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[josemas]

L
THINK FAST, MR. MOTO

I love this.  There's almost 35 minutes of the film that goes by before you find out which side of the law Peter Lorre is really on.  What a fantastic character he plays!  Some mistake the series for being a Japanese "Charlie Chan", but really, he's Japan's answer to JAMES BOND.  And you know what?  Even to the very end of the film, they never admit the truth to the audience! He claims he's the owner of a big import-export firm, who felt he had to take matters into his own hands, and only plays at being a policeman "as a hobby". In later films, he portrayed as a member of Interpol.  But one of the later films does strongly suggest he's really working for the Japanese government all along. I suppose given the real-world climate the films were made in, they tried to avoid showing that too much.  But I have read 4 of the novels, all great stuff.  He's a very interesting character in there.  The formula of the books usually has him cross paths with innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He takes it upon himself to help them out of it... provided it doesn't get in the way of his actual duty.  I suppose that makes him about halfway between Bond and Simon Templar.

I read most of the Moto books a few years ago and you're right- they are much more spy novels than they are detective novels. 
One other thing that struck me about the books too was that Moto seemed to be more of a supporting character in each one- always hovering around the edges of what was happening with the other characters- and only occasionally moving to center stage.
I haven't watched any of the movies in years but I remember thinking (when reading the books) that they would have had to beef up Moto's role in those films adapted from the books.

Best

Joe

[josemas]

The Mysterious Lady-1928-  It's been mentioned in this thread before how early film talkies (late 1920s/early 1930s) often seem very creaky by today's standards.  This late silent-a spy/romance vehicle for Greta Garbo- is a fine example of how creaky they look compared to late silent films too.  Visually this film is so much more adept than the talkies that were being released at the same time one wonders why people were so willing to give up on silents.

Chaplin-1992-   The first time I watched this back in the 1990s I was so irritated by all of the stuff they "got wrong" that I didn't pay attention to it's good qualities.  This time I tried to concentrate more on the "good stuff".  At the top of that list is the great performance of Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin.  I doubt there is any other living actor who could have pulled it off so well.  Kudos also to Geraldine Chaplin for her portrayal of her own grandmother. 
Also a big plus are the number of fine recreations they did of Chaplin's films in progress, often building big sets for scenes that were only seen for short sequences in the final film.

Men of Action-1935-   A fast paced little B movie (running barely an hour) starring the young Frankie Darro.  The film (about the battle against saboteurs of a dam under construction) looks much better than it's budget because of the judicious use of stock footage of the building of the real Hoover Dam well edited into the location shooting done for the film

Sweetie-1929-   An early musical-comedy talkie taking place on a University campus.  Director Frank Tuttle keeps things moving much better than many other talkies from the same period (although the sound itself is a bit weak).  A good cast is headed by the vivacious Nancy Carroll, Helen Kane (Betty Boop in the flesh), Jack Oakie and Stu Erwin. 
University/College films were very popular in the second half of the 1920s but fell out of favor as the Great Depression set in.  This film was released only three days after the 1929 stock market crash and was one of the last really successful examples of this genre from that era.
The film does have one of the most un-PC pieces I have seen in quite a while.  During the film's climatic football game the home team crowd breaks into their new school song "Alma-Mammy" while donning identical black stereotype masks.  Very bizarre and sure to really throw a modern audience.

The Phantom of the Opera-1962-  This is Hammer Film's take on the famous story that has been adapted to film several times.  While this is not the best of the bunch it's also hardly the worst (my favorite is still Lon Chaney's 1925 original).  The late Michael Gough has the best role (playing a real S.O. B.) in it.

The Mechanic-1972-  Charles Bronson at the top of his popularity plays a hit man who after years of being a loner takes on an apprentice (a young Jan Michael Vincent) when he begins having health issues.  While hardly a likable profession Bronson's hits are mostly shown as rub outs of other, less likable, criminals.  Has a few interesting twists.  Recently remade I understand.

Escape By Night-1937-  A pleasant little B movie from Republic Studios concerning some criminals who reform after they take refuge on a rural farm where they end up taking to farm life and turn on their former lifestyle and compatriots.  Notables in the cast include the always delightful Anne Nagel and Ward (Wagon Train) Bond.

Best

Joe

[profh0011]

It looks as if THINK FAST, MR. MOTO actually was an adaptation of a novel, but I'm not sure how close or far afield it went. Much of the focus in the film was on the son of the owner of the shipping company. He never found out for sure until the last 5 minutes which side Moto was on-- and then, I think Moto still lied to him about his exact occupation.

Hammer's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA isn't considered one of their best, but it still managed to be fun. Some time back I ran across it on TV, and it hit me how every frame of film just screamed "Hammer Films"! It's amazing how recognizable the style of their output was. It strikes me the film almost completely ignores the book (and the Chaney film) and is mostly a remake/variation on the Nelson Eddy-Jeanette McDonald musical-comedy version (which, oh, BY THE WAY, also has Claude Rains in it, almost wasted, you'd think he WOULD have made a good Phantom after watching THE INVISIBLE MAN, but instead, they just made him sad and pathetic...)

I kinda like how Herbert Lom was allowed to become heroic, but his death at the end just seemed to be there because the guy was suppsoed to die at the end, and how they did it wasn't given much thought. Someone online pointed out, after Michael Gough was such a BASTARD, he never really got what was coming to him!


Chaney's version has long been my favorite-- it's the ONLY one to this day that even attempts to follow the book-- except, they changed the ending to make it more visually exciting.  The original ending from the book, apparently, was one of the few things left intact in the Claude Rains version.  Kinda reminds me of how they put back the book ending of THUNDERBALL when they did NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN... and doing so only made it obvious it was a better idea when they changed it!  (I love making comparisons like that.)

[narfstar]

My wife and I went to see the Mechanic remake. Not great but not bad either. We enjoyed it but it was not particularly memorable.

[profh0011]

Among the goodies this week...


THIRTEEN AT DINNER
DEAD MAN'S FOLLY
MURDER IN THREE ACTS


I hate to say it, but when the actor with the biggest reputation and paycheck winds up playing the killer, it just doesn't seem fair.



Tonight:


APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH

[profh0011]

Just watched APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH again. Still trying to figure out, was it BETTER than the 3 CBS tv-movies, or WORSE?


It does seem unamimous that either way, it was a MAJOR step down from the 4 previous feature films, all produced by the same production team.  In this case, the new company was Golan-Globus, who apparently were the 1980s' answer to American International.  And, the director this time out was Michael "DEATH WISH!" winner, who, apparently, has exactly ONE good film in his entire career (THE BIG SLEEP).


It seems to start out alright, but the faults include an undeveloped script, poor directing, poor acting, poor camera set-ups, and poor editing.  Some complain the music in inappropiate, but I'm not sure.


I did like the one comment that it was "a B-movie masquerading as an A-movie".




I guess that's better than "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".

[narfstar]

Several of those home movies masquerading as feature films have cost little and made a lot. I don't think I have watched any of them but sure wish I would have made the money off them.

[profh0011]

I always remember this... CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN magazine had an alphabetical movie guide column, where each film listed had one brief paragraph to describe it.  It was PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE they described as "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".

[profh0011]

Let's see if anyone can I.D. this quote from tonight's movie...


"She killed him!"

"No... she-- EXECUTED him!"

[josemas]

It was PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE they described as "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".

This reminds me. 

The Lil' Missus and I watched something that I never thought I would see this past weekend. 

Tor Johnson wrestling Pippi Longstocking!

The mind boggles!!!

Best

Joe 

[paw broon]

OOOOPS, the page looks strange.  There only seem to be bits of it there and the site is really slow.  I'll leave this till later and see if it corrects itself.

[profh0011]

Among the goodies this week...


MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE
MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING
MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1982)
MURDER IS EASY
SPARKLING CYANIDE
THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT
SPIDER'S WEB  (1982)


What continues to amaze me is how much MORE I'm enjoying many of these than I did when they were newer.

Except for the remake of WITNESS... I can only surmise it was its being a "Hallmark Hall Of Fame" production that was the problem, as I've seen several of those, and without exception, every single one was DULL beyond belief!!  In this case, it was mind-boggling.  they almost re-used the script from the Billy Wilder film WORD-FOR-WORD, they had an INCREDIBLE cast of actors, and the director (Alan Gibson) was responsible for 2 of my all-time favorite Hammer Films!!  So-- how on Earth did they manage something where the finished result was so DREADFULLY dull, where every actor looked like they being held back from giving proper performances?

Ralph Richardson, Diana Rigg, Donald Pleasance... so many terrific actors, all of them NOT standing out at all.  Only Michael Gough gave what I would expect was a "normal" performance from him, but he only ha d a few lines. (Of course there's Beau Bridges, who, as the one American character in the thing, went completely the other way and over-acted to ridiculous extremes. OY!)

[Geo (R.I.P.)]

This weekend I'm going to try to watch Stargate, the Extended Cut, Inception, and Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Those should keep the wife and me out of trouble this weekend.

Geo

[profh0011]

With dinner today:

DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME


    Some feel this is the best of the DT films.  Maybe.  Having seen all 4 of RKO's series, my own feeling is Morgan Conway looked and acted better as Dick, plus, his 2 films had "Junior" in them.  I think they had 4 different Tess Trueharts-- what's up with that?  Anne Gwwynne in this one, it turns out, was BAD girl "Sonja" in FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE.  and how's this for cross-studio promotion:  an ambulance drive was played by Lex Barker, who had just taken over in RKO's TARZAN series!

    But there's no doubt... Boris Karloff COMPLETELY steals this movie.  He gets to act-- really act-- more than in most films I've ever seen him in.  He goes thru so many moods, though most of them are menacing.  And he's one really CAGEY customer.  In the 2nd half, especially, he keeps saying and doing things which prove there is an almost brilliant intellect inside that cold-bloodedly MURDEROUS frame.  (At one point, he plans to dump a guy who had been his devoted best friend-- into an INCINERATOR.  Yikes!!)

    I've seen a lot of "B" series films in my time, including the SAINT and FALCON series, both made at RKO.  I think these 4 films beat them all.  It's got more mood, pacing, style, better acting, driecting, action... man, they really threw themselves into these.  Tracy is like a prototype for Joe Friday-- except he's got more personality.  (Byrd seemed very stiff in the 3rd film, perhaps he resented coming back to the role, but in this one he seems more relaxed, at ease, natural.)  But if there's one film this reminds me of in style and pacing, it's THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD-- also made for RKO!  i guess back then studios really did have their own recognizable styles.


    RKO, of course, when they went out of business, sold their lot to Desilu... who wound up making THE UNTOUCHABLES, and years later, both STAR TREK and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.  That's some legacy, hmm?

[josemas]

  Maybe.  Having seen all 4 of RKO's series, my own feeling is Morgan Conway looked and acted better as Dick,

Wow!  Henry you're the first person I have ever run into who preferred Morgan Conway to Ralph Byrd in the Tracy role!

Having seen the 4 Republic serials, the 4 RKO movies, a number of the 1950s television episodes, the Warren Beatty fiasco and (a zillion years ago) the animated cartoon Tracys, for me, Byrd's version is the best Tracy brought to the screen.

Best

Joe

[profh0011]

THE NEW AVENGERS: 

[profh0011]

Saturday night:
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH  (1959)

Sunday night:
WHERE TIME BEGAN  (1978, actually follows the book closer)

right now:
Rick Wakeman's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH  (1974)
(now this DOES follow the book; to get a more faithful adaptation, you'd have to read the "Classics Illustrated" comic-book)

[josemas]

Saturday night:
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH  (1959)

Sunday night:
WHERE TIME BEGAN  (1978, actually follows the book closer)

right now:
Rick Wakeman's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH  (1974)
(now this DOES follow the book; to get a more faithful adaptation, you'd have to read the "Classics Illustrated" comic-book)

I've seen that 1959 version (that's the one with James Mason and Pat Boone, right?) and the fairly recent Brendan Fraser version (as well as the 1960s animated version) but that's about it for me.   

I didn't realize it had been adapted so many times.

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

Last night, Send For Paul Temple, the first of the series from 1946 and a bit slower and not as well acted but the story is classic Francis Durbridge.
ITV is now showing the new series of Midsomer Murders and like Taggart before it, they've managed to change the main character as the John Nettles D.C.I. Barnaby retired and Neil Dudgeon is now the new D.C.I.  Being Midsomer Murders, the new guy turns out to be Barnaby's cousin, so the oddness continues. The first 2 stories are very entertaining.  Still loving Castle and The Mentalist.
We're both pleased that baseball is back because we've been suffering withdrawal symptoms since the NFL finished.  Our digital chanels are also showing Aussie Rules football and Indian Premier League Cricket.  Lots to watch and not enough time to do it and read comics.

[profh0011]

"I didn't realize it had been adapted so many times."

Me either. At the IMDB, they usually have a link named "Connections", and if you click on that, you'll get either other films in a series, or other versions of the same story.

JOURNEY... appears to have been done in '59, '67 (the Filmation cartoon series), '78 (the Spanish film I watched last night), '89, and at least 4 times since then. they have 3 different versions listed for 2008!!  I mean-- honestly! That's like when 3 "Wyatt Earp" films came out within a year of each other.



*******POSSIBLE SPOILERS********


I recall in high school this hardbound reading book we had in English class contained, right in the middle of otherwise all-text stories, a comic-book version of JOURNEY, which I'm assuming must have been a reprint of the "Classics Illustrated" version.  Around the same time, I heard Rick Wakeman's 45-min. musical version, and found that it followed the story exactly as the comic-book had.  It wasn't until the mid-80's that I got around to reading the novel. There was a bit of a "surprise ending" that related to a line of dialogue on the Wakeman album that explained something the Wakeman version didn't. After the storm at sea, Lindenbrook checks his compass and finds they've wound up only a few miles away from where they first set sail. But it turns out, this was NOT true! They were more like about a thousand miles away from there... the surprise ending revealed that once back home, he figured out that the electrical storm had reversed the polarity on his compass. For weeks, he couldn't figure out how they'd ever ended up in Italy!

A few years after reading the novel, I got ahold of a "book on tape" version. It was 3 cassettes long. It allowed me to experience the book again without the trouble of actually having to READ it!  (It's very long-winded and "technical".)

[josemas]

 (It's very long-winded and "technical".)

Yeah I remember thinking the same thing the one and only time I read it.  I much prefer Verne's The Mysterious Island (which I've read three times).

Best

Joe

[profh0011]

Funny story...  Back in art school, I rode the train every, and had time to either catch shut-eye, or read.  I went thru a pile of SAINT books, plus, 3 whole Jules Verne novels that had been sitting around the house for around 15 years.  20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, and THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND.


As you probably noticed, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND starts out frightfully "bleak" and hopeless-seeming.  But slowly, painfuly slowly, things improve, and continue to do so until just about the climax of the book. (It shares this with the Harryhausen movie-- heh.)


Now, my late best friend Jim was a speed-reader. He was also rather psychologically "detached", and until the last few years of his life, had an increasingl problem "relating" to people on any kind of really deep, personal or emotional level. I often got the feeling when he'd tell me he'd read an entire novel in ONE SITTING that he just wasn't getting any EMOTIONAL effect from it at all. He'd get the plot, the details... and NOTHING ELSE. It was kinda sad.


ANYWAY... he told me he'd "tried" to read MYSTERIOUS ISLAND 3 times... 3!! And he had to put it down each time just about 50 pages in.  (It's about 300 pages long.)  Well... about a WEEK after I told him I'd managed to read it (it took me 2 or 3 weeks to do so), he announced, proudly, that he finally HAD read it.


I found it funny... because, apparently, I'd "shamed" him into doing it!

[profh0011]

I've also got a JOURNEY... "story".  My "introduction" to it was-- get this-- an amusement park ride of that name at Dorney Park in Allentown, PA.  It was one of those "tunnel-boat" rides, filled with monsters, ending with a long ramp up and a high-speed downward slide into water (SPLASH!). There was a pterodactyl mounted on the entrance of the ride. I loved it.

The first "film" I saw was the 1967 Filmation cartoon series, which featured Ted Knight as the voices of both Lindebrook and Count Saknussem. Ony later did I see the '59 film.


About 1996, I was listening to the book-on-tape, and my attention was drawn to the sequence where, while waiting for a ship, the professor takes his nephew to the top of the tallest cathedral steeple, to help him get over his fear of heights. Back when I was very young, we used to visit Barnaget Light beach every summer, and a few years in a row, I climbed to the top of the lighthouse.  Until one year, when I got halfway up, and suddenly-- HAD-- to stop.  I was never quite sure if it was something psychological going on in my life (very likely) or just that I was growing taller and it was having an effect on my balance, but all of a sudden, I found myself afraid of heights.

In 1996, we went to visit Barnaget Light, first time since the 60's. It wasn't a beach anymore, it'd been turned into a wildelife preserve.  But the lighthouse was still there.  At one point, on my own, I went up to it, walked inside, and began climbing the stairs.  I wasn't in the best of shape, got out of breath, and actually had to sit down on the FLOOR when I reached the top to catch my breath and relax.  But once I had, I slowly stood up, looked at the door, and calmly walked thru it onto the balcony.  I went to the railing, and looked DOWN.  It was amazing.  NO nervousness at all!  I had OVERCOME my fear of heights!  I was in the process of overcoming a lot of fears that year in general, and it was exhiliarating to find this was one of them.  The fact that I was in the middle of listening to that part of the story at that exact moment was just one of those amazing "meant to be" moments.

Less than a month later, and for the only time in my life (so far), I WALKED OUT of a very bad, abusive job situation. I've never been the type to quit a job when I don't have another one waiting for me-- but I've never regretted doing it in that instance. (Companies really should not treat all of their employees like SCUM as a given thing. It's not productive for either side.)

[profh0011]

Today:

CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU

This film is a RIOT. In Sidney Toler's debut, we get sons #2 & 5, Richard Lane as a loud, brash, fast-talking cop who may not be what he seems, Marc Lawrence as a convicted murderer, George Zucco as a rather "mad" psychiatrist who keeps the brain of a Chinese murderer alive in his suitcase, and a tame lion named "Oscar" who keeps roaming around free scaring people.  I laughed from beginning to end. Most reviews at the IMDB say this had "too much comedy", but I don't mnd comedy as long as it's FUNNY-- and this is!

Trivia: while Lee Chan had been played by Keye Luke, Charlie's son-in-law is played by Philip Ahn.  Both Luke & Ahn were "Masters" on KUNG FU!

[bowers]

While looking up some of the Dick Tracy films on imbd I clicked the news article link, and found an interesting little article about Warren Beatty and The Tribune Co.'s legal battle for control of the character. Good Lord- you don't suppose he's thinking of a sequel? Cheers, Bowers