The Night of the Hunter with Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters and Lillian Gish

Koyaanisqatsi, 1982, #69 BBC, National Film Registry

I have 35 minutes left in this movie and since I don't think my opinion is going to change, I am writing as I watch. I can be pretentious; in fact, I'm sure there are moments when I am downright insufferable. That's kind of how I feel about Koyaanisqatsi, a movie directed by Godfrey Reggio with music by Philip Glass. I want to punch myself in the face, that is how much I hate this movie. Visually it is wonderful, great scenes from nature as well as city life; it is a look at man and our relationship with nature. You know, how we have basically ruined everything. Which means it's still relevant today, maybe more so, HOWEVER... It takes some beautiful images, speeds them up or slows them down, adds some repetitive music and feels like torture. In fact, if I was going to torture an enemy, I would just play the soundtrack; I'm pretty sure they would tell me everything I wanted to know. It just goes on and on and on. The movie goes on for 85 minutes, which is 50 minutes too long. This would have been a great candidate for a short film. It's just annoying, the music especially. Somehow this made it on to the BBC's list for the 100 best American films (seriously, NOTHING was better?) and the National Film Registry, which means someone felt it was important enough to be preserved for future generations. So, sorry about that.

The Tree of Life, 2011, #79 BBC

Speaking of pretentious and movies that I had a hard time watching, let me talk briefly about The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. I'll be brief even though the movie was not, and if I had been blogging at the time I would have said something like, "Well that's three hours of my life I will never get back." The opening was visually beautiful, kind of like something from the Discovery Channel with scenes of volcanoes erupting and blood coursing through veins; kind of like a look at how life begins. Great, cool. The next 2 1/2 hours are about a family who struggle with the sudden death of a son/brother and the silences that inhabit their lives. There is very little dialog, just pouting, moping, sorrowful looks, and then some bizarre ending. Many people found deep meaning, the complexity of our relationship with our parents, when we are children and then when we grow up. All great stuff, but this movie left me cold and disengaged. I'm sure I am in the minority, but I did not think it was a masterpiece, as some called it. Terrence Malick has another movie that has recently been released, and I'm sure it will get some nomination or other, and I'll have to watch it, but from what I've read, I am not going to like it.


The Night of the Hunter, 1955 #92 BBC, National Film Registry

Um, I liked this better the first time I saw it, which was over ten years ago, way before the blog. Maybe it's not fair to say I liked it less, but I noticed the flaws a little more. Since The Night of the Hunter is a suspense film, I don't want to provide too much information, because the suspense is one thing that is a huge plus for this film. Let me back up a little bit. Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is a man of highly questionable character, and he gets arrested for stealing a car. In prison he meets Ben Harper (Peter Graves), a husband and father who was arrested and sentenced to hang for murder and robbery. The stolen money was never found, and Powell learns that Harper left behind a wife and two young children. Powell woos Willa Harper (Shelley Winters looking stunning) to try and find the money. John Harper (Billy Chapin), the oldest of the two children, takes an immediate dislike to Powell, but Pearl, the young daughter is very fond of him. Let's just say not everything is as it seems. There is a slow speed chase throughout the countryside as Powell is determined to find the money. The children meet up with an older woman, played by Lillian Gish, who is not as weak as she may appear. Seriously, I am afraid to tell you too much because the wrong move could ruin it. The movie is all about the suspense. The acting, on the other hand, is uneven to the point that I was laughing, but Charles Laughton directed and I know people think he was great, but in my opinion, he had some uneven moments as well. The dialog wasn't all the great in parts either. Billy Chapin was surprising as young John Harper, going toe to toe with Mitchum and seasoned actor James Gleason who played Uncle Birdie. Are you wondering if you should see this movie? Yeah, I would say so. Seeing it for the first time, you're more focused on the suspense and not some of the other, quirky things. This may be one of Mitchum's more iconic roles; Winters is good (she really played some different roles in her career); Gish was an American treasure; and it's better than the first two movies in this entry.