Frenzy (1972)

"Bob's your uncle.", 2 April 2008

I didn't realize that Frenzy was so divisive among Hitchcock fans. As with the last Hitchcock movie I watched, The Trouble with Harry, Frenzy seems to have more than its fair share of critics. The criticism of both movies seems to derive from a similar source – Hitch deviated from what people expected. I'm not sure why people want to see the same movie over and over, but if you read the negative user comments on IMDb, you'll get that impression. What's wrong with shifting gears and making a comedy like The Trouble with Harry? And what's wrong with turning up the violence and making a movie like Frenzy? In each case, I appreciate what Hitchcock was trying to do and thoroughly enjoyed both movies.

Frenzy is essentially a "Wrong Man" type movie that Hitch visited several times throughout his career. You know, an innocent man is accused of a crime and spends the rest of the movie on the run from the police trying to prove he's not guilty. In this case, Richard Blaney (Jon Finch), a down on his luck and out of work bartender, is accused of violently raping a series of women before using his necktie to strangle them. Through some really bad luck, the case of circumstantial evidence against Blaney grows to the point that he becomes the only suspect. Tried and convicted, Blaney vows revenge against the man he knows to be guilty.

I don't know that I would call Frenzy Hitchcock's best movie as some have, but it is a very entertaining thriller. It's an odd but satisfying mix of the most violent images (the first rape and murder are difficult to watch) and some of the darkest, funniest comedy (the potato truck or the dinner scenes for example) that Hitch ever made. Hitch proves his genius by masterfully balancing the two – violence and comedy. And if you weren't already convinced of his reputation as a director, Hitchcock throws in a couple of very nice tracking shots, a clever use of sound, and a few other tricks that I won't begin to attempt to describe (just watch the movie) for good measure. Hitch also shows his genius through some of his casting choices. Other than Finch in the lead (he's just not a very sympathetic figure to me), the rest of the actors are incredibly strong. Barry Foster gives one of the more memorable performances I've seen recently. He's just so creepy. In fact, all of the supporting players, from the prim Monica Barling played by Jean March to the hysterical Vivian Merchant as a would-be gourmet chef, are perfect. And when you add the nice location shots and an interesting, well written script (have the words "you're my type of woman" ever been so menacing) to the direction and acting, Frenzy becomes a very worthy and memorable entry in Hitchcock's filmography.

8/10

Erik the Conqueror (1961)

- Gli invasori

Bava and the Vikings, 1 April 2008

Two very young Viking brothers are separated during a battle that claims the life of their father. One brother, Eron, is brought up to one day take his father's place as the leader of the Viking people. The other brother, Erik, is brought up by his adopted mother Queen Alice to one day rule England. But when Eron and the Vikings invade England and take Queen Alice hostage, these two brothers will lead their armies into battle against one another. What will happen when these two brothers discover their common bond?

Erik the Conqueror was one of the few films directed by Mario Bava that I had not seen until last night. Overall, it's a very entertaining, if not overly original, Viking epic. If you've seen the 1958 movie The Vikings with Kirk Douglas, a lot of the plot in Erik the Conqueror will seem similar. Still, with Bava's directorial touches, his eye for color, and his interesting camera movements, there's enough here to keep things feeling fresh and to overcome a limited budget (if you look close enough, you'll see the same extra die at least five times in the opening fight scene). The opening shot alone featuring skulls, two lovers wrapped in barbwire, and dancing girls is as visually pleasing as any of Bava's other movies. The cast is solid. Cameron Mitchell (always a favorite of mine) and his blond crew cut fit the role of the Viking Eron quite nicely. George Ardisson might even be more impressive in the role of Erik. They are joined by the Kessler twins who, while not the greatest thespians to appear on screen, are perfect in their roles. Add to it a slew of extras, some impressively staged fight scenes, and a nice looking castle set, and Erik the Conqueror is a must see for Bava fans like me.

6/10

Poirot "The Mystery of the Blue Train" #10.1 (2005) (TV)

"If you seek corroboration, interrogate my pillow.", 31 March 2008

When the daughter of a wealthy American industrialist is murdered aboard the Blue Train from Calais to Nice, Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) is pressed into service to assist the local police in finding a killer. With plenty of suspects, an attack on another passenger, and a missing world famous ruby, Poirot has his hands full.

As a little background, it has been ages since I last read Agatha Christie's book on which this movie is based. Therefore, I am in no position to comment on its faithfulness (or lack thereof) to the source material. Instead, all I can do is comment on the story presented in the movie. Watching The Mystery of the Blue Train is like watching a tale of two movies. The first, involving the film's plot, the acting, the look, etc., is quite enjoyable. The plot unfolds nicely and the film's resolution makes sense. And I always enjoy watching Poirot gather the suspects together for a final reveal. The acting was actually a step above what I've come to expect from the Poirot series. The sets and costumes are very nicely done. I was particularly impressed with the French villa.

But as I indicated, this is a tale of two movies. What I've thus far described would have made for one of the better entries in the Poirot series. Unfortunately, the direction is PATHETIC. I don't know who decided to try to make a Hercule Poirot mystery look like an episode of NYPD Blue, but they should be drummed out of the entertainment industry immediately. There are so many hand-held camera shots that I thought I might get seasick. Why not shoot this traditional, grand story in a more traditional style? The editing doesn't help matters any. It's all MTV-style quick cuts that do not lend themselves well to what should have been a slow-burn, drawing room style mystery. It's unfortunate that the direction and editing have made The Mystery of the Blue Train almost unwatchable.

5/10

Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)

- Gamera tai Shinkai kaijû Jigura
"Gamera is the friend of all children! ", 31 March 2008

When the Earth is threatened by an aquatic, shark-looking alien named Zigra (and conveniently from the planet Zigra), it's up to Gamera (and two very annoying Japanese children) to save all of mankind.

Gamera vs. Zigra is the bottom of the barrel when if comes to Japanese monster movies. Everything that makes Gamera so inferior to Godzilla is here: the annoying children, the ridiculous Gamera theme song, the ineffective defense force taking its lead from a 6 year-old, a woman in a mini-skirt chasing kids through Sea World, Kenny (Is there always a kid named "Kenny" in one of these movies?), and the worst looking monsters put on film. I realize these movies were aimed at a much younger audience (remember, "Gamera is the friend of all children!"), but do they have to be so stupid? I'm afraid my head might explode if I think about it too much. I could go on and on, but I'll limit this to two surreal moments that are so silly they almost defy description.

First, with the entire planet facing the threat of being conquered by Zigra and Tokyo preparing for a magnitude 18 (whatever that means) earthquake, an argument over fish takes center stage for better than 5 minutes of the movie's runtime. The man responsible for feeding the dolphins at the Tokyo Sea World and the manager of a swanky hotel get into a heated argument with a fishmonger over a crate of fish. Mankind is on the verge of extinction and all these people seem to be worried about is fish. As I indicated, I really can't do it justice. You'd have to see it to believe it.

Second, having just defeated Zigra (not really a spoiler – did you think Gamera was going to lose?), Gamera uses Zigra like a xylophone to pound out a tune. Yes, that's right – Gamera uses a club on Zigra's dorsal fin to play the first few notes of his theme song. And if that weren't ridiculous enough, Gamera follows it up with a few dance steps. This is surely one of the proudest moments in Japanese film history.

See what I mean? My head hurts just thinking about it.

2/10

Nancy Drew... Reporter (1939)

"You can always get information from women. They just love to talk!", 29 March 2008

Nancy Drew (Bonita Granville) and her classmates are given the opportunity to write actual stories for a newspaper. Not satisfied with covering a poetry reading, Nancy switches her assignment with one of a real reporter and ends up at an inquest. Based on the evidence presented, a lady is accused of poisoning an old woman for an inheritance. But Nancy's not buying it. Dragging her pal Ted Nickerson (Frankie Thomas) and her father Carson (John Litel) along for the ride, Nancy is determined to find the real killer.

As with Nancy Drew, Detective, the plot is hardly what matters in a movie like this. In fact, the plot is probably the weakest element of Nancy Drew…Reporter. It's too light, too breezy, and, worst of all, too predictable. I defy anyone not to pick out the killer within the first few minutes. However, it's the cast that makes these movies worthwhile. Once again, Bonita Granville shines. She gives real life and spirit to her character. I hate to repeat part of my comment on Ms. Granville from Nancy Drew, Detective, but it remains apropos – "She has an infectious charm that dominates the entire movie. It's hard to watch her and not have a smile on your face. You just naturally root for her." She once again joined by a strong supporting cast. I especially enjoyed Ned's bratty sister played by Mary Lee. Really nice job! Finally, I should probably mention that Nancy Drew...Reporter features a musical number. Nancy and company literally sing for their supper in a Chinese restaurant. While it hardly fits with the rest of the movie, I thought it was cute.

6/10

Surf's Up (2007)

"A winner is someone who doesn't knock me off my surfboard.", 29 March 2008

In our house, we're trying to turn Friday night into Family Movie Night. For our first FMN, my son picked Surf's Up. Both he and my wife had seen the movie and thought I would enjoy it. I admit, I went into it expecting the absolute worst. But maybe the family knows a little about what will appeal to me, because I found Surf's Up to be fun little movie with a message worth taking to heart.

Surf's Up tells the story of Cody Maverick, a young penguin living in Antarctica who dreams of being a champion surfer. He wants to be like his idol, Big Z, who mysteriously disappeared during a surfing contest 10 years ago. Cody gets his big chance one day when a talent scout comes to his home looking for surfers. Cody's off to take part in the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. But on the way, Cody meets a down and out beach bum who teaches him that life is about more than trophies.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Surf's Up. The movie is told as a behind the scenes surfing documentary. I was worried that this might get "gimmicky" before the end, but it worked throughout. The animation was quite good. I appreciated the little touches like the illusion of a hand held camera or the water splashing on the lens during the surfing scenes. The actors behind the characters were all wonderful. The standout for me was James Woods as a Don King-wannabe sea otter named Reggie. Hysterical! In fact, the whole movie is funny and well paced with few, if any, overly long dull moments. The accompanying soundtrack is rock solid. I may have to look into picking it up. Finally, with a lot of these family movies, the filmmakers seem intent on beating the viewer over the head with a message that I often find questionable at best. That's not the case with Surf's Up. A message that includes the notion that winning isn't everything and life's too short not to sit back and enjoy it with your family and friends is a message worth living.

7/10

Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)

Wee Willie Davis vs. Tor Johnson, 28 March 2008

In Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion, Bud and Lou head to Algieria to find a wrestler named Abdullah who left them high and dry and owing a mobster quite a bit of money. Once there, the boys get mixed up with Sheik Hamud El Khalid (Douglas Dumbrille) and draw his ire at a slave auction. In their attempt to escape, Bud and Lou inadvertently sign-up for the French Foreign Legion. Things only get worse when they learn that their Sergeant is in cahoots with the Sheik. Now how are they going to get back to Brooklyn?

As a general rule, I'm a fan of A&C. Some of their movies (like Who Done It?, Hold that Ghost, and A&C Meet Frankenstein) I consider to be true classics. Unfortunately, by the time the boys made A&C in the Foreign Legion, much of their comedy had started to get tired and old. The movie has a "been there, done that" feel to a lot of it. For example, the "Oui vs. We" bit reminds me of several of A&C's more classic routines. Or take a look at the scene with the fish and the false teeth. To me, it shows how desperate the boys were. It's completely ridiculous and not in the least bit funny. A solid cast, however, almost makes this movie worthwhile. Douglas Dumbrille and Patricia Medina are a lot of fun. However, even though I think Dumbrille makes for a perfect villain, he's about as Algerian as I am (which is none).

Finally, one thing I really enjoyed about A&C in the Foreign Legion was the chance to see some classic, old-school wrestlers. Wee Willie Davis vs. Tor Johnson! How cool is that?

5/10