rate the last movie you saw

[Eric Paddon]

Well the difference for me is that unlike Cameron, these are all real characters (save for Susan Saint James who exists as someone for David Warner's real-life Lawrence Beesley to talk to and verbalize what Beesley later wrote in his book about the sinking). I suppose it's probably different if one is a Titanic buff who's read the history books inside out about this ship and knows all of these people by heart basically, because the thrill of "SOS Titanic" for me is seeing people who have never been dramatized in other productions like Beesley, Henry and Renee Harris, the Irish steerage immigrants Jim Farrell and Daniel Buckley etc. and the brief moment at the lifeboat of Michel Navratil putting his two sons in the lifeboat shown. This is the only Titanic production to even mention the ship's near collision with the docked liner New York as it left Southampton (albeit in voiceover only as the Chief Officer sends a letter to his sister). So I guess for me what I look for more is historical fidelity. The one thing the film didn't give us was the Californian seeing the rockets go up which is why ANTR still comes out ahead overall for me (though ANTR in contrast to SOS Titanic went more for composite characters than the real characters in a number of instances).

[Paul MacLean]

^^I lived new NYC as a child but we never went to this place (instead we went to the more "conventional" amusement park, Playland -- which probably wasn't too much safer!).

The "360" water ride was actually lampooned in The Simpsons years later...

PlayLand, as in Rye PlayLand?

Sorry I took so long to respond, but yes, Rye PlayLand!

[AndyDursin]

Well the difference for me is that unlike Cameron, these are all real characters (save for Susan Saint James who exists as someone for David Warner's real-life Lawrence Beesley to talk to and verbalize what Beesley later wrote in his book about the sinking). I suppose it's probably different if one is a Titanic buff who's read the history books inside out about this ship and knows all of these people by heart basically, because the thrill of "SOS Titanic" for me is seeing people who have never been dramatized in other productions like Beesley, Henry and Renee Harris, the Irish steerage immigrants Jim Farrell and Daniel Buckley etc. and the brief moment at the lifeboat of Michel Navratil putting his two sons in the lifeboat shown. This is the only Titanic production to even mention the ship's near collision with the docked liner New York as it left Southampton (albeit in voiceover only as the Chief Officer sends a letter to his sister). So I guess for me what I look for more is historical fidelity. The one thing the film didn't give us was the Californian seeing the rockets go up which is why ANTR still comes out ahead overall for me (though ANTR in contrast to SOS Titanic went more for composite characters than the real characters in a number of instances).

I certainly respect that, I just found the filmmaking and overall execution poor. If I want total and complete history I'll read Walter Lord or other books. The direction and performances are so flat to me, there's no life or passion in it at all IMO.

[Eric Paddon]

I'll certainly agree that David Janssen is miscast as Astor. His performance isn't effective. And there is a continuity gaffe in that we see Helen Mirren in a lifeboat when Ismay (Ian Holm) enters but then they have her be the one *later* confronting Thomas Andrews in the smoking room.

Interestingly this was the second time Cloris Leachman had played "Molly" Brown in a filmed production. Back in the mid-1950s she played the role in an episode of the obscure anthology series "Telephone Time".

[AndyDursin]

Yes Janssen's beard should've been thrown overboard also

[Eric Paddon]

The real Astor didn't even have a beard!

[Paul MacLean]

The Patriot (theatrical cut) 9/10

I was an admirer of The Patriot when I first saw it in the cinema -- but time has only reinforced the greatness of this film. I gave the Blu-ray extended cut a screening a few years ago, but the theatrical version (available on the 4k disc) is markedly superior (it's quite striking how much a few minutes of superfluous footage can slow a movie down). The theatrical cut is certainly long, but flows extremely well, and ranks as one of the finest historic epics of recent decades.

Mel Gibson's performance is one of his best, and rife with passion and stoic heroism. To me it is also a turning point in his career -- long the young, brash "leading man", Gibson's years were starting to show when he made this film, and this really informs the character of Benjamin Martin as a mature, ageing man, weathered by years (and the guilt of past misdeeds).

Robert Rodat's script is outstanding -- considerably better than his more-acclaimed Saving Private Ryan. The Patriot walks a fine line, managing to celebrate the struggle for, and triumph of, American independence -- without celebrating war itself. Indeed the film depicts the founding of America (and Martin's personal struggle) as hard-won, and strewn with sacrifice and loss. Jason Issacs is effectively despicable as the sadistic Colonel Tavington, yet his ruthlessness never strays outside the realm of believability (thank goodness Kevin Spacey's fee was too high for him to be cast in this role!). A coterie of interesting supporting characters also populates the film -- The Patriot has one of the best supporting casts ever -- and not a single one of them is uninteresting or superfluous, and yet they never once convolute or slow the narrative down.

Caleb Deschanel's photography is a glory to behold -- and done full-justice in 4k. In fact this film looks better in its 4k transfer than it did in the theater. Deschanel also bathes the film in a "period style" that looks and feels believable, but is also original in its use of lighting (as opposed to just cribbing the Barry Lyndon and Amadeus look).

John Williams' score is likewise glorious, and one of his more unique, bursting with moments of soaring inspiration, but also elegiac introspection and tenderness, and nods to the music of the era.

Although "A Roland Emmerich Film", I strongly suspect Mel Gibson had a lot of creative input into the picture. Certainly the style and tone of the film is more reminiscent of Braveheart and The Passion than Independence Day or The Day After Tomorrow.

The Patriot truly is one of the finest and most moving pictures of recent decades, and film which is particularly relevant today -- when many in our culture have forgotten (or have not bothered to learn) why the United States is unique, and how its foundation changed the world (for the better).

[Paul MacLean]

サムライマラソン (Samurai Marathon) (8.5/10)

One of my (admittedly weird) quirks is that whenever I spoil myself with take-out sushi, I have a strong urge to watch a Japanese film while eating. Seeing as I've watched nearly all the great Japanese films by now, as well as Black Rain, The Last Samurai and 47 Ronin, have sat through many a Jidaigeki -- and the few remaining Japanese films I haven't seen were too long to start watching at 9:00 pm on a Sunday night, I had despaired that there was nothing remaining.

Then I came across Samurai Marathon. The trailer for this 2019 film made it look potentially decent -- but you never know. I took a chance however, and settled down with my nigiri and miso soup. Don't let the somewhat silly title put you off. Directed by Bernard Rose, Samurai Marathon is an outstanding production, which has gotten nowhere near the attention it deserves.

Set in the days immediately following Admiral Perry's arrival in Japan, a high-ranking warlord, Itakura Katsuakira, fears an American invasion is imminent, and orders all of his retainers to take part in a day-long marathon to get in shape for the possibility of war. I don't want to give away too much more; suffice to say the script (based on a book by Akihiro Dobashi) takes a seemingly innocuous marathon, and turns it into a catalyst for opportunism, betrayal and treachery. One can see the influence of Kurosawa's Yojimbo (a villain brandishing a six-shooter), Sanjuro (treacherous samurai staging a coup) and The Hidden Fortress (a spunky princess) but Samurai Marathon takes these elements in a different, and original direction, resulting in a very satisfying picture -- with some fantastic action sequences as well. The characters are also well-developed; the film is really an ensemble piece, with no one main protagonist, but all of the characters are compelling, three-dimensional people. (Admittedly, though, there are arguably one or two characters who are superfluous to the story.)

The film is sumptuous to behold as well, and takes full advantage of the gorgeous Japanese landscape, the culture's exquisite traditional attire and architecture, and captures the thrilling gracefulness of samurai combat.

The only weakness of the film is the score by Phillip Glass -- which isn't terrible (in fact it's better than most anything heard in Hollywood comic book movies from the past 20 years) but still suffers from inherent "Glass-isms" (i.e. an over-reliance on repetition), and is clearly scored for small orchestra, which doesn't add to the scope of the picture. The film is still great, but this is a movie that could have used an Alan Silvestri score. (And what is it about Western directors hiring Phillip Glass to score the films they make in Asia -- Mishima, Kundun and now this movie?)

In all however, Samurai Marathon is highly underrated and ranks with the best chambaras. I fail to see why Hollywood celebrated the grotesquely unpleasant Parasite as "great Asian cinema" yet ignored this far-superior picture.

And a fine accompaniment to a dinner of nigiri and miso soup as well!

[AndyDursin]

Bernard Rose has had an eclectic career with the likes of CANDYMAN (which Glass also scored) plus IMMORTAL BELOVED years ago, then not much of anything noteable but some dreck (including a bad rendition of Frankenstein) over the years since. He seemed like a weird choice for that material but the reviews, while a little mixed, were a lot more enthusiastic than anything he's made in a while. Good you enjoyed it Paul!

[Paul MacLean]

I hated Immortal Beloved, and never saw any of his other films. But this is clearly a case of a director really connecting with the material. Samurai Marathon doesn't really "reinvent the wheel" but it works almost perfectly, and is highly entertaining and compelling.

[Eric Paddon]

My copy of "SOS Titanic" just arrived and I'm starting off with the commentary track on the theatrical cut. This is a very *good* one expertly mixing film production history with Titanic history. And amazingly I learn that a bit part in the film was played by none other than then-wife of 86 Mets pitcher Ron Darling! (the commentator didn't know that but when he mentioned her name I knew right away who it was).

A young Helen Mirren looks gorgeous even in a stewardess uniform.

[Paul MacLean]

The Krays (7.5/10)

Solid but unsatisfying 1990 biopic about the Kray twins, Ron and Regie, who were generally regarded as London's most ruthless gangsters throughout the 1950s and 60s.

Though unknown in the US, the Krays are a notorious and fascinating bit of modern English history -- a pair of cutthroat, homicidal racketeers, who despite (or perhaps because of) their reputation, achieved celebrity status in Britain (and were even lampooned in the Monty Python sketch "The Piranha Brothers"). As I personally have always been fascinated by 1960s Britain, I've long had an interest in seeing this film. However, this cinematic depiction of the Kray twins never proves quite as compelling as the real life subjects themselves.

Certainly there is no shortage of acting talent in the film. In a bit of audacious casting, director Peter Medak cast two pop stars, Gary and Martin Kemp, in the title role(s), but each give exceptionally fine performances. Supporting them are first-rate British acting talent including Billie Whitelaw, Steven Berkoff amd John McEnry.

Stylistically however, the film feels claustrophobic, and nondescript, with little indication of where it takes place. We're told it is London, but there are no shots of Big Ben, the Thames, Picadilly, etc. 90% of the action takes place on side streets and mews which could be in any British city. The film also fails to give any sense of when each particular scene it set. Most of the action spans the mid 1950s to late 60s, but The Krays never gives any indication of the passage of time. Period songs would have helped with this, but presumably the budget (a little over $2 million) was too low to license anything well-known enough. Obviously the budget was enough however to hire some high-pedigree talent, like cinematographer Alex Thomson, and composer Michael Kamen. Thomson captures the film adroitly enough, though I get the sense he had to make due with very limited lighting resources. Kamen's score is among his worst. Entirely realized on his Kurzweil synthesizer, the music is virtually themeless, and sounds like little more than random keyboard noodles, with no sense of any dramatic interpretation that is unique to the film.

Curiously, The Krays was released the same year as Goodfellas (and covers much of the same time period). However, it lacks the visceral and satirical energy which bursts from every frame of Scorsese's movie. The Krays is in comparison a perfunctory, almost dispassionate (and un-humorous) look at its subjects. We are shown a good deal of the grisly acts perpetrated by the twins (who seemed to revel in sadistic violence) but while disturbing to behold, the film never really feels especially deep and insightful.

It seems to me that the main problem with The Krays is that director Peter Medak was aiming his film at British viewers -- who were already familiar with the Kray twins -- and he presumed a familiarity on the part of the audience. As a result the film often feels like an incomplete portrayal to those of us less familiar with the subjects' reputation and exploits.

[Paul MacLean]

Obsession (8.5/10)

SPOILERS!

This early Brian DePalma picture remains one of his best, and is certainly his most artistic effort.

To tell you the truth, I haven't seen this film since I was in high school. Later, Andy actually sold me his laserdisc in the 1990s -- but it got cracked by the stupid post office and was ruined. So I had to wait until now to see it again! I thought the film was terrific at that age -- but I'm even more impressed by it today.

DePalma and screenwriter Paul Schrader weave an engaging tale which may at times be reminiscent of Vertigo, but provides more than enough originality to stand on its own. The cast is also stellar, and in top form, with Cliff Roberston delivering one of his best performances, and Genevieve Bujold equally compelling, with a vulnerability and depth (that she's one of the most beautiful actresses of her generation doesn't hurt either). John Lithgow is also deliciously greasy as Robertson's ruthless, two-faced business partner.

Although it features a small cast and isn't bursting with production value, Obsession nevertheless feels large in scale, thanks to the use of epic locations (particularly those in Florence), all gorgeously captured by one of the greatest, Vilmos Zsigmond. As usual, Zsigmond employs an exquisite, painterly use of lighting, but also (unusually for him) relies on diffusion and graduated filters -- more like British cinematographers of the time -- which gives the movie a "non-Hollywood" look.

The "big reveal" which comes toward the end of the film could have come-off as creepy -- and even grotesque -- and apparently it was more so in Schrader's script, which included a wedding night scene between the two characters. DePalma and editor Paul Hirsch however removed the love scene and re-cut the wedding night footage to make it a chaste dream sequence. That said, the film walks a fine line in depicting the story of someone who falls in love with a woman who turns out to be his daughter. Robertson however plays his part as that of an emotionally hollowed-out man living in the past (and trying to recapture that past), rather than a "dirty old man" trying bed-down some young hottie.

Bernard Herrmann's music adds further to the scope of the film, and gives it a truly epic grandeur. Many great scores are "icing on the cake"; Herrmann's score for Obsession is the "fruit that fills the pie". Without his contribution, I'm not even sure this film would work. By turns ecclesiastically passionate and delicately sensitive, the music is truly the heart of the film, and is one of those very few scores that dominates the film, without overwhelming it. Herrmann's ethereal choruses transport the viewer into the euphoric, dream-like state of Robertson's mind, and his quixotic pursuit to regain lost happiness.

The score is also a key element in selling the potentially awkward finale (where Robertson discovers Bujold's true identity) and brings it to life as an emotionally powerful moment of realization and reconciliation -- when it could have come off as awkward and tasteless. It is Herrmann's greatest score, no question. Herrmann also played a larger role in the making of this film than is normal for a composer. Obsession originally contained a long, extended coda (where Robertson was put on trial for Lithgow's murder), but Herrmann convinced DePalma to jettison that whole sequence, and end it with the airport scene. Schrader hit the ceiling -- but Herrmann was absolutely right. Herrmann even designed the film's title sequence too.

Criticisms that Obsession was a "Hitchcock ripoff" don't hold water. Yes, it draws on plot elements of Vertigo, and to some extent Rebecca -- but those films were based on literary sources. Hitchcock didn't write them. DePalma is free to draw on them too. Vertigo is a romantic thriller, while Obsession is more of pure love story. Jimmy Stewart tries to transform Kim Novak into the woman he loved (or lusted after). Robertson makes no effort to change Bujold. Novak is only in it for the money. Bujold wants revenge for her father abandoning her.

Also -- I know it's sacrilege -- but I never particularly cared for Vertigo. It was hugely inventive in terms of technique, but I felt the script had problems, and I never found Stewart's character very sympathetic. Maybe that was the point, but I identify more with Robertson's character, whom I find to be more sincere and wholesome. I honestly think Obsession is the better film (and certainly has a much-better ending). Sorry film professors.

It's a shame to me that DePalma went on to specialize in glorified slasher movies, and never attempted another love story like this one, when clearly he had the talent and sensitivity to pull it off. As much as I admire The Untouchables, I consider Obsession is finest picture.

[Eric Paddon]

I remember when I saw it, I thought it held together up until the last fifteen minutes or so starting with the point when Robertson confronts Lithgow. I'm not usually one who would prefer a "dark" ending to a film, but this was a film that IMO would have worked better if it had ended with Bujold stabbing herself and Robertson getting hauled off to the asylum. I also think DePalma should have forced Robertson to either get a haircut for the opening scene or wear some kind of 50s style wig because no on in the late 50s sported the "dry look"!

[Paul MacLean]

I remember when I saw it, I thought it held together up until the last fifteen minutes or so starting with the point when Robertson confronts Lithgow. I'm not usually one who would prefer a "dark" ending to a film, but this was a film that IMO would have worked better if it had ended with Bujold stabbing herself and Robertson getting hauled off to the asylum.

That wouldn't have been implausible -- though to me it seems a rather grim and sadistic way to resolve the story.

I also think DePalma should have forced Robertson to either get a haircut for the opening scene or wear some kind of 50s style wig because no on in the late 50s sported the "dry look"!

That's true. His hairstyle in the 1959 sequence is very 1970s. The riverboat captain has long sideburns too!