Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 262nd Edition

Welcome to the 262nd Edition of my long running series. We have one more performance for TALK RADIO. Thanks to a great cast and crew on a good show. This week I pay tribute to Jill Clayburgh, Dino De Laurintiis, and George Hickenlooper who all recently left us. I am now leading my division in Fantasy Football so hopefully this week I can continue my winning ways this week.

The Ice Storm (1997): I now give you the second link of my chain which continues again with Christina Ricci. Ang Lee directed this drama set in 1973 suburban Connecticut where we see even people in the suburbs can have problems. The movie centers around the Hood family. Kevin Kline plays Ben Hood who is having an affair with someone. Joan Allen is his wife Elena who reads a lot of self-help books and tires of her husbands lies. Tobey Maguire and Christina Ricci play their kids Paul and Wendy who are having their own problems in their love lives. When everything seems bad, it gets worse when an ice storm hits where everyone must then fight for their survival. Katie Holmes, Sigourney Weaver, Elijah Wood, Allison Janney, and many others co-star. Ang Lee gives a believable portrait to the 70s. Rick Moody wrote the novel that this film is based on and was very satisfied with the film product. This is actually Katie Holmes' debut right before she would become famous through the tv series DAWSON'S CREEK. This is one of those where everything works and if I say more I give it away so just see for yourself. Next week the chain continues once again with Christina Ricci.

The Goonies (1985): This is part one of what might be a three-part Josh Brolin series. Next week will be part two. This is my 80s classic for the week which was directed by Richard Donner and wrote by Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus. Where do I even start with this one? Sean Astin and Josh Brolin star as brothers Mikey and Brand who are preparing for a big move because developers want to build a golf course unless enough money can be raised Mikey comes up a treasure map from pirate "One-Eyed" Willy and sees this as their chance to raise this money. They set off with their friends but run into a bumbling family of villains and a friendly monster while trying to find this treasure. Anne Ramsey co-stars as Mama Fratelli, who is the matriarch of the criminal family consisting of Joe Pantaliano and Robert Davi. Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Jonathan Ke Quan as the children out for the treasure. Ke Quan is most known as Short Round in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Josh Brolin makes his film debut in this as he has gone onto have a great career. This was some great 80s fun where it can be enjoyed as long as you can suspend disbelief.

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949): This is my British comedy for the week. Dennis Price stars as Louis Mazzini whose mother was part of the D'Ascoyne family. She then ran off with an opera singer therefore was disowned by the family along with Louis. When Louis grows up he vows to avenge what happened and become Duke of the family by murdering each successor. The highlight of the film is with Alec Guinness as each person of the D'Ascoyne family and brings a different element to each one. This was a very fun British comedy brought from the company Ealing Studios which is a long-running British Studio which Guinness worked a lot with where this one is his first with the company.

Mad Love (1935):  This is part one of a two-part Peter Lorre series.  No, this is not that movie with Drew Barrymore and Chris O'Donnell nor is that movie a remake. Peter Lorre stars here as Doctor Gogol who is an insane surgeon obsessed with a singer whose husband is a pianist and was in a bad car accident. Colin Clive plays Stephan Orlac who is the pianist where Gogol replaces his hands with those of a knife murderer which causes him to do things he would usually never do. This is Lorre's first American film was a great as the crazy scientist. It was good to see Clive in something else besides FRANKENSTEIN which he will always be known for. This was a pretty good chiller for the time and a clever storyline.

Nosebleed (2008): This is my short film for the week which I found on IFC Short film showcase. David Arquette actually stars in this film as a man who has a severe nosebleed that he just cannot get rid of. It stays with him no matter what he does. Arquette does not speak, he just goes into panic. This is really not exactly great but was an interesting 8 minutes and I did kind of like the end so I went ahead and put it here.

Silver Streak (1976): This is my tribute to the late Jill Clayburgh who co-stars as Hilly in this film. Arthur Hiller directed this great homage to Hitchcock films. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in their first of four teamings together and this probably being their best. Wilder plays George Caldwell who is on a long distance train trip but comes upon a murder scheme which he gets caught up in. Richard Pryor plays Grover Muldoon who is a small-time crook who teams up with George, who is now suspected of murder, to find the killer while evading the criminals and police. Claybergh plays Hilly who is also caught up in the plot but falls in love with George. Patrick McGoohan, Ned Beatty, Clifton James, Ray Walston, Richard Kiel, Scatman Crothers, and Fred Willard all co-star in this train comedy/thriller. There are some very fun moments mixed in with serious moments where I am sure there are a lot of comparisons to the later Hitchcock homage THROW MOMMA FROM A TRAIN.

Ulysses (1954): This is my tribute to the late Dino De Laurentiis who was the producer of this adaptation of Homer' THE ILIAD which stars Kirk Douglas as the title character who has just got done in a ten years war but then must make a very difficult trek home to get back to his wife and son. Along with his men, they must survive many obstacles like a cyclops, witch, and many other things. Silvano Mangano plays both the sorceress Circe and Ulysses' very loving wife Penelope. Anthony Quinn plays the arrogant Antinos who is trying to marry Penelope. This was a pretty entertaining film with Douglas very fun as Ulysses. The cyclops character was very well done. This could be called the precursor to Douglas' epic film SPARTACUS. The special effects a bit cheesy by today's standards but really work for this one.

The Man From Elysian Fields (2001): This is my tribute to the late George Hickenlooper who directed this film. Andy Garcia plays struggling novelist Byron who is happily married with a child but finds it hard to pay his bills after his last novel which was not successful. He then meets a man named Luther Fox, played by Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, who runs an escort service called Elysian Fields which provides wealthy women with good dates. Byron reluctantly takes the job and keeping it from his wife. He soon starts dating a woman, played by Olivia Williams, whose aging husband is a very successful novelist and working on his last one. James Coburn plays this novelist Alcott who is very accepting and knowledgeable of his wife's lifestyle and relationship with Byron. Alcott then provides Byron with a chance to co-author with him but deceit and betrayal follow what is a pretty decent film. ER alum Julianna Margulies plays Byron's supportive wife.I have always been a fan of Andy Garcia and he turns in a pretty good performance here. This is available instantly on Netflix.

Jungle Book (1942): This is not that animated Disney film many have come to know and love. This is a much earlier version brought by the Korda brothers. This is an adaptation to some of Rudyard Kipling stories. This takes place in a village in India where a boy named Mowgli who has been raised by wolves but tries to learn human life in a village while keeping his ideals of the jungle. He must contend with Buldeo who is very greedy and determined to find a treasure in the jungle. Sabu actually plays Mowgli and no this is not the man wrestling fans know as "the homicidal, suicidal, genocidal maniac". This was an Indian actor who was sought out by the Korda brothers who wanted someone of the descent rather than a white man. The technicolor of this film works very well. There is also a beautiful soundtrack as well as a great story. I admit I have never seen that Disney film and I'm sure I will sometime but this one is also quite good so I say check it out if you can. There are some similarities to the Tarzan character but this story was written before that one and as much as I enjoy Tarzan some, I like this jungle story better.

City of God (2002): I end this week with Travis' Co-Op viewing of the week. Fernando Meirelles directed this South American film which takes place in a very violent part of Rio De Janeiro. We focus on two kids growing up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The story is told from the eyes of a boy named Rocket who dreams of being a photographer but witnesses a lot of violent activity and police corruption. His friend Lil Ze has established himself very well but is a very dangerous person. This is a very good portrait of life in a town like this where the kids must grow up too fast and fend for themselves. This is a very graphic film but also a very well done movie and possibly the best of the decade. There is even some violence towards children but unfortunately that was a reality. The title refers to the sarcastic nickname the town is given. Much of the actors are people who have lived in the "City of God" who give authentic portrayals.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and what you hate and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Christina Ricci, more Josh Brolin, the late James MacArthur, and many others.

FUN AND USESLESS FACTS

I decided to bring this segment back for the week. I do not believe I will be doing it next week.  Read on if you care and I don't really use any inter-movie facts.  If I miss anything feel free to comment.

Sigourney Weaver (Ice Storm) plays Paulina Escobar in the 1994 film DEATH AND THE MAIDEN. My Facebook friend Lysa played the part in a production at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater.

Christina Ricci (Ice Storm) plays Wednesday Addams and Anjelica Huston (Man from Elysian Fields) plays Morticia Addams who are daughter and mother in the 1991 film THE ADDAMS FAMILY and the 1993 film THE ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES.

Elijah Wood plays Frodo and Sean Astin plays Samwise in Peter Jackson's epic LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy where they are hobbits and best friends.

Josh Brolin (Goonies) plays a young Wild Bill Hickok in a 1989 tv series called THE YOUNG RIDERS. Anjelica Huston (Man From Elysian Fields) plays his friend and even girlfriend Calamity Jane in the 1995 tv movie BUFFALO GIRLS. David Arquette plays Jack McCall, the man who shot Wild Bill while playing poker in the 1995 film WILD BILL

Robert Davi (Goonies) plays gangster Lucky Luciano in the 1991 tv movie WHITE HOT: THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF THELMA TODD. Andy Garcia (Man from Elysian Fields) played the gangster in the 1997 film HOODLUM.

JAMES BOND FRANCHISE
-Robert Davi (Goonies) plays villain Franz Sanchez in the 1989 film LICENSE TO KILL
-Peter Lorre (Mad Love) plays the first Bond villain Le Chiffre in the 1954 teleplay CASINO ROYALE which was an episode of a tv show called CLIMAX.
-Clifton James (Silver Streak) was a bit comic relief as redneck Sheriff J.W. Pepper in the first couple Bond films of the Roger Moore era.
-Richard Kiel (Silver Streak) was the villain Jaws in a couple of the Bond films from the Roger Moore era.

Sean Astin (Goonies) and Ned Beatty (Silver Streak) play son and father in the 1993 film RUDY.

Valerie Hobson (Kind Hearts and Coronets) plays Dr. Frankenstein's fiancee Elizabeth in the 1935 film BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. My Facebook friend Lisa played the part in a Muncie Civic Theater production of FRANKENSTEIN which I co-starred as one of the grave diggers with my partner-in-crime being my Facebook friend Joe. Her co-star Colin Clive who plays Henry Frankenstein is featured this week in the 1935 film MAD LOVE.

Alec Guinness (Kind Hearts and Coronets) plays Fagin in the 1948 film OLIVER TWIST. My Facebook friend Ben played the part in a recent musical version at the Anderson Mainstage Theatre called OLIVER.

Peter Lorre (Mad Love) plays Dr. Einstein in the 1944 film ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. My Facebook friend Thom played the part in a recent production in Greenfield, IN for the Rick-Weil theater group.

Gene Wilder (Silver Streak) plays the Mock Turtle in 1999 tv movie ALICE IN WONDERLAND. My Facebook friend Neil played the part in a production at Muncie Civic Theater.

Gene Wilder (Silver Streak) plays Willy Wonka in the 1971 film WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. My Facebook friend Sean played the part in a production at the Muncie Civic Theater.

Kirk Douglas (Ulysses) plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the 1973 tv movie of the title. My Facebook friend Matt played the the part in a recent Muncie Civic Theater production of JEKYLL AND HYDE: THE MUSICAL.

Xander Berkeley (Man From Elysian Fields) plays Captain Whitaker in the 1992 film A FEW GOOD MEN. My Facebook friend Brandy played the part in the first Ricks-Weil production in Greenfield which I played Corporal Howard.