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Reviews
It's Trad, Dad! (1962)
It's Not Bad, Dad
This was the first effort of British director Richard Lester (credited here as "Dick Lester") and it's an enjoyable-enough museum piece that tries to cash in on the fleeting popularity of Dixieland jazz among British teeners. To hedge his bets, Lester brought in a few American rock n' roll hold-overs -- Gary U.S. Bonds, Chubby Checker and Del Shannon. Their presence gives the movie a decidedly uneven feel, but there's a great deal of energy at work, and everybody seems to be having a good time.
The movie is a bit like "A Hard Day's Night" in its unrelentingly goofy sense of humor, and in how a very skeletal plot is used to string together a series of unrelated musical numbers.
By the following year, the Beatles had swept all these acts into the unemployment line, but this is a great example of the British rock n' roll movie of the antedeluvian era.
Ikarie XB 1 (1963)
Underrated science fiction gem from Eastern Europe
This is an intriguing Czech science fiction film from the early 60's. It's pretty much unknown in the U.S (American - International Pictures dubbed it into English and released it as "Voyage to the End of the Universe" in 1964; it's been seen here only rarely since then).
The movie depicts a group of space travelers on a seemingly endless journey to a new planet. They encounter many traps and dangers along the way (including a derelict spacecraft and a mysterious nebula) but the greatest conflict seems to be psychological: namely, the titanic ambition of a 15-year, trans-galactic voyage pitted against the fragility of the human mind and the relative insignificance of human lives.
The interior sets are lavish -- certainly on a par with "Forbidden Planet" and perhaps even "2001". The level of detail in the spaceship interiors is admirable, and the same can be said for the smartly designed spacesuits.
"Ikarie XB 1" stumbles badly, though, when it comes to the exterior effects work. The spacecraft models are too small to provide much detail, and seem to be propelled through space by dark-colored string. As a result the transitions between interior and exterior shots are somewhat jarring.
All the same, this movie is a very interesting example of mid-century science fiction. It deserves a much wider audience, and it is to be hoped that a restored, subtitled print will one day make the rounds in American art houses. Cross your fingers.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Spectacular, Surpasses "Fellowship"
My wife and I saw this film at a Carleton College benefit in Minneapolis
December 13 (one of the executive producers, Barrie Osborne, graduated
from
Carleton in 1966). We saw "Fellowship" at a similar fundraising event
last
year. Like "Fellowship" the attention to detail on this film was
exquisite
and the whole affair was masterfully produced and directed. I was never a
big fan of the books, but I would say that "The Two Towers" was in every
way
a better film than "The Fellowship of the Ring". When the battle of
Helm's
Deep began, I was certain that the film would end there; and that we would
end up with a "cliff-hanger" ending, and a film that was only a come-on
for
the next installment. But "The Two Towers" was, on its own, complete and
satisfying. The Battle of Helm's Deep was an astonishing cinematic
achievement all by itself; and that is only 1/3 of the movie. If you
liked
the first one, you'll love this one. If you loved the first one, get some
friends to go with you so they can carry you out of the theater. You'll
have the time of your life. This is grand, epic filmmaking. This is why
they invented movies.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Spectacular, Surpasses "Fellowship"
My wife and I saw this film at a Carleton College benefit in Minneapolis
December 13 (one of the executive producers, Barrie Osborne, graduated
from
Carleton in 1966). We saw "Fellowship" at a similar fundraising event
last
year. Like "Fellowship" the attention to detail on this film was
exquisite
and the whole affair was masterfully produced and directed. I was never a
big fan of the books, but I would say that "The Two Towers" was in every
way
a better film than "The Fellowship of the Ring". When the battle of
Helm's
Deep began, I was certain that the film would end there; and that we would
end up with a "cliff-hanger" ending, and a film that was only a come-on
for
the next installment. But "The Two Towers" was, on its own, complete and
satisfying. The Battle of Helm's Deep was an astonishing cinematic
achievement all by itself; and that is only 1/3 of the movie. If you
liked
the first one, you'll love this one. If you loved the first one, get some
friends to go with you so they can carry you out of the theater. You'll
have the time of your life. This is grand, epic filmmaking. This is why
they invented movies.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Lousy movie -- or minor masterpiece?
This movie is not "Citizen Kane" -- we all agree on that -- but one of the 100 worst films ever made? Nonsense! This is a loony, overwrought masterpiece, and what's more, it lives up to its name: Santa Claus really does conquer the Martians, in Technicolor and with style, and along the way we get to see a menacing Martian killer robot, and Dropo, the zany martian comic relief. It's hyperactive, hyperkinetic fun, and only a grinch could resist that peppy theme song at the end -- "Hooray for Santy Claus"!