Reviews

In 1947 Orson Welles directed, wrote and starred in a film noir, The Lady from Shanghai. Welles' use of lighting in this movies gave it the overall feeling of a typical film noir style. Even while shooting with the light of day it still seems dark and cold.

In this film Welles often used a "dutch" shot where the camera is on a slant or tilt creating a diagonal shot. This is useful because it gives the impression that the something is out of the ordinary and that the world with in the frame of the camera is unbalanced. This shot was definitely appropriate because there's something thats not quite right about whats happening in the story.

When Michael O'Hara realizes that he's been fooled from the very beginning I felt like I too had been betrayed and blindsided. This is the result of excellent writing.

Mike Nichols' The Graduate (1967) is filled with memorable quotes and witty dialog, a great soundtrack and introduction of the young Dustin Hoffman. The use of color was becoming a more prominent part of movie making. The color usage in The Graduate gives such life and thrill to the film. The colors were soft when they needed to be and also vibrant when the story picked up.

The camera-work in this film is noteworthy because of the angles and focus. The dolly shots stood out the most for me. The scene where Mrs. Robinson tells her daughter of her relations with Ben Braddock wouldn't have been the same without the drastic zoom out technique. Mrs. Robinson is standing across the room from Ben and the camera is close up on her face and then it pulls back in a fast motion making her seem so distance from not only the camera but from Ben and the world. As a viewer I even felt alone for her.

Samuel Fuller's The Naked Kiss (1964) is on the "B" side of the movie spectrum for obvious reasons but it also had some fine qualities. Actress Constance Towers starred as Kelly and did a nice job; she carried this film, which was refreshing. Her raw talent was intoxicating and a joy to watch. I also enjoyed the song about the blue bird, the way the children sang was almost heartbreaking. This scene really worked for me as a viewer because I saw how much the children loved and looked up to Kelly. The bond that Kelly formed with the children made the twist at the end all the more painful. I liked that Fuller took a risk in dealing with real and disturbing issues.

However, I did have a few problems with this film. The quality and camera-work made it clear that I was viewing a low budget film, which was tolerable for me. The most apparent setback of the film for me was the lighting. A lot of natural light was used in this film, which is fine but in certain scenes the light didn't work. The scene that stood out the most was when Kelly was talking to the little girl in the office at the jail. Kelly was facing the girl and the light from the window naturally lit her face up, leaving the girls face in the shadow. When the camera would show the girls face straight on the light was brightly shining on her face. The light often didn't make sense and that was a problem. I think the scene would have worked better any ways (considering the situation) if the girls face was in shadow as it would have been if the verisimilitude was correct.

Alfred Hitchcock has been considered a master of suspense and an artist of anxiety. In 1960 Hitchcock directed one on the most famous movies of all time, Psycho. Psycho starred Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles and John Gavin. This film helped set the stage for future horror movies.

In the beginning of this film, office worker Marion packs her bags and drives off with $40,000 worth of stolen cash. She stops at the Bates Motel where she meets Norman and learns of his controlling mother. Marion is stabbed to death later that night in the shower by what looks like an old woman. This shower scene was famous ever since. The use of believability and artificiality makes Hitchcock stand out because most horror movies at the time were clearly fiction.

Throughout the entire film there is something going on that the audience hasn't got completely figured out. It builds up to something big and in the end it's not what the audience expected at all! Hitchcock has perfected his style of creating what is least likely to be expected. His movies are always a surprise at the end, making each one so much fun to watch.

Hitchcock has perfected his style of creating much-too-human monsters!

Alfred Hitchcock directed Suspicion in 1941, a film noir mystery starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. Characters Johnnie and Lina are in a marriage filled with deceit, secrets and suspicion. Tensions rise between the two characters and Lina fears for her life. Real issues are displayed in this film such as distrust and suspicion. Hitchcock brings these emotions and issues to the next level, along with some drama and suspense.

Hitchcock uses suspenseful music and quick cuts of different angles of the action. The camera-work in this film is unique the way he uses extreme close ups so the audience can't see what's going on behind and to the sides of the character. This technique causes the audience to feel anxious towards what's about to happen. Things like this make him the master of his genre. In Hitchcock's movies the uses of artificiality makes his movies profoundly alarming but are gracefully shot.

Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964) is all about the Cold War on the outside. But on the inside it's anti-war theme is filled with social issues and hilarity.

The scenes which took place in the war room were chaotic, everyone was running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. These men working for the government who were supposed to be protecting our country and making important decisions were portrayed as idiots! I really enjoyed the space and symmetry of the war room. The huge round table where the men sat had a matching row of lights that hung above. High shots were often used, showing the action through the circle of lights. Low close-up camera shots were used when tensions rose. This was useful because it make the scene feel more dramatic.

The technical aspect of the film was also enjoyable. I loved the inside of the plane and the top secret to-do list. After Plan R was put into affect every scene involving the plane was equipped with a marching-into-battle tune.

Orson Welles' Citizen Kane (1941) is easily the most beautiful movie I've ever seen for so many reasons. It is visually stunning, the composition is amazing. I loved the focus techniques of a wide range of depth of field and the massive sets the most. It's a gorgeous film to look at but it also tells a great story.

Charles Foster Kane lived an incredible life and the most important and significant thing in his whole world was tragically destroyed. Kane lived a successful life, he made a great fortune out of the poor lifestyle he was born into. Hidden deep behind the fame and fortune of Kane's life was a sad man who never found true happiness. The only thing that ever mattered to him in his entire life was tosses aside and burned without a second glance. The last scene was so painful, and as a viewer I felt so helpless for Kane. The writing was great, I loved that it made me feel so strongly.

The camera work was wonderful in this film, a different way of focusing was introduced. In certain scenes the foreground, middleground and background were all in perfect focus. In other scenes everything would be in focus but the middleground. Unusual camera views were also used that had not been seen much before. Extreme high and low shots were often used, seeming disorienting to the viewer.

I believe this film will continue to blow away viewers of any age no matter how old the movie gets. The cinematography is so beautiful, even by today's standards, which makes Citizen Kane timeless.

Michael Curtiz's Casablanca (1942) has quite the reputation as we all know! After watching this film I fell in love, I was enchanted and dazzled by its beauty. Humphrey Bogart stars as Rick, a complicated man with a heart breaking past.

The scenes that took place in Rick's restaurant were especially stunning because they look and feel so different at times depending on the situation. During business hours the restaurant is a happening place and these scenes were always loud, bright, high in contrast and flashy. The scenes in Rick's office and when the restaurant was closed were usually dark and quiet; feeling more personal. The focus of the camera also had a different feel while shooting certain characters. A soft focus was used while shooting Ingrid Bergman's character Ilsa, making her even more gorgeous.

The ending of Casablanca is really quite amazing because it is meant to feel incomplete. This opens so many doors for each character and I wondered what happened to these people while the war continued on.

John Ford's Stagecoach (1939) set the bar for future Western films. Westerns were generally B films but Ford was determined to create an A classic Western. So he did just that!

Ford turned B film actor John Wayne into a star and reestablished Western films into the 1930's; which wasn't a great time period for this genre. This film deals with stereotypical characters who turn out to be good people with moral values despite a bad reputation.

All of this is wrapped up in a fast paced classic Western with gunfighting, chase scenes and amazing stunt work. The last part of the film is is packed full of action and suspense. Ford even breaks the 180 degree rule but it is barely noticeable because the scene is so well done that it sucks the viewer right in. The scene is so fast, well edited and put together that I didn't even realize that the camera angle had switched to the opposite side of the action! I suppose that was Ford's intention to make the viewer unaware of this and he did a fantastic job.

Ford has made me a fan of the Western genre!

Billy Wilder's "Sunset Blvd" (1950) was a symbolic end of the Golden Age. Norma Desmond's silent film acting was long gone and she was well into her 50's but in her mind she was still a star.

Joe Gillis played by William Holden stumbles upon Desmond's (played by Gloria Swanson) eerie mansion and immediately thinks it's been deserted. Little does he know has-been Norma is slowly slipping away into the isolation of insanity. Her mansion is more lair-like than anything with a frightening pipe organ that makes her haunted house even more disturbing. The lair is filled with photographs of the young and famous Norma that decay along with her.

"No one leaves a star!" Norma says over and over again right before she shoots Joe and he tumbles into the pool he always wanted. This scene was so haunting and terrifying, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It really stuck with me and I loved it.

I've really come to love the classic film noir movies! I always find myself hoping that the flash forward at the beginning of the film won't play out in the end, even though it must.

Tay Garnett's The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) had me at the edge of my seat constantly! This thrilling drama is filled with crime, deceit and dysfunctional love. Cora Smith played by the beautiful Lana Turner is trapped in a loveless marriage until Frank Chambers played by John Garfield comes along. The film was all about Frank and it followed him throughout the the scope of the story, he was also the narrator of his story.

During certain dramatic scenes I noticed a soft focus was used when filming Cora and Frank. This sucked me in even more than I already was, the focus seemed more natural.

I loved the ending, it was poetic and beautiful. I liked the idea that they were still going to be together even after death. This almost made it a happily ever after ending. In the end justice was served and their crimes went punished, as they should.

Charles M. Schultz's It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is a beloved tale of "tricks or treats" and awaiting the Great Pumpkin's arrival. This Halloween special is over 40 years old and is still a part of the Halloween tradition. The jazz music, the oil paintings for the background and the characters costumes and traditions all add to the Halloween spirit the viewer feels.

The flute music playing while Snoopy is behind enemy lines feels eerie and spooky. The background oil paintings have deep blue and purple colors making the scene more dramatic. And Snoopy's mission is to find the Red Baron and shoot him down. This part of the movie is far beyond young viewers, making it enjoyable for all ages.

All of the characters have a few lines that 8 year olds probably wouldn't say which is even funnier to adult viewers. Linus has a line where he explains to never discuss religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.

I love that adults don't really exist in Charlie Brown's world, they don't even have voices! If Linus had parents he wouldn't have been out in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin until 4am ha ha. And poor Charles Brown got a bag full of rocks for Halloween candy! Did all the parents of the neighborhood get together and plan to give all the kids candy but Charlie?! ha ha

Charles M. Schultz was a genius of creativity and hilarity!

Busby Berkeley's For Me and My Gal (1942) is a charming love story dressed up in a song and dance musical. Judy Garland and George Murphy make a great team, I really enjoyed watching. They had great chemistry and they worked really well together for the musical numbers. Murphy's character Jimmy was so charming and smooth, I was dying for Jo (Garland) to fall for him.

This film went from happy-go-lucky to dramatic by the end and turned into a tearjerker. It was tragic for me when Jo heard the news of her brother dying in battle. And it was understandable for her to think that Jimmy was trying to dodge the draft by breaking his hand. Even when Jimmy was supposed to look like the bad guy I still loved him because he couldn't turn of his charm.

The ending was poetic and pretty the way the two love birds accidentally reunited. This happy ending made it a feel-good movie!

Tod Browning's Freaks (1932) is an alarming and disturbing horror film of the life of sideshow performers. The characters in the film were considered "freaks" only because they looked different. The sideshow performers were a mix of said freaks and "normal" people. The characters that looked normal ended up being the real monsters because of the way they treated the freaks. They acted like animals and were awfully cruel. The freaks were more normal than the "normal" people; they were lovable because of the kindness they possessed. I thought the film was great. I loved all the dark night scenes, it made it film even more eerie and scary. This is what a real horror movie is, not like the horror movies now. The scene where the freaks slowly crawled after Hercules was so haunting and disturbing that I made my heart race. The scene was perfect, it was rainy and dark and it seemed to go on forever. The suspense was excellent and the scene was haunting.

Mervyn LeRoy's 'I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang' (1932) portrays an innocent man in a living hell. Paul Muni stars in this film as James Allen, a man with a promising future ahead of him. James is falsely accused of a crime and is sent to jail where he becomes a member of the chain gang. After living in the awful conditions of the jail, being forced to partake in manual labor and being abused by the Warden James decides to make a break. During his suspenseful break to freedom he hides underwater. The underwater shots are completely silent which adds to the intensity. James ends up getting away and begins to start a life again, only to end up back in the chain gang. It is so tragic when James goes back to jail because he turns into this broken, miserable man. He couldn't live any longer in this hell on earth so he breaks out again. His life after the second break is completely different. He is constantly filled with fear of getting caught, he has no relationship with anyone, and he is all alone. At the end of the film James slips away into the darkness and ironically admits "I steal" in order to live.

This film is meant to expose the horrid, awful conditions of jails across the country. Even when James breaks free of the chain gang he is never fully free in life. He is always on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder and living in fear.

I really enjoyed the film, I loved the tragedy. I thought it was compositionally put together well. A gloomy feel to the film really added to the alarming and devastating conditions of the chain gang.

Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby (1938) was the first definitive screwball comedy I've seen. I have seen many comedies that follow the style of this film; a guy and girl are meant to be but aren't together for whatever reason and by the end of the movie the guy gets the girl. That description alone is a recipe for hilarity and disaster. Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant star in this film with a tamed leopard. In the beginning of the film I could not get over how outrageous and rude Susan (Hepburn) was acting. I hated the role she was playing and couldn't stand the fact that David (Grant) had to put up with it. As the film went on Susan started to grow on me and I got over the fact that she was completely crazy and was messing up David's life (for the better of course). Susan ended up bringing out the best in David, he came alive for the first time. By the end of the film I loved Susan, her fast delivery of the lines made it a smart and hilarious movie.

Bringing Up Baby is a fast paced film with even faster dialog. Hepburn and Grant make a great team! The more outrageous the gag, the bigger the laugh. I realized that this is what screwball comedies are all about, they're meant to be shocking and extreme. And I've come to love them once I realized this. I can't get enough of them!

Preston Sturges' The Palm Beach Story (1942) stars Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea. The film is of the classic screwball comedy kind including outrageous gags, fast dialog and storyline. These qualities are what makes it a screwball comedy but, hidden behind all that are real issues.

Gerry is an antagonist, her conflicting actions are the reason the story ends up in Palm Beach. She up and leaves her husband instead of trying to work something out and it's up to Tom to be the hero and get her back. Tom chases her across the country to win her back because he loves her, and she loves him even though she ignores these feelings.

I think the message of the film has a lot to do with love and what people go through for the ones the love. The film is convincing with this message and I think it was meant to be. Screwball comedies are always about two people who should clearly be together but aren't for whatever reason. And in the end, they always end up together, as they ought to.

George Cukor's "Hoilday" starring like-minded Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant is a tale of chasing dreams. Linda Seton is the black sheep of a rich family that Johnny Case is about to marry into. Linda and Johnny are an obvious match made in heaven but Johnny is in love with Julia, Linda's sister. Johnny is all about chasing his dreams and feeling free and as the film goes on it is clear that all Julia wants to do is stand in his way. Johnny almost sells out for money instead of dreams but decides that he loves feeling free more than he loves Julia.

Johnny and Linda bring out the best in one and other. Their free spirits run wild, hand in hand. Ned Seton and Linda also have a likable relationship and as a viewer, I could feel the connection between the two. I loved the honesty of these two characters when they'd exchange words. There was no tiptoeing around the issues when they spoke, they were sincere and straightforward. Ned also seemed to be a sort of obscure comic relief which I loved; he was my favorite character.

This heartwarming story is filled with fast dialog; Hepburn and Grant deliver this very well and fed off of one and other making them so much fun to watch act.

Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton's "The General" (1927) is said to be the greatest comedy ever made. The film is packed full of comedy, suspense and drama. The film takes place during The Civil War, which is what makes it more dramatic because it is a true event. This dramatic event is dressed up in hilarity and suspense and this really works. For example, the scene with the cannon. The cannon's wick slowly burns down as Johnny scrambles over the train, away to safety. In this scene the cannon is pointing straight at Johnny and seconds away from firing. The cannon becomes detached and at the last second the train turns and the cannon fires. This scene works because the intensity builds and Johnny is frantic but the cannon never does any harm in the end. The scenes with the train were very expensive for it's time but so successful and perhaps why the movie was especially comical. These scene were fast paced and the music was fast keeping the audience at the edge of their seats.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is one of the first silent films I've ever seen. This particular movie made me fall in love with silent films! I felt that certain moments were far more beautiful without words. Spoken words would have taken some of the magic away. One scene that really stood out for me was when the man and woman were in a church watching a stranger's wedding. The man watched the vows being exchanged and suddenly felt this overwhelming sadness and guilt. He became so sincerely sorry to his wife and she forgave him for his faults. If the man would have said out loud to his wife "I'm sorry" it wouldn't have meant as much to the audience. No words were necessary, the viewer knew what was happening and that made it more beautiful.

The characters in the movie were all nameless, creating an even more fiction and story-like feeling. The significance of the film was all about a story of forgiveness and second chances. In the end, the film turned into a love story with a happy ending of course!

Scarface: The Shame of the Nation told a tale of the rise in power and it's inevitable down fall. Tony Camonte climbs the ladder to absolute power where he meets a life filled with crime and murder. The violence showed in the film took the gangster crime genre to new level making it significant in the development of all gangster crime movies thereafter. The film made a bold statement about gangster crime and showed how corrupt it really is. At one point in the movie Tony got his hands on an automatic gun and things got completely out of control. It was now easier for him to attack the North side and these new guns caused much more damage on his enemy. The more people Tony killed, the more powerful he became because he turned into a threat. Tony finally reached the top of the power ladder only to have it all end in tragedy. The power corrupted him and essentially resulted in his down fall. That being said, I think the corruption of power is one of the formal issues director Howard Hawks was trying to make.