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Al Baker
Reviews
RKO 281 (1999)
It's a British movie folks!
Contrary to the impression given in other comments, this TV movie was made by the BBC (as a co-production) and, in spite of it's subject and setting, was shot entirely in the U.K. It never went near San Simeon! I found it rather unsatisfying myself, but well produced.
Shining Through (1992)
Glossy tosh
This is a superbly produced movie that looks great on the 'Scope screen due to Jan De Bont's excellent cinematography. Unfortunately the high production values are completely wasted on the silliest script of the nineties (and several other decades). Presumably the big name cast did it for the money rather than the piece's artistic merits.
Not unenjoyable, though mostly for reasons other than the producers intended. Still, that glossy production deserves a DVD release.
Cone of Silence (1960)
Forgotten airborne drama
This is quite a good movie with a cast of familiar faces (Peter Cushing, George Sanders, Gordon Jackson). The screenplay is based on David Beaty's novel which was inspired by actual events. In October 1952 one of BOAC's new Comet jetliners crashed at Rome Airport. The accident was due to a design error that allowed the pilot to raise the nose too high on take off and stall the airplane on the ground. The pilot was blamed for the crash and relegated to flying piston engined freighters. The following year another Comet, on a delivery flight to Canadian Pacific Airlines crashed on taking off from Karachi, Pakistan in identical circumstances. Following this accident, design modifications were made to the Comet to prevent further similar incidents.
The movie follows this scenario quite closely, except that Captain Gort, the pilot blamed for the crash (played by Bernard Lee), continues to fly the fictional "Phoenix" jets and subsequently dies in an identical accident. It is left to the Airline's initially sceptical training Captain (Michael Craig) and Captain Gort's daughter (Elizabeth Seal) to clear her father's name and get the airplane modified in the nick of time to prevent a third crash.
Although made on a smallish budget and with some model shots that look a little shaky today, this is a cut above the typical Hollywood airborne disaster epic. Little seen today, especially in it's original 'scope ratio, this deserves more recognition.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
A misguided project
In 1968, a rather pretentiously showy movie called "The Thomas Crown Affair" was made. It starred 38 year old Steve McQueen, one of the most charismatic actors ever to hit the screen and 27 year old Faye Dunaway, then a sexy hot property after "Bonnie and Clyde". There was real chemistry between these two and you could understand the mutual attraction.
In 1999 somebody with more money than sense decided to remake this movie. In the role taken by charismatic 38 year old McQueen we get 48 year old Pierce Brosnan, who always checks his charisma at the studio gate and couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. Worse, the Dunaway role is taken by Rene Russo, 45 years old and looking every minute of it.
There is no chemistry between the two leads and, whereas in the McQueen movie you want him to get away with it, in this one you just ache for the cops to nail Crown and wipe the self satisfied smirk off of his face.
One of the best things about the '68 picture was "Windmills of Your Mind", which in the new version is murdered by Bill Conti, whose score is execrable.
All in all, a woebegone effort by all concerned