We Watch and Review Classic Movies
Strange celestial events, the wholesale slaughter of predators to ants in the Arizona desert and unusual crop circles are just the beginning of a series of highly unusual events that lead Dr. Davenport and Dr. Lesko to setup a scientific observation station on the outskirts of an abandoned housing development. What exactly is going on?
Read MoreTwo classic tales of seven would be heroes and their attempts to find some redemption by helping the unfortunate overcome overwhelming odds. Many people consider the “Seven Samurai” one of the best films ever produced. “The Magnificent Seven” is also held in very high regard. What are the similarities? What are the differences? Is one a better film than the other? Bob and I discuss these topics as we review these two films in this week’s episode.
Read MoreReleased in I958, Vertigo is a tour-de-force in film making directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart and Kim Novak.
Read More“The Professionals” was expertly written and directed by Richard Brooks and stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode, Jack Palance, Claudia Cardinale and Ralph Bellamy, released in 1966 by Columbia Pictures.
It’s a great ride full of beautiful scenery, sharp dialog, excellent explosions and some great twists in the plot. So saddle up and prepare to cross the desert into Mexico with “The Professionals”
Read MoreIn honor of my grandmother Betty, Bob and I review her favorite movie "All About Eve." Starring Bette Davis, also my grandmother's favorite actress. "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"
Read MoreMy grandmother passed away last weekend and in her honor we'll be reviewing "All About Eve" next week.
Read MoreBob and I watch and review “The Virgin Spring”. A movie released to critical success in the US, but was panned by critics in Europe at the time. The film was banned in some parts of the US for the depiction of a young virgin, Karin, being raped and murdered. But that is only one aspect of the film. In some respects, the story is a very simple tale of innocence and revenge. On another level, or maybe several other levels, the film is a critique of religion and the clash between the old gods and the new Christian god, it’s also a tale of the tensions that exist between family members, and the price that one must pay for carrying out acts of violence whether they be meaningless or whether they are seemingly to avenge the senseless death of another innocent person. “The Virgin Spring” won the Oscar in 1961 for Best Foreign Language Film. It continues to have a powerful impact to this day.
Read MoreWinner of 6 Oscar Awards, this William Wyler and MGM production perfectly captures the wartime era of London and surrounding suburbs during the start of the German air raids. Bob and I can’t and don’t stop praising this film. We hope you agree that Mrs. Miniver is a perfect 10 out of 10. Enjoy!
Read MorePrepare yourself for a journey into the ultimate utopia or the ultimate hell, you decide, as we watch the future unfold in "Logan's Run".
Read MoreThe machines at the DELOS vacation resort have a mind of their own and they intend to use they're new found sentience.
Bob and I play a game of connect the dots between Westworld, The Terminator, Blade Runner and Austin Powers. Wait, what? Austin Powers! Yes! Austin Powers! Just wait for it, you'll understand.
Read MoreDeep in the Nevada desert lies a secret underground lab called Wildfire. Is the lab there to promote peace or to forward the agenda of war? What if we discovered a new and previously unthinkable type of life? What would we do with that knowledge?
Read MoreImagine that we’re on a distant planet ruled by an intelligent race of apes. Men and women are seen as animals. What would that culture think of a talking man? A man that claims he’s from a distant solar system? And what would happen to that man when he finds out the truth?
Read MoreMolly Brown is truly unsinkable in the fast paced and fun MGM production of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” released in 1964. Debbie Reynolds sings and dances her way from rags to riches, from the mountains of Colorado to the finest establishments of Europe and back again.
Read MoreTwelve criminals are recruited to form a special unit tasked with taking out the German high command during World War II. Can Major Reisman get these murderers, psychopaths and general malcontents in shape in time to complete the mission?
Read MoreOkalhoma! is a a magical journey into the heart of Oklahoma territory set in 1901 before the territory became a state. The tension and drama that existed between the cattlemen and the farmers that plays out in spectacular musical fashion both on beautifully filmed location (in Arizona no less) and on sets built to look like an Oklahoma farmstead. Oh, the singing! The dancing! The ballerinas! Where did all these professional dancers/singers/ranchers/farmers come from! Don't ask too many questions just sit back and let the scenery and the music wash over you.
Read MoreBob and I are taking a week off. We'll return next week with our review of Oklahoma!
I found this vinyl record album this past week. Pretty cool! The farmer and the cowman should be friends!
A cast of what seems like thousands are on a race for a buried fortune, at least they think it exists, but they don't know exactly where to look, but they know that a giant "W" marks the spot. Why not an X? Don't ask, it's a W which is right next to X in the alphabet. And the whole movie makes about as much sense as that comment! It's a crazy, or dare we say, mad race to the finish. We give it a go and tell you what we think.
Read MoreIt's Vienna, 1949, Holly Martins steps off a train and into a mystery, full of intrigue and backstabbing. Just another day at the office for Mr. Martins? No way, he's a clueless American writer of pulp westerns. He's completely out of his depth and that's the fun of the movie. It unravels before our eyes in glorious black and white with the incomparable zither score by Anton Karas. Directed by Carol Reed, With an all star cast of Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard, and Valli, the movie is a true masterpiece of film-making.
Read MoreReleased in 1953, this independent production didn't garner much in the way of accolades or revenue at the box office. In fact, it's been called a "lost classic". For one reason or another it's fallen into the public domain. You can watch it online via the Internet Archive.
Described as a mix of film noir and comedy, the cast is solid, the director, well, it's John Huston and the script? Written in collaboration with Truman Capote. What could go wrong?
Is it really a "lost classic" or has it been forgotten for good reasons?
Here's the IMDB page for "Beat The Devil"
Next week we're excited to review "The Third Man" because we know it is truly a classic movie!
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Dobbs continues his descent into madness, Curtin narrowly escapes with his life and Howard finds a tropical paradise in the middle of the Mexican dessert. Really, what? Did Howard look right into the camera in that scene and nod to us as the audience. Yes, he did! But that’s not all, there’s so much to talk about in this movie. Our review is nearly as long as the movie itself.
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Here’s the IMDB page for “The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre”
Up next is “Beat The Devil” our final installment of the John Huston / Humphrey Bogart movie marathon.