple idea of aliens landing to invade our planet. a young boy named David. When he wakes the next day he notices that his father has a wound on his neck and is acting strange. After noticing the same mark on other townsfolk he realises that they’ve been taken over by Martians. He then has to try and convince the local authorities of his inherently outlandish tale and put a stop to the menacing Martians but its so much fun to watch it unfold on screen with such wonderful performances as we see it form a child’s outlook of the invasion of mars. It really plays on the fears of the 1950’s as we see this movie play upon the fear of the other which was a common idea for this era of movie. 

Low angles make adults appear as giants, while the mutant Martians seem even more imposing and a multitude of adept tracking shots bring the whole thing to vivid, alarming life, due in no small part to John F. Seitz’ wonderful cinematography. Even the production design becomes more nightmarish as it goes on (again by Menzies himself who had a long and successful career in that area with films like Gone With The Wind), where innocuous locations like the rooms of David’s house and the trees behind it gradually become more alien. It’s not just the alien menace or the humans in their control, the very world around him is threatening now. It’s that dreamlike quality that really sets Invaders From Mars apart. That unearthly green glow that bathes the Martian spaceship, the newly twisted and warped trees that surround it, the malevolent but ethereal sound design as the aliens capture new victims, it all feels like one big hallucination or nightmare, a hazy fever dream of the end of the world as this mvoie showcases some of the best of the b-movie of this era as its a fun classic you will enjoy so much to watch unfold on the screen.

Invaders From Mars (1986) remake review

Tobe Hooper’s Invaders from Mars is  A remake of William Cameron Menzies’ 1953 science-fiction/horror classic which was scary remake of it i might add as this movie really pumps up the horror of the aliens to 11 as tobe takes the helm to give us a very wonderful spin upon the classic story of that orginal movie. The film focuses on David Gardner (Hunter Carson) a young boy who’s become convinced he’s seen a alien spaceship land in the sand pit behind his house which the cops do not believe as many others dont at frist as the case when people start changing to aliens we begin see them acting differntly then before. 

The remake stars Hunter Carson (son of filmmaker L.M. Kit Carson and actress Karen Black) as the boy, David Gardner, who begins to suspect something’s wrong with his folks when he sees his mom (Laraine Newman) consuming heavily salted raw hamburger, and his dad (Timothy Bottoms) swilling down scalding hot coffee laced with a fistful of saccharine tablets. When David notices his science teacher Mrs. McKeltch (Louise Fletcher) is even testier than usual, and that she’s sporting the same bandage on the back of her neck as his parents, he confesses his suspicions to the school nurse, Linda Magnusson (played by Black). Soon, the two of them are exploring an fantastic underground lair/spacecraft, populated by gangly, toothy creatures and a tentacled brain known as The Supreme Intelligence.

Tobe Hooper’s Invaders From Mars is an anomaly among the 1980’s remakes of 1950’s B-Movie Horrors because it doesn’t attempt to make its source material frightening for a later era so much as it is interested in recreating the feeling of watching those films in the 50’s, with all the attendant creepiness and paranoia. Invaders From Mars uses the best available talent (Dan O’Bannon, John Dykstra and Stan Winston among them) to make an intentionally artificial out-of-time world, where everything seems not so much fake as it does made. This is a world not of our own, but made from and out of Sci-Fi Schlock of old. That Hooper turns around and makes the subtexural threat not communism but the return of 1950’s America, a return to rigid, bland conformity, a counter-revolution against the liberation movements of the 1960’s, the promised land of the Reagan Revolution as this movie as shows how the flaws of this era of idealism was such a flawed notion of returning back to this era. this is Hooper’s own response and follow-up to Poltergeist, a dark revisiting of the suburban nuclear family wherein the danger comes from both without and within, that it could infect your family, infect educational institutions, infect the military and the police, infect lines of communication, that it could infect you. That was what it felt like to be a kid in the 1980’s, where you could revolt into an uncaring void or attempt to hide and wait it out and hope that nuclear annihilation did not rain from the skies or get accidentally unleashed at home. Invaders From Mars, by really knowing and inhabiting the 1950’s Moviescape as this movie is simply a classic movie.

Mars Attacks! review(remake of invaders form mars as much making fun of those movies)

Mars Attacks! is Tim Burton’s love letter to all of the b-movie sci-fi flicks that were littered throughout the fifties. Having already honored the cult filmmakers of the period with Ed Wood but this love letter is also in part a remake of invaders form mars but in a very modern way that is used to mock that notion in a way.  

One of those movies is Mars Attacks! This crazy invasion story is possible one of Burton’s underrated and unseen gems that literally owned my television back in the nineties. Starring a weird collection of stars, as you can imagine, it centres on, well, Mars attacking. Obviously centred mainly in America, this bobble headed aliens come to take over and Earth finds itself having to defend as the movie as much a love letter to the 1950’s b movie as much making fun of it.  Supposedly a parody of Alien invasion movies, Tim Burton’s insane spoof is much more than that, it’s an homage. Sending up the likes of It Came From Outer Space and more, Mars Attacks! sublimely tackles the visual inaccuracies of science fiction fare and blows them up on a larger scale. The comedy not only comes from the mockery, but from Burton’s crazed mind teaming with Jonathon Gems to create a film that works on its own hyperactivity, ballsiness, and dark humour that crafts out such a fun b-movie gem of its own. What’s more Burton added a star studded event and catapulted Mars Attacks! into this oddly surreal movie. A film that sees Pierce Brosnan, Jack Black, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Natalie Portman. and many more all striving to survive this humanity ridding ghouls is ridiculous in itself. Not to mention that Jack Nicholson plays the President (and a sleazy rodeo business man in Last Vegas,) what more could you ask for? The cast is hilariously huge, which adds much to the spectacle. It’s more of a bonus that 99% of the characters are heinously unlikeable so watching them meet the impending doom is undeniably satisfying as i feel this b-movie classic should b watched upon repeat often upon the screen as i find joy watching this movie mock so many of the movies i adore watching often form the 1950’s as i hope you enjoyed my frist review of b-movie month.

Face-Hugging Dreams of Breathing: Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien

Face-Hugging Dreams of Breathing: Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien

Visionary and terrifying, Ridley Scott’s Alien hybridized the horror and science-fiction genres in 1979 to effectively launch a new subgenre, and countless clones have since borrowed from its DNA. Space-aged operatics and laser battles have no place in this imaginatively designed film, whose mounting tension still contains fearsome intensity and whose visual ambitions still evoke awe. Scott’s artistry still amazes us even some 41 years later as this year as you see this movie showcases a new style of scfi flim that would be copied by so many movies.

H.R. Giger’s alien design’s in alien really showcase many of alien movie’s amazing style and look for its dark and creepy world. Of course, Alien was not the first film about a killer creature from space, nor was it the first haunted house-type story in which characters are hunted down and systematically slaughtered, nor would it be the last. Screenwriter Dan O’Bannon later admitted, “I didn’t steal Alien from anybody. I stole it from everybody!” From the radio beacon of unknown origin in Forbidden Planet (1956) to the escalating alien scares in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) to the claustrophobic setting of The Thing from Another World (1951), the film is not without its influences all would make this classic gem into something that takes form past of movies yet setups dna for future movies. 

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Floating in the silence of space, inside the Nostromo lights flicker on and computers scroll incoming transmissions. The crew of seven is awakened from their hyper-sleep as many of the shots of this movie is shot so wonderfully by scott’s wonderful handy cam work that captures dark and creepy world of alien. Scott’s technique lends Alien distinction amid its respective genres at the time; rather than have the alien leap at the viewer from the start, he builds suspense through a meticulously controlled intensification of anxiety. Take the sound design and the careful juxtaposition of agonizing, dominating silence and jarring bursts of audible terror. The Nostromo’s crew moves about the quiet ship in virtual silence, their dialogue limited at first. 

Scott’s technique lends Alien distinction amid its respective genres at the time; rather than have the alien leap at the viewer from the start, he builds suspense through a meticulously controlled intensification of anxiety.Scott’s moody treatment of the plot is counterbalanced by his talented ensemble, who gives the film an unmistakable human dimension in the coldness of space. Wage slaves all, the Nostromo’s crewmembers behave like interstellar working stiffs, led by their mellow captain, Dallas (Tom Skerritt). Second in command is the good-humored Kane (John Hurt), host to the alien organism. Next in line is warrant officer Ripley, who tries to quarantine Kane, but her adherence to protocol is defied by the icy science officer, Ash (Ian Holm), who allows Kane onboard. On the sidelines and informing the audience’s reactions are edgy navigator Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), and maintenance men Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), who quibble tirelessly about getting paid less than their fellow crew members. Most impressive is that the youngest actor among them is Cartwright at 29. If Alien were made today by another filmmaker, it may have been populated by the time’s youngest and hottest stars. Scott’s intention, however, was to find a cast that could bring natural performances to an unnatural setting.

Beyond the excruciating tension, what remains so haunting about the film is how little it tells us about the alien, its origins, life cycle, and even its physical makeup. Its metamorphosis from parasite Facehugger to embryo Chestbuster to predatory Alien attacks its victims on multiple levels. In one way, it acts like a disease, invading the body and destroying from within. In another very suggestive way, it penetrates the body both in its parasitic and predatory forms. As Ash observes, “A perfect organism of steer horror that really will scare you as the alien is a creepy monster of terror as its lack of humanity it envokes anytime on the screen. The way the Facehugger implants its embryo recalls ichneumon wasps who lay their eggs on or inside their prey, while the alien’s tongue-like Pharyngeal jaws emerge from its mouth and call to mind a Moray eel that invokes many of the artwork of iger’s original illustrations to the screen in such a surreal and creepy manner.

the producers’ original decision to cast Cartwright as Ripley. This last-minute choice became a fateful one for Weaver, whose career has been long-associated with the Alien franchise, having appeared in four entries through 1997. More significantly, though, Weaver’s initial presence as an iron-willed heroine afforded audiences a tough and noble hero, whose femininity was downplayed but not altogether absent. For decades, Weaver would be the only actress in Hollywood who could headline an action film, while her dramatic and genre work remained steady: she played an ironic damsel in the Ghostbusters series, earned two Oscar nominations in 1988 playing Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist and a relentless business executive in Working Girl, explored arthouse drama with Roman Polanski’s Death and the Maiden (1997) and Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm (1997), and remains forever linked to the science-fiction and horror genres since this breakthrough performance. One of the great pleasures of watching Alien is witnessing Weaver grow into a star right before our eyes as she gives out such a marvelous performance as such of her performance is a breakout in this movie.

Much has changed about the science-fiction and horror genres in the thirty years since Alien’s release as a flim like alien would be revealing so many details earlier as also cast younger stars to play the key roles in its wonderful cast. Alien is a profoundly influential work and a lasting classic. The risks taken by this film make it a rarity, while its methods yield a paradigmatic specimen whose combination of genre thrills, bound by great artistry and innovation, have yet to be bested by imitators that still lasts the test of time. 

Sullivan’s Travels

Today I talk about Sullivan’s Travels which is frankly one of my favorite movies all time for the The Celluloid Road Trip Blogathon hosted by Hometowns to Hollywood as this wonderful classic story stands the test of time as ohn L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), convinced he won’t be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey as this classic tale lasts test of time i choose review it today.

Sullivan’s Travels Review

The idea of walking in someone else’s shoes in order to truly understand their point of view has been stated in many elegant ways has been told many times over in movies yet this tale hasnt been told so effectly as this classic tale. The idea of the artist taking a road road trip to better understand the sufferings of others simply works here. “I’m going out on the road to find out what it’s like to be poor and needy and then I’m going to make a picture about it … I’m doing it for the poor. Don’t you understand? … I doubt if they would appreciate it, sir. They rather resent the invasion of their privacy. Echoing Gulliver’s Travels, this is ‘prime’ Preston Sturges and more of a social satire than a comedy with its barbs aimed squarely at Hollywood; a film depicting the chance encounters and experiences of a movie director as he raids the wardrobe department to disguise himself as a hobo before travelling around the country with a down-on-her-luck starlet and a studio entourage, looking for the kind of material which can be turned into a ‘meaningful’ movie he will call ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’.

The classic film Sullivan’s Travels brings to mind some provocative questions on who should be able to tell certain kinds of stories. I have often heard the perspective from some members of the film criticism community, that they sometimes devalue films instantly if the experience being captured does not come from an artist of that same background. In some cases, you may feel this way because you are apart of the group the story is about, and you did not feel like the film authentically spoke to your experience. Of course, there are no right or wrong answers here, because everyone’s opinion is going to be unique on it.

With all that being said, Sullivan’s Travels tells the story of what a comedy movie Director comes to discover about the struggles of the poor, while working to prepare a film he feels would be of significance on the topic. Sullivan’s Travels was both an entertaining and provocative look into this idea of Hollywood’s innate inability to truly understand the hardships of the poverty-stricken and working class as we see it wonderfully crafted by the wonderful Preston Sturges with wonderful acting by its two wonderful stars of Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake as fun-fact about them too they didnt get along at all but give out such a wonderful performances on screen as the splendid Sturges stock company of character actors, this picture is often hilarious and has a moment or two of real poignancy; the comic sequences may prevail but the lessons learnt will remain with you as this movie will remain with you fro ages to come.

The Mysterious House of Usher

The Mysterious House of Usher

I was little boy when I first saw a Vincent Price i sitll think he is one of the greatest horror actors all time. He truly had such a charm to him. House on Haunted Hill was the the movie i saw as my frist movie of his horror movies. So i am begining halloween month with The Mysterious House of Usher for a horror movie review.It is truly something I feel embodies the classic gothic horror that is a big part of the genre. So lets begin the review.

The Fall of the House of Usher/House of Usher  (1960) review

The Fall of the House of Usher/House of Usher was the first of seven (eight, if you want to count The Haunted Palace) films that Roger Corman directed for American International Pictures, based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. It is one of best entries in the series to my eyes. Roger Corman’s brilliant adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling tale is one of the greatest achievements in cinematic horror that does really stand test of time. It is hard to pick a best Roger Corman Poe movie. Vincent Price turns in one of of his finest performances he ever did on the screen in this horror classic but he always amazes in any movie anyway.

Madness on flim really is such a tricky thing at times to have on screen without it being silly. It’s at this point that I must mention one of Corman’s creative collaborators composer Les Baxter really makes such a wonderful soundtrack. The magical charm of this film is its wonderful acting by its cast. It is something about them they bring to life the wonderful gothic tale of Edgar Allan Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher is a terrific example of Roger Corman’s ever widening circle of gothic, directorial accomplishment. That it stays faithful to the darker tones of its source material but has some of its own way to it too. If The Raven was a delicious farce trading on how easily camp follows theatricality, Usher is something very different, something genuinely creepy and despite the modest claims of its director, it’s very effective that really underlines the magical charm of the orginal tale yet giving way to something totally new.

The perennial 1960s American Gothic setting, and a mood-board for spooky, autumnal vibes. The Usher mansion itself beings a monument to the fissures of familial desolation, from mental illness to egomania and the lingering, perpetual stench of Death rising from the crypt. Probably Roger Corman’s most tasteful Poe adaptation, and so assured that its moments of dreamy color and swift action are both visceral and psychological. When Vincent Price is on screen, nothing else matters, even as he is only one harrowing piece of a larger atmospheric tapestry that will set out to really make you watch the movie no matter what. Everything is personified in Vincent Price’s melodramatic portrayal of lead character Roderick that i feel you will simply enjoy to watch from start to finish. The film is short and sweet at eighty minutes but really makes best use of all of this time but it makes very good use of its time. You simply must see this classic movie today. Needless to say, it’s easy to understand why House Of Usher (also known as The Mysterious House Of Usher or The Fall Of The House Of Usher) stands out as a high mark in Roger Corman’s filmography. It’s a delightful horror picture that will tantalize and terrify while it spirals us headfirst into madness that you must see today I will be revisiting more of these poe movies soon this month. So I may review them all. I hope you join me for them.

Studio Ghibl Pure Imagination

Studio Ghibl Pure Imagination

For decades, Studio Ghibli has broken mold after mold of what we expect films for kids to be.The Japanese animation house founded by the filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki has spent 35 years telling winding, complex stories that stretch the bounds of what animation can do. In one, a treacherous battle rages between humans and the deities of a forest fighting to maintain the balance of nature. Another tale pits sorcerers against each other and questions the supernatural ethics of using magic in warfare. And one story opens up a transcendent and terrifying spirit world, in a work heralded by New York Times critics as one of the best films of the 21st century. as you can now watch these classic movies on hbo max. they are some amazing animated gems.I would call them the walt disney of the east. they make some of the best fantasy movies all time. 

Born in 1941, Hayao Miyazaki was a child of war: His father manufactured parts for war planes, and to avoid bombing, his family had to relocate to a new city not once, but twice. Miyazaki started out as a manga artist, learning from innovators like Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Black Jack, Kimba the White Lion), but his focus on animation drew him to the industry straight out of college. Hired to do laborious grunt work at the well-established studio Toei Animation, Miyazaki threw himself into his art and gradually moved up the ranks to become a chief animator and storyboard artist.While Miyazaki was strongly influenced by popular manga artists and animators, Takahata was heavily influenced by the French New Wave, a group of filmmakers who sought to deepen the artistry of cinema with experimental techniques and an emphasis on visual, kinetic storytelling as each of the creators of Studio Ghibli all are wonderful creators and animators that managed create wonderful gems.

Spirited Away seamlessly blends all its archetypal folkloric elements into a subtle commentary on the clash of traditional Japanese values and modern-day consumerism, all while leaving you with a sense of having been spirited away yourself as this wonderful fantasy classic. Spirited Away feels like a special gift It is a film of such startling imagination, originality, intelligence, and emotion that I feel inexplicable joy as the title music begins. Spirited Away is one of most amazing animted flims all time. It is a work-horse drama i feel that many can watch any-time.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky is Hayao Miyazaki’s greatest achievement as a director and the first film to be released by Studio Ghibli. It is a culmination of everything he learned from Castle of Cagliostro and Nausicaa and merged into a rollicking adventure story full of wonderful characters and unforgettable set pieces. Castle in the Sky is arguably one of the most enjoyable cinematic universes Miyazaki has ever created. It is a distorted interpretation of the industrial revolution featuring elaborate steam machinery, gravity-defying air craft’s and robot guardians. It is a world of flying pirates and islands as if born from the imagination of a fanciful child. Yet for all the fantastical embellishments the universe is entirely consistent as if, far beyond the clouds, we really might be able to visit these strange and beautiful lands. It’s truly an amazing animated fantasy classic.

My Neighbor Totoro is considered with good reason considered one of best animated flims all time. This touching story focus cuses on the sisters Satsuki and Mei, and the extraordinary characters they befriend outside their new home Hayao Miyazaki tenderly constructs both a coming-of-age tale as well as a statement on the longevity of innocence with whimsy that feels at home to watch any-time.  this wondrous piece of cinema is the little band of creatures. Sweet, gentle, and believable; these superb critters can make even the most cynical adult cry in the midst of their subtle power as their attenion to detail. The landscape of rural Japan is a character in and of itself. Vast and mountainous clouds, grand and detailed fields, small and haunted” homes all make this charming gem last ages. My Neighbor Totoro can suck you into its world and charm any-time. This animated flim is an enduring classic that you will enjoy for ages.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a beautiful family film that just manages to walk the line that manages be such a profoundly moving classic. It is a coming of age tale tells about a young witch coming into her own in the world. an adolescent witch who leaves home, as all witches do at her age, to complete her magic training in a new town as this compeling coming of age fantasy tale thaty boldly fels so wonderful to watch form start to the end. Its a profoundly moving coming of age tale that you should watch any-time.

Ponyo. The dazzling animation had my inner child’s heart aflutter. There is so much creativity and inspiration in one reel of a Miyazaki film that it confounds me how so many Hollywood animated film as this tale is a re-telling of little meremaid. As a response to “The Little Mermaid”, I think it surpasses it easily with the complexity given here to Ponyo and Sosuke’s relationship with life and death. That final shot is just heavenly to me, pure happiness as this tale is such a enjoyable classic you can enjoy anytime.

Princess Mononoke is a perfectly beautiful film with an absolutely stunning story that is such an amazing fantasy flim that is one of Miyazaki’s greatest stories he crafted for the screen. Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke isn’t just one of the strongest feature films put out by the artistic filmmaker or Studio Ghibli as a whole but is a landmark in the world of animation as this profoundly moving classic. A period drama infused with elements of fantasy & set in early centuries of Japan, Princess Mononoke tells the tale of Ashitaka that  The main theme this film deals with is the effects of industrialization on nature, deforestation & how it affects the species who’ve inhabited these places long before man’s greed laid its eyes on it as this flim is such a moving classic. rincess Mononoke (also known as Mononoke-hime) comes off as one of best fantasy classics all time.

Studio Ghibli has broken mold after mold of what we expect films for kids to be as these classic as With all the films now on streaming platforms for the first time as these classic fantasy flims are truly classics that you can watch any-time.

the Lord of the Rings trilogy best one ever.

There is an argument to be made that Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is this generation’s Star Wars (even though, you could also argue that Star Wars is this generation’s Star Wars, given that series recent trilogy) as even  you can say that these movies even the hobbit saga are some of best movies ever made on the screen as the jouneys of urneys of Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimili in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and later Bilbo, Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur (phew) in The Hobbit movies captivated millions of people around the world in their film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epics that were considered the boldest sea change of movies ever. they changed everything as the one series to rule them all redefined how movies are made forever as the quest was landmark as all great stories the one that last are ones that showcase the jouney of a hero to its end.  the story of lord of rings mirrors our own history as thus making it a tale about humanity overcoming its flaws. the lord of rings is the greatest saga all time in movie history. It is hard to beleive that it has been almost 20 years since the first Lord of the Rings movie was released in theaters. The franchise became such a critical and commercial success that sometimes I forget what a creative risk it was in the beginning as these books are considered some of the best books ever written ever. The Lord of the Rings novels by British author J.R.R. Tolkien have been popular since they were published back in the 1950s, but a film series based on these books was still a risky gamble as many studios wouldnt risk such a bold series of novels that had such a vast and complex world that mirrors our own in many ways. Director Peter Jackson was given leeway to shoot all three movies in the trilogy at one time, with no guarantee the first one would even be a success as this was before geek culture became mainstream as how would uld general audiences respond to a story about Elves, Hobbits, Dwarves, and a mysterious Ring with the power to destroy the world?Thankfully, the answer was yes, and the Lord of the Rings films dominated pop culture conversation in the early 2000s. Even though the follow-up Hobbit movies weren’t as successful, the LOTR trilogy remains well-regarded to this day.  i talk about them today. i recall seeing lord of rings of king on big screen as that movie was such an amazing movie to see on screen.  I talk about series today.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy begins with its first installment laying the foundation for the giant structure that’s to come as we see the scene of them meeting about the ring as the races of this world meet about what to do with the one ring to destory them all. the Fellowship of the Ring introduces us to the scale and scope of Middle-Earth, its creatures, heroes, and villains. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is a Hobbit, carefree and happy in The Shire. Frodo is asked by the wizard Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellan) to carry a golden ring to Rivendell, where all the creatures of Middle Earth would decide on how best to deal with the reawakened threat of Sauron, the Dark Lord as i would say casts go this movie has some of best actors you ever will find on the screen as they give out such amazing performances as peter jackson made them more easy to connect to us all as the books not so easy to read but the asy to relate to and identify, especially when the ensemble is quite large. As the party reaches Rivendell, we meet more characters – Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Arwen (Liv Tyler), Boromir (Sean Bean), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and the Dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). And yet Jackson spends time with each character, giving us glimpses of their personalities and history to this world of middle earth. by time we get to scenes toward end of frist movie as they confront the armies to have the ending of frist movie. By the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, the themes of hope, the bonds of fellowship, sacrifice and loss permeate the story. The large story arcs are assembled as the Fellowship journeys towards Mount Doom begins to change upon them all. The epic battle of Gandalf and the Balrog on the bridge of Khazad-dûm and the fall of Gandalf at end of frist movie changes the jouney going forward as now ragorn must learn to accept his role amongst the nobility of old, Gimli and Legolas must work together and set aside the centuries worth of animosity that exists between the races of Dwarves and Elves and the Hobbits must learn that courage comes in the smallest packages as the hobbits all must help Frodo bring the one ring to justice.

2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is that middle act of Peter Jackson’s on-screen adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-Earth saga & just like the novel, it has no definite beginning or ending. What’s even more challenging this time is the fact that unlike The Fellowship of the Ring, which had a single plot to focus on, The Two Towers deals with multiple plot lines & all of them need to work. However, the good news is that even though this second chapter doesn’t follow the novel as faithfully as its predecessor did, it nonetheless succeeds as a worthy sequel that improves upon the origina movie in many ways as the many plot threads are opened up as the world of middle earth is opened up on the screen. The Two Towers tells the aftermath of the breaking of the Fellowship & intercuts three story lines. The first concerns Frodo & Sam who, on their journey to Mordor, find their peril deepen for there is another who hunts the ring. The second deals with Merry & Pippin, who were taken hostages in the last film. And the third covers the trio of Aragorn, Legolas & Gimli who, along with an unexpected ally, head to Rohan to warn the kingdom about an impending war. The title refers to the union between the two towers: Barad-dûr; fortress of the Dark Lord, Sauron & Orthanc; stronghold of the wizard, Saruman as all these plot threads are nicely expanded upon on the screen. new characters are introduced to the story. The Shieldmaiden Eowyn (Miranda Otto), the Horselord Eomer (Karl Urban) as well as an array of rebellious, walking, talking trees. Yes. Animated trees who stage a revolt. It’s majestic as we also get the amazing acting of its whole cast that give us such amazing performances on the screen.Coming to the technical aspects, all filmmaking departments get significant upgrades & are more fine-tuned this time. The production design continues to impress as the miniatures used to represent Rohan, Helm’s Deep & Osgiliath are meticulously detailed down to the smallest of things, thus making art direction & set decoration a winning aspect, once again. Still, what makes these sets look even more appealing is their ideal fusion with the beautifully photographed landscapes of New Zealand. The cinematography immerses the viewers into Middle-Earth just like its predecessor, and the camerawork is at its absolute best when it comes to the film’s action sequences. Make-up & Costume Design stay true to the timeline it depicts. Sound feels more authentic this time & is spot-on where it matters most. Editing trims the film down to 179 minutes & although it’s very effective in that 3 hours of runtime, I recommend the extended version instead as it adds 45 minutes of new & extended scenes and further develops the film’s characters, adds greater depth to its plot & enriches the overall experience of The Two Towers yet you can still enjoy the orginal cuts n get an amazing movie out of it all.

Weta Digital made history with The Fellowship of the Ring when it brought alive Middle-Earth in breathtaking detail but the enhancements it brings in the visual effects of The Two Towers is even more groundbreaking. Gollum & Treebeard are entirely computer-generated & it was a VFX milestone of its time that was some of the best effects on screen as visuals are at its finest and without this team’s creativity & breakthroughs, it wouldn’t rank today as one of the greatest screen battles of all time. Another scene where visuals really shine, but doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves, is the Flooding of Isengard sequence which showcases some of best effects on flim ever. it wouldn’t rank today as one of the greatest screen battles of all time. Another scene where visuals really shine, but doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves, is the Flooding of Isengard sequence, which undeniably is one hell of an eye-opener you don’t see in cinema very often. Finally, the background score by Howard Shore introduces new tracks for Rohan, Gollum & many more sequences while the music heard in the first chapter further develops & expands into new realms. Splendid where it is meant to be, touching where it needs to be & magnificently pleasing to the viewers’ senses, the soundtrack of The Two Towers is an outstanding follow-up to its predecessor and continues to enhance the emotional journey of this exceptional adventure that really unfolds upon the screen.

The Two Towers has character arcs on all fronts. But this middle chapter brings us closer to Frodo and his struggle to maintain his sanity as the ring tries to cloud his world in darkness. By his side, Sam too battles to keep Frodo tied to his humanity. Truly the relationship between these two hobbits is riveting, heartbreaking and inspiring. “What are you holding onto Sam?” Frodo asks him when their quest becomes overwhelming. “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.” Pass the Kleenex – but the large rolls. A small tissue just won’t do. Watch out for the incredible battle set pieces at Helm’s Deep and Isengard. The Two Towers quite possibly also covets the title of being the most humorous film in the trilogy. Despite impending doom, the Hobbits, Legolas, and Gimli in particular, know how to make you laugh. Sometimes just before you cry. As Gandalf says, “The battle of Helm’s Deep is over; the battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin”. And with these words, we jump into the final film which ends to setup the bold ending.

3. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

Every tale comes to its end as every tale must end at sometime. However, when it comes to motion picture trilogies, the last installment has always failed to live up to its utmost hype & expectations on most occasions. Over the years, the final chapter of most film trilogies has turned out to be the weakest. It happened with Frances Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy, in which the second sequel was absolutely unnecessary as Part II had ended the saga on a perfect note. It also happened with star wars trilogy as the 9 chapter saga ended with rise of skywalker as the Disney ones divide the fan-base to this date. The Dark Knight trilogy, as The Dark Knight Rises didn’t only disappoint as a weak sequel but also as a shockingly weak stand-alone film as most sagas in Hollywood seem to end with such a low note as they do not live up the ideals that many set upon their sagas. The second sequel in every trilogy not only faces the burden of living up to the success of its predecessors but, being the final chapter, it also has to deal with the heavy emotional baggage that comes from its loyal fans. And since they have showered these films with so much love, they do deserve a proper send-off, at least. As for The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring turned out to be a genre-defining classic. The Two Towers somehow managed to tower above its predecessor & set an even higher benchmark for the final film. Already facing more anticipation than previous two chapters combined, it did seem near-impossible for The Return of the King to triumph over such expectations to change things forever. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the culmination of the wonderful journey we embarked on with The Fellowship of the Ring and picks up the story right from where it was left off in The Two Towers. To destroy the One Ring, Frodo & Sam continue their expedition through the secret passage into Mordor that Gollum is leading them onto but are unaware of his true intentions. After tasting defeat in the Battle of Helm’s Deep & loss of Saruman, the Dark Lord Sauron sets his eye upon Gondor and wages his final attack against all the free realms of the Middle-Earth. Very much aware of the looming threat, Gandalf travels to Minas Tirith (Capital of Gondor) to make their forces ready for battle & to defend the city. King Theoden also rallies his forces & rides off to Gondor’s aid while Aragorn, Legolas & Gimli take the Paths of the Dead to summon an army to fight against Mordor’s forces. But in the end, it all comes down to Frodo & the One Ring to decide the final fate of Middle-Earth as the jouney set out in frist movie to end here is such an epic ending. One great thing that worked in favor of The Lord of the Rings is the fact that all its three parts were written & filmed at once, with only post-production work left to be done within its year of releases. Being a single story that spans over 3 films, this chapter did ease things for Peter Jackson from the direction point of view as he knew how to bring the saga to a fitting conclusion. But since The Two Towers had left out many events, this film needed to cover all those missing segments while narrating its own tale. And thanks to Jackson & co-writers (Walsh & Boyens), The Return of the King accomplishes everything it set out to do & does it in a spectacular fashion. As it is the final film of the trilogy, there is a sense of urgency in its story in comparison to its predecessors but, in spite of that, it appropriately covers all the essential elements of the book, ties up all the loose ends & gives proper farewells to its characters and throughout its runtime, it delivered all of that blended with high-quality entertainment of such epic proportions that in the end, fans couldn’t have asked for a better finale to end the saga of middle earth. I seen this movie on big screen as the ending when they are climbing to bring the one ring they stuggle to make it to mount doom i cried as many others did too as we all thought it was over for them at that moment as he said look we are almost there.

The Lord of the Rings still remains director Peter Jackson’s magnum opus & The Return of the King is his finest directional achievement. Making all films in a trilogy succeed on both critical & commercial scale is no easy feat but to make the next instalment work better than the previous one two times in a row is even rarer. Yet, Jackson manages to do so in the end with his sweeping cinematic vision, stunning eye for detail & in-depth knowledge of balancing emotional storytelling with thrilling action entertainment. The Return of the King presents Peter Jackson at his absolute best as this time, he pushes everything to its extreme & makes this film work on so many levels that it not only succeeds as the best film of the trilogy but also sets a new standard for epic filmmaking. Written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Phillipa Boyens, the screenplay is cleverly adapted from the source material as many right choices were made in the decision of what to include & what to leave out from the final script. Walsh also tries her hand at direction as the shocking prologue this film opens with is her creation as  Jackson manages to do so in the end with his sweeping cinematic vision, stunning eye for detail & in-depth knowledge of balancing emotional storytelling with thrilling action entertainment. The Return of the King presents Peter Jackson at his absolute best as this time, he pushes everything to its extreme & makes this film work on so many levels that it not only succeeds as the best film of the trilogy but also sets a new standard for epic filmmaking. Written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Phillipa Boyens, the screenplay is cleverly adapted from the source material as many right choices were made in the decision of what to include & what to leave out from the final script. Walsh also tries her hand at direction as the shocking prologue this film opens with is her creation.Coming to the technical aspects the flim it is a major upgrade in almost everything that went into the making of this film. Starting with the production design, The Return of the King introduces the set of Minas Tirith for the first time in full-scale & thanks to the high level of detailing that went into its design, it looks amazing on film canvas. Other equally majestic sets include the gothic Minas Morgul, Cirith Ungol & Black Gates of Mordor, the unsettling Shelob’s Lair & Mount Doom. Cinematography continues to dazzle & among the three films as this flim is one of best of all saga in some ways its many elements upon the screen.  The Fellowship of the Ring & The Two Towers introduced almost all characters we needed to be acquainted with & this film just brings all their character arcs to completion. The only new character we meet in this film is Denethor (John Noble), Steward of Gondor as well as father to Faramir & Boromir, whose death drives him mad. Unlike the previous two films in which Gandalf the Grey & Gollum turned out to be the most impressive characters, respectively, there is no single dominating performance in this film as its entire cast puts up a more mature on-screen portrayal of their respective characters. The ring-bearer’s quest to destroy the One Ring gets all the more difficult in this film as Frodo (Elijah Wood) further breaks down under the corrupting power of the ring. Sam (Sean Astin) remains a loyal friend to Frodo & despite every setback, assists him until the very end. Gollum/Sméagol (Andy Serkis) proceeds with his plan of leading the Hobbits into a trap for he wants the ring for himself. The film also shows Sméagol’s backstory & his degeneration into Gollum in its opening prologue as we see his downfall into the ceature its a sad and very heartfelt and emtional in many ways as Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) finally puts aside the tag of a ranger & claims the throne of Gondor, of which he is the rightful heir. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) & Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) continue their friendly rivalry over Orc kills while they both aid Aragorn in summoning an army that dwells in the mountains. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) travels to Gondor to alarm the city of the impending threat & leads Gondor’s forces against Mordor’s legions of Orcs, Trolls & Nazgûls. Pippin (Billy Boyd) travels to Gondor with Gandalf & eventually becomes the esquire of Gondor while Merry (Dominic Monaghan) becomes the esquire of Rohan. Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving) reforges the sword Andúril & gives it to Aragorn while informing him about Arwen’s (Liv Tyler) fate. Faramir (David Wenham) is sent on a suicide mission by his father to reclaim the fallen city of Osgiliath. King Théoden (Bernard Hill), with his nephew, Éomer (Karl Urban), assembles the Rohirrim for the war against their common enemy while his niece, Éowyn (Miranda Otto), disguises herself & travels with them to prove her worth in battle. The extended edition also brings the characters of Saruman (Christopher Lee) & Gríma Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) to their closures. And overall, there is nothing much to complain in the acting department as they all give out marvelous performances upon the screen. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is unanimously hailed by critics & readers alike as the greatest fantasy novel ever written & a milestone in the works of literature. The on-screen adaptation of The Lord of the Rings was one of the most ambitious projects undertaken in film history and could’ve easily gone wrong. But thanks to the incredibly faithful & smartly written script that remained true to Tolkien’s world, the painstaking research, stunning production design & the high level of detailing that went into the making of this film, along with the essential contributions which come from its pitch-perfect cast & extremely talented crew, The Lord of the Rings, at last, was able to make an immensely successful transition to the big screen and it probably wouldn’t have been this good without the quicksilver vision of filmmaker Peter Jackson managed to make such an epic saga to last for the ages. Peter Jackson, a devoted Tolkien fan himself. The Lord of the Rings did catapult Jackson into the big guns of Hollywood film industry while also introducing Weta Digital as one of the foremost visual effects company on the planet but where it made its biggest impact is on cinema itself as it changed everything about epic & fantasy filmmaking, is one of the most important films of the modern era & a landmark moment in motion picture history. On an overall scale, The Return of the King is the finest chapter of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It not only triumphs as one of the greatest sequels ever made but also as one of the most critically & commercially successful films of all time. And along with The Fellowship of the Ring & The Two Towers, it also makes up for cinema’s greatest motion picture trilogy that will not soon, if ever, find its equal. It doesn’t need mine or any cinephile’s recommendation as the film’s universal acclaim speaks for itself. Winner of 17 Academy Awards out of 30 nominations over the course of 3 years; in which The Return of the King won a record-breaking 11 Oscars out of 11 nominations, including the big category awards like Best Picture (only fantasy film to win so), Best Director & Best Adapted Screenplay. Commercially successful as well since the three films made nearly $3 billions in box-office collections; in which The Return of the King became only the second film to cross the billion dollars mark in worldwide gross as the lord of rings still remains to this date the finest saga to ever come upon the screen. I hope you loved my look upon this bold saga today.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy brilliantly culminates with The Return of the King. There are many films that have touched me, stayed with me and demanded a space on my “best of” list. None has been as incessant, or perhaps as well deserving as The Return of the King. It’s hard to describe the weight and the emotion of this film. It’s fantasy, however, and for the most part, one would assume that a tale steeped in a make-believe universe with Elves and Hobbits surely cannot be anything more than base entertainment. Emphatically, that estimation is wrong. The Return of the King is in my estimation, the perfect film, a cinematic masterpiece. It brings together our heroes in emotional, heartbreaking ways. Amidst battles – personal and literal – these characters fight for their fellowmen with such unselfish vigour. It’s quite simply exhilarating and inspirational that i regard as one of best saga’s ever put on screen. as the road calls upon all sagas to end sadly this one ended with one of best endings ever to one of the best sagas ever on the screen. you can watch this series on hbo max alongside many other great classic movies

Escape to Witch Mountain

Today I talk about the Escape to Witch Mountain being huge Disney fan been watching like crazy many things on Disney plus getting new movies to review even modern to tackle as new modern classics as I decided take a long break form blogging to find stuff of interest to review. Disney live action movies can be hit or miss as this movie is one of those classics that I feel is timeless n enchanting matching the power of its animated classics. So let’s review this classic gem now.

escape to witch mountain review(https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest/)Based on Alexander Key’s 1969 novel of the same name, Escape to Witch Mountain was theatrically released on March 21, 1975. The live action flick is 97 minutes in length as this Disney flim filled with paranormal activity, two orphans, Dr. Loomis from Halloween, and Ali Hakim from Oklahoma!. What type of film can this possibly be? Well, it’s the 1975 film, Escape to Witch Mountain its something of a gem in the rough patch years of Disney of the 1970’s n 1980’s before the rebirth with little mermaid as this movie is so dam good. you will enjoy n delight upon it.

Walt Disney showed great interest in live Acton movies in the as he was prime in crafting n creating 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea which had an amazing cast of stars such as Kirk Douglas  and Jame Manson among others as this movie has same thing of such amazing casting by Disney studios. I recently watched the Witch Mountain movies off Disney plus as both has such wonderful casts. Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and Tia Malone (Kim Richards) and Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland),they escape  with the help of Jason O’Day (Eddie Albert) all of these wonderful stars give out a wonderful perfomance that simply will charm you insantly.  I would say that Ray Milland maybe gives out one of his most wonderful hour. He delights as a villain that is simply one of best Disney live action villains to my eyes 

One scene you see nod to snow white is playing upon the screen as its also a nod to Disney’s bold start as movie giant. Its a fun chase movie that maybe shows you that if smartly written n directed n cast that make you have such fun with this delightfully charming Disney movie that also count as such a fun adventure to behold on the screen. 

The best effects, opening sequence, and a weird atmosphere that seems like Disney fantasy-mystery-thriller-adventure, with its psychic imagery and high fantasy blend, the mystery it builds with a wonderful blend of scfi like close encounters  made for kids in style as one of coolest scenes in any movie of this period as has a flying RV that makes for such fun. Puppets, telepathy, bears, Donald Pleasance all really make also among such things that is fun about this movie as i watched it on Disney plus i watched follow up which only saving grace was hammed in performance by bette Davis whom was just collecting a paycheck as the role felt lesser to her. I really adored both in some ways they both show you how Disney tried hard recapture their magical charm in an era of such lesser Disney flims that kept making them lesser as a company

I know I’ll be watching Return from Witch Mountain soon again as likely often as this wonderful classic that simply is wonderful classic that i am glad Disney plus added to their vaults among its follow up. here’s to hoping Disney+ adds some of their spookier treats like Watcher in the Woods and Something Wicked this Way Comes as I would die to see them both next as this classic you should watch streaming or buy copy as anyway you choose watch it as watch this delightful classic today folks. I hope you enjoyed my movie review today that is return to finding new delights in movies I will review a movie soon.

Reign of Destruction

Reign of Destruction

Gojira, known in the West as Godzilla, first thundered into Japan’s movie houses on November 3, 1954. Six and a half decades later, the monster presides over an international entertainment franchise, having starred in thirty-two feature films produced in Japan and three (so far) in Hollywood, and top-lining three anime features, two animated television series, comic books, TV commercials, and more. Godzilla has transformed over time from powerful atomic allegory to children’s superhero and back again, and with the dawn in 2019 of the Reiwa era, the monster’s career spans the reigns of three Japanese emperors: Hirohito, Akihito, and now Naruhito. But it is the Godzilla films made during Showa (1926–89), the era denoting the reign of Emperor Hirohito, Japan’s wartime ruler and postwar figurehead, that defined the kaiju eiga—the uniquely Japanese brand of giant-monster cinema—and the creature-on-the-loose parameters of Godzilla filmdom. Bookended by Ishiro Honda’s 1954 masterpiece, Godzilla, and Honda’s last movie, Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), the fifteen Showa-era films took Godzilla far and wide, with many of them playing theatrically not only in Japan but also across North America, Europe, Latin America, and other territories, before going into television syndication for many years, establishing Godzilla as an enduring icon that still endures today as today I talk about this legend today.

I was little boy when I first learned of Godzilla as me n my younger brother used adore watching them together as he was huge fan of them. I am a huge fan of ’m a big fan of Godzilla, and of kaiju movies in general since my first time seeing the Godzilla movies as a child as now I simply adore these fun little gems of popcorn movie that is something to enjoy to watch anytime. I can remember watching on my TV these poorly dubbed movies that were simply fun to watch anytime upon the screen.

 

The original Godzilla is Honda’s lament for the nuclear age. The original Godzilla was produced amid a months-long public crisis that occurred after fishermen aboard a tuna boat christened the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon No. 5) unwittingly strayed dangerously close to a U.S. hydrogen-bomb test at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific in March 1954 as also to address feelings of Japan at time. The lucky dragon incident seriously strained U.S.-Japan relations for the first time since the postwar occupation had ended in 1952; many citizens likened the fishermen’s fate to a third nuclear strike on Japan, and a national protest calling for a ban on nuclear testing arose among those in Japan. Honda’s film hints at these tensions: the opening scene, in which Godzilla invisibly attacks a salvage ship, is an unmistakable reference to the Lucky Dragon and the fear it inspired among people in Japan. 

Godzilla is also a Cold War movie with an awareness of Japan’s geographic entrapment between two superpowers engaged in a deadly arms race as Honda does not point the finger at the U.S. for having awakened the monster with its H-bomb tests as its about the brewing nuclear arm race of cold war as shows also Japan inserting its own place in world again after the second world war. The Godzilla movies of the sixties show evidence of Japan’s continuing economic growth as they show Japan’s rise again as player on world stage.  It’s a very wonderful film that I think anyone should anytime.

The first series of Godzilla films is the one which saw the franchise’s greatest metamorphosis from grimly serious allegory of atomic devastation to a happy-go-lucky monster who defends Earth, and even teaches his son how to stop bullies as each film shows a change form film to film in its tone of each movie in the series. The movies were my entry into the world of keiju-eiga cinema as my favorite era of him as i adore them all so much. This series includes “Gojira” (aka “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”, 1954), “Godzilla Raids Again” (aka “Gigantis: The Fire Monster”, 1955), “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), “Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster” (1964), “Invasion of Astro-Monster” (aka “Godzilla vs. Monster Zero” (1965), “Ebirah, Horror of the Deep” (aka “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster” 1966), “Son of Godzilla” (1967), “Destroy All Monsters” (1968), “All Monsters Attack” (aka “Godzilla’s Revenge”, 1969), “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” (aka “Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster” 1971), “Godzilla vs. Gigan” (aka “Godzilla on Monster Island”, 1972), “Godzilla vs. Megalon” (1973), “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” (aka “Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster” 1974), and “Terror of Mechagodzilla” (aka “Revenge of Mechagodzilla”, 1975). 

series favorites

“King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962) as Godzilla had already fought another monster (“Barugan”) in the previous movie (“Godzilla Raids Again”), but this one is more fondly remembered due to the pairing of two iconic international monsters that made it one of iconic of the movies of series as one of my favorites of series. It’s something such fun to watch this movie. It’s a pure popcorn fun movie. 

“Destroy All Monsters” (1968).

It is Arguably the best of the later Showa series with a colorful assortment of monsters (old & new), a colorful ‘future’ setting of 1999, a moonbase (shades of 1975’s later “Space: 1999”), an alien conspiracy, and the first G-film to feature “Monster Island as simply the endgame of series as such wonderful fun to watch it from start to finish. 

“Gojira” (1954).

it is Still the best of the Godzilla movies As tonally different from subsequent Godzilla movies as possible as its as darker, somber, and very adult with themes that make it one of best of whole era of the series as its issues still key to date today in this wonderful classic gem.

 

This is a movie franchise that has shadowed me throughout my life, from watching them form the videotapes as boy to now as i simply adore these wonderful classics. Many of the films are admittedly cheesy and laughable (see: Mystery Science Theater 3000’s brilliant skewering of “Godzilla vs. Megalon”), but even those films still possess a goofy charm about them that is hard to deny as they are such fun movies. Godzilla is Monster, guardian, savior and icon as he has been all of these things at one time or another, often within the same film as he is the icon that I think will last ages to come as today’s talk by me was form my heart about this wonderful icon.

The African queen

The African queen:an american classic 

Today I talk about The African queen which frankly is one of my favorite movies all time as this American classic is something special to watch anytime you pop it into the screen. Over the course of a 26 year career that encompassed more than 75 movies, Humphrey Bogart made only five color films. The first and most respected of those was 1951’s The African Queen, the last of five pictures he made with his good friend, director John Huston. The African Queen also represented the only time Bogart was paired with Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn as today I talk about this film that the duo made together for a review for the Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy Blogathon hosted by my good friend Crystal Kalyana Pacey whom has has truly wonderful blog as i review this classic for it today.

THE SPENCER TRACY AND KATHARINE HEPBURN BLOGATHON

The African queen:an american classic 

The African queen has Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn two of the most iconic figures in Hollywood history create a formidable duo in John Huston’s adaptation of C.S. Forester’s The African Queen. Set in the early days of WWI, The African Queen stars Hepburn as prim and proper English lady, Rose Sayer. Left all alone after the passing of her Methodist preacher brother (Robert Morley), she hitches a ride upstream from boozing Canuck Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart), the captain of river boat, The African Queen.

 

At first glance, Charlie Allnut and Rose Sayer is an awful match. He’s all dirt and booze, while she’s all bible verses and proper grammar as this pairing has them united by events of her brother’s death by the Germans as they unite down the river we are treated to some very remarkable acting by the duo Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn that makes for the joy of this movie. The film manages to escape that trap, carrying us into a deep and full relationship we can scarcely believe with the same strident assertiveness as they both find their bond is very much real n raw as i think this duo’s acting makes for one of best duo pairings together in film.

Great movie romances aren’t easy to accomplish, and the best ones tend to think outside of the box. Here we have two relatively older people from opposite walks of life falling for each other in a surprisingly short amount of time. It shouldn’t work, but it does. And as time goes on, The African Queen’s many breaks from typical romances only make it seem more modern and fresh that makes for such a fun watch as this movie has such remarkable direction n work on it that shows a love n detail by John Huston to craft out such a remarkable picture upon the screen. It’s a movie you should watch any-time upon the screen.

Night of the Hunter: a masterpiece of American cinema

Today I talk about The Night of the Hunter which is a classic Gothic fairy-tale classic that may be one of cinema’s great travesties is that Charles Laughton only directed one official film. So poorly received, both critically and commercially, was The Night of the Hunter that Laughton never helmed another film again as this film is simply a masterpiece for the ages as I talk it for The Shelley Winters Blogathon which is hosted by poppitytalksclassicfilm whom has a simply wonderful blog you should check out for the others in event n blog daily for its wonderful work.  Let’s honor Shelley Winters whom may be one of the finest actresses of any era with a look upon this classic movie.

the Shelley Winters Blogathon

Night of the Hunter: a masterpiece of American cinema

The Night of the Hunter is a classic Gothic fairy-tale: an evil being charms an unsuspecting parent, while only the children are aware that things are not what they seem. It was only while watching the film you are enthralled but also deeply unsettled, that I fully realized just how insidiously terrifying the stories of our childhoods as this deeply moving fairy-tale classic takes to the tradition of a Gothic fairy-tale from the pages of grim’s fairy-tales to bring to live a movie unlike anything you will see any again on the screen.

Based on a Davis Grubb novel and a James Agee script, The Night of the Hunter is the Bible-soaked, Depression-era tale of a “false prophet” named Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum). Tall and handsome, with a deep voice that easily lends itself to familiar hymns, Powell is, nonetheless, a serial killer who believes his crimes are ordained by God. He leaves a trail of dead women at the movie’s start, moving on to a recent widow (Shelley Winters) and her two children, John and Pearl (Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce). Powell has learned that the man of the house (Peter Graves) stashed $10,000 somewhere before he died, and Powell plans to find it by any means necessary.

Part folk tale, part horror story, the film’s amalgamation of moods and methods proves arcane, even off-putting upon first assessment. Based on Davis Grubb’s novel, the film changes perspectives between characters from the point of view of a child to that of a murderer; and with these dramatic tonal switches, the stylistic approach shifts as well—in sometimes abrupt transitions: deep contrasts with noirish photography give way to bright rural landscapes from a storybook that paints such a dark gothic fairy-tale upon the screen with wonderful direction and acting. The effect upon viewing this movie you will be amazed it was his only movie as a director as you see him capture such richness n depth that matches any other great film-makers of his day.  Motion pictures this distinctive have a way of mesmerizing an audience with their mysteries of style and narrative, instilling a seed that germinates over time and springs into an emergent affection that lingers in the viewer’s unconscious. As a result, audiences and critics alike dismissed the picture in 1955, and yet slowly, over time, the film has gained esteem so that today it is hailed as one of cinema’s greatest treasures over time to be often hailed as something that may be simply a masterpiece in film.

That The Night of the Hunter was Charles Laughton’s first effort as a director is remarkable, but that it was his only film behind the camera is also one of cinema’s most unfortunate tragedies. Laughton made a picture that does not wallop the viewer upon first viewing, rather cultivates with memory and time. The effect is comparable to Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, in that with Laughton’s directorial debut he constructed a film so masterful, so complex, it could not be fully appreciated in its day. Each aspect of the film’s production—from the idyllic cinematography to the incredible performances, to the contrary uses of cinematic stylization and narrative presents an interplay of opposing ideas through a sophisticated, haunting, and strangely buoyant whole. It endures as an enchanting American folk tale ripe with intricate melodrama and mythic symbolism, one that no moviegoer will soon forget upon watching it anytime. I hope You liked my talk today about this classic movie.