Media Review: Wandering the Media Library

Edna Ferber's "Show Boat" [TCM]

Not to be confused with the remake staring Ava Gardner, this is the original based on the book by Edna Ferber.  A simplistic tale of love and redemption set inside a traveling song and dance show on a Mississippi river boat.  What is most striking is the music, more tunes than that remake, and the portrayal of the antebellum south.  By todays standards this is a very racist film and pretty politically incorrect.  The happy negros that toil for the white folks is pretty hard to watch.  The standouts are Paul Robson and Hattie McDaniel.  Paul being the only cast member to reprise his role in the remake. 

"I Walked 
With A Zombie" [TCM]

I wanted to see this film for two reasons.  The film was directed by Jacques Tourneur and the film was produced by Val Lewton.  Mr. Lewton was known for this bizarre and understated thrillers in the 1940s.  Think 'Twilight Zone' before Rod Serling.  Mr. Tourneur was the cinematographer on one of my all time favorites, "Out of the Past'.  So this should have been a good film.  It was really just odd.  Beautifully shot, but with little plot and it seemed to go nowhere.  Worth the watch just to see the creepy scenery and visuals. 

Passage to Marseille [TCM]

This was an eye-opener.  This is a propaganda film shot during WWII.  It is almost a sequel to the film 'Casablanca', with much of the same cast members.  Apparently, the idea in the mid 40s was to show sympathy and empathy for those nations that had been ravaged by the Axis powers.  In this case, as in Casablanca', it is the French and their struggle against the Nazis.   A fun film to watch but overly sappy on the political message. 

Crusades [VHS]

This is a four tape VHS set that I have been making my way through.  At first, it is a bit tongue and cheek showing how the Christians of central Europe really botched the idea of liberating the Holy Land and all the terrible blunders that they made.  However, in the latter part of the series, it shows the dynamics of how the Muslim and Christian world settled on each other and came to respect the status quo.  It is a must watch for anyone that has in interest in Middle East politics and history.  I learned quite a few things about Muslim history and reasons for the schism with the west. 

The Boondock Saints [BluRay]

Wow, this was interesting.  I really can't recommend this film from an entertainment standpoint, but as educational offering , it has some merit.  I had heard of this film before and know that it has a slight cult following (as can be attested to by the numerous sequels that have gone straight to video).  A VERY violent film with lots of gunfire.  However, it is beautifully shot, almost as though it was a ballet.  The storyline is interesting, with William DeFoe's gay detective deconstructing crime scenes after the fact and then the actual crime is seen in real time.  It is a fascinating juxta positioning of story line and style.  Interesting to watch, but always ending in a bloodbath.  Interesting premise, but the film falls flat at the end with no real conclusion. 

Viva Zapata! [Laserdisc]

Another interesting find.  The credits for this read like a whos who of Hollywood in the 1960s.  Elia Kazan directs, John Steinbeck writes it, Alex North does the music and Marlan Brando stars.  Unfortunately what you get is something akin to 'On The Waterfront' with sombreros.  Brando as an Hispanic is a stretch and the story is slow to get moving.  The ending, while predictable, draws you in because of the examples of political corruption and how it affects even the most dedicated freedom fighter.  

Cinema Cycle - To Fly

Cinema Cycle - The Mafia: Resume

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE REVIEWED: 05/31/2017

TITLE: The Mafia: Resume

FORMAT: VHS

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 42 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 8.8 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 6827.5 miles

SYNOPSIS: A summary of Gang-Land murders and power grabs from the 1930s through the 1970s

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: The actual basis for the Godfather, Goodfellas and the Sopranos.

PROS AND CONS:  The cons here are the condition of the media.  This is a VHS tape and is not a good transfer nor is there high production value in the documentary.  

That said, this is a very informative piece to watch.  It delves into great detail regarding the frictions between the organized crime families of the century as well as the government's involvement both in promoting and combating organized crime.

Many of the interviews presented here are familiar faces in their much younger days as well as many organized crime figures that lay bare what really went in in the Cosa Nostra.

To read an overview of this project, check out this status posting.  

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Flash Gordon

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE REVIEWED: 05/30/2017

TITLE: Flash Gordon

FORMAT: BluRay

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 52 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 22.8 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 6815.7 miles

SYNOPSIS: A football quarterback a travel agent and a mad scientist team up to save the world from a universal warlord.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Comic books come to life, but not with all the brooding and backstory that we have today.  This is fun comics with a sinister edge.

PROS AND CONS:  It has been years since I have seen this and if you haven’t seen it recently (or at all) look at it on a really good television and sound system.  It is a whole lot better than I remembered it.

The production design of the planet Mongo and its moons, along with soundtrack by Queen and Max Von Sydow’s over the top portrayal of Ming the Merciless are all just huge amounts of cinema candy that you munch away on.

One of the things that is surprising about this film is just how much ‘implied’ gore is in it.  Even though it is just a comic book set to cinema, there is a real sense of dread in the film that this Ming guy is not a nice fellow.

To read an overview of this project, check out this status posting.  

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - The Avengers '67 Vol 11

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE REVIEWED: 05/26/2017

TITLE: The Avengers ‘67 Vol11

FORMAT: VHS

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 52 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 11.7 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 6792.9 miles

SYNOPSIS: (from Wikipedia)

28 October 1967

You Have Just Been Murdered – Millionaires are being blackmailed into paying a mystery enemy not to murder them, as he repeatedly demonstrates how vulnerable to assassination they are.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Campy-ness, X-Files and James Bond all rolled into one (and the obligatory fight scene with Emma Peel in a skin tight suit).

PROS AND CONS: I really shouldn’t like this show but I do.  I found myself laughing at this episode more than anything else, because what was once ‘cool’ is bordering on farce.

However, this whole series has to be taken rather tongue-in-cheek.  In this outing, old lady assassins use knitting needles to kill their victims.  Not really very believable.  

This show got better with age as they continued to refine it and take it in new directions.  The first show in the series would be hardly recognizable compared to the last.

To read an overview of this project, check out this status posting.  

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Hot Rod

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE REVIEWED: 05/25/2017

TITLE: Hot Rod

FORMAT: HD-DVD

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 30 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 19.2 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 6781.2 miles

SYNOPSIS: An older teen living at home attempts to recapture of the glory of his dead father who was a stunt man.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: What the SNL crew does in their time off.  Some of the sight gages are hilarious.

PROS AND CONS:  A great film if you are a male, approximately 12 to 17 years of age.  Otherwise, most of this film is pretty cringe worthy.  The target audience is clear and they drill home the themes of the film to them.  

The film is a series of sight gags strung together into a plot, which really becomes secondary to the visuals of the film.  

The stunt and comedy scenes are well done and funny as all hell, but then we have to watch Adam Sandler move the plot forward another 12 hours before the next ROFLOL moment.

To read an overview of this project, check out this status posting.  

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Transformers

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE REVIEWED: 05/23/2017

TITLE: Transformers

FORMAT: HD-DVD

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 2 hours 24 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 29.5 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 6762 miles

SYNOPSIS: Robots come to earth and go at each other Mano-y-Mano for 2+ hours.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: ‘What if my toys could destroy the world?, wouldn’t that be cool?”, said every boy at the age of eight.

PROS AND CONS:  My second Michael Bay movie in a week (see previous review of “The Island”).  Please, stop the explosions!

I wanted to like this film but I quickly got lost in the pre-puberty male fantasy that the movie instantly becomes.

There are several plot lines at work in this film.  Two are actually quiet interesting, the third is questionable and the fourth (with LaBeouf and Fox) is just a farce which appears to be edited in just to titillate the pre-pubescent lads.  

To read an overview of this project, check out this status posting.  

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.