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The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962)
Has merit but great flaws.
The film had great difficulties in production, and it shows. The director wasn't happy, the studio wasn't happy, the editing is haphazard, different versions were released and, in my opinion, worst of all, the soundtrack was replaced with an overbearing Andre Previn score which is set at a volume which seems designed to drowned out chunks of the dialogue.
Critics complained that this re-make mis-fired by updating its setting from the Great War to WW2, but, personally, that didn't worry me at all. I think that the imperialist nature of both wars makes for suitable platforms.
Acting is generally quite solid: Glen Ford was quite clearly miscast but does his best and to a large extent gets away with it. His love interest, Ingrid Thulin, is excellent.
The Nazis in the family are well portrayed with suitable scheming malevolence, mixed with a degree of family loyalty to their relatives.
The film might not match up to its predecessor but is still very watchable despite the cacophonous score.
Welcome to the Punch (2013)
Convoluted plot, action sequences not credible.
Some describe this is as stylish but to me it's a pretty souless action thriller. Obviously produced on the cheap with car chases and gunfights all set in uninhabited settings in London, requiring very few street closures and extras. The multi-layered plot is unbelievable, as are so many of the action scenes. The director tries to add atmosphere with some ridiculous gimmicks, such as arranging a shoot out in a darkened, deserted nightclub which for some weird reason still has its animated disco lights on. The shooters are all using automatic weapons but most of the couldn't hit a barn door at then paces. People get shot but two minutes later are up and running like spring chickens. Only the generally quite passable acting saves the movie from being rock bottom.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
Style over substance.
The film has garnered many accolades but, for me, it was pretentious and sluggish.
On the plus side, the script has its merits, cinematography gets a big tick and the film is definitely atmospheric but so many other aspects of the film fall short.
The soundtrack, for instance, is heavily overdone with overly dramatic music and pan flutes and accentuated noises throughout.
The characterisation is, in most cases, fairly shallow, and the better actors are hardly tested at all. In the main, there is an amateurish feel to the acting. Apart from some overwrought scenes, the cast is not asked to do much more than be brooding, sullen individuals.
Arthouse dreamlike sequences, allegorical swans and moody montages aren't sufficient to compensate for the shortcomings.
The Blockhouse (1973)
Bleak but admirable.
We're told in the opening credits that this is a true story and only two out of seven survive. We then move into a superb opening sequence of Allied bombing, which takes us neatly into the central story of trapped men.
The cast is excellent and the dark, gloomy and claustrophobic atmosphere is well done but, for me, the characters are insufficiently well-drawn. We are told very little about their background and how they arrived at this place. The sound recording leaves something to be desired and the dialogue is often unclear.
Having said that, this is a film which will stay with you, if you make the substantial effort required to watch it. As Sellers has said. "It's a film for connoisseurs of cinema. A very heavy movie, which could easily put you on a downer". My advice though is to make that effort.
One point of fact: the true story was actually one of seven German soldiers trapped in a food depot in Poland, blocked in, unknowingly, by their retreating comrades who dynamite the entrance.
Knock on Any Door (1949)
Bogart at his best.
Whilst the storyline has its weaknesses and John Derek's acting is pretty poor, this film is well worth watching for Humphrey Bogart's excellent performance as a lawyer defending a delinquent form a ghetto area. Bogart's company produced the film and you can sense from the passion of his performance that it meant more to him than most of his films.
The film kicks out against a social system which can turn youngsters into hardened criminals rather than rehabilitate them when things go wrong. Some might call it naive and liberal but Bogey's impassioned address to the jury is a credit to his acting skills.
The Staircase (2022)
Apalling editing
The story is interesting, the acting is fine but the direction and editing leave much to be desired.
It's a complex story which inevitably needs to be told with the use of flashbacks but the editing is manic. It's like watching a jigsaw puzzle being jumbled up and put together badly. Far too much effort needs to be put in to keep abreast of the constant changes in time zones, even with the benefit of captions.
An opportunity lost.
Swallows and Amazons (2016)
A terrible version of a classic story
The producers are simply cashing in on the well-established name of a really good children's book. They've show no respect for the actual story, adding and subtracting at their whim. Sadly, it's all too easy to mess around with classics than come up with an original story which finds an audience on merit.
A very poor effort, which despite a prestigious cast isn't even particularly well acted. Shame on you, BBC.
The Last Posse (1953)
Interesting story, well-acted
Broderick Crawford gives one of his usual solid performances playing a worn-out alcoholic sheriff struggling through life. The storyline keeps the viewer interested and the chase through New Mexico takes us into great scenery. The actions scenes aren't particularly convincing though but the film does good service to the Western genre by clearly defining the Bad guys from the Good guys. Very watchable.
The Rocking Horse Winner (1949)
A film with an impact.
Brilliantly acted by the entire cast, the film will stay in the memory.
It's theme is the dangers of over-indulgence, and the grief which can come from overspending. The film is suspenseful and has a very dark edge.
Highly recommended.
Hell or High Water (2016)
Superbly crafted film.
An excellent film in every way. I cannot fault it on any level. A brilliant storyline, superbly acted and directed. Add to that the tremendous soundtrack and great cinematography and a film has been created which I will happily revisit time and time again. The wonderful Jeff Bridges, as he always seems to, gives real depth and integrity to his character. The relationship between Ben Foster and Chris Pine is always engaging. The brief, hilarious cameo scene from Margaret Bowman, an 88 year old actress, will forever after be etched in my memory. All in all, a real contender for the Best Picture Oscar. Win or lose, David Mackenzie has done us all a favour by reminding us that the best action movies don't rely on crash bang wallop pyrotechnics or high speed chases.
Girls Girls Girls! (1961)
A curiosity with charm
If you were around in the early '60's this film will bring some memories flooding back. Not the type of film you'd associate with Michael Winner and much more charming than his standard output. It's a simple tale of 3 young women making their early moves to build a career in London, nothing profound and many might think it frivolous. To me it's evocative, with warmth and wit and I certainly didn't regret investing half an hour of my time in watching it. Plenty of useful tips for ladies with aspirations to be chic and sophisticated, such as how to look after your nails and makeup, walk like a model and get in and out of cars! A scene in a furriers is a real glimpse into the world which some of us inhabited back then, when political correctness was not yet on the radar. In the UK, catch it on Sky Arts at some time in the future - it will no doubt be repeated.