Gun Crazy (1950) BUY 14+

       

Introduction:   I have never been a fan of film noir. Ever. The previous statement seems a little weird to me since I simply adore prime examples from the genre, such as Shadow Of A Doubt, The Night Of The Hunter, The Third Man, Sunset Blvd., The Fallen Idol, Strangers On A Train, Mildred Pierce, Citizen Kane, and Cat People. I also love watching mysteries with its dark story lines with complex characters and tense atmosphere. So why do I write myself off as a hater of film noir?
   Well, my reasoning is that these films tend to be way too cynical for my tastes as it represents a society that wants to chew up both the innocent heroes and wicked villains alike; then it wants to spit them up. Depressing. Another reason why I don't like film noir is that I rarely find a good film noir that wasn't style over substance. As mentioned before, I have already talked about the good film noirs that I love. The rest of the films that  I've seen are really unwatchable and mediocre. Detour was just a waste of  time. In fact, I would rather have done math homework instead of watching a boring piece of crap. Champion, Out Of The Past, and White Heat just have despicable heroes in them that I want to see Harry Lime to kill them off rather than suffer through their inept/stupid decisions. Gilda, The Asphalt Jungle and The Sweet Smell Of Success  were so boring that I turned them off in a heartbeat.
    But, the worst sin that most film noirs commit is that they are too mean-spirited that it sucks the joy out of watching the film as a whole. To me, there have too many disappointments in the genre for me to stick around and see some more film noirs. Granted, I have a lot more film noirs to watch via my shame list. Maybe, I will be inspired to watch more but I might wait for a while. - This is a memo from Matthew before he saw Gun Crazy on TCM a couple of months ago.

  What's it about: Bart Tare (Russ Tamblyn) is an emotionally disturbed teenager who has an obsession with guns. After he breaks into a store and steals a revolver, he's arrested by the sheriff who was in walking distance of the crime scene. Hey! If the sheriff was there and saw the whole thing, why didn't he try to stop Bart from stealing in the first place? Despite his friends and family standing up for him, saying that he would never kill anything due to a traumatic childhood scene, the judge sends Bart to reform school. That's what you get for stealing a gun from a store, kids.
       After going to reform school and to the army for several years, Bart (now played by John Dall) goes back to his hometown to be with his friends and his family before he tries to make an honest living. That same night, his friends take him to a carnival. There, he meets Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummings), who's a hot-as-heck carnival sharpshooter. After defeating her in a competition, he decides to get a job in the carnival as a sharpshooter. He also falls into a romantic relationship with Annie. Because women like guys that beats them in sporting events?
      After being fired by their boss, -don't ask, it's a complicated pointless subplot-, the pair runs off and they get married. However, after getting themselves broke while they are on their honeymoon, Annie starts to reveal her true colors. She starts wanting to have a better life for themselves and demands/manipulates Bart to follow her will. To support this fulfilling, Bart and Annie go on a crime spree, robbing hotels, banks, etc.
     Despite some successes, their loot always runs out before the couple can support themselves. Realizing thus, Annie manipulates Bart into pulling one big heist on a meatpacking plant. That way, they can have enough to support themselves. It's not like they can get themselves a job to support their lifestyle.
     However, this plot fails because during the heist, Annie gets frightened and she ends up killing two people. Ouch. Later, she tells Bart that she killed a man earlier before she got her carnival job, and that she truly loves him despite her crazy eyes, and even more disturbing personality. Maybe she should have thought about that before killing those people.
       The news media is fixated upon the couple's exploits and the FBI eventually finds out where the money is. To escape the law, the lovers run away to Bart's hometown where they try to hide out. However, they are spotted and they go on the lam again. Duh. They reach a state park where they are cornered and trapped by the FBI. When Bart's friends try to get him out of the situation, Annie gets scared by them. She tries to kill them, but Bart shoots her to save his buddies. As a result, he gets killed as well. Yeesh. At least, he died saving his friends.... :(   Wow. That was depressing

Is It Okay For Kids: Obviously, this film wasn't meant for younger children. Sure, they might be able to watch it, but its complex messages and tense storyline may upset them. Most film-noirs were meant for older children and adults as they looked at the dark side of human nature. They often displayed this theme with violence. Gun Crazy is no exception.
    In one early scene, a young Bart accidentally kills a baby chick with his BB gun. It's a potential for nightmares, especially among the toddlers. In a major heist, two people are gunned down by Annie as the couple flees from the crime scene. She's later revealed to have killed a man earlier in her life. Annie and Bart also threaten others' safety with warning shots or hold them at gunpoint. There's an uncomfortable scene involving the criminals and a family. The multiple bank robberies are tense and unnerving, as well as the final chase scene at the end. Finally, let's not forget that tragic final scene in which Bart and Annie are killed. Clearly, this is a perfect family film. :)
      On the other, slightly more serious hand, most teenagers, as well as certain older children, will love Gun Crazy. Why? Well, the film touches on the controvesial theme of relationships between humans. Yes, there's no sex scenes, even though Bart and Annie flirt and some implied sexual tension occurs between them after they get married. However, the film takes a jaded, cynical look at marriage's downsides. It points out that there often is a power struggle in relationships between people, as one is the leader and the other one is its helpless follower. Throughout most of the film, Annie harasses Bart into doing whatever she demands him to do, whether it is to rob a bank or hold a family hostage. Eventually, Bart stands, or in this case, shoots, up to her by refusing to follow her plans to kill his friends.
            Again, the film does take time to explain to the audience that the union between Bart and Annie wasn't a complete failure. In a pivotal scene, they almost get separated from each other when they are forced to go on the run after a bank heist. Yet, they are so madly in love with each other that they immediately get back together. Note that this scene happens before the police find out about their whereabouts. As they run away, their feelings for each other's decrease until Bart is willing to shoot his wife at the end in order to rescue his friends from certain death.
            Considering the national news surrounding gun control, this film might be a wonderful showcase of that issue. Bart loves his guns, but he doesn't use them to kill others due to a tragic incident early on in the film. He uses it in a more controlled, peaceful way that doesn't affect anyone at all. Annie has a similar fixation on guns as well. Except, when she gets scared by somebody, she'll shoot and kill them. The film isn't anti-gun, but like The Iron Giant, its' message is that when people use guns for despicable reasons, it can lead to tragedy. However, when they are used for good, they can improve people's lives by reliving stress or when they hunt to feed families, or to gain recognition to a notable cause. Guns are objects that are influenced by the person behind it, not itself.

My Thoughts: When Gun Crazy was first released, it didn't get any attention at all. People figured that it was another silly B-movie with a silly title. Seriously, who ever thought up of that title, Gun Crazy?  As more and more people watched it, they realized that the film didn't live up to expectations. It was better than they ever imagined.
    The acting is impressive, especially considering the fact that Peggy Cummings is reported to be a nice lady in real life, and yet manages to pull off a nutty performance. The direction by Joseph H. Lewis is a perfect example of the auteur theory, in which the director is the creator of a movie. He managed to put the right amount of art and visual control in a film that hardly deserved it at all. Consider one robbery scene in which Annie and Bart dress up as cowboys in order to rob a bank. Rather than using multiple cameras, he films the robbery in one single take that never leaves their car. That's amazing considering nowadays, most filmmakers use various shots in one scene alone. Here, he was able to tell the story as well as keep up the artistic flair of the film. Way to go, Mr. Lewis.
       I must again confess that I previously wasn't a fan of film noir. I couldn't understand why these films had to be so dark and "mean-spirited" when they were "just simple thrillers". While I was watching this particular one, I realized the answer to my predicament.
       The reason why these films are so dark is because they are tragedies. They tell stories terrible mistakes that human being inflict upon themselves in order to achieve happiness. As a result, their lives down spiral into a path of despair and they are faced with the ugly consequences of the decision.
       Due to this realization, I have a new respect for film noir as it reflect both the good and bad of humanity as a whole. 

She's actually kind of beautiful.  I sort of want to date her....

OH MY GOSH! SHE'S A PSYCHOTIC KILLER! RUN AWAY! 

  

Godzilla (1954) Buy 12+

How come Godzilla has a Criterion release? Oh well.

             Monster movies from the 1950s onward feel the same to me every time I watch one. They're a) too frightening, b) very annoying, c) too stupid, or d) really, really badly made films. The worst part to me is that they were mainly made to entertain the masses who wanted to have a good scare. Now, I'm not a sourpuss, and sometimes I can be enjoyed by an entertaining low-budget stupid horror film. It would be much better if a monster movie or any kind of film had a message to go along with that wasn't slapped onto it. That theme also has to have a point to be in the story. So, that's why I was surprised by Gojira or Godzilla, a 1954 Japanese monster film that deserves to be in the canon of great complex horror classics such as The Bride Of Frankenstein,  The Haunting,  Misery, and Cat People. The film's not only fun to look at for plain pleasure, but it also has a serious melancholy message of nuclear catastrophe to go along with it. 
           When Ishiro Honda directed it, Japan had just barely survived from the trauma of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which devastated the country with its horrifying loss of human life and its unprecedented side-effects. What's even more worse was that other countries were still testing their nuclear weapons on island near Japan. As a result, Godzilla became an allegory of Japan's suffering. The film constantly refers to nuclear disaster such as having "atomic tuna" or having ill health effects following the radiation.
            The film follows Japan after a series of disasters rock the stability of the nation. To explain what the cause of all this is, the government sends a group of investigators to the site where a monster was supposed to be seen. They are able to locate the monster, called Gojira/Godzilla, and they discover that he's an ancient dinosaur that's been contaminated by nuclear radiation. From here on, it becomes an allegorical drama about the consequences of nuclear testing as well as human emotions following a disaster. As Godzilla terrorizes Tokyo, some of  the experts  experience strong emotions about whether or not they should use a breaking new discovery of destroying oxygen to kill the monster.

Is Godzilla flossing his teeth with the model train set?

      Of course, the monster is the scariest thing in the movie. Its big bug-like eyes, breath of death, and menacing roar just send shivers down my spine whenever I think about it. What's even more amazing is that you can tell that it was a guy in a suit and you still are convinced that the monster really is there . (Apparently, that guy didn't like the suit too much. It got really hot in the suit and he often suffocated in it. Furthermore, the suit was really hard for the actor to move around in. I'd always be amazed at how the guy was able to press through that experience.)
    When the film got released in America, the producers decided to cut the atomic references from the original and have Raymond Burr play an American reporter describe the action rather than showing it. In other words, they reduce the complex philosophy into something so stupid that I don't want to talk about it! Let's move onto what I think about the film.
      To me, this film feels more like a complex disaster drama than a campy horror B-movie. Yes, there is absurd acting, and yes, there are frightening scenes. However, the film focuses more of its attention to the victims rather than on the monster. People are seen crushed, and dying in the hospitals because of Godzilla's destruction. In a heartbreaking scene, several schoolgirls are shown singing a hymn of peace to soothe the fears of the nation. Scientists and politicians fight over what is the right thing to do in this situation. The music and cinematography present a very gritty situation, and the ending is more of a pessimistic warning suggesting that there will be more disasters or Godzillas up ahead. No, it wasn't referring to the massive amount of sequels or the two awful American revisions that appeared after this. 

        

Happy Halloween, everyone! I know I haven't written a post since August, but I was getting overwhelmed by schoolwork, the moving into a new condo, and the sheer terror of the hurricane. Sorry. To make up for it, I've decided to do a post of a classic monster movie for Halloween! :) Thank you for being patient with me. And please do not send me hate mail for hating the Americanized version. It's just my opinion- I just think Gojira (1954) is superior to Godzilla, King Of The Monsters! (1956). 

The Razor's Edge (1946) Rent 15 and up

What is the meaning of life? Based on a 1944 novel by W. Somerset Maugham,The Razor's Edge is unusual for a Hollywood picture because it deals with a subject that Hollywood rarely ever did, and that was spiritualism and life's meaning. Despite my applauds for finding a film that was trying something different at the time, I'm still kind of puzzled by this film. To help clear my muddled thoughts, let me explain my opinion on this 1946 classic.
    In it, a well-to do Chicago veteran named Larry Darrell (Tyrone Power) is traumatized for his best friend sacrificed himself during a battle in World War One. To clear his muddled thoughts, he decides to go to Paris and India to find enlightenment on the meaning of life. After he learns about goodness, he decides to go visit his old friends in Paris who for the most part aren't doing really well in their lives. For instance, Sophie (Anne Baxter) used to be in a happy marriage until her husband and child gets killed in a car accident. Now, she's a washed-up drunk. Larry decides to save her from her sins. However, his ex-fiancee Isabel (Gene Tierney) is still in love with him. Let me rephrase that. She's obsessed with him. She wants to marry him, and she doesn't understand why he won't focus on society. So to make him realize that he should accept society over life, she decides to sabotage his work with Sophie which ends in tragedy for all of three of them.
       As usual with other golden age pictures, this one is a beautifully produced movie and the acting is really good. Tyrone Power is a genuine good actor with real charm, despite his character having to say awful lines as "The dead have never been deader." The other actors, like Clifton Webb is admirable. Anne Baxter's award winning role easily is the best of the performances for she's a devastating tragic heroine. The audience actually feels sympathy for her when things don't work out for her. She's a character that fate hasn't been kind to, and her performance as a person trying to see that but unable to prevent it is an unforgettable one.
           Gene Tierney's character, though well acted, seems more like a Shakespearean villain rather than a hero. She literally gets Sophie back on the path to doom through psychological warfare and the reason why she does this is she only wants Larry for herself not for anyone else. Did this film turn into a prequel to Leave Her To Heaven? Why would our main leading heroine commit second-degree murder and still be Larry's main affection throughout the entire picture? I know that she doesn't understand his philosophy but that's no excuse for doing despicable things. Ever.
        The main problem that I have with this movie isn't our heroine but the freaking story itself! I just found it boring and uninteresting for our hero is bland, and his quest for meaning didn't resonate with me. That's probably because I haven't experienced his feelings yet , but if you have questions about life, this might be a good choice for you if you don't mind the fact that it's a depressing story with no uplifting moments in it. I'm sorry to say this but I do not like this film at all. But, it's still a good movie but it's not really engaging or interesting to watch.

A tragic heroine who went on to harass Bette Davis.

Titanic Films 101

                 This year is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic disaster, which forever changed maritime law. It also served as a metaphor of our overconfidence in technology, which we sadly still do to this very day. (Note: Our trust in phones and computers.)  In honor of that great ship and in memory of the 1500 lives whom died on that fateful night, Hollywood has been making a lot of movies about this historic event, but not all of them are masterpieces like Titanic (1997) and A Night To Remember (1958). Let's take a look at the best and worst Titanic films of all time.

           The Film That I Wished Was Still Around With Us:  Saved From The Atlantic (1912)
        A few weeks after the Titanic sank, one of the actual survivors, Dorothy Gibson, starred in a fictionalized film about the Titanic. I would have loved to see this film because it would have reflected society's look on the Titanic, and plus it has an actual survivor in it! Sadly, its studio, Eclair, had a huge fire that engulfed the only known prints, and this was Dorothy Gibson's last film. What a shame.

Major Failure: An Octopus In A Titanic Movie

Another Major Failure: A Rapping Dog In A Titanic Movie

       The Film I Wished Was Not Still Around With Us: The Legend Of Titanic (1999)
      This was the first animated Titanic movie ever, and sadly, that's one of two reasons why we still remember it. The other reason is that it's historically inaccurate, bland animation, a strained political message,stolen cliches, stupidity, and it has an octopus saving the Titanic. I'm not kidding. If you are still interested in why it's so bad, just go see The Nostalgia Critic's video review of it, which sums up all of my hatred of it.
         The Best Documentary on Titanic:  Secrets Of Titanic (1987) and Titanica (1995)
        Even though there are a ton of Titanic documentaries, none of those can even top these two. I like how they showed actual pieces of the ship, and the narration of the latter helps the viewer on a guide of the ship. In fact, both of these also show the human side of the actual expeditions themselves. What a wonderful way to see history in the making.
          The Best T.V. Show About Titanic:  Titanic: The Complete Story (1994)
        This is what got me into my love for Titanic. The survivor's accounts and the glorious images all helped me fuel my knowledge of the vent. And what also helped was that the last special was on the movies and pop culture phenomenon that Titanic has produced. It allowed me to know that those movies existed and that I should go see them. Thank you, History Channel. Now stop messing up your programming with Decoded and America:The Story Of Us and put something fun and nonjudgmental in there.
        The Worst T.V. Show About Titanic: Titanic (1996)
        Why Hollywood! You have ruined great actors like George C.Scott (Patton), Eva Marie Saint (North by Northwest), Tim Curry (Clue), and Pete Gallagher (Short Cuts) when you starred them in a 1996 mini-series that was rushed into production before James Cameron could release his film. The result is a lackluster production with "embarrassingly bad acting" and "out of place scenes". Okay, those words came out of a review from the Seattle-Post Intelligencer   . But they do describe this terrible movie, and there are so many historical inaccuracies that any Titanic fan wouldn't be caught dead watching it!
        The Worst Titanic Movie Ever:  Titanic: The Legend Goes On (2000)
       This is the worst animated film of all time! It's been ranked #1 on the IMDB's Bottom 100, and the Nostalgia Critic did a whole rampage of it on his channel. Here's my review of it in four sentences: This movie is so stupid, ugly, and shameful that I want it destroyed! It had terrible animation that could make Walt Disney puke, borrowed every major Disney storyline/character that could make him puke again, basic stupidity, silly dialogue, shame to Titanic freaks with its historical flaws, and this list could go on and on forever! But the worst part about it is that it has a rapping dog in it! Oh my goodness!
      Honorable Mentions:  Atlantic (1929), History Is Made at Night (1939), and Titanic (1953) are all heavily fictionalized Hollywood versions of the Titanic saga with the latter one winning an Oscar for its soapy script. (Though Barbara Stanwyck was good in it.) Titanic (1943) is notable because it was a German propaganda film that portrayed the British as total jerks, while the Germans as angels. (How ironic.) Tragically, there have been controversy over this as its director got mysteriously killed, and this film was banned in Germany until several decades later. Raise The Titanic (1980) was based on Clive Cussler's book of the same name. Why is it so notable? Well, it bombed really badly. So badly that its producers, Lew Grade, "sank into disaster", and Clive Cussler demanded that no other book of his would be made into another film. The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) is a musical chronicling Molly Brown's life, including her brief appearance on Titanic. Time Bandits (1981) and Ghostbuster II (1989) all had brief glimpses of the ship. Too brief for my tastes.  In Naucht und Eis (In Night And Ice) was a silent Titanic drama that was released a few weeks after the actual tragedy. It was thought to be lost until a collector discovered it in 1998.
       The Best Titanic Movies Of All Time: Titanic (1997) and A Night To Remember (1958)
    Okay. I know that I'm cheating by picking two films for the number one spot, but I couldn't do it with those two immortal classics. Both of them showed us characters whom we cared about deeply, artistic ability, wonderful journeys, historically accuracy, and the ship sinking scenes are just awesome. Superb acting and directing also happened in these movies, and you must see these two on DVD, (or theater) right now.
   I think the real reason why we cherish Titanic so much is that we can identify with the lost souls and their ocean liner of dreams that symbolized life with a happy ending. After all, life should have a happy ending for dreams can only prosper in happy endings. Though it sank into tragedy, its dreams will go in our minds as a twisted tragic "happy ending." This post is made in honor of that great ship ,all of her passengers and all of their dreams that will be always remembered.