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Cinema Review Sheets
The following sheets contain information about the films we've seen. To complete a review, please download a Blank Review Sheet.
1st Quarter:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Paramount, 1931)
The classic tale of a scientist who manages to release his evil side through chemicals, and pays dearly for it.
Credits: DIRECTOR - Rouben Mamoulian
PRODUCERS - Mamoulian, Adolph Zukor
SCREENPLAY - Samuel Hoffenstein, Percy Heath (based upon the
Novel by Robert Louis Stevenson)
CINEMATOGRAPHY - Karl Struss
MAKE -UP - Wally Westmore
Cast: Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Hyde - FREDERIC MARCH (Winner, Best Actor Oscar)
Ivy Pearson - MIRIAM HOPKINS
Muriel Carew - Rose Hobart
Dr. Lanyon - Holmes Herbert
General Carew - Halliwell Hobbes
Poole - Edgar Norton
Importance
1. Pioneering camera work by Struss; 1st Person POV shots very innovative
2. Interesting transformation scenes, some done with filters on the lens
3. VERY 'adult' subject matter--it's clear that Hyde represents Jekyll's repressed sex drive (that Hyde resembles an ape is also significant--he seems to be reversing evolution); excellent make-up by Westmore, one of many make-up pioneers in the Westmore family.
4. Lots of sexual symbolism, and a pretty racy semi-nude scene with Hopkins, not to mention the pretty obvious depiction of Hyde's sexual depravity scenes like this got the Catholic League of Decency up in arms, resulting in the Production Code of 1934)
5. Points out the direction of films to come
Notes
1. Made as Paramount's answer to the successful Universal horror films released earlier in the year--Dracula and Frankenstein.
2. The heartbeat on the soundtrack during Jekyll's first transformation scene is Mamoulian's.
3. Represents many significant changes in the story from Stevenson's original novel; more closely follows the Hollywood/John Barrymore version from 1920.
4. After the Production Code, serious cuts were made in the film--from 97 to 85 minutes. It's only with the release of the DVD version that all cut scenes were restored in 2004.
5. For years, the film was thought to be lost (MGM bought it in 1941 when they produced
their remake, and buried the '31 version in their vaults for years).
* * *
The Invisible Man (Universal, 1933)
A scientist discovers a formula to make him invisible, but becomes murderously insane in the process. Based on the H.G. Wells novel.
Credits: DIRECTOR - JAMES WHALE (Frankenstein)
Producer - Carl Laemmele, Jr.
Screenplay - R. C. Sheriff
Special Effects - John P. Fulton
Music - Heinz Roemheld
Cinematography - Arthur Edeson
Editor - Ted Kent
Cast: Jack Griffin, the Invisible One - CLAUDE RAINS
Flora Cranley, Jack's Fiancé - GLORIA STUART (Titanic)
Dr. Arthur Kemp, Griffin's Reluctant "Partner" - William Harrigan
Dr. Cranley, Flora's Father - Henry Travers
Herbert Hall, the Innkeeper - Forrester Harvey
Jenny Hall, Herbert's Wife - Una O'Connor
Constable Jaffers ("'E's invisible, that's wot's th' matter wit' 'im") - E.E. Clive
Chief of Police - Holmes Herbert (Lanyon in Jekyll & Hyde)
Chief Detective - Dudley Digges
Importance
--a technological tour de force; many of the effects hold up well even today
--great, over-the-top ("camp") performances by the actors
--hilarious script with great lines; a deft mix of thrills and laughs (and an interesting
take on the theme we've already seen developed in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)
--fluid camera work, editing, and musical score give the film a very modern look
Trivia
--23-year old Stuart (much) later played the old Rose in James Cameron's Titanic.
--Originally developed as a vehicle for Boris Karloff (Frankenstein); Whale insisted
on Rains because of his voice (Rains makes his American debut here--age 43)
--Rains isn't seen in the film until the very last scene.
* * *
The Ring (Dreamworks, 2002)
Before you die, you see the ring.
A reporter must investigate a mysterious videotape that seems to cause the death of anyone who sees it…..
Credits: Director - Gore Verbinski
Producers - Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Screenplay - Ehren Kruger (based upon the Japanses film Ringu)
Editor - Craig Wood
Music - Hans Zimmer
Cinematography - Bojan Bazelli
Visual Effects Supervisor - Charles Gibson
Make Up Effects - Rick Baker
Cast: Rachel Keller - NAOMI WATTS
Noah Clay - MARTIN HENDERSON
Aiden Keller - DAVID DORFMAN
Richard Morgan - Brian Cox
Anna Morgan - Shannon Cochran
Samara Morgan - Daveigh Chase
Dr. Grasnick - Jane Alexander
Importance
1. A terrific example of film technology at work. Tight shooting, editing, moody visuals, shock effects; all combine to create a creep atmosphere and some genuine cinematic scares.
2. Textbook meshing of Gibson's computer-generated effects and Baker's eerie make-up effects (reminiscent of his work with Dick Smith on The Exorcist).
3. Manages to be chilling without relying on Jason-like graphic violence.
Notes
1. Director Verbinski (Mouse Hunt, The Pirates of the Caribbean) got his start in commercials. He created the famous Budweiser frogs, and was also a guitarist for various punk-rock bands.
2. Make-Up artist Rick Baker has won four Oscars for his work (An American Werewolf in London, Harry and the Hendersons, Ed Wood, Planet of the Apes); created Jim Carrey's Grinch look as well.
3. Gibson is responsible for the visual effects on Babe, The Green Mile, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other recent films.
4. Gwenyth Paltrow, Jennifer Connelly, and Kate Beckinsale all turned down the role of Rachel.
5. Verbinski purposely duplicated shots from Alfred Hitchcock's films in The Ring.
6. To promote the film, Dreamworks planted unexplained copies of the 'killer' video at concerts and other places young people hang out.
7. Sold 2 million DVD copies within 24 hours.
* * *
Angels With Dirty Faces (Warner Bros., 1938)
Two juvenile delinquent friends grow up to lead very different lives. One becomes a gangster, the other a priest. Trouble starts when their paths cross again.
Credits: Director - Michael Curtiz (Casblanca)
Screenplay - John Wexley, Warren Duff (Oscar Nominee)
Music - Max Steiner
Cast: William "Rocky" Sullivan - JAMES CAGNEY (Oscar Nominee)
Father Jerry Connolly - PAT O'BRIEN
James Frazier - Humphrey Bogart
Laurie Ferguson - Ann Sheridan
Mac - George Bancroft
And the Dead End Kids
Importance
--Epitomizes Warner Bros. Style: tough drama with a message
--Nature vs. Nurture theme
--examination of youth gangs (still relevant--or more relevant?--today)
--examination of anti-hero worship (ditto)
--penultimate Cagney performance; here's a legend at his best
--characteristic quick action pace
Notes
--sixth teaming of Cagney/O'Brien (real-life friends)
--Bogart in an oily villain role
--Real bullets fired by sharp shooters in gun fight scenes until Cagney was almost killed…..
* * *
Gone With the Wind (Selznick International Studios, 1939)
A spoiled brat pursues a doomed romance amid the horrors of the Civil War. Based on Margaret Mitchell's bestseller.
CREDITS: Director - Victor Fleming (Oscar) + George Cukor & Sam Wood (uncredited)
Producer - David O. Selznick (Oscar, Best Picture)
Screenplay - Sidney Howard (plus a slew of others, uncredited) Oscar
Music - Max Steiner (Oscar)
Cost - $4.25 million (about $53 million today)
CAST: (Katie) Scarlett O'Hara - VIVIEN LEIGH (Oscar, Best Actress)
Captain Rhett Butler - CLARK GABLE (Nominated, Best Actor)
Ashley Wilkes - LESLIE HOWARD (Nominated, Best Supporting Actor)
Melanie Wilkes - OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND (Nominated, Supporting Actress)
Mammy - HATTIE MCDANIEL (Oscar, Best Supporting Actress)
The first African-American to win an Oscar
Gerald O'Hara - Thomas Mitchell
Importance:
--sets the standard for all film epics to come (Ben Hur, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, Titanic)
--brilliant use of Technicolor film; influential musical score
--strong story, sustaining interest for almost 4 hours
--very strong female lead
--great acting from most of the principals
Detractions:
--slavery seems "fun"
--action in novel condensed in last half hour, threatens to turn the film into a bad soap opera
Notes:
--Selznick's triumph after breaking with MGM
--BIG-TIME pay day--adjusted for inflation, GWTW has earned more than a BILLION dollars
--Selznick had to pay a $5000 fine for letting Gable say "damn"
--Production a hay burner; script a MESS; Selznick almost suffered a nervous breakdown, Gable & Leigh disliked each other
--TV sequel Scarlett made in the 1990s
Collateral (Dreamworks, 2004)
A cabby's world turns upside down when his latest fare turns out to be a contract killer.
CREDITS: Director - Michael Mann (Miami Vice (TV), Manhunter, Heat, Ali)
Producers - Mann and Julie Richardson (budget: $65 million)
Screenplay - Stuart Beattie
Music - James Newton Howard
Cinematography - Dion Beebe, Paul Cameron
Editors - Jim Miller, Paul Rubell
CAST: Vincent, the Contract Killer - TOM CRUISE
Max, the Cabby - JAMIE FOXX
Annie, the Attorney (and one of Vincent's targets) - JADA PINKETT SMITH
Fanning, the Cop on Vincent's Trail - Mark Ruffalo
Richard Weidner - Peter Berg
Pedrosa, FBI - Bruce McGill
Ida, Max's Mother - Irma P. Hall
Importance
A very cool L.A. story, well acted by all concerned, especially Foxx and Cruise (Foxx was nominated for an Oscar).Typical "cool" direction by Mann, who likes to use subdued colors, flashy action, and stubble beards; 80% of this film was shot on digital video to capture scenes in extremely low light.
Film editing--especially during climatic shoot-out--a highlight; suspense is realistically built.
Trivia
Spike Lee, Martin Scorcese, and Steven Spielberg all turned down the chance to direct this film, which made more than 100 million dollars in theaters.
Adam Sandler and Russell Crowe were originally set to play Max and Vincent, with Val Kilmer as Fanning. Later, Colin Farrell was offered the Vincent part. At one point, Robert DeNiro was considered for Maxx in a throwback to his Travis Bickle Role in Taxi Driver (1976). The studio nixed the idea, wanting someone younger in the part.
Mann heavily re-wrote the script, uncredited. He switched the setting from NYC to L.A.
To prepare for the film, Cruise--in his Vincent make-up--did UPS deliveries in L.A. No one recognized him. Mick Gould, a firearms expert, trained Cruise and Mann in the use of the HK USP .45, and the modified Ruger .22 Mk II long rifle.
Foxx and Cruise became good friends.
* * *
Bride of Frankenstein (Universal, 1935)
Who will the bride of Frankenstein be? Who will dare? Dr. Frankenstein is forced by his former professor to create a mate for the Monster.
Credits: Director - James Whale
Producer - Carl Laemmle, Jr.
Screenplay - William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston
Cinematography - John J. Mescall
Make Up - Jack P. Pierce
Editing - Ted Kent
Music - Franz Waxman
Special Effects - John P. Fulton
Cast: The Monster - [Boris] Karloff
Dr. Henry Frankenstein - Colin Clive
Elizabeth Frankenstein, Henry's wife - Valerie Hobson
Dr. Pretorius, Henry's former professor - Ernest Thesiger
Minnie, Frankenstein's Maid - Una O'Connor
Karl, Pretorius' assistant - Dwight Frye
The Burgomaster - E.E. Clive
Mary Shelley - Elsa Lanchester
Percy Shelley - Douglas Walton
George Gordon, Lord Byron - Gavin Gordon
The Blind Man who befriends the Monster - O.P. Heggie
The Monster's Mate - ?
Importance
Many critics credit this as being the best horror film ever made. While certainly not scary anymore, it is funny enough (and bizarre enough) to keep our interest even to this day.
Note the use of background music; much more effective than the early shockers like Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the first Frankenstein.
Whale's tour de force, a menagerie of strange characters, twisted motivations, and gallows humor, well shot and edited.
Trivia
Whale was pressured by Universal to make a sequel to Frankenstein (1931). He held out as long as he could, until he had a script he could get in to.
Karloff HATED the idea of the Monster talking. He thought it was a major mistake. Time has proven him to be wrong, and he gives an excellent performance here.
Clive had seriously injured his legs before filming; many of his scenes were staged sitting down because of this.
The film as shot by Whale was almost 20 minutes longer; Universal cut it down to its present length. The cut footage has never been found.
The Stranger (RKO, 1946)
An escaped Nazi war criminal is hunted in a small Connecticut town.
CREDITS: Direction - ORSON WELLES (Citizen Kane)
Producer - S.P. Eagle (Sam Spiegel)
Story - Victor Trivas
Screenplay - Anthony Veillor (with John Huston and Welles, uncredited)
Cinematography - Russell Metty
Editing - Ernest J. Nims
Music - Bronislau Kaper
Setting: Mostly Harper (fictional) Connecticut, USA, c. 1946
CAST: Wilson, the U.S. Government Nazi Hunter - EDWARD G. ROBINSON
Mary Longstreet Rankin, "Charles'" Wife - LORETTA YOUNG
Franz Kindler, the escaped Nazi hiding in Connecticut, posing as the
history teacher Charles Rankin - ORSON WELLES
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Adam Longstreet (Mary's Father) - Phillip Merivale
Noah Longstreet, Mary's Brother - Richard Long
Konrad Meinike, "the Little Man," Kindler's Old Second-In-Command - Konstantin Shayne
Dr. Jeffrey Lawrence, a Longstreet Family Friend - Byron Keith
Mr. Potter, the Annoying Storekeeper - Billy House
Sara, the Longstreet's Housekeeper - Martha Wentworth
Mr. Peabody, Potter's picked on assistant - Pietro Sosso
Importance
A superior example of direction by Welles, with camera angles and light and shadow selected to enhance the action.
The first Hollywood film to deal with the Holocaust and the hunt for escaped war criminals.
A literate screenplay that deals in characterization and in the nature of evil.
An interesting psychological depiction of the Stockholm Syndrome; pay attention to how Kindler/Rankin psychologically binds Mary to him, even after she discovers he's killed someone.
Trivia
After the drama caused by Citizen Kane--and the mess he created over The Magnificent Ambersons and the unfinished It's All True--Welles set out here to prove that he could direct a Hollywood picture as well as anybody else. He came in on time and under budget.
An interesting change of roles for Robinson, who usually played gangsters (Little Caesar, Key Largo). In real life, Robinson was Jewish, and the role of a Nazi hunter was near and dear to his heart.
This is the first Hollywood film to show footage of the Nazi concentration camps.
Of the films he directed, Welles liked this film the least; ironically, it's the film of his that made the most money at the box office--and the film of his that confuses the audience the least.
The studio cut a long scene at the beginning of the film showing how Kindler escaped through South America to get to the USA. Welles always claimed, "It was the best thing in the film."
* * *
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (Paramount, 1960)
A young embezzler ends up at the Bates motel….which has secrets of its own….
CREDITS: Producer/Director - ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Screenplay - Joseph Stefano (based on Robert Bloch's novel)
Music - Bernard Herrmann
Cost - $800,000 (about $4.8 million today)
CAST: Marian Crane - JANET LEIGH
Norman Bates - ANTHONY PERKINS
Lila Crane, Marian's sister - VERA MILES
Sam Loomis, Marian's boyfriend - JOHN GAVIN
Milton Arbogast, the private investigator - Martin Balsam
Sheriff Chambers - John McIntire
Carolyn, the other secretary in Marian's office - Pat Hitchcock (Alfred's daughter)
Setting: In and around Phoenix Arizona to begin with; later, Fairvale, CA, c. 1960
Importance
--Hitch's most famous film, and the father of all modern horror films.
--Groundbreaking and shocking subject matter (including the use of multiple-personality disorder)
--Masterful shooting and cutting; the shower scene is a must-see in all film schools
--Herrmann's all-string score sets the prototype for modern horror film music.
Notes
--Hitchcock used the crew from his TV series and shot in B&W to prove that good films could be made for little money.
--Audiences were not allowed in the theater once the film began, and posters proclaimed, "Please don't reveal our ending. It's the only one we have."
--NOT a success with the critics at first--many accused Hitch of pandering to the lowest tastes. Later, critics flip-flopped and proclaimed Psycho a masterpiece.
--Followed after Hitchcock's death by three sequels (the first in 1983) and a TV series; remade in 1998 (almost shot-for-shot) by Gus Van Sant with Vince Vaughn as Norman
--Janet Leigh is Jamie Lee Curtis' mother (Halloween). The name 'Sam Loomis' was borrowed from this film by John Carpenter and given to the doctor who pursues Michael Myers.
--John Gavin later ran for Congress and won. Perkins was forever typecast in Norman Bates-like roles (ffolkes, Crimes of Passion)
--Psycho features the first visual of a toilet flushing in American films.
* * *
Jaws (Universal, 1975)
A small New England town is terrorized by a great white shark.
Credits: Director - STEVEN SPIELBERG
Producers - Richard Zanuck and David Brown
Screenplay - Peter Benchley & Carl Gottlieb (based upon Benchley's novel)
Music - John Williams (this is a very famous score)
Editing - Verna Fields
Shark Designed and Built By Robert Mattey
CAST: Police Chief Martin Brody - ROY SCHIEDER
Quint, the Shark Hunter - ROBERT SHAW
Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute - RICHARD DREYFUSS
Ellen Brody, Martin's Wife - Lorraine Gary
Larry, the Mayor of Amity - Murray Hamilton
Setting: Amity (a small town on an island), MA, c. 1975
Importance
--Great direction by young Spielberg (only his second feature), and a huge hit (was #1 on box office list until Star Wars).
--Watch how Spielberg and editor Verna Fields cut the film for maximum impacts and scares.
--Great acting by the three leads-their scenes together are dynamite.
Notes
--first film to be shot in Martha's Vineyard, MA
--robot shark “Bruce” a nightmare to work with; now in display in Disneyworld.
--Shaw (a novelist) and director John Milius (Conan) worked uncredited on the script
--followed by three sequels
* * *
The Fugitive (Warner Brothers, 1993)
A doctor, wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, seeks to track down the real killer.
CREDITS: Director - ANDREW DAVIS (nominated, Best Director)
Producer - Arnold Kopelson
Screenplay - Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, based on characters created
by Roy Huggins
Music - James Newton Howard
CAST: Dr. Richard Kimble - HARRISON FORD
Deputy Samuel Gerard, U.S. Marshall - TOMMY LEE JONES (Oscar Winner)
Helen Kimble, Richard's Wife - Sela Ward
Sykes, the One-Armed Man - Andreas Katsulas
Dr. Charles Nichols, Richard's Best Friend - Jeroen Krabbe
Cosmo Renfro, U.S. Marshall - Joe Pantoliano
Deputy Biggs - Daniel Roebuck
Deputy Poole - L. Scott Caldwell
Deputy Noah Newman - Tom Wood
Setting: In and around Chicago, Ill., c. 1993
Conflict: What if you were sentenced to death for a crime you didn't commit?
(very Hitchcock)
Importance
Great action-film direction; had Spielberg not made Schindler's List in 1993, Davis would have been a shoo-in for the Oscar.
Very strong lead and supporting performances (check out the relationships between the Marshalls).
Gripping story from first to last, based upon the old TV series (which, in turn, was based upon a real-life event in the 1950s). Ironically, a new TV series, based upon this movie, was launched shortly after.
Notes
Davis, from Chicago, started as Steven Segal's director (Above the Law). Also directed Chuck Norris in Code of Silence.
The train-crash sequence (shot in North Carolina) severely injured Ford's leg--he runs with a limp for the rest of the movie.
Jones made up a lot of Gerard's lines on the spot, including the famous, "I don't care!"
A Ford-less sequel was made called U.S. Marshals, with Gerard's team chasing ex-CIA op Wesley Snipes.
* * *
2nd Quarter:
Who Done It? (Universal, 1942)
Abbott and Costello investigate a murder at a radio station.
CREDITS: Director - Erle C. Kenton
Screenplay - Stanley Roberts, Edmund Joseph, John Grant
CAST: Chick Young - BUD ABBOTT
Mervyn Milgram - LOU COSTELLO
Jim Turner, the New Writer - Patric Knowles
Jane Little, Radio Producer (and Jim's girlfriend) - Louise Allbritton
Colonel Andrews, Head of the GBS Network - Thomas Gomez
Juliet, Col. Andrews' Secretary - Mary Wickes
Dr. Merrick - Ludwig Stoessel
Lt. Moran - William Gargon
Brannigan - William Bendix
Setting: GBS Radio, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1942 (WWII is, of course, going on)
Importance
A great example of Abbott and Costello's work, Hollywood's #1 box office attraction in the early 1940s.
Great example of slapstick (physical) comedy, and a direct influence on Jim Carrey/Adam Sandler, etc.
Perfect escapist entertainment for an American culture dealing with wartime rationing, casualties, the draft, etc.
Notes
Kenton had started as a comedy director in silent films; thus, his expertise in shooting and cutting for maximum laughs.
Realistic depiction of radio dramas, an art form now lost.
Screenwriter Grant was A&C's personal writer, responsible for Who's On First? and other famous bits.
A&C's 7th film in three years, the first without extended musical interruptions.
* * *
On the Waterfront (Columbia, 1954) Winner, Best Picture
An ex-boxer with mob ties has to decide whether or not he'll testify against his friends.
Credits - DIRECTOR - Elia Kazan, Winner, Best Director
PRODUCER - Sam Spiegel
SCREENPLAY - Budd Schulberg, Winner, Best Screenplay
MUSIC - Leonard Bernstein
Cast: Terry Malloy - MARLON BRANDO, Winner, Best Actor
Father Barry - KARL MALDEN
Johnny Friendly (aka Michael J. Skelly), the Mob Boss - LEE J. COBB
Charley the Gent, Friendly's lawyer and Terry's Brother - ROD STEIGER
Edie, Joey Doyle's Sister - EVA MARIE SAINT, Winner, Best Supporting Actress
Timothy J. "K.O" Dugan, the "Stool Pigeon" - PAT HENNING
"Pop" Doyle, Joey and Edie's Father - JOHN HAMILTON
IMPORTANCE
--Brings the Method notoriety on the screen, and features one of Brando's most famous performances ("I coulda been a contender!") in a role he didn't want to do (as usual). The part was originally intended for Frank Sinatra, who turned it down saying he'd never play a rat. Shows Brando's real talent (before he became a cliché).
--terrific on-location shooting in the bitter cold
--features the heroics of the common man against a powerful and corrupt organization
NOTES
--Brando and Steiger were often at odds during the filming; Brando, who had studied boxing for the role, was constantly challenging cast and crew members to fight. He also left the set everyday at 4 PM sharp for psychoanalysis.
--Kazan did a "Terry Malloy" himself by testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee and naming names. He was a pariah in Hollywood after that (years later, when he was honored with a lifetime achievement award, many celebrities boycotted the ceremony).
--Steiger helped Brando with the "coulda been a contender" scene by staying on the set even when he was off-camera; when it was time for Steiger's close-ups, however, Brando had left (Steiger was forced to work opposite a broomstick).
* * *
John Q (New Line Cinema/Infiniti Films, 2002)
Give a father no options and you leave him no choice.
A man takes hostages at a hospital to force the system to help his dying son.
Credits: Director - Nick Cassavetes
Producers - Mark Burg, Oren Koules
Screenplay - James Kearns
CAST: John Quincey Archibald/"John Q" - DENZEL WASHINGTON
Lt. Frank Grimes, Hostage Negotiator - Robert Duvall
Dr. Raymond Turner, Heart Specialist - James Woods
Denise Archibald, John's Wife - Kimberly Elise
Mike Archibald, John's Son - Daniel E. Smith
Rebecca Payne, Administrator at the Hospital - Anne Heche
Police Chief Gus Monroe - Ray Liotta
Jimmy Palumbo, John's Best Friend - David Thornton
Lester, the Funny Dude in the Hospital - Eddie Griffin
Mitch, the Annoying Dude in the Hospital - Shawn Hatosy
Julie, Mitch's 'Barbie' - Heather Wahlquist
Setting: Chicago, c. 2002
Importance
An admittedly clichéd script (filled with propaganda and distortions against current healthcare procedures) is rescued by absolutely terrific acting, especially by Denzel Washington.
Washington, Elise, and Smith create a family you can really care about.
Cassavetes, son of independent director John Cassavetes and actress Genas Rowlands, knows how to wring the emotional value out of each scene. The fast pace keeps you from thinking too much.
Notes
Political conservative Woods tackles an interesting part here: that of a greedy doctor.
Film was a huge hit in spite of lukewarm reviews, thanks to Denzel's likeability. He later won the Best Actor Oscar for Training Day.
Loosely based on the 1975 Sidney Lumet film Dog Day Afternoon, wherein Al Pacino takes hostages in order to secure a sex change operation for his lover.
* * *
Gladiator (Universal/Dreamworks, 2000)
The general who became a slave; the slave who became a gladiator; the gladiator who defied an empire!
Credits: Producers: Wick/Franzoni/Lustig
Director: Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Hannibal)
Screenplay: David Franzoni and John Logan
Music: Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard
Cast: General Maximus - RUSSELL CROWE (Winner, Best Actor)
Emperor Commodus - Joaquin Phoenix
Lucilla - Connie Nelson
Proximo - Oliver Reed
Emperor Marcus Aurelius - Richard Harris
Senator Gracchus - Derek Jacobi
Juba - Djimon Hounsou (Amistad)
Hagan - Ralph Moeller (former Mr. Universe)
Setting: Mostly Rome, c. 180 - 192 A.D.
Importance
Epic film-making for modern-day audiences; brings Spaticus/Ben Hur style into the 21st Century
High impact visuals from director Scott, aided by great CG effects; good mix of spectacle with personal drama
Powerful understated performance by Crowe; makes him a superstar
Notes
Not a historically accurate story (no such general as Maximus; Aurelius died at 59--was not murdered by son; Commodus--though a gladiator from time to time--did not die in the ring, etc.)
Hard-drinking Reed died during the shooting; one scene completed by "C.G-ing" him!
Coliseum recreated mostly in CG imagery by Hani Al Yousif and Rob Allman; fights in the ring, while stylized, are reasonably accurate.
* * *
Bonnie and Clyde (Warner Brothers, 1967)
They're young. They're in love. They're killers.
A young couple go on a crime spree in 1930s America,
Credits: Director - Arthur Penn
Producer - Warren Beatty
Screenplay - David Newman & Robert Benton
Cast: Clyde Barrow - Warren Beatty
Bonnie Parker - Faye Dunaway
Buck Barrow, Clyde's Brother - Gene Hackman
Blanche Barrow, Buck's Wife - Estelle Parsons (Oscar Winner)
C.W. Moss of the Barrow Gang - Michael J. Pollard
Frank Hamer, Texas Ranger - Denver Pyle
Eugene, a "Hostage" - Gene Wilder
Importance
--great characterization/acting
--pushes envelope on adult cinematic elements (violence/sexuality)
--comments on 1960s by using 1930s setting
--heavy use of symbolism
Notes
--real-life B&C were teens when they started their spree; actors in this film are about 10 years older
--real-life Clyde was likely bisexual and he and Bonnie aren't known to have been lovers; in the film, Beatty chose to ignore this and portray Clyde as impotent
--Penn made his name as a Broadway play director
--Parsons later played Roseanne's mother on TV's Roseanne
--Gene Wilder appears here for the first time
* * *
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Columbia, 1967)
An interracial couple causes concern for their families.
CREDITS: Producer/Director - STANLEY KRAMER
Screenplay - William Rose
CAST: Dr. John Prentice - SIDNEY POITIER
Matt Drayton - SPENCER TRACY
Christina Drayton - KATHERINE HEPBURN (Winner, Best Actress)
Joanna Drayton - KATHERINE HOUGHTON (Hepburn's real-life niece)
John Prentice, Sr. - Roy E. Glenn, Sr.
Mrs. Prentice - Beah Richards
Monsignor Mike Ryan - Cecil Kellaway
Tillie - Isabel Sanford (later famous as Wheezie on The Jeffersons)
Importance
While a dated concept now, this film was pretty controversial in the 1960s. Kramer intended to force Americans to confront their beliefs.
Excellent performances all the way around. Tracy, in particular, is the standout (he died only days after the film was finished).
Obviously a product of the 1960s--note the music, the dancing, and some of the slang. While these elements date the film, some powerful scenes (particularly between Poitier and Roy Glenn) keep the film relevant today.
Notes
Tracy had won the Best Actor Oscar 5 times; Poitier had also won. Hepburn, of course, held the record for actresses.
Hepburn and Tracy were real-life, longtime lovers. Hepburn never saw this film after it was completed.
The film was still playing when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. A line referencing him was cut at the time (it has since been restored).
Richards later achieved fame as the annoying Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son.
* * *
The China Syndrome (Columbia, 1979)
What if it's too late to tell the truth?
An employee at a nuclear power plant uncovers evidence of a concealed accident, and attempts to expose it.
Credits: DIRECTOR - JAMES BRIDGES
PRODUCER - MICHEAL DOUGLAS (yup; that Michael Douglas)
SCREENPLAY - T.S. Cook, Mike Gray, James Bridges
Cast: Kimberly Wells, Reporter - JANE FONDA
Jack Godell, Shift Supervisor, Ventana Nuclear Power Plant - JACK LEMMON
Richard Adams, Hot-Headed Cameraman - MICHAEL DOUGLAS
Ted Spindler, Operator, Ventana Nuke Plant - Wilfred Brimley
Herman DeYoung, Ventana Foreman - Scott Brady
McCormick, Chairman of the Board, CG&E/Ventana - Richard Herd
Don Jacovich, Head of the News Dept. - Peter Donat
Importance
--terrific acting by the three leads
--relevant 1970s drama as debate rages over nuclear energy
--three weeks after the film's release, an accident occurred at the Three Mile Island
nuke plant in PA
--camera, acting, editing build suspense without the use of any music (aside from an
opening soft rock ditty by Stephen Bishop over the titles)
Notes
--Reporter part was originally supposed to be a man, and Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws)
had been cast; when he backed out, Bridges rewrote the script for a women and cast
Fonda
--Fonda remains quite controversial--a visit to Hanoi during Vietnam earned her the
nickname Hanoi Jane, and many Vietnam vets (and others) view her as a traitor (she
has since apologized)
--a transitional film for Douglas; he moves here from producer and supporting actor
to the more romantic leading man parts he would soon portray
--transitional, too, for former comic Lemmon (who later returned to comedy with the
Grumpy Old Men films)
* * *
First Blood (1982)
"This time, he's fighting for his life in a one-man war."
A mentally unstable Vietnam vet gets into a one-man war with the stubborn sheriff of a small northwestern town.
Credits: DIRECTOR - Ted Kotcheff
PRODUCER - Mario Kassar & Andrew Vajna
SCREENPLAY - Michael Kozell, William Sackheim, Sylvester Stallone
MUSIC - Jerry Goldsmith
Cast: John J. Rambo - SYLVESTER STALLONE
Sheriff Will Teasle (Lawman Who Pushes Rambo Too Far) - BRIAN DENNEHY
Col. Sam Trautman, Rambo's Ex-Commanding Officer - RICHARD CRENNA
Deputy Art Galt, Who Also Pushes Rambo Too Far - Jack Starrett
Deputy Mitch, Who Tries to Get the Others Not To Push Rambo - David Caruso
Importance
--represents cultural shift in view of Vietnam veterans, from "baby-killers" to guys who did their best in a bad situation and were let down by their government (still the prevailing cultural view, even in such grim dramas as Platoon)
--sets the pattern for a series of "bring 'em back alive" flicks (e.g., Chuck Norris' popular Missing in Actions), and one-man army actioners (Schwarzenegger in Commando, the Universal Soldier flicks, Jones/Del Toro in The Hunted, etc.)
--Introduces the character of John Rambo to the screen, and initiates another financially successful series for Stallone (Rocky)
--Exciting--if barely believable--"hunting" and "trapping" scenes, a la "The Most Dangerous Game," where the hunter becomes the hunted
--iconic performance by Stallone (touching at times) and a truly great performance by the always good Dennehy (Cocoon, Presumed Innocent)
Notes
--While the movie has a reputation for being ultra-violent, only five people actually die.
'Rambo' in Japanese means 'violence.'
--In the book by David Morrell, a hairy, hippy-ish Rambo dies.
--Kirk Douglas (Michael's father) signed to play Trautman, but quit when he discovered that Rambo was going to live. Crenna took over.
--Trautman's character name 'Sam' was supposed to be ironic--Rambo was created by Uncle Sam.
--An ending where Rambo commits suicide was filmed, but test audiences preferred that he live (this ending is now out on DVD).
--Followed by two sequels.
* * *
What Lies Beneath (Dreamworks, 2000)
He was the perfect husband, until his one mistake followed them home…A woman is convinced that a ghost is haunting her house.
CREDITS: Director - ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Forrest Gump)
Producers - Steve Starkey, Jack Rapke, Zemeckis
Screenplay - Sarah Kernochin (story) and Gregg Clark (screenplay)
Cinematography - Don Burgess
Music - Alan Silvestri
CAST: Dr. Norman Spencer - HARRISON FORD
Claire Spencer - MICHELLE PFEIFFER
Jody, Claire's Friend - Diana Scarwid
Dr. Drayton, Claire's Psychologist - Joe Morton
Caitlin, Claire's Daughter (and Norman's step-daughter) - Katherine Towne
Professor Warren Feur, the Spencer's Neighbor - James Remar
Mary Feur, Warren's Wife - Miranda Otto
Madison Elizabeth Frank - Amber Villetta
Dr. Stan Powell, Jody's Ex-Husband - Ray Baker
Elena, Stan's Girlfriend and Claire's Old Friend - Wendy Crewson
Setting: A small village in Vermont, c. 2000
Importance
--The Hitchcock influence in the modern era; much of the shooting and cutting (particularly the 'shock' effects) is based on Hitchcock classics like Rear Window and Psycho).
--Zemeckis' intention in making the film is a "What if?" (as in, "What if Hitchcock had lived into the digital age? What would he have done?")
--Very believable performance by Pfeiffer in a tough role, and a great against-type portrayal by Ford.
--Very subtle plot; many quiet hints throughout point to the eventual ending.
Notes
--Many intentional ties to Hitchcock's work: Pfeiffer spies like James Stewart in Rear Window; a character named Norman with a fixation on a dead parent (a la Psycho) stirs the plot; like Psycho, the bathroom is a major player.
--An actual house was built in Vermont for exterior scenes; the interior scenes were built and shot on an L.A. soundstage to accommodate the moving camera.
--The birthday of Madison Elizabeth Frank in the film is the same as the birthday of the actress who plays her.
* * *
Big Daddy (Columbia, 1999)
Nature called. Look who answered. A lazy law school grad adopts a kid to impress his girlfriend, but everything doesn't go as planned and he becomes the unlikely foster father.
CREDITS: Producers - Sid Ganis, Jack Giarraputo
Director - Dennis Dugan (Saving Silverman)
Screenplay - Steve Franks, Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler
Cinematography - Theo van de Sande
Editing - Jeff Gourson
Music - Ted Castellucci
CAST: Sonny Koufax - ADAM SANDLER
Joey Lauren Adams - Layla Maloney
Julian 'Frankenstein' McGrath (the Kid) - Cole & Dylan Sprouse (yup, twins)
Kevin Gerrity - Jon Stewart (yup, THAT Jon Stewart)
Josh Mostel - Arthur Brooks
Leslie Mann - Corrine Maloney
Alan Covert - Phil D'Amato
Nazo - Rob Schneider
Lenny Koufax (Sonny's Father) - Joseph Bologna
IMPORTANCE
Yeah, a comedy film can feature good acting. Check out Adam Sandler--funny, touching, very real--in the part of Sonny. This film marks his screen transition from perrenial adolescent (Billy Madison) to believable male lead (Spanglish).
Check out, too, the performance(s) of twins Cole and Dylan--can you tell which scenes feature which twin?
TRIVIA
Cole and Dylan both lost baby teeth during production and had to be fitted with temporary replacements. Dylan Sprouse's tooth fell out in the middle of a take. Near the end of the movie, just after entering Hooters for his birthday, Sonny makes a reference to Julian about dealing with a missing tooth.
In the courtroom scene, Mr. Brooks' attorney is named Ted Castellucci. This is also the name of the film's composer.
The "Scuba Steve" action figure in this movie is a fictional doll made up by Sandler, based on a doll he owned when he was a child called Diver Dan.
Sandler's wife, Jackie Titone, plays the waitress in the bar that gets Julian a root beer. This was her first movie with her husband.
* * *
Saving Private Ryan (Dreamworks, 1998)
The Mission is the Man. A squad of American soldiers search for an obscure private in war-torn France.
Credits: Director - STEVEN SPIELBERG (Oscar Winner)
Producers - Ian Bryce, Bonnie Curtis, Spielberg
Writer - Robert Rodat (The Patriot)
Music - John Williams
Cast: Captain John Miller - Tom Hanks (nominated, Best Actor)
Sgt. Mike Horvath - Tom Sizemore
Pvt. Rieben, the Complainer - Edward Burns
Pvt. Jackson, the Sniper - Barry Pepper
Pvt. Mellish - Adam Goldberg
Pvt. Carpazo - Vin Diesel
Medic Irwin Wade - Giovanni Ribisi
Cpl. Timothy Upham, the Translator - Jeremy Davies
Pvt. James Ryan - Matt Damon
Cameos include Ted Dansen and Dennis Farina.
Importance
--Arguably, Spielberg's masterpiece; certainly a classic, and a rival with Schindler's List as Spielberg's best. A great story told by a mature director at the peak of his career.
--Gritty, realistic, very violent battle scenes (based upon the writings of historian Stephen E. Ambrose), shot with hand-held camera in muted color to give the viewer a "You Are There" effect.
--Understated, very naturalistic acting performances understate the theme of patriotism held up by "Joe Soldier."
--Set during and just after the D-Day invasion which took place on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944.
Notes
--Not a "true" story, but very accurate (the mission in the film never happened, but the events in the film, such as D-Day, are depicted accurately).
--Hanks and the other actors spent two weeks being trained by a former Army instructor.
--Historian Ambrose advised the filmmakers, and claimed that the relationship of soldiers in battle was "captured just right."
--Many vets had to leave the theater during the D-Day sequence, since it brought up horrible
memories.
* * *
Batman (Warner Brother, 1989)
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime against his first major enemy, the clownishly homicidal Joker.
CREDITS: Director - Tim Burton
Producers - Jon Peters & Peter Guber
Screenplay - Sam Hamm & Warren Skaaren (based on characters created
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