Reviews

The existential Mr.Teas represents to me: avant garde 'Beatnik Art' so well parodied in the pages of 'Playboy' magazine circa.1959.He is a free-thinker: 'searching' for the inner meanings & thoughts subdued by the forced conformity of the 1950s.The mental undressing of the ladies he encounters is his statement of individuality in the doomed pluralist mediocrity of the San Francisco he inhabits. Mr Teas retreats from the disillusioned dentist delivery-man to his licentious alter-ego; fishing in the lagoon , cavorting in 'The Raincheck Room' & a diner with the waitress.Then with 'Nana',a sensational burlesque dancer that even Russ Meyer himself applauds vigorously. He seems to represent the repressed everyman in all of us.Mr Meyer began his illustrious 'sex-ploitation' film catalogue with an 'Tati'-esque artistic creation.A total masterpiece!.

You may wonder "Why does Marilyn Monroe,Betty Grable & Lauren Bacall keep spreading across a lounge in so many scenes?" the answer is not vain- pleasure-seeking body language but CINEMASCOPE lens requirements.I watched this film on a old released Video Tape & delighted that it was a full-screen fixed camera issue & not a letterbox reduction release.I delighted in NOT seeing the person speaking & only the stilted recipient's reactions. You have to observe all the action as there are no camera angles or close ups.This was too 'startling' to a cinemascope theatre audience. What other film can boast a full orchestra opening with every member of that orchestra in full view of the cinema audience:-like in a live concert. The first Cinemascope film was 'The Robe' followed by 'How To Marry A Millionaire'. As the other reviewers has said;A 'feel-good' film with nostalgic 'old-time'high society values. Did anyone spot the 'moral' of the tale?.'Better to love for love's sake than for money'.

A convivial 'feel-good ,optimistic' film.'Love Nest' makes you wish you could book-in to that brownstone building c.1951 for some immediate soul revival.Incongruously;the soundtrack contains humming acappella harmonising that confirms to you;it's 'a cinematic treat'.It's 1946:June Haver has invested every last dime in a New York apartment block,hubby William Lundigan returns to a mayhem of repair bills & squabbling tenants.Marilyn Monroe;his ex-army buddy infuriates his jealous wife & Frank Fay is a 'Gentleman Lothario con-man' operating from his apartment rooms.The incidental characters are impressionable.It's a recap of 'old style' values;whence one time.Utterly nostalgic.A DVD I can watch again & again.I can't decide if this is a 'June Haver' star vehicle or a 'Marilyn Monroe' star vehicle?.Hence:two for the price of one!.

'Wonderwall' was one of four 'alternative-cinema' films to debut at the newly opened:'CINECENTA' multi-complex off Leicester Square in January 1969. It had previously had its 'World-Premiere' at the Cannes Film Festival in 1968.

The 'George Harrison' Soundtrack of Indian Ragas & etc. are the aural sound-sheet of a truly reprehensible plot with dull stupefyingly mind-numbing 'animated inserts'such as Butterflys escaping from a collectors album.The whole film seems to be a 'screen-test' for Jane Birkin.She wears coloured tights,Indian dresses,Sunglasses,& on & on............Jack MacGowran actually seems out-of-place in his admirable interpretation of a stuffy lonely Zoological Professor. The actual idea of a lonely bachelor peeping through a hole in a wall on his beautiful débutante neighbour is brilliant.The film doesn't make enough on this concept alone. The Film is too chic & it retains no style.Jane Birkin is flamboyant & exotic but she doesn't have a single word of dialogue.(Except some gibberish heard when the Professor eavesdrops).I assume this was intentional BUT a bad decision.Not hearing Jane Birkin speak makes her even more Kewpie-doll & a window-dressed mannequin throughout this movie. The 'Word-Cards' that were inserted should really now come out & the Director should issue a 'Director's Cut' taking out all the period 'animated-inserts' & politely asking MsBirkin to NOW add a voice-over in suitable places.Perhaps any additional footage could be restored because the film doesn't hold a strong enough allure.(Except of course la Birkin in nice poses!).

I think that the comments from other reviewers about this nudie-cutie are a little too harsh.This Film is fluffy & contrite yes;but exudes an American ideal of paradise at the time of the Kennedy pseudo-crusade of 'Camelot'.Meaning that America was then riding the crest of a wave of optimism.This Film seems to capture some strange,incongruous 'feel-good' factor that epitomises this.It has the Pine Trees of Florida,the blue of the everglades & the flesh tones of the Sunny Palms Lodge.The music soundtrack is atmospheric mood-jazz & 12-bar blues.Tiki-stone gods & white Chevrolets all add to the genre. We had a similar Film in Britain at the same time: 1961 called 'Naked As Nature Intended' but Cornwall isn't as HOT as Florida (in both senses of the word). I would recommend people not be put off seeing this Doris Wishman gem.It is well worth the current price of a DVD. Having watched this film recently;it has lost none of it's 'feel-good' impression on me.The 'dubbed' dialogue:- I assume is still the original actors?.This gives the film extra charm because the background noises i.e. birdsong,typing clatter are all on the same track.

I saw this Film on T.V. on Christmas Day 2004 for the first time ever.I vaguely knew of it's existence prior to this & had considered renting it out. I believe it was withdrawn from distribution soon after the events of 22 November 1963 due to it's close proximity with 'Political Assassination'. Laurence Harvey did Britain proud in this film.His performance is down to his 'subliminal hypnotised state'.Frank Sinatra is equally omnipotent as the co-sufferer trying to make sense of it all.Both of them push out a static-charged chemistry.Angela Lansbury as the evil political-mother is frightening.The era of the cold-war & the threat of Asian 'Reds' had put America in a state of paranoia by the early 1960s.This film does nothing to dispel it & in a way that is a negative.But the brain-washing scenes are handled deftly with the G.I.'s as guinea pigs in an experiment that results in the complete control of their minds.The Film handles violence so tactfully that it becomes agonising when it occurs. The sequences when the Laurence Harvey character begins assassinating kinfolk are deeply heartbreaking to watch.

This is the kind of Film you wake up in a cold-sweat with!!!!.

Katie is jealously protective of Joe;for whom the aesthetic charms of Lulu Madison cause the biggest Cat-Fight & Rumble on musical celluloid.

I cannot get over this Picture.It is the most perfect cinematic experience I have ever had! It complements itself with dimension upon dimension of biography,romance,music,love,jealousy,dancing,parody,irony & history. The characterisation are looming & loud.

Joe paternally cares for his adopted sister 'Katie'.She loves him for all the world which he cannot seemingly acknowledge. Lulu Madison is a sassy Top Billing Singer;& soon obtains the charms of Joe.Round 3: - Katie.She joins the act & in the second half of the Film "Gets Her Man " .

Most important/memorable line: "Katie,You Gotta Start Liking Lulu or she'll get me kicked out of the Show" "I'll TRY to like her Joe" "Now say your prayers or you won't go to Heaven !" "But I wanna go with You, Joe" .

This Film is about ROMANTIC PEOPLE living in a ROMANTIC ERA.Maybe I should have been cast in it.