This blog's thousands of regular readers are beginning to notice a distinct pattern here: public domain lunchtime noirs legally viewed online
at archive.org or on the
openflix YT channel. And yes, this is another.
Lizabeth Scott shines as the manipulative, empty, pretty girl with things to hide - including her husband, shot at point-blank range and dumped in a lake. This in an effort to keep a hold on a suitcase containing $60,000 mysteriously thrown into their car (presumably by criminals) while out driving one night.
A reasonably satisfying noir. This version looks like a recording from TV, has quite a lot of audio static, and maybe missing a few brief moments here and there.
Sunday 30 September 2012
Santa Sangre (MX/IT, 1989)
I tend to regard modern films or directors mentioned in the same breath as Lynch or Buñuel with high suspicion, because it'd be impossible to equal either, or even come close.
Until this. A unique movie, part sacreligious horror, part revenge story, part comedy, part circus/asylum freakshow, with almost other-worldly attention to detail.
It's a truly magic, masterful, colourful, visual feast, just made for the cinema, in places hilarious, and never has anything so unusual ever been carried off so naturalistically. Well up there with The Phantom of Liberty, Valerie and her Week of Wonders and Lynch at his best.
I repeatedly overlooked renting this movie because the DVD cover made it look too fanciful/theatrical. Duh...full marks and many thanks to QFT Belfast for putting the likes of it on. I wasn't expecting much from this on the basis of the trailer on YT, but it's the best film I've seen this year, or certainly in the top 2.
Until this. A unique movie, part sacreligious horror, part revenge story, part comedy, part circus/asylum freakshow, with almost other-worldly attention to detail.
It's a truly magic, masterful, colourful, visual feast, just made for the cinema, in places hilarious, and never has anything so unusual ever been carried off so naturalistically. Well up there with The Phantom of Liberty, Valerie and her Week of Wonders and Lynch at his best.
I repeatedly overlooked renting this movie because the DVD cover made it look too fanciful/theatrical. Duh...full marks and many thanks to QFT Belfast for putting the likes of it on. I wasn't expecting much from this on the basis of the trailer on YT, but it's the best film I've seen this year, or certainly in the top 2.
Killing Them Softly (US, 2012)
A nuanced variation on the traditional crime/hitman storyline but lacking impact.
The recession/Obama-era political statement-making is deliberate but not overly-laboured.
Not bad, but not as good as one might be led to believe.
The recession/Obama-era political statement-making is deliberate but not overly-laboured.
Not bad, but not as good as one might be led to believe.
Tabu (PT, 2012)
An elderly Portugese woman in modern Lisbon in 'second childhood' mode has not long left for this world.
In part II, We learn more of her past life in Portugese Africa from her former lover, of whom her few surviving relatives learn on her deathbed.
Filmed in black and white, in a "square" aspect ratio, it's a tender and very good-looking film, with gilmpses of an original vision from this director. A tad long perhaps, and the hints at colonial-era political unrest could have been omitted, but these small complaints in light of the overall visual strength.
In part II, We learn more of her past life in Portugese Africa from her former lover, of whom her few surviving relatives learn on her deathbed.
Filmed in black and white, in a "square" aspect ratio, it's a tender and very good-looking film, with gilmpses of an original vision from this director. A tad long perhaps, and the hints at colonial-era political unrest could have been omitted, but these small complaints in light of the overall visual strength.
Il Divo (IT, 2008)
Le Conseguenze dell'Amore was the best film I saw in 2004. Not only a great film, but uniquely for an Italian movie, it also has an exceedingly
good soundtrack.
Il Divo (also directed by Sorrentino and starring Servillo) relates the story of Giulio Andreotti Italian premier for multiple short periods, on whose watch many key 'strategy of tension' events occurred. He would eventually be investigated but ultimately cleared of any criminal association during/after the Tangentopoli scandal.
His involvement - or otherwise - in mafia doings is not shied away from in this film however. Equally, Andreotti is portrayed as an ordinary yet highly intelligent man of the people who looks after his sometimes impoverished consitituents.
One of the most interesting scenes of the film is the former premier's soliloquy in which the strategia della tensione is renamed the 'strategy of survival', with the ex-premier pleading that certain evil acts were necessary for the greater long-term good, that is the isolation of extremist elements the promotion of reasonable, centrist parties.
The film is quite inventive and visually impressive. Some brief background reading recommended in order to understand the subject matter better.
Il Divo (also directed by Sorrentino and starring Servillo) relates the story of Giulio Andreotti Italian premier for multiple short periods, on whose watch many key 'strategy of tension' events occurred. He would eventually be investigated but ultimately cleared of any criminal association during/after the Tangentopoli scandal.
His involvement - or otherwise - in mafia doings is not shied away from in this film however. Equally, Andreotti is portrayed as an ordinary yet highly intelligent man of the people who looks after his sometimes impoverished consitituents.
One of the most interesting scenes of the film is the former premier's soliloquy in which the strategia della tensione is renamed the 'strategy of survival', with the ex-premier pleading that certain evil acts were necessary for the greater long-term good, that is the isolation of extremist elements the promotion of reasonable, centrist parties.
The film is quite inventive and visually impressive. Some brief background reading recommended in order to understand the subject matter better.
Saturday 22 September 2012
Impact (US, 1949)
Noir~ish drama in which a duplicitous woman attempts to have her lover murder her doting husband. Hubby survives, would-be assassin dies fleeing the scene of the attempt, hubby eventually returns home and is charged with the lover's murder.
A conventional romance (with stringed music) emerges with the most lovely Ella Raines. The 'noirest' aspect of the film is the slightly convoluted crime plot. Charles Coburn's canny Irish cop makes a decent fist of a Munster accent.
Part inspiration for the Coen bros' 'The Man Who Wasn't There' perhaps, albeit with a happpier ending. It's a good film, legally viewable online at archive.org or at the Open Flix YT Channel.
A conventional romance (with stringed music) emerges with the most lovely Ella Raines. The 'noirest' aspect of the film is the slightly convoluted crime plot. Charles Coburn's canny Irish cop makes a decent fist of a Munster accent.
Part inspiration for the Coen bros' 'The Man Who Wasn't There' perhaps, albeit with a happpier ending. It's a good film, legally viewable online at archive.org or at the Open Flix YT Channel.
Saturday 1 September 2012
L'Oeil du Malin / The Third Lover (FR/DE, 1962)
My fourth Chabrol film in 4 weeks, which must be a new record...
The first to star Stéphane Audran as Hèléne, who became a staple during Chabrol's peak era. Peak era L'Oeil du Malin is not, but still a reasonably good film; better than À Double Tour, slightly better than Le Beau Serge, but nowhere near as good as Les Bonnes Femmes.
A young, self-absorbed journalist is despatched to a suburban village outside Munich to report upon daily life there. A chance meeting with a French woman yields an invite to her home which she shares with her German writer husband. Albin soon becomes a regular into their cosy home, but begins to nurture designs of his own...The story is partly narrated by Albin, and there is perhaps a little too much of his internalised feelings. The ending, while not unexpected, is, again, perhaps less effective than in Chabrol's best work.
There's some interesting footage from a subdued daytime Oktoberfest at a fair outside of town. Chabrol himself makes a very brief appearance as a member of the public in the gentleman's club scene.
Unattractive but useful Chabrol fansite here with a very good filmography.
The first to star Stéphane Audran as Hèléne, who became a staple during Chabrol's peak era. Peak era L'Oeil du Malin is not, but still a reasonably good film; better than À Double Tour, slightly better than Le Beau Serge, but nowhere near as good as Les Bonnes Femmes.
A young, self-absorbed journalist is despatched to a suburban village outside Munich to report upon daily life there. A chance meeting with a French woman yields an invite to her home which she shares with her German writer husband. Albin soon becomes a regular into their cosy home, but begins to nurture designs of his own...The story is partly narrated by Albin, and there is perhaps a little too much of his internalised feelings. The ending, while not unexpected, is, again, perhaps less effective than in Chabrol's best work.
There's some interesting footage from a subdued daytime Oktoberfest at a fair outside of town. Chabrol himself makes a very brief appearance as a member of the public in the gentleman's club scene.
Unattractive but useful Chabrol fansite here with a very good filmography.
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