White Nights on a gray day

White Nights, 4/20/13, Best Original Song, 1985

The weather in Minneapolis has, as they say, sucked the proverbial egg, so you'd think I'd be able to pound through the movies like nobody's business. Sorry to disappoint, but I have been distracted by a British television series that is not Downton Abbey. I could only muster enough attention for two movies, The Robe and yesterday's White Nights.

White Nights is set during the last years of the Cold War, and features a Russian dancer, Nikolai Rodchenko, who defected to the US, played by Mikhail Baryshnikov and an American dancer, Raymond Greenwood, who defected to the former Soviet Union, played by Gregory Hines.Of course there is the obvious clash of ideologies and dance styles, and plenty of 'spontaneous' bursts of dancing. Greenwood is pressured by the KGB to convince Rodchenko to dance again in the USSR. I think it was an interesting concept and considering it was made contemporaneously to the era it was representing, it captured the feelings of mistrust at that time. But I think that's part of the problem with the movie, it seemed really dated and stale, including the music. I'm not sure I would have liked it if I saw it when it first came out, but having visited Russia, Moscow and St. Petersburg, I was a little more interested in the scenery and the history than the story. Lionel Richie won for Best Original Song, "Say You, Say Me"; "Separate Lives" written by Stephen Bishop was also nominated from the same movie. I don't know if it deserved to win, I didn't think the other nominated songs were that strong, but this song didn't come until the very end of the movie so it didn't set up the story or help a critical piece of the narrative. If you are a fan of dance, you might enjoy it. If you're not so much, then you might want to take a pass on it, or put it on your 'there's nothing else I really want to see, let me broaden my horizons' list.

Below are some pictures of my trip to St. Petersburg in 2006.

The Neva, St. Petersburg

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg

Hermitage, St. Petersburg 

Richard Burton in The Robe

The Robe, 4/19/13, Best Art Direction - Set Design, Color, Best Costume Design, Color, 1953

The Robe tells the story of what happened to the robe that Jesus wore before the crucifixion. I'm not a fan of religious films, strictly speaking, as a means of proselytizing, but an opportunity to see a great epic, great actors, maybe hear a gripping soundtrack, and perhaps even get a little message about peace and love.  There is something fresh about watching a movie like this or Cleopatra, How the West was Won or Spartacus (read no CGI or massive special effects and no 'life-like' violence) that they can still be enjoyed fifty or sixty years later. The main character is Marcellus Gallio (the inimitable Richard Burton), a Roman tribune who has a very prickly relationship with Caligula (soon to be Emperor of Rome) and a very pleasant relationship with Diana (Jean Simmons who just oozes class; she is also in Spartacus with Kirk Douglas). Marcellus outbids Caligula for a gladiator named Demetrius, played by Victor Mature (Samson and Delilah). Through a series of events, Marcellus is in charge of the soldiers who crucify Jesus, while his slave, Demetrius, becomes a follower. Marcellus wins the robe of the title in a dice game and thus begins his journey of guilt, doubt and ultimately, belief. I liked this movie, I didn't love it, but I liked it and would recommend it, especially if you're looking for something to watch during the Easter holiday (sorry I couldn't watch this sooner). The three primary actors are very good, Richard Burton is good, even when the movie is not; so getting to hear Burton and Simmons speak was fabulous. Actors could learn a lot by just listening to them. Some of the supporting characters were way over the top, but when you have the walking definition of crazy, i.e., Caligula, on the screen, you probably should expect a little bit of overacting. It's beautifully filmed and uses lighting to full effect (the only problem I had was the not very subtle ending, but you can see that for yourself).

A little Jane Austen is good for the soul

Emma, 4/14/13, Best Original Score, 1996

You really cannot go wrong with Jane Austen. Well, that may be a little overly optimistic, but in this case, it's true. I was not sure how I would like Gwyneth Paltrow as the title character, Emma, (I think she's a great Pepper Pots in the Iron Man movies), but I thought she did a good job. I enjoyed the movie, especially after watching JFK the day before; it was a nice way to end the weekend. I really love the way writers like Austen, Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens create their characters, especially the peripheral characters, that make the stories so timeless. And Austen has such a way with language, and an insight into human nature. Emma fancies herself a matchmaker, and does a terrible job of trying to match her lesser-advantaged friend, Harriet (played by Toni Collette) to the minister, Mr. Elton, then Frank Churchill (Ewan McGregor), both unsuccessfully. Of course, as she is so busy in other people's love lives, she crosses verbal swords with George Knightley (Jeremy Northam); she almost outsmarts herself. Mr. and Mrs. Elton (Mrs. Elton played by Juliet Stevenson) have some pretty comedic moments, and Miss Bates provides some comic relief, but also a moment of humility for Emma. The film won for best original score and Rachel Portman created a score that supports the movie and the narrative without intruding or being annoying. There were moments I didn't really pay attention to it, and other times where it was there in a very pleasant way.

I'm not an Austen expert, either her books or the films based on her books, but I think this version is a great introduction if you're interested. It has great dialogue, beautiful scenery, pretty good acting and a delightful score, zero nudity (although some of the clothes of the 19th century were hideous), and no swearing...a sophisticated family-friendly film. And, I have added a few more books to the summer reading list.

And now for you conspiracy theorists - I present to you - Oliver Stone's JFK

4/13/13 JFK, Best Cinematography and Best Editing, 1991

I had breakfast today with two friends and we engaged in a mildly political discussion. I still felt in a political mood, so choosing between The Robe, Emma or JFK, I opted for JFK. Oliver Stone has never been very quiet about his political leanings, and there is very little subtlety in JFK, sometimes I felt that Kevin Costner's Jim Garrison was swinging a sledge hammer. The movie looks at the assassination of JFK and how quickly the government settled on the 'single-shooter' theory, and Garrison's alternative theory. Jim Garrison, New Orleans District Attorney, starts to dig a little bit into Lee Harvey Oswald's activities in New Orleans prior to the assassination. Since the Warren Commission in the 1960s, more information has come to light about who may have been involved and acceptance that there may have been more than one shooter. The movie is long, but I think it was worth it, if only to hear and see the way Garrison and his team put the pieces together, as well as to see many great actors, including Walter Matthau (in an all too brief appearance), Jack Lemmon, Ed Asner, Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Oldman. The movie won for Best Cinematography and Best Editing; Joe Hutshing and Pietro Scalia did a fabulous job of editing the film, including real, contemporary footage (including the Zapruder film) and other footage made to look like it was filmed in 1963. Stone used black and white and color film to move between different parts of the story. It could have been distracting, but I kind of liked it. There is a lot that will never be known about what happened in November 1963, the events preceding or the events immediately following Kennedy's assassination.Some of that information may be available as soon as 2017, and I'm sure there will be new books and movies shortly after that. It is one of the watershed moments in American history and we are coming up on its 50th anniversary, and perhaps that is a good reason to watch the movie, and perhaps read one of the many books on the subject.

I want to take a second and thank those of you who read the blog. It is nearing 2,000 hits, and there have been visitors from Australia, Indonesia, but especially lately, Germany, Russia and the UK (as well as the US). Hopefully you enjoy the commentary. The influential and respected movie critic, Roger Ebert died this month after a long struggle with cancer and other ailments. I will never be Roger Ebert, but I hope to share my love of movies the way he did. Well, enough of that, back to the movies.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - revisited

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 4/6/13, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects, 1954

This movie is one of the few that I have seen before but wanted to watch it again to make sure I still felt the same way about as I did when I first saw it. The answer is yes. It was made in 1954, but the colors are still strong and vibrant, and it still held my interest. The movie stars James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre and Paul Lukas (not as well known as the other three). The story tells the tale of a mysterious sea monster that is destroying ships in the Pacific Ocean. Paul Lukas plays Professor Aronnax who is asked to determine the existence of this sea monster; Peter Lorre is his assistant; Kirk Douglas plays harpooner, Ned Land, and the inimitable James Mason is Captain Nemo. I'm sorry to say I have not read any of Jules Verne's stories, but have seen them brought to life on the screen, so that's all I have to go on, and I really do like this movie. You would think that almost 60 years later the effects would seem very dated and the story irrelevant, but Verne and Disney (who produced the movie) showed incredible prescience in the ideas and the technology in the movie (just to be clear, Verne wrote the story in 1870, so he probably should get more 'future points').

Captain Nemo is like many zealots, he may have valid points and a noble goal, but he fails in that he believes he is the only one capable of understanding and implementing his plan, which leads to acts of arrogance and destruction. Mason is awesome as Nemo; the beard and his fabulous voice, he is Nemo. Douglas brings a humor and physical presence that he has done so many times before (Spartacus - although that's not funny, exactly; or one of his later roles with Burt Lancaster Tough Guys). Lukas, playing Professor Aronnax, narrates the tale and tries to find a balance between his desire for research and understanding Nemo's goals and methodologies for living almost completely underwater versus Nemo's occasionally brutish ways of doing it. Lorre plays the Professor's assistant, but is actually a sparring/comedic partner to Douglas. Their interactions provide some good laughs (throw in the seal, and you have a great act for the Catskills). There are talks of a remake, so please see this first.

I think this is a great family movie, it might be a little scary for kids under six (the giant squid scene at the end), but older kids may enjoy the fantasy story of a huge underwater vessel, more than a submarine, and the idea of farming underwater. It also might be an interesting exercise to see what Verne (and later Disney) imagined over a century ago and what exists today. Or not, and just enjoy it. On another note, Mason starred in another Jules Verne adaptation, Journey to the Center of the Earth, 1959; it was nominated for a couple of Academy Awards, including Best Set Design, but did not win. I love this movie for the same reason I love 20,000 Leagues; it's fun, it's imaginative, it's a little scary and it has James Mason (and Pat Boone, if you're interested). WUAB channel 43 (shout out to my hometown of Cleveland) used to play this movie at least once a year on Saturdays for many years when I was growing up, and I watched it every time. If your kids (or you) like dinosaurs, this has a few of those (cleverly disguised lizards, really). It is also set in Iceland, which gets it an automatic mention from me.

As for me, I think I need to read me some Jules Verne this summer.

Spellbound - not so much

Spellbound, 4/6/13, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, 1945

After watching The Man Who Knew Too Much and really enjoying it, I was looking forward to another Hitchcock movie in Spellbound starring Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman (I was especially happy it was my favorite Gregory Peck and not Gary Cooper). Spellbound is set in a psychiatric hospital where Ingrid Bergman is one of the psychiatrists and Gregory Peck plays an impostor psychiatrist (I'm really not giving anything away, this is made very clear early on in the movie). I've been surprised at how well some movies hold up over the years, and then some movies do not; in my opinion, and I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but this does not. It may be because of the advances in psychiatry and what the general public 'know' about it; it could be the strange acting of Gregory Peck when he has an 'episode' and freaks out at white linens. The wacky looks are almost like a big sign that says 'HEY, I'M ABOUT TO GO ALL WEIRD, PAY ATTENTION'. The movie was nominated for six awards, and won for the score. It was okay, it didn't grab me like other scores I've heard over the past dozens of movies I've watched; it seemed intrusive at times, playing during dialog. One of the interesting things about the movie was that it used works by Salvador Dali for the dream sequences, which were suitable surreal. I'm not sure they really added anything either, but I've always been intrigued by Dali's work, so it was cool to see it used in this way. Before I started this project, I was notorious for falling asleep during movies (I actually fell asleep in the theater watching one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, only to be poked awake by my little brother); but I have gotten away from that habit, until yesterday. I missed the last 30 minutes of the movie; in the past I would have just said, thank you, and turned it off (like for Horrible Bosses), but I actually watched the rest of the movie. I'm glad I did, the last 15 minutes may have been the best part. I'm sure more Hitchcock movies are on my list, and I still look forward to seeing those.