Welcome to the 842nd Edition of my series. We had some pretty crazy weather for a couple days but we got through it. Luckily, I work at home so I did not have to get out though I really wanted to get out. Unfortunately, my 49ers came up short in the conference championship against the Rams. I will just move on and look forward to next season while still watching the Super Bowl. I am starting to promote the play I am in more which is MURDER AT CAFE NOIR at the Pulse Opera House in Warren, Indiana and below is the dates. It looks like we will finally be able to start rehearsing this week. I have rambled on long enough so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.
Pacific Heights (1990): This is part two of my Michael Keaton trilogy where he plays a very uncooperative tenant. John Schlesinger directed this psychological thriller. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith star as couple Drake and Patty who become landlords. Most of them are fine except for the mysterious Carter Hayes, played by Keaton, who is able to manipulate his way into the complex and making life difficult for the couple. Mako, Nobu McCarthy, Laurie Metcalf, Carl Lumbly, Dorian Harewood, Luca Bercovici, Tippi Hedren, Sheila McCarthy, Guy Boyd, Jerry Hardin, Dan Hedaya, James Staley, Miriam Margoyles, O-Lan Jones, Dabbs Greer, Tracey Walter, D.W. Moffatt, Beverley D'Angelo, and many others co-star in this film. Keaton is great as the psychotic tenant. If my friend Rusty aka Dr. Love was the landlord, Carter would have never gotten in there without his rent.
Please Give (2010): Nicole Holofcener wrote and directed this character driven film. Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener star as married couple Alex and Kate who own a vintage furniture store and have a teenage daughter named Abby, played by Sarah Steele. They plan on expanding their apartment when their elderly next-door neighbor Andra, played by Ann Guilbert, passes away. Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet co-star as Andra's granddaughters where the families try to bond with one another. Elizabeth Keener, Josh Pais, Elise Ivy, Scott Cohen, Lois Smith, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Amy Wright, Sarah Vowell, Jason Mantzoukas, Kevin Corrigan, and many others co-star in this film. Each character has some sort of issue in their life they they are trying to deal with. It has a good blend of comedy, drama, and some slice of life.
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012): Robert Harmon directed this tv movie which is based on characters created by Robert B. Parker. Tom Selleck reprises his role as Paradise police chief Jesse Stone who was in involuntary retirement but is brought back after his replacement is blown up. Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Gloria Reuben, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler, Robert Carradine, Jeremy Akerman, Christine Tizzard, Jeff Geddis, Saul Rubinek, William Devane, John McLaren, and many others co-star in this tv movie. This was a series of tv movies where Selleck plays the functioning alcoholic detective. This is the eighth and the last of this movie series. This is a pretty dark and gritty series of film and are all available to watch on Crackle.
Zorgon: The H-Bomb Beast from Hell (1972): This is my short film for the week which was directed by Kevin Fernan. There are reported monster attacks in a local community so a posse comes to town in hunt for it. This was a college assignment for Fernan when he was a Pasadena City College. This is shot like a silent movie thought it has no music. It does work for the nine minutes though. Make-Up artist Rick Baker co-star in this short film. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Real Glory (1939): Henry Hathaway directed this war film which is based on the novel by Charles L. Clifford. This takes place in 1906 Philippines where a group of American soldiers train rural tribesman to defend themselves against Muslim radicals. Gary Cooper stars as Dr. Bill Canavan who is the doctor but takes charge. David Niven, Andrea Leeds, Reginald Owen, Broderick Crawford, Kay Johnson, Russell Hicks, and many others co-star in this war film. This has a lot of good action for that era. This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952): Now I get a little lighter with this comedy which was directed by Douglas Sirk. Before she would become more famous for being an extremely overprotective mother, Piper Laurie did play the romantic lead some. Charles Coburn stars as aging and heir-less millionaire Samuel Fulton who looks to give his fortune to the family of his first love. To evaluate the family, he poses as a poor tenant named John Smith. Rock Hudson stars as loyal soda jerk Dan Stebbins who really likes Millicent, played by Piper Laurie, but her mom would rather her go with the wealthier Carl, played by Skip Homeier. Gigi Perreau, Lynn Bari, William Reynolds, Larry Gates, Paul Harvey, Paul McVey, Gloria Holden, Frank Ferguson, and many others co-star in this comedy. Look for James Dean in a cameo before he would co-star in GIANT with Hudson. This is a good look at appreciating what you have and not to let things get to your head. This could very well be Coburn's best role. I also thought the younger sister, played by Perreau, stole the movie a lot of times, especially in her scenes with Coburn. This is a pretty underrated movie in my opinion and deserves a look.
Spencer (2021): Pablo Larrain directed this biopic which is based on Princess Diana Spencer. Kristen Stewart takes the helm of Diana and really makes the role her own. This is based in the time period where Diana is burned out from the marriage with Prince Charles, played by Jack Farthing, and becomes very serious about leaving but finds it will not be easy. Timothy Spall, Jack Nielen, Freddie Spry, Sean Harris, Stella Gonet, Richard Samuel, Elizabeth Berrington, Amy Manson, Sally Hawkins, and many others. This takes a look at many sides of Diana and I honestly have not really looked into fact vs. fiction as I'm sure liberties were taken. I always feel Stewart gets a bad rap and in this movie she gave it everything she had to prepare for this role.
He Walked by Night (1948): Alfred L. Werker directed this film-noir that is shot in a semi-documentary style. This centers around the murder of a police officer where officers Marty Brennan and Chuck Jones, played by Scott Brady and James Cardwell, are assigned to investigate the murder. This also looks at the killer Roy Morgan, played by Richard Basehart, as he tries to cover his tracks and has no criminal past so no reason for anyone to have any suspicion. Whit Bissell, James Cardwell, Jack Webb, Dorothy Adams, and many others co-star in this film. This is loosely based on the crime spree of Erwin "Machine Gun" Walker whose actual story seems very interesting. This also inspired Webb to create his popular show DRAGNET. This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus.
The Wonderful Land of Oz (1969): Barry Mahon directed this movie based on the novel by L. Frank Baum. The director's son I assume, Chan Mahon stars as a young boy named Tip who runs away from his evil guardian Mombi, played by Zisca Baum, after being threatened to be turned into a statue. Along the way, he meets Jack the Pumpkinhead, played by George Wadsworth, who many might know for the later RETURN TO OZ. They set off to Emerald City and encounter meets General Jinjer, played by Caroline Berner, who wants to take over Oz and seems to be for fashion reasons. Along the way, we see our beloved characters like Scarecrow and the Tin Man though no lion for some reason. Allen Joseph, Michael R. Thomas, Gil Fields,Hilary Lee Gaess, Joy Webb, and many others co-star in this movie. This is not something to watch if you want something that at least halfway lives up to our 1939 classic. In fact, I watched this through Rifftrax which is the most enjoyable way of watching it. This is to be looked upon as a B-movie and to just laugh at it. The Rifftrax version is available to watch on Youtube as well as a lot of other Rifftrax viewings.
Hitchcock (2012): This is part two of my two-part Anthony Hopkins series. I end the week with this biopic which was directed by Sacha Gervasi and based on the book ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO by Stephen Rebello. As the title indicates, this is based on the troubles of Hitchcock, played by Hopkins, getting this movie that he was very determined to make no matter how many people would say no to him. It also looks at the relationship of Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville, played by Helen Mirren, who was a very important part to a lot of Hitchcock's films. Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlberg, Michael Wincott, Jessica Biel, James D'Arcy, Richard Portnow, Kurtwood Smith, Ralph Macchio, Kai Lennox, Tara Summers, Wallace Langham, Paul Schackman, Currie Graham, Spencer Garrett, Jon Abrahams, Judith Hoag, and many others co-star in this biopic. This is a pretty compelling look at Hollywood in this era with some artistic liberties taken. The beginning was shot like an episode of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS which was pretty fun. I am always up to see my favorite of the Hustons in Danny Huston. I hope you all have a good evening.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Kim Basinger, Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Shelley Winters, Meryl Streep, and many others.
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