"Of all the arts, movies are the most powerful aid to empathy, and good ones make us better people."
-- Roger Ebert, The Great Movies

Friday, December 18, 2015

Wayne's World


  • Title:  Wayne's World
  • Director:  Penelope Spheeris
  • Date:  1992
  • Studio:  Paramount
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Cast:  Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere
  • Format: Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"I've had plenty of 'joe jobs' - nothing I'd call a career. Let me put it this way - I have and extensive collection of name tags and hair nets." - Wayne Campbell

"Sometimes, I wish I could boldly go where no man's gone before, but I'll probably stay in Aurora." - Garth

"Aren't we lucky we were there to get all that information? Seemed extraneous at the time." - Wayne

Wayne's World  felt very much like a 1980s movie to me when I re-watched it, so I was surprised to see the copyright date as actually 1992. The story is about two best friends, Wayne and Garth, who live in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The two have a local public access TV show that they film in Wayne's basement called, "Wayne's World", and the film was developed from the Wayne's World sketches on Saturday Night Live. However, in the film, the clips of Wayne and Garth doing their Wayne's World show are the least successful parts of the film (they are very dated, and often fall flat).

The strength of the film, the part that shines, and still works, is that it's a buddy film. But whereas most "buddy films" are cop films - Wayne's World is about these two guys, good friends, who are into heavy metal music, and not taking life too seriously. The film also continuously breaks the fourth wall, as usually Wayne, addresses the audience directly. Garth, normally the quieter and shyer of the two - also, occasionally, addresses the audience. The constant breaking of the fourth wall gives the film a surreal quality and an avant-garde edge. But that doesn't mean the film is overly serious. Quite the opposite - it's very, very funny. It's also filled with clips of great music, and a lot of singing (almost exclusively cover versions of popular music).

The basic storyline is that Wayne and Garth have this cable access show, Wayne's World, that they put together every week, more-or-less as a hobby, though Wayne, at least, would like to do Wayne's World as a career. One night, Benjamin Oliver, an unsavory ad exec is flipping channels and he sees the show. He thinks it's the perfect vehicle for his biggest client, the owner of a chain of video arcades called Noah's Arcade. He wants to move the show to a cable network, have Noah's Arcade sponsor it, and use it as a vehicle for, essentially, half an hour's worth of advertising for the arcade. Benjamin's plot works in that he gets Wayne and Garth to agree to his contract, though when Wayne gets on set he blows up and refuses to do product placement (in a hilarious scene in which at least half a dozen different products are prominently placed and used). Benjamin meanwhile sows discontent between Wayne and Garth, and gets Wayne to think his girlfriend is cheating on him. But it all works out in the end (well, in the third alternate ending).

But the film's point isn't really the plot. The characters, Wayne and Garth, and their close friendship - a friendship that is threatened but recovers - is at the heart of the film. Also, the idea of personal happiness being more important than money or what others call success is a subtext of the film. Yet, at it's heart the film is just very funny - and enjoyable to watch. Wayne and Garth's personal optimism and infectiously happy outlooks make the film enjoyable to watch. The frequent music, covers, and sing-alongs add to the fun.

Overall, one of the oddest things about the film might just be the frequent anachronisms. The entire set-up, the "Wayne's World" cable access show is something that barely exists now. However, a real-life Wayne and Garth these days could easily do their own show on youTube, or create a regular podcast. Wayne and his new girlfriend, Cassandra talk on landline phones that include a cord. Benjamin's client owns coin-operated video arcades. The famous, and awesome, sing-along to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" starts with Wayne putting a cassette tape into the car's tape deck (though later Wayne, at least, upgrades to an external CD drive). The film doesn't so much look dated as have moments of, "Oh, yeah, that's how we used to do things." Though, it's Garth who mostly correctly describes how he will bounce the special "Wayne's World" episode featuring Cassandra's performance off several communications satellites (which Garth mentions by name/number) - today such dialogue would be simplified to "bounced off several satellites") to Mr. Sharpe's limo to get her a  record contract. Even the three endings reference older films, such as Clue. It felt at times, like a window into the past.

Overall, I found Wayne's World to be enjoyable to re-watch, mostly because it was just so happy. Wayne and Garth's attitude towards women notwithstanding (Garth continuously talks about women as "babes" but can't get up the courage to talk to the pretty blonde he keeps spotting in their neighborhood.) It some ways the film was also like an updated American Graffiti in that it portrays a time and a place, though it's less serious in content and tone. Still, it's fun, just plain fun.

NOTE:  I normally don't mention DVD menus, but this one with the cable access opening is funny. Also, there are a number of hidden features on the menu (which looks like a cable TV on-screen guide).

Recommendation:  See it
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  When Harry Met Sally...

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Van Helsing


  • Title: Van Helsing
  • Director:  Stephen Sommers
  • Date:  2004
  • Studio:  Universal
  • Genre: Horror, Action, Adventure
  • Cast:  Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh
  • Format:  B/W prologue only, then Color/Widescreen (old)
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"You've never been out of the Abbey, how do you know about vampires?" - Van Helsing
"I read." - Carl

"My life, my job, is to vanquish evil. I... I can sense evil. This thing, man, whatever it is, evil may have created it, may have left its mark on it, but evil doesn't rule it. So I cannot kill it." - Van Helsing (re: the Creature)

Van Helsing is much more about style than substance, though as the CGI-heavy film moves along, it does improve - and it has some great moments.

The film opens with a black and white prologue - Dr. Frankenstein is doing his famous experiment to create the Creature, but after it becomes alive, he is confronted by Count Dracula. Dracula kills Dr. Frankenstein, but the Creature escapes with his body to the famous windmill. There a crowd of local people confront the Creature with torches, quickly burning down the windmill, presumably killing both Dr. Frankenstein and his Creature.

One year later the film opens into full color, and shows Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) chasing Hyde of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fame. Unfortunately, when Hyde falls off a roof he turns back into Jekyll - and dies. Van Helsing is blamed for the murder. However, he really doesn't have much to worry about because he goes to a supernatural MI6, where the cardinal, like M, is the voice of exposition. M explains that Van Helsing must go to Transylvania to rescue the last members of the Valerious family by destroying Dracula. Due to some sort of curse, that Van Helsing's Secret Order was also involved in, if Dracula isn't destroyed before the last members of the Valerious family die - the entire family (including the dead members) will be cursed for eternity. Yeah, OK - it doesn't make much sense, but plot is more of an excuse in this film, than something that's well thought out. Have plenty of popcorn and enjoy the show. Anyway, while at his secret headquarters, the Cardinal, like M in a James Bond gives Van Helsing basic info, some clues, and a torn piece of a scroll bearing a mysterious signet - which is identical to the signet on Van Helsing's ring. Conveniently, Van Helsing has also lost his memory. After getting information from M, I mean the Cardinal, Van Helsing goes to see Carl, a friar with more than a passing resemblance to Q in the James Bond films. Carl (David Wenham) kits out Van Helsing with special gear. However, Van Helsing surprises Carl by requesting he come along to Transylvania. The bookish, scientist-type, Carl isn't that happy about it.

Van Helsing and Carl travel to Transylvania where they meet Anna, the last member of the Valerious family (her brother had been recently transformed into a werewolf). Anna, Van Helsing, and Carl need to find and defeat Dracula.

There is a lot of CGI in the film, and the entire thing is digitally graded to make it look darker. The action scenes are good to excellent but lack depth because the characters are not that well drawn. This is probably why I haven't watched the film since it originally came out and I originally purchased the DVD. Anna is strong, capable, and an excellent fighter - but still manages to get captured by Dracula and has to be rescued by Van Helsing. Carl is an excellent character, and his ability to put together information from libraries and stained glass windows is a valuable addition to Van Helsing's quest. I also liked his character. Van Helsing is cool - especially his costume, and his weapons, but because he has no memory, and the audience for the most part only sees him when he's fighting - he's an enigma, so as a character he's hard to like - despite a good performance by Hugh Jackman.

About halfway through the film, as Anna and Van Helsing are escaping through some water-logged tunnels, they encounter the Creature. However, the Creature speaks, and feels bad for himself because everyone hates him. He also knows Dracula's secrets. Despite orders to the contrary - Van Helsing not only works with the Creature but in the end lets him go. The Creature shows surprising humanity, and is one of the better things in this film.

Overall, Van Helsing felt like a graphic novel adapted for the screen, though the credits list it as an original film (that is, written for the screen). The visuals were very typical CGI, but at times were impressive. They made have been more impressive in 2004. The entire cast, especially some of the smaller roles, also did a very good job - the acting can't really be critiqued negatively. The director also at times did some great things. A scene with a mirror in what turns out to be Dracula's Summer Palace is particularly memorable. Likewise, there's a hidden door scene that's far from the norm done seriously in so many films and parodied brilliantly in Young Frankenstein. However, the film also reminded me of The League of Extra-Ordinary Gentlemen.

Special Note:  I have the Ultimate Collector's Edition, which not only includes the film Van Helsing but the original monster films Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man from the 1930s - all of which are worth watching at least once. And the original Frankenstein can easily become a Halloween tradition to re-watch.

Recommendation: Some good elements, but a bit average
Rating: 3 out of 5
Next Film: Wayne's World

Saturday, October 24, 2015

UHF


  • Title:  UHF
  • Director:  Jay Levey
  • Date:  1989
  • Studio:  Orion Pictures (DVD released by MGM)
  • Genre:  Comedy
  • Cast:  "Weird Al" Yankovic (created as Al Yankovic), Victoria Jackson, Kevin Mccarthy, Michael Richards, David Bowe, Anthony Geary, Trinidad Silva, Gedde Watanabe, Billy Barty, Fran Drescher
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC


"This is even better than I imagined!" - George

"Sweetheart, take my advice, broads don't belong in broadcasting." - Fletcher's thug to Pamela

"I never should have taken this job. I should have known it would turn out like all the others. You know, for a short time there, I really thought this was going to be different. I just don't know anymore." - George

UHF  is a underdog story about a UHF television station and the misfits who end-up working there. However, today many people might not even know what a UHF station is. Back in the days before cable when all television was local and not national, picture tube television sets had two dials - VHF (very high frequency) and UHF (ultra high frequency). The VHF dial consisted of numbers 2 - 13 and was where the locally-owned network affiliates were found. A locally-owned network affiliate was owned by a local business person or group and they bought network programming during prime time, but ran whatever they wanted otherwise (usually re-runs). The UHF dial (channels 14 - whatever) was home to all sorts of unusual channels that were also locally owned (and may even have a network affiliation) in my area we had a channel 35 which was an PBS affiliate and a channel 41 which was an ABC affiliate. But often the UHF band also supported various local channels that catered to a specific audience: news, sports, minority broadcasting, etc. In major cities the local VHF or UHF stations often were the first to jump to cable and become national "Superstations" (for example WWGN (Ch 9) in Chicago - famous for running Cubs baseball, WTBS in Atlanta, WWOR in New York, etc.).

UHF, the film, is about one of these small, independent stations - but more than that it's about the people who end up there and how they actually care about what they are doing. George Newman (Weird Al) is an idealistic dreamer. He goes from job to job, constantly getting fired for daydreaming rather than concentrating on his boring work. Bob is his friend. After they are fired from their job at Burger World, George is suddenly given what he thinks will be his golden opportunity: his Uncle Harvey wins a television station in a high stakes poker game. George's aunt convinces Harvey to let George run the station, Channel 62.

Channel 62 is a mess. Fran Drescher is Pamela Finkelstein, the secretary who was hired with the promise of a job in news. When George and Bob arrive no one else works at the station except the engineer, Philo, who seems very strange, even to George. But George, who is at heart, just a very nice guy, assembles a group of great people and gives them the opportunity to shine. This includes Billy Barty as Noodles the Cameraperson who works with Pamela, now the station's news reporter, Stanley the Janitor - who was fired by the cross town network affiliate "Channel 8" president, JR Fletcher.

George sees that they are only running re-runs, and decides to launch new live shows. At first, this only goes so well. But then, after a particularly bad day, George puts Stanley in charge of the kiddie playhouse show. Stanley is a hit, and soon, "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse" becomes a ratings blockbuster. George adds in other new shows, including "Wheel of Fish" hosted by his friend, Kani, who also runs a karate studio; and Raul's Wild Kingdom, as well as various movies such as: "Conan the Librarian" and "Gandhi II".

UHF moves quickly between George's daydreams - such as the opening parody of Indiana Jones, or later George's "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies" music video; unbelievable commercials, promos for various shows, and brief excerpts of the programs on U62, and it's main story, which is an underdog story for George and his friends - where nice guys do finish first.

As George and Bob create more original programming, they get more and more attention, and when the ratings come out U62 is at the top in the local market, with five shows in the top five. George and Bob and stunned. But just as everything seems to be going perfectly, Uncle Harvey loses at the racetrack and needs $75,000 to pay his bookie.

Meanwhile, RJ Fletcher, the owner and manager of network affiliate channel 8, who has proved himself to be a nasty piece of work, with no redeeming features whatsoever (and who keeps, through his own arrogance and disregard for others - handing opportunities to George, who's very niceness turns to his own advantage) is angry about channel 62 beating him in the ratings, which he takes as a personal affront. He offers to buy the station from Harvey so he can pay his bookie.

George convinces Harvey to at least let him match Fletcher's offer. He and his friends then hold a telethon, raising money by selling stock in the station at $10.00/share. Despite difficulties, at the last minute they are up to $73,000 and change. Then a bum, who's been seen collecting change throughout the movie, gives them the last $2000 they need. It seems the penny RJ had given him as an insult was an ultra-rare coin worth a fortune. RJ could have still gotten his station (which he then was going to destroy) but he first goes to gloat at and insult the assembled crowd. George sneaks over to the bookie's car, gives him the money, gets the contract and Harvey signs it over.

Meanwhile, Philo had also installed cameras at RJ's office and recorded him saying very insulting things about the local community. This footage is not only played on Channel 8's own signal, over-writing his broadcast signal, but it's the primary evidence when the FCC agent shows up and revokes Fletcher's licence (we can assume, since the man shows up and rather than fining Fletcher for not re-applying for his broadcasting licence - he revokes it.) Philo walks off after saying goodbye to George and Teri (George's girlfriend) and disappears in a beam of light. Pamela reports on the story of the end of Fletcher's media career.

UHF  is really a simply underdog story. And it's the story of a man finding his way in the universe. But it's also a story about good people, and how just simply being nice, and kind, and considerate will bring good things. There's also a lot of sight gags, some physical comedy, and even some wordplay. It's an enjoyable family film.

This is a B film, however. Although there are some well-known names in the film (Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, Anthony Geary) it's mostly "Weird Al"'s movie - almost as if he and his friends got together to make a film. But even so, it's enjoyable and fun.

Recommendation: If comedy's your thing, See it.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Next Film: Van Helsing

Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Truman Show


  • Title:  The Truman Show
  • Director:  Peter Weir
  • Date:  1998
  • Studio:  Paramount Pictures
  • Genre:  Drama
  • Cast:  Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Natascha McElhone
  • Format:   Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"Seahaven is the way the world should be." - Christof

"Cue the sun." - Christof

Imagine if your whole world - everyone you knew, every place you'd ever seen, every memory you had, was, in a sense - not real. Your very life had been manipulated from before your birth, and that all of this was completely unknown to you. That's the theme of The Truman Show, one of the most innovative and unusual films ever made.

Truman Burbank has an almost perfect life, living in the small island community of Seahaven. His wife is a nurse, and he works selling insurance. Truman sometimes dreams of going off on an adventure, or of being an explorer, but his daily life is quite dull, though perfect.

Then one day, as he's about to get into his car to drive to work, a studio light crashes to the ground, nearly hitting his car. Truman thinks it's strange, until the radio explains a plane flying over Seahaven began shedding parts. Yet, slowly, but surely, more and more strange things begin happening. Truman remembers a girl he was interested in, Lauren, the girl with a red sweater and a button that said, "How is it going to end?" but before he could really pursue a relationship with her, another girl, a cute blonde is literally dropped in his lap. Truman meets Lauren again at the library - and they try to run off together, but she is picked up and dragged away by her "father".

As we know from scenes in Truman's present - he marries the blonde, Meryl. But in his present, another encounter is harder to explain - he sees his father on the street. His father had died years ago, falling overboard and drowning when their sailboat was caught in a storm. Truman is disturbed by the encounter, and doesn't quite buy the explanations offered by his mother and his wife. He meets up with his best friend, Marlin, and they have a heart-to-heart. Yet we see the Director, Christof, feeding lines to Marlin over a hidden earpiece. As the conversation concludes, a man walks out of the fog and smoke. It's Truman's lost father. But we see this momentous event through the eyes of the Director and his technical aides - as he orders the fog machine to back off, orders the arrangement of shots and cameras, and even has the music fade up.

Then we see the title sequence of "The Truman Show" which explains that Truman was born on camera, he was legally adopted by a Corporation, that millions had watched his first step and his "stolen kiss" (with Lauren), etc. Next is a cut to a talk show, "Tru Talk", and an interview with Christof, the Director. Truman's entire life is a TV show - aired 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without interruption or advertisements. It's revenue comes from product placement - and everything on the show is for sale in "The Truman Catalog". The rest of the cast are actors, paid to interact with Truman. The Director manipulates everything to create "good television".

Yet, despite the return of his father, Truman continues to question, continues to push.

He walks into a travel agency - an agency with posters, not of beautiful island paradises, but of planes hit by lightening, and of dire warnings of other Bad Things that can happen to the unwary traveller. When Truman tries to buy a plane ticket, he's told there's nothing for two months.

Next, he kidnaps his wife and spontaneously drives off. He gets her to drive from the passenger seat with one hand on the steering wheel of the car over a bridge over water to the "mainland", something Truman himself is afraid to do. As they continue to drive, they hear sirens - and find an accident at a Nuclear Plant, with men in hazmat and fire-proof suits. A uniformed police officer tells them they can't continue - but the cop makes a mistake when Truman agrees to turn around and says, "You're welcome, Truman." Truman tries again to escape, but he's captured.

There's a clip of Christof explaining that Meryl will leave Truman and a new "love interest" introduced. And that he's "determined to have the first on-air conception" on the show.

But Truman has other ideas. He pretends to go back to his old self, continues to sell insurance, and "acts normal". But one night, he sneaks in to his basement, creates a sleeping dummy with a recording of snores, and hides in a closet, then breaks out through a hole. This is discovered by the Director, who's in his control room on the moon. First, Marlin is sent to find out if Truman is really sleeping (he discovers the deception). Then the entire cast and all extras are sent to search for Truman, they step in a long line, perfectly in time, arms linked, to a frightening sound reminiscent of goose-stepping. The group even has barking dogs. Having already ceased transmission, Christof is desperate to find his star. He uses the moon as a searchlight. Finally, even though it's too early, he turns on the sun.

Christof realizes the one place he hasn't searched is the sea. He finds Truman on a sailing boat, and begins transmitting pictures again. The audience begins to root for Truman's escape, especially Lauren who leads some sort of protest group that wants Truman freed. As Truman tries to make his escape, Christof orders a storm. When his orders to stop Truman escalate to killing him by capsizing the boat - the other directors and technicians finally protest and refuse. Christof increases the storm and Truman falls off the boat and into the water. Christof turns off the storm and Truman, not drowned, coughs up the water and makes it back onto the boat. At this point, Christof says he wants to talk to Truman.

Christof's voice appears to come from a break in the clouds.

"Who are you?" asks Truman.

"I am the creator of a television show that gives hope, and joy, and inspiration to millions," replies Christof.

"Who am I?" asks Truman.

"You are the star," replies Christof.

Christof then tells Truman he has watched him since he was born, saw him take his first step, watched him cut his first tooth. Truman still is determined to leave Christof's giant television studio. He's awakened when his boat hits the wall of the studio, and he walks, apparently on water, around the edge, until he finds a stair case. Finally, Truman climbs the stairs and exits the door. Christof orders "Cease Transmission".

But the meta of the film is carried over into the credits which are listed in three parts: Truman's World, Christof's World, and the Viewers. Only the characters in Truman's World have names - other than Christof and "Chloe" in Christof's world characters are listed by their job description, "Control Room Director", "Network Exceutive", "Keyboard Artist", etc. Similarly, the audience members are listed by descriptions, "bar waitress", "Man in Bathtub", "Japanese Family", etc.

The Truman Show is a deep and fascinating film. Originally almost dismissed as a commentary on the "new" phenomena of Reality Television, it's actually a deeply philosophical film. The Director is God - he's created Truman's entire world. He controls all of Truman's encounters. If an actor becomes difficult or complains - they are removed from the show. New characters are introduced - giving the Director the show he wants - creating situations that Truman should respond to in predictable ways, such as dropping Meryl in his lap. Even what the actors say is at times scripted or suggested by Christof - such as Meryl insipid product placement lines (which she always delivers badly) or in a more serious scene, Christof feeding lines to Marlin to give to Truman. When the reality starts to break down, Truman's search to find Lauren, to escape to Fiji, is really an attempt to understand his world and discover who he really is. It's not accidental at all, that when Christof first speaks to Truman, it's a voice, from the sun, peaking out from clouds, after a storm. That's  a very Christian image. Though the entire story is of Truman's fight to push the boundaries of his world and control his own fate, rather than stay safe, in a world created for him. Christof loses his battle, when Truman wins.

Besides the Christian implications, there's another whole level to the film - the meta implications. Although the first half of the film stays in Truman's world, but often with lens hazing or a curved perspective (like the really old shots in films that indicated a character was looking through binoculars or a telescope), once he meets his father, we are introduced to Christof's World. We hear Christof defending his perspective. We hear Lauren, an actress named Sylvia, attack Christof on the "Tru Talk" call-in talk show program. And we see the audience watching the show and making comments - and eventually rooting for Truman's escape. It's a film, about a fictional television show, that shows us the director making that show, and the audience watching that show. It's just so meta it practically defines the term.

And in many ways, this seventeen-year-old film predicts in a non-specific way, our world of constant Social Media interaction. The give-and-take and interaction between viewers and makers of film and television via websites, social media, Live Tweet Events, etc. The creating of profiles to emphasize what we want others to know about us and de-emphasize or even hide what we don't want others to know about us. The putting on a friendly face, that can be an act as much as Truman's wife and best friend act a certain way towards him. Though, to it's credit, Truman's world isn't a totally paranoid or scary one. And in our world, Social Media does much good - giving voice to the voiceless, and in times of crisis turning us all into citizen journalists.

The Truman Show is an underrated classic and it is a film that really must be seen. I highly, highly, highly recommend this movie.

Recommendation: See it!
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Next Film: UHF

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Top Hat


  • Title:  Top Hat
  • Director:  Mark Sandrich
  • Date:  1935
  • Studio:  RKO Radio Pictures
  • Genre:  Musical, Comedy, Romance
  • Cast:  Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, Helen Broderick
  • Words and Music:  Irving Berlin
  • Format:  Standard, Black and White
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"Oh, that call wasn't for me, it was for you. Somebody has registered a complaint." - Horace Hardwicke (Edward Everett Horton)
"I know! I've just seen the complaint and she's lovely, she's delightful, she's charming, and she wants to sleep." - Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire)

"May I rescue you?" - Jerry
"No thank you. I prefer to be in distress." - Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers)

"You want this show to last two nights? Get me a plane, now!" - Jerry
"What kind of plane?" - Horace
"One with wings!" - Jerry

Top Hat  is a a romantic comedy filled with mistaken identities and misunderstandings, and music! Like any farce, it's the type of plot that would be resolved in five minutes if anyone in the cast actually talked to each other for five minutes, rather than making assumptions. But that's not really a negative - because it's light, frothy romance with no harsh realities at all. The sets are marvelously art deco and beautiful - especially the Venice hotel with it's waterways and boats.

The story begins in London, with Jerry Travers waiting in a very quiet English gentleman's club for his friend Horace. The club is one where Silence Must Be Observed at all times, and everyone stares at Jerry when he drops something, or turns the page of his newspaper. Horace finds Jerry, starts to talk to him, then realizes where he is, and urges Jerry to leave so they can talk. Just as he's leaving, Jerry does a quick tap dance on the floor simply to annoy everyone - and as a joke.

Horace takes Jerry to his hotel, Jerry - excited about seeing Horace, and their new show, begins tapping in his hotel room ("No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)") - waking up the young woman in the hotel suite below. She calls to complain to the manager. Horace takes the call, gets confused, and goes down to the hotel desk to tell the manager he doesn't want a young woman in his hotel room because it wouldn't be proper. Meanwhile, Dale goes to the hotel suite and complains. Dale doesn't introduce herself - and Jerry's so taken with her, he doesn't introduce himself either. This proves to actually be a very important part of the plot.

The next day, Jerry goes to the hotel flower shop and orders that all the flowers be sent to Ms. Tremont's room (by room number) - then charges the very expensive bill to Horace by his room number.

Horace, afraid that Dale might be a "designing woman" sets his valet, Bates, to following her. This is another part of the plot that's considerably more important than it seems. Horace also warns Jerry off, telling him about a woman he met called Violet who took advantage of him.

Meanwhile, we learn Dale is a social model. A dress designer named Alberto Belleni pays her to wear his dresses, so her friends will see them, ask about them, and he will get more contracts to design dresses and sell more of his designs. But, since he's financially supporting her - this is something not good for Horace to find out as he'd get the wrong idea. Dale is also close friends with his wife, Madge.

Jerry tries to meet Dale again, she rebuffs him - mentioning she's going for a ride in the park. Jerry gives her a ride to her lesson in the park, and again tries to get her interested in him without luck. During her ride, Dale gets caught in the rain. She shelters in a gazebo. Jerry arrives and tries to calm her down by telling her a story about clouds. He then sings "Isn't it a Lovely Day? (To get Caught in the Rain)" to her, and the two dance in partner tap. Ginger is wearing jodphur-pants. Fred and Ginger also mirror each other beautifully when dancing.

Later at the hotel, Ginger asks the concierge to point out Horace. The concierge points to "the man with the briefcase and cane" on the walkway. But Horace runs into Jerry and hands him his briefcase and cane - thus making Dale think he's her friend Madge's husband. This type of thing continuously happens - Dale keeps thinking that Jerry is Horace, and thus her friend's husband and a terrible cad to boot.

Jerry is in the middle of his show, changing between acts, when Horace reads his wife's telegram and finds out she and Dale are heading off to Venice. Jerry insists they hire a charter plane and go to Venice as well.

The production number, part of Jerry's show, is "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" which has Astaire dancing with a chorus of men in formal wear. During the dance he "shoots" the men with his cane. His short tap dancing routine gets a standing ovation from the audience.

In Venice, Dale meets up with Madge, and they meet the sea plane - but Dale isn't there when Madge says hello to Jerry - whom Madge actually wants to set-up with Jerry.  The hotel is full - so Horace and Jerry end up sharing the bridal suite, while Madge and Dale share their own suite.

Bellani, thinking that Horace has designs on Dale confronts him, but Horace has no idea what's going on.

Dale talks to Madge about her husband's flirting. Madge says she knows he flirts, but it doesn't mean anything. Dale decides to "teach him a lesson" and goes to his room to throw herself at him - and again runs into Jerry. Jerry turns the tables and flirts back.

Later, at dinner, Madge, Jerry, and Dale meet - but no introductions are made, as Dale insists she knows who Jerry is (she still thinks he's Madge's husband Horace). Fred and Ginger dance to "Cheek to Cheek", with Ginger in the beautiful, floaty, feather dress. It's ballroom dance that begins with the two in the midst of a crowded dance floor, and moves to the two dancing on a patio that resembles an even bigger version of the gazebo from earlier. There is also some side by side and partner tap, with the two mirroring each other beautifully. But when Jerry proposes - Dale thinks he's Madge's husband, and slaps him.

Alberto Belleni flirts with Dale, and proposes to her. She accepts him but insists they must be married immediately.

Jerry, in a last ditch effort to get Dale to listen to him has Horace distract Belleni, and goes to talk to Dale. He takes her on a boat ride on the water - and finally explains who he is.

Meanwhile, Bates reports to Horace that Dale and Jerry are drifting out to sea. Horace, Madge, and Belleni go off in a boat to "rescue" Dale and Jerry.

Dale and Jerry return, happy at last, but concerned about her quick marriage and how to dissolve it. Dale rushes off. Bates tells Jerry that Madge, Horace, and Belleni went off in a boat from which he'd "removed the gasoline" while disguised as a gondolier. The local police arrest Bates for his impersonation.

There is a production number instrumental of "The Piccolino", which starts with Bugby Berkeley-styled dancers. Then the camera changes to a much happier Dale singing "The Piccolino" to Jerry. Then the perspective switches back to the elaborate production number.

Fred and Ginger dance - tap and ballroom, mirroring each other in tap. Their dance is full frame and uncut. Ginger's dress is sparkly with a trumpet skirt. They dance back to their table, saluting each other with champagne glasses.

Horace, Madge, and Belleni return. That Horace is Madge's husband is confirmed, as is the blossoming romance between Dale and Jerry. Just as everyone is wondering what they will do, Bates arrives and states he had been following Dale everywhere, and he had earlier disguised himself as a clergyman by turning his collar around. Belleni states, "But you were the one who married us!" Dale responds, "Then we were never really married!" And she rushes off in Jerry's arms!

List of Musical Numbers
  • No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)
  • Isn't This a Lovely Day (To be Caught in the Rain)?
  • Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
  • Cheek to Cheek
  • The Piccolino
Top Hat  is a simple, romantic comedy - fueled by mistaken identities, coincidences, and misunderstandings, where, of course, in the end - everything works out. But it features some of Irving Berlin's best songs and Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger's best dances. The sets, especially the boats in the waterway, are wonderful - and the Art Deco just shines. The dances are filmed full-frame and often without cuts. Certainly, there's no cuts to faces and feet - which means one can follow the dance and focus on Fred and Ginger's artistry. There are two ensemble production numbers - Fred's tap dance with a male chorus, which is part of the show he's been hired for as a professional dancer; and "The Piccolino". "The Piccolino" is a wonderful production number - but it seems out of place in Tap Hat. It starts as a elaborate production number, switches to show Ginger singing, switches back to a production number, then switches a fourth time to Fred and Ginger dancing. The production part is full of fast cuts, and elaborate patterns, using ribbons. In short, it looks like a Bugsy Berkeley musical. But when "The Piccolino" focuses on Fred and Ginger dancing together, it becomes one of their signature-style dances - shown full frame, in a single shot without cuts, with Fred and Ginger both tap dancing (briefly) and ballroom dancing. So overall, though very elaborate, it works.  Top Hat is one of my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, along with Swing Time and Shall We Dance. For many, it is the quintessential film for the pair.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  The Truman Show

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Tomorrow Never Dies


  • Title:  Tomorrow Never Dies
  • Director:  Roger Spottiswoode
  • Date:  1997
  • Studio:  United Artists / MGM
  • Genre:  Action
  • Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Teri Hatcher, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yoeh, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Vincent Schiavelli
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format: R1, NTSC
"Mr. Jones, Are we ready to release our new software?"  - Carver
"Yes, sir. As requested it's full of bugs, which means people will be forced to upgrade for years." - Jones

"Gentleman, and ladies, hold the presses. This just in. By a curious quirk of fate, we have the perfect story with which to launch our satellite news network tonight. It seems a small crisis is brewing in the South China Seas. I want full newspaper coverage. I want magazine stories. I want books. I want films. I want TV. I want radio. I want us on the air 24 hours a day! This is out moment! And a billion people around the world will watch it, hear it, and read about it from the Carver Media Group." - Carver

Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Pierce Brosnan James Bond film, and it's one of the best James Bond films in the modern era because for once it has a relatively realistic premise - told in the high-action style of James Bond, of course. The film is about Elliot Carver, a media mogul played brilliantly by Jonathan Pryce, who isn't merely reporting events, or even spinning events to fit his own point of view, but actually causing the events his media group reports.

For once the opening gambit of a James Bond movie actually fits with the rest of the plot. One of the items up for sale at a terrorist bazaar in Russia is a satellite encoder, which can influence (or change) GPS data. James Bond manages to locate the bazaar, and launch and take away a plane loaded with nuclear missiles prior to the British Navy's missile destroying the bazaar and the terrorists who are shopping there. However, though the analysts see the encoder, and recognize what it is - they don't realize it wasn't destroyed and that Henry Gupta - a hacker for fire escaped with it.

The encoder is important because it allows the next major event to happen. A British ship, HMS Devonshire, is cruising in what it thinks are international waters off the coast of China. The ship is overflown by Chinese migs who insist they are only 11 miles off the coast of China. The Devonshire's captain double checks their position with GPS - and then they are attacked and sunk by a stealth ship. The British ship reports they were attacked by the migs, and gives their position before calling abandon ship. The survivors are collected by Stamper, Carver's thud and enforcer, and shot with Chinese ammo. Carver reports on the developing crisis - using the potential for war, to launch his satellite news network.

James Bond is sent to investigate - first to Hamburg, where he's instructed to get close to Carver's wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher), whom he had previously had a relationship with. Paris gives him some information, and is killed for her trouble by Carver. While investigating, Bond runs into a Chinese reporter, Wai Lin. Later it will turn out she's his opposite number, an agent for the Chinese security service. Bond's able to get the GPS encoder and escape from Hamburg.

He takes the encoder to the CIA, because it's an American device. Bond's CIA contact shows it to a tech, who confirms it could have been used to send the Devonshire off course. The CIA also arranges to drop Bond into the Ocean to find the ship's wreckage. The Americans assume Bond is jumping into international waters, but one of the British naval officers on the flight realizes he's actually jumping in to waters belonging to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Bond succeeds in his HALO jump. He find the Devonshire and runs into the Chinese woman again. The two are caught by Stamper, and brought to Carver. They escape, handcuffed together, on a motorcycle. Bond and Wai Lin end-up working together, sending warning messages to both the British and Chinese governments that Carver's playing them against each other, then head out to locate Carver's stealth boat.

Bond and Wai Lin plan on blowing up the stealth boat with sea bombs, but are again caught by Carver and his goons. Carver explains his entire plot - not only is he using the crisis he created to "sell papers" and successfully launch his news network - but he's working with a Chinese general. Carver's stealth boat will launch an attack on the British fleet (after some initial minor attacks on both fleets) it will then use one of the cruise missiles stolen from the Devonshire to attack Beijing - wiping out the current government and military leaders, except Carver's general who will be conveniently stuck in traffic. After setting up his new government, the general will grant Carver exclusive media access in China - creating a captive audience worth billions. In short, Carver is creating events, for ratings.

Wai Lin and Bond again escape Carver's clutches and manage to kill Carver and his muscleman, Stamper, and sink the ship before the cruise missile is launched.

Tomorrow Never Dies has several action sequences as well:  Bond and Wei Lin handcuffed together, on a motorcycle, riding through a densely-populated area while being chased by Carver's men; Bond using a remote control built into his (rather ancient-looking) cell phone to control his car; even Bond's escape from Carver in Hamburg; and the scenes on the stealth ship, of course. All the big action sequences one expects from a Bond film - and they are well done, technically, and because we care about Bond and Wei Lin - they work in the film too. The action sequences are not overly long, overly complicated, nor do they have effects that no longer work - everything looks really good. So the film satisfies on the level of what a Bond film should be. But what I really liked about the film was the villain and the plot. Elliot Carver is a totally unscrupulous reporter turned media mogul, who's incredibly psychopathic. Throughout the film we see him fire people for "mistakes" that aren't their own (such as the woman who's fired for not knowing what caused the power outage during his media launch party) or even kill any one who gets in the way of his plans, including his own wife. And, of course, he's willing to sink a British warship, cause a crisis, and risk world war - just to get what he wants, complete power. Throughout the film - Carver gets the best lines, as he explains how the press can not only manipulate events to suit their own corporate purposes - but in Carver's case, cause events in the first place. Pryce is delicious as Carver.

I also really liked Michelle Yoeh as Wai Lin - the Chinese agent who's a female Bond. Wei Lin is just as smart as James, and just as dedicated to her country. And I'd watch a film or two about her! Yoeh also plays the part brilliantly.

And, like all of Brosnan's films, the reoccurring roles of M, Q, Moneypenny, and M's aide, are all played by excellent regulars. I love seeing Judi Dench as M. Samantha Bond is excellent as Moneypenny. And I really like seeing Colin Salmon as Dench's aide - even when he has little to do as in this film. Geoffrey Palmer, Dench's frequent co-star in BBC comedies, also appears as a British Admiral. Having the new Bond family there, as well as Desmond Llewelyn as Q just makes the Bond film a Bond film, as well as adding that unique something they all bring to it.

Recommendation:  See it
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film: Top Hat 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

To Catch a Thief


  • Title:  To Catch a Thief
  • Director:  Alfred Hitchcock
  • Date:  1955
  • Studio:  Paramount
  • Genre:  Action, Romance, Suspense
  • Cast:  Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Brigitte Auber
  • Format:  Technicolor, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"I stole once, a long time ago, I went to jail." - John Robie (Cary Grant)
"I know. The Germans bombed the prison and you all escaped, joined the Underground, and became heroes." - Danielle
"I joined because I wanted to make-up for some of the things I'd done. I've never stolen since." - Robie

"You're here in Europe to buy a husband, huh?" - Robie
"The man I want doesn't have a price." - Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly)
"Well, that eliminates me." - Robie

"John, Why bother?" - Frances
"It's sort of a hobby of mine, the truth." - Robie

A series of daring jewel robberies rocks France, specifically the resort communities of the French Rivieria. The police immediately suspect John Robie, a retired jewel thief once known as The Cat. Robie decides the only way he will be able to prove his innocence is to catch the thief himself.

Robie meets HH Hughson, an insurance broker from Lloyd's of London. His company has insured many of the stolen jewels, so he has a vested interest in finding the jewels so his company doesn't have to pay the claims. Robie convinces him to give him a list of potential targets. Hughson is a bit dubious, but agrees.

Robie then meets up with Jessie Stevens and her daughter Frances (Francie). Mrs. Stevens is widowed and extremely rich after oil was discovered on her husband's small Texas ranch. She's also loud, uncultured, rude, and obnoxious. Her daughter, Frances, has benefited from her mother's money, having attended a European "finishing school", and traveled the world. Frances is a bit spoiled, and very bored with her life of travel and suitors after her money. Robie and Frances immediately have an attraction.

Meanwhile, Robie had first gone to the restaurant of his friends from the French Underground movement, but they are convinced he's guilty and has gone back to his jewel-stealing ways. The only person from his previous life who thinks he's either innocent, or it doesn't matter if he's guilty, is Danielle - the wine steward's daughter, who flirts shamelessly with Robie - despite being young enough to be his daughter.

The story is told somewhat episodically, against the backdrop of seaside France. The tale alternates between the romantic encounters between John and Frances (swimming at the beach, a wild car ride ending in a romantic picnic, even the tour of a villa) and Danielle's flirting with John, and John's attempts to find the thief.

Robie also receives threatening notes at his hotel - which tell him to lay off his search. He misses one robbery entirely, because he is concentrating on the Stevens. He then goes to investigate a villa he's been staking out for several nights, despite getting a second note that tells him to stay away. He finds the wine steward, dead. The police report to the newspapers, this is The Cat. But Robie goes to the police and points out the steward had a wooden leg, it would have been impossible for him to climb on rooftops. The steward is also Danielle's father - and when he shows up at the funeral, Danielle accuses him of murder.

Robie then decides to set a trap of his own. He knows that an upcoming costume ball will be a perfect opportunity for The Cat to strike. He goes to the ball with Mrs. Stevens and Frances, and the police attend as well. He and Hughson switch places, and while Hughson dances the night away with Frances, Robie waits for The Cat. His gambit pays off and he catches the real thief - Danielle.

To Catch a Thief  is a lavish production, very colorful and big (the film as a 1:85:1 ratio, despite being shot on 35mm film). Cary Grant is in fine form, and Grace Kelly is brilliant as Frances. But the film has always felt very slow to me. Still, if you've never seen it - it is a must-see, a classic film of romantic suspense.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Tomorrow Never Dies

Friday, June 12, 2015

Labyrinth


  • Title:  Labyrinth
  • Director:  Jim Henson
  • Date:  1986
  • Studio:  TriStar (Jim Henson Productions, Lucasfilm)
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Cast:  David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  Blu-Ray
"It keeps changing, What am I supposed to do?" - Sarah

Sarah is a young teen-aged woman who enjoys Cosplay (she dresses in a watery green gown that she probably made herself, and wears over her jeans, while reciting lines from her favorite story), her books, her stuffed animals, and her other trinkets of childhood. When her parents ask her to babysit her baby brother, she acts very put upon and even bratty. Finally, she wishes her baby brother away. When the Goblin King takes her brother, she immediately regrets her actions and becomes determined to get her brother back.
Sarah must solve the labyrinth, get to the castle beyond it, and rescue her brother. At first, she constantly asks for help from anyone she meets, but over time she gradually begins to trust her own instincts and solves a series of tests, riddles, and puzzles herself. She makes new friends, and works her way to the goblin castle.

Once at the castle, she decides she must confront the Goblin King herself, uttering the magic words, "You have no power over me," which free her and her baby brother. When she returns home, she begins to pack away her childish things. But her friends from the Labyrinth appear in mirrors to tell her, they'll be there, "should you ever need us."

Labyrinth is a story about growing up. Not only must Sarah learn to care for her baby brother without complaining, but she must learn to trust herself, not others, and rely on her own ability to solve problems. Which isn't to say she must be totally alone - the importance of real friends is another theme of this classic children's/teen movie.

What makes the film stand out, however, is David Bowie's performance as the Goblin King. Bowie sings three songs in the film, all of which are just awesome! The song and dance routines are well integrated into the film - and they make the movie.

The Blu-ray looks really good, though I was disappointed that the songs weren't subtitled. The Firey sequence shows some really bad travelling matte lines and green screen artifacts, though. The rest of the film, which features Jim Henson's signature muppet creatures, and an actor in a suit (Ludo) looks good. That is to say, it's not dated looking. The film references (and has a credit for) Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, and the paintings/drawings of MC Escher, both of which are acknowledged in the end credits. I especially enjoyed Sarah and the Goblin King's confrontation in Castrovalva.

I loved this film as a teen - and I might have even owned a copy on VHS at some point. It's been on my "buy when you see it cheap" list for a long time - and I just bought the Blu-Ray on sale for a very good price last month. The film does stand up, which is always a concern with movies you loved as a child or teenager but haven't seen since becoming an adult. I did feel, especially early in the film, that Sarah was a bit of a brat. But, I also felt sad to see her boxing up her toys and stuffed animals at the end of the film.

Recommendation:  See it! Especially good for pre-teens and teenagers
Rating:  PG 
Next Film:  To Catch a Thief

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Thunderbird 6


  • Title:  Thunderbird 6
  • Director:  David Lane
  • Date:  1968
  • Studio:  MGM, United Artists
  • Genre:  SF, Action, Children
  • Cast:  Peter Dyneley, Sylvia Anderson, Shane Rimmer, Jeremy Wilkin, Matt Zimmerman, David Graham
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
Thunderbird 6  is based on the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series, Thunderbirds, and was made at the same time. The film opens with a secret meeting at the New World Aircraft Corporation, where the designer of the Thunderbirds, Mr. X, addresses the group. He suggests New World Aircraft should build an airship. The men at the meeting literally laugh at him, but build the ship anyway.

Once the ship is build, Alan Tracy and Tin Tin fly to England in an antique Tiger Moth Biplane to meet up with Lady Penelope and Parker. The four travel to the air field at New Word Aircraft. FAB 1, Lady Penelope's pink Rolls Royce is loaded on the airship, and Alan, Tin Tin, Lady Penelope, and Parker, all go aboard the lighter-than-air craft for the around-the-world maiden voyage of Skyship One as it's called.

However, all is not smooth sailing. Prior to the arrival of the International Rescue crew members, a group of men had gotten into the ship. These men kill the ship's captain and the entire crew, and take their place. Skyship One is completely automated, and the crew is only there to serve the passengers and in case of emergencies.

With the International Rescue members aboard, and unaware that the crew isn't the real crew - Skyship One lifts off, and begins it's around-the-world cruise, stopping at many famous sites, and even making ports of call where the passengers can see the sights. They visit New York, the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, Niagara Falls, Switzerland, the Pyramids, and other famous tourist locations.

Meanwhile, Jeff Tracy has told his engineer Brains (also the mysterious "Mr. X" who suggested that Skyship One be built in the opening scene of the film) that International Rescue needs a Thunderbird 6. Jeff gives no explanation of what he wants, nor does he explain why he thinks it's so important. Throughout the film, Brains develops machines for Jeff, showing him various models, and Jeff rejects all of his designs and hard work. This becomes the "B plot" of the film, while the around the world tour on Skyship One is the "A plot".

During the tour, Lady Penelope discovers she is being bugged. Alan, Parker, and Lady Penelope all investigate - and discover only Lady Penelope is being recorded. Meanwhile, it's revealed that the substitute crew have written a message from Lady Penelope to Jeff Tracy at International Rescue - they plan on recording Lady Penelope saying all the words of the message, the re-arranging and editing together the words she says, so it sounds like she is sending the message herself. The message will then be sent, so Jeff hears it and thinks Penny sent it. Additionally, the message, which essentially sends Thunderbirds 1 and 2 to a disused airfield south of Casablanca, also tells Jeff to not acknowledge the message.

And that is exactly what happens - Alan, Parker, and Tin Tin discover recording equipment, and realize what is going on, but not before the message is sent. Penny calls Jeff directly using her compact-phone, only to find that Thunderbirds 1 and 2, and their pilots have been sent to the co-ordinates in the message. Lady Penelope warns Jeff it's a trap. Jeff contacts his sons, and they blow the heck out of the buildings at the airfield, destroying everything with guns.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to round-up the false crew as the ship approachs Dover in the UK, there's a gunfight in the "Gravity Compensation Room" (an impressive model set full of silver spinning things). The gravity compensaters are damaged, and the airship begins to slowly sink. Tin Tin, however, is taken hostage by one of the false crew and the International Rescue team is also taken hostage.

Meanwhile, Thunderbirds 1 and 2, fly to the location of Skyship One to find out what's going on, and to rescue Lady Penelope, Tin Tin, and Alan.  As he gets close to where the airship should be, Scott has trouble finding it - then notices it is cruising at a much lower altitude than it should be. Skyship One then hits and becomes entangled in the Interceptor Towers at a missile base on the British coast. The ship is in a dangerous and precarious position. Scott has the missile base evacuated and in the meantime tries to effect a rescue of the people aboard Skyship One, with the help of Virgil in Thunderbird 2.

Unfortunately, because Skyship One is so light, and the tower isn't steady, Thunderbirds 1 and 2 can't get close without causing the ship to start tipping or crashing. They use lines to try to stabilize the ship but are unsure how to effect a rescue of the people. They contact Tracy Island Base for ideas.

Brains comes up with a solution - they will use the 2-seater Tiger Moth to rescue people from the Skyship one at a time. This would be difficult enough, but when the small biplane lands on the huge airship, Brains is quickly taken hostage - and Foster, the captain, tries to escape by himself, only.

However, Brains, Parker, Alan, and Tin Tin are able to overcome the false crew and get on the Tiger Moth. It isn't straight forward though - other members of the substitute crew get on the Tiger Moth, there's a gunfight, and eventually all of the false members are killed, including Foster who is in the pilot's seat of the Biplane. Lady Penelope ends up in the forward seat of the Biplane, and Parker in it's undercarriage - and the plane's engine is shot and losing fuel. Lady Penelope is the only one of the group who doesn't know how to fly a plane. Alan carefully moves along the exterior of the plane from where he had been hanging on the wing to the cockpit. He tries to talk Penny through a dead-stick landing but she can't quite get the plane down. So Alan has her pull-up, roll the plane to get rid of Foster's body, then gets into the second cockpit himself and eventually lands the plane (without fuel he ends up in a tree - but no one is hurt, not even Parker).

Meanwhile, once everyone has left Skyship One via Biplane, and the missile site is evacuated, Scott and Virgil let go of their lines supporting the doomed airship. It crashes into the missile base and there's a series of really big explosions.

Later at Tracy Island, Brains introduces to Jeff the completely built and field-tested Thunderbird 6 - the Tiger Moth.

Thunderbird 6 does feel much more like an extended episode of the television series, and the plot holds-up together better than Thunderbirds Are Go. However, it's still very slow moving. The world-wide cruise of Skyship One just seems to take forever. The film also has two problematic issues with it - first, it's very violent, especially for Thunderbirds.  The entire crew of the airship (granted, its only four people, but still) is ruthlessly slaughtered. When Jeff tells Scott and Virgil that their rendezvous at the airfield south of Cassablanca is a trap, the boys simply annihilate everything in sight. What if the Black Phantom's cronies had taken people hostage at the airfield? I mean, sure, it was abandoned - but that doesn't necessarily mean there's no one there. And then, in the midst of the actual rescue, the entire substitute crew, who were, granted, up to no good - are killed. It's remarkably violent for a kid's movie. And the second issue is the film is pretty sexist. Of course, it's Tin Tin who's taken hostage. Of course, Lady Penelope can't fly a plane or follow Alan's instructions for landing it. I mean, yes, that would be difficult - but this is Lady Penelope!

Still, overall, the film is better than Thunderbirds Are Go, simply because the plot holds together better, even if the movie moves very slowly.

Recommendation: Recommended for fans of the original show only
Rating:  3 1/2 Stars out of 5
Next Film:  To Catch a Thief

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Thunderbirds Are Go


  • Title:  Thunderbirds Are Go
  • Director:  David Lane
  • Date:  1966
  • Studio:  MGM/UA
  • Genre:  SF, Children
  • Cast:  Shane Rimmer, Peter Dyneley, Sylvia Anderson, Jeremy Wilkin, Matt Zimmerman
  • Format:  Technicolor, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"OK, boys, Thunderbirds are go!" - Jeff Tracy

"Well, clearly, there's life on Mars. But I guess it's not life as we know it." - Jeff

Thunderbirds Are Go is based on the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation TV series, Thunderbirds and was made at the same time. The movie is very much like a bigger, more complex and meant to be more exciting episode of the series. And that is where the film falls down, unfortunately. The film opens  with the control center for the Zero X, a manned flight to Mars. A saboteur inside the vessel is able to sabotage it, and the ship crashes into the ocean. The crew, however ejects and is rescued by normal air/sea rescue.

Two years later, there is a discussion of the crash in the wake of a 800-plus page report detailing exactly what happened. The conclusion of the report - sabotage!  However, Earth is again in position to try for Mars. The proposal to do so meets with one negative vote. The captain of the previous mission asks that International Rescue be called in to provide security and be on-hand in case anything goes wrong. The head of the space organization isn't happy about asking for help, and refuses to do so.

Meanwhile on Tracy Island, the boys are eagerly standing in front of Jeff Tracy's desk. Though he points out that International Rescue does not normally respond until they receive a request for help, he tells them that rules are meant to be broken and sends Scott in Thunderbird 1 and Virgil in Thunderbird 2 to Glenn Field to monitor and assist. Alan is dispatched in Thunderbird 3 to monitor from space. John is of course, on Thunderbird 5, and will only monitor communications as normal. Gordon is left at home with nothing to do. Once the boys have left, Jeff calls Lady Penelope and asks IR's London agent to also go to Glenn Field to investigate and route out any saboteurs.

Lady Penelope, undercover as a journalist, asks one of the scientists on the mission a question, then gives him a St. Christopher medal, with a transmitter/homing beacon inside. Later, once everyone is meant to be on the ship for takeoff - she runs a check and realises Dr. Grant is not on the ship. Scott goes to investigate and unmasks a phony and saboteur. Penny locates the real Dr. Grant who is unharmed and returned to the aircraft before it takes off. Penny and Parker also chase the saboteur in FAB 1, Lady Penelope's pink Rolls Royce. The chase includes the car turning into a hydrofoil and continuing the chase on water, and finally bringing down the saboteur's helicopter with machine gun fire.

Meanwhile, Zero X takes off as scheduled and without difficulty. Thunderbird 2 escorts it as far as rarefied atmosphere, where Thunderbird 3 takes over and sees that the ship safely leaves Earth's atmosphere. Alan returns in Thunderbird 3 to Tracy Island. Meanwhile, rather than returning immediately to Tracy Island, Scott and Virgil join Lady Penelope at a new nightclub called the Swinging Star. The Thunderbirds are left under guard at Glenn Field.

Back at Tracy Island, Alan isn't happy to have heard that Scott and Virgil are going out for a night on the town. He asks Jeff for permission to go to the mainland with Tin Tin, but Jeff refuses.

That night, Alan has a dream - Lady Penelope picks him up and takes him to the Swinging Star nightclub in space. There's instrumental music and Alan wear's a medium blue suit, while Lady Penelope wears a stunning blue dress with a white feather boa. After the first musical number, Cliff Richards Jr. and the Shadows come on and play an elaborate number which includes them playing on FAB 1 in space, and on a giant guitar and other effects. After his musical interlude, the dream gradually becomes slightly nightmarish and Alan is woken up by his father, after he falls out of bed.



Next, the boys, Jeff and Tin Tin are relaxing by the Tracy's pool. Jeff notes the Zero X is now on Mars.

The film cuts to Mars, which is grey and rocky - like the moon. The Martian Excursion Vehicle rolls along the surface, while the scientists inside talk of collecting samples. The scientists and astronauts notice some unusual rock formations. They then decide to fire on one to break it down for easier collection.  This is a bad move, as the "coiled rocks" are living creatures. These "rock snakes" attack. The group in the MEV call for immediate pick-up and learn it will be a short time before the rest of the ship is in position for rendezvous. The MEV tries evasive maneuvers. Finally, the MEV takes off before the rendezvous check time. However, they safely reconnect with the ship.

On Tracy Island, Jeff and the boys discuss the amazing discovery on Mars and that the ship will return in six weeks.

Six weeks later the Zero X runs into trouble on it's return journey.  International Rescue is called in. Not only is Zero X crashing, it's heading for a small city, and access to the escape unit is jammed.

Scott heads to Glenn Field in Thunderbird 1 to oversee the rescue operation in Command and Control. Virgil, with Gordon and Alan, responds in Thunderbird 2. Once Thunberbird 2 gets closer to Zero X, Gordon oversees the rescue winch and Alan attempts to get aboard the Zero X to fix the escape unit system.  Brains, the engineer, reads a circuit diagram to explain to Alan what he needs to do.  Alan adds a transistor to the broken/burned out unit, and starts to re-wire it.  The pilot sends his co-pilot and navigator to the escape unit, but continues to fly the plane - such as it is, since it's crashing.

Although Alan drops his screwdriver, and the ship is skimming the treetops, Alan's able to re-wire the machinery. The pilot gets to the escape unit and the unit is safely ejected. Alan also ejects but isn't able to get directly to Thunderbird 2. He is, however, safely lowered to the ground, where he's picked-up by a waiting Lady Penelope in her pink Rolls Royce, with Parker acting as chauffeur. Lady Penelope promises to take him to the Swinging Star nightclub.

Meanwhile, the crew of Zero X are safe, including the pilot - who got into the escape unit at the last moment.  The plane itself, however, crashes into the city - presumably without harming anyone on the ground since the area was evacuated.

At the Swinging Star, Alan is wearing a fake mustache disguise. He soon learns that the rest of his family, including Jeff, are at the next table also in disguise. They congratulate Alan and toast him as an hero.

Thunderbirds Are Go has a few problems. First, for a movie that should be about a fantastic rescue - it isn't really. The first Zero X goes down, but the crew are rescued by conventional means. When the Thunderbirds go to escort the second Zero X, other than routing out a saboteur, there's no need for them to be there because the launch goes off perfectly. When the Zero X gets into trouble on Mars, they are too far away to call International Rescue - even Thunderbird 3, and they rescue themselves. And finally, the actual rescue at the end seems rushed. Alan does get to be the hero, but he's also a seasoned professional (if anything Gordon and John get slighted in the story). Also, although the crew is rescued, always the most important thing for International Rescue - rescuing people; one really has to wonder about the wisdom of allowing a very large spaceship to crash into a city. I mean, Did they really think it would be completely evacuated?  And then there's the fantasy dream sequence. The whole film is slow, clunky, and feels like two or more Thunderbirds TV episodes cobbled together.

The positives are of course the model work, which is really good, even though the models do scream that they are, in fact, models, and not something realistic. It's worth noting that Derek Meddings, who did the model work for the series, this film, and many of Gerry Anderson's other series; also worked on Doctor Who, the James Bond feature films, and had a distinguished career in special effects. I have this and Thunderbird 6 to round-out my collection of Thunderbirds DVDs. I also have the entire TV series. But other than as a collectible, it's not really worth it.

Recommendation:  Skip it
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Thunderbird 6

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Thunderbirds


  • Title:  Thunderbirds
  • Director:  Jonathan Frakes
  • Date:  2004
  • Studio:  Working Title, Universal
  • Genre:  SF, Adventure, Action, Children
  • Cast:  Brady Corbet, Bill Paxton, Sophia Myles, Ron Cook, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Edwards, Genie Francis
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"Alan, This equipment's only to be used in an emergency! [Tin Tin and Alan look at each other] I guess this qualifies." - Fermat

"It's the children. They have it." - The Hood
"No way. They're dead. No one could live through something like that." - Mullion
"I did." - The Hood

"Alan? He's just a kid." - Gordon Tracy
"He's a Tracy." - Jeff Tracy

Thunderbirds is a live-action children's adventure film based on the ITV Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series of the same name. It's an origin story of sorts, set early in the career of International Rescue and the Thunderbirds. Jeff is very much an active part of the organization, and Alan - the youngest Tracy, is still at school, attending Wharton Academy, an all-boys boarding school, with Fermat, Brains' young son.

Alan dreams of the day he can leave school behind and join his brothers in International Rescue as a full Thunderbird.  In this film, the Thunderbirds are the pilots of the machines as well as the machines themselves. Alan's at school when he's caught daydreaming by a teacher - and is given an extra report to write during Spring Break. However, soon all the students are watching a news cast - the Thunderbirds respond to an fire at an oil rig in Russia and rescue the trapped men, despite heavy rain and other problems. Alan and Fermat watch with the other students, but Alan, far from being worried about his older brothers and father - mimes their actions and wishes to be with them.

Lady Penelope, the family's London agent, arrives at Wharton and picks-up Alan to bring him home to Tracy Island, because the rest of the family is obviously busy. Not only does she arrive in her 6-wheeled pink Rolls Royce - but Lady Penelope's entire wardrobe is pink. Once she, Alan, Fermat, and Parker have driven away from any traffic the car turns into a flying car - and Parker pilots it to the Island.

Unbeknowest to Scott Tracy, however, when he and Virgil drop off the rescuees at a local hospital, one of them shoots a tracking compound onto Thunderbird 1. Scott doesn't notice. At dinner, Alan asks his father when he can become a Thunderbird, and Jeff rebukes him saying he's too young.

Alan and Fermat sneak into Thunderbird 1 where they accidentally start the launch sequence. The sequence is stopped without incident, but Jeff is so mad at Alan's behavior he doesn't give Alan a chance to tell him about the tracking goo he and Fermat found. (At this point the children don't realize what the goo is for.)

John's on Thunderbird 5, a manned satellite and communications station. He reports to Jeff on a couple of minor problems but his report is it's basically a quiet night. Then, suddenly, and without warning, The Hood (Ben Kingsley) fires a rocket into Thunderbird 5. The satellite is crippled and John is in trouble.  Jeff, Scott, Virgil, and Gordon take Thunderbird Three, the giant, red rocket ship into orbit to rescue John/fix the satellite.

Meanwhile, The Hood invades Tracy Island.  Alan, Fermat, and Tin Tin see his sub - but are unable to stop the attack on Thunderbird 5.

The Hood bursts into the house on the island, looking around he recognizes Jeff's picture. The Hood's vendetta seems personal. The Hood forces Brains to activate command and control. Jeff and his boys enter Thunderbird 5, but The Hood locks the door so they can't get out.  Jeff handles the emergency on Thunderbird 5 well, and finds and cares for his injured son, John.  However, the five men are unable to escape the satellite because The Hood's locked and jammed the door from Command and Control.

Alan, Fermat, and Tin Tin (Kyrano's daughter) go the Thunderbird Silos - they use the Firefly and the Thunderizer to escape The Hood's henchpeople, Mullion and Transom.  They slide down an exhaust pipe into the Ocean surrounding the Island, then get to shore. The three need to come up with a plan. They decide to cross the Island on foot, through the jungle to the Island's satellite dish to try to contact Jeff on Thunderbird 5. After a few adventures, they make it.  They have some difficulty with the transmitter, but eventually get it working.  Alan asks what to do - but Jeff tells him to follow protocol and get to Lady Penelope.

Alan would rather have an more active role. He finds one of the family's old hover-sleds, and builds a sidecar-like device so he can carry Tin Tin and Fermat as well behind them. They are chased by the Hood's Henchpeople, Mullion and Transom.  Fermat and Tin Tin are caught, and put in a freezer with their fathers, Brains and Kyrano.

Meanwhile, Alan is still free, and he sees Lady Penelope and Parker arrive. He follows and sees them challenge and fight the henchpeople in the Tracys' living room.  Although the British agents fight extremely well, they are no match for The Hood's mind control - the are caught and put into the freezer with everyone else.

The Hood, Transom, and Mullion head off to the Bank of England in Thunderbird 2 - having gotten the guidance computer chip Fermat had taken out of the machine.

In the freezer, Parker remarks that he can open the lock if he had a small piece of wire. Lady Penelope offers him the underwire from her bra. Everyone had discretely turned away as she retrieved it.

The group manages to rescue Jeff and the boys on Thunderbird 5 just before the satellite burns up in a decaying orbit, as well as reversing the sabotage to the satellite airlock door to Thunderbird 3.  Then, the group, including Lady Penelope take Thunderbird 1 to London.

The Hood lands Thunderbird 2 in Jubilee Gardens, near the London Eye.  They take the Mole and dig a route under the Thames towards the Bank of England, their route cuts the supports of the monorail - causing a disaster.

Meanwhile, Jeff and his boys head directly to London in Thunderbird 3.

Alan arrives in Thunderbird 1 - he lands and uses Thunderbird 4 (the yellow sub) to rescue the monorail car, with help from Tin Tin who secures the line around the monorail, which is then lifted by Thunderbird 1.

Jeff watches his youngest son in action, and is proud of how his handles himself. He lands Thunderbird 3 in Jubilee Gardens next to the other Thunderbirds.

Once the people from the monorail are safe, the Thunderbirds and Lady Penelope go to the Bank of England to stop The Hood.  Lady Penelope, thanks to The Hood's special powers, and Jeff end-up locked in a vault.  Alan, with the help of Tin Tin's use of her own special powers, defeats The Hood.

At a celebratory beach party, Jeff gives International Rescue pins to Fermat, Tin Tin, and Alan - and welcomes Alan officially into the family business.

Thunderbirds is a fun family movie. It always makes me smile whenever I watch it, from the opening animated sequence, to the ending credits theme tune by Busted, "No strings to hold them down," indeed.  Yes, it's a kids movie, and Jeff and the older Tracy sons are basically stuck in Thunderbird 5, completely helpless for the majority of the movie. The movie emphasizes Alan - and shows us his journey from teenager, to full-fledged International Rescue member. Jeff Tracy does come off as an, excuse the expression, bit of an hard-ass, but explanations are given. The Hood hates him because when International Rescue responded to the collapse of his illegal diamond mine - he wasn't rescued, but stranded. Being trapped led him to develop his mental powers. When Alan asks if The Hood's story is true - Jeff tells Alan, yes, it is, and that sometimes you can't save everyone, even though International Rescue saved 600 people that day. Alan then asks, "What was Mom like?" To which Jeff replies, "She was like you." Jeff had been inspired to start International Rescue after his wife was killed in an avalanche.

There are some notable differences from the TV show the movie is based on - one of the most notable is that the International Rescue members, that is, the Tracy boys who pilot the Thunderbird machines call themselves Thunderbirds as well. In the series, their organization was always International Rescue, the machines were Thunderbirds, and the pilots were the Tracys. Though, as it was a secret who IR was - I could easily see the public also calling the pilots Thunderbirds rather than members of International Rescue as they do in the TV show. Also, in the series, Alan is an adult - an astronaut who is also famous as a race car driver (which was almost a hobby for him). And Alan's a competent member of International Rescue, and the pilot of Thunderbird 3 - who splits space monitor duty with John, aboard Thunderbird 5.  Jeff leads his boys from the ground as base commander. And Lady Penelope doesn't wear so much pink. Though I must admit her wardrobe in the film, is fantastic.

Still, even with the shift of focus to Alan, Fermat (a new character for the film), and Tin Tin, the film is fun. It's an excellent family film. And I always enjoy it every time I watch it.

Recommendation:  See It! Especially appropriate for families and pre-teens.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Thunderbirds Are Go

Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Three Musketeers


  • Title:  The Three Musketeers
  • Director:  Stephen Herek
  • Date:  1993
  • Studio:  Walt Disney Pictures
  • Genre:  Adventure
  • Cast:  Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Paul McGann
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  NTSC, Region 1
"You go back, and you tell the Cardinal, we will continue to perform our sworn duty, which is to protect the King, and we will use every means in our power to fight him." - Athos

"A remarkable woman - the most beautiful I've ever known, and the deadliest, which would explain my attraction." - Cardinal Richelieu

"D'Artagnan, would you be so kind as to redistribute this wealth? [D'Artagnan looks confused] Throw the coins, man, people are hungry." - Aramis

"This world is an uncertain realm filled with danger, honor undermined by the pursuit of power, freedom sacrificed when the weak are oppressed by the strong, but there are those who oppose these powerful forces, who dedicate their lives to truth, honor, and freedom. Those men are known as Musketeers." - the King


Disney's The Three Musketeers is a fun, adventurous, romp. Although there are lines here and there referring to the sorry state of the people of France, and the assassination of the previous King of France (the new King's father), it's not dwelt upon - at all. The result is this is a fun, light, frothy adventure film.

With the death of the previous King, and a very young new King on the throne of France, the evil Cardinal Richelieu is posed to take over France, and even aims to become King himself. Richelieu is played with considerable relish, and some chewing of scenery by Tim Curry, so you know it's going to be fun. Richelieu's opening move is to dismantle the Musketeers the King's personal and private guard. Told of the disbanding of the Musketeers, the men ceremonially burn their blue tunics and turn in their swords.

Three Musketeers refuse to give in, however, and become outlaws.

Meanwhile, Chris O'Donnell plays an arrogant young man who is on his way to Paris to join the Musketeers like his father. He gets into a duel with Girard, who believes he wronged his sister. The duel is, however, swiftly broken up and the young man, D'Artagnan, heads to Paris. Upon arriving he find a man in the destroyed former HQ of the Musketeers. Assuming the HQ has merely been moved, he asks for the new location. D'Artagnan learns that the Musketeers have been disbanded. He manages to get Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, upset with him and ends up with appointments for duels with each of them - at 12:00, 1:00, and 2:00, respectively.

When he arrives, late, for his duel with Athos, he meets the other Musketeers as well. The three are surprised to learn D'Artagnan has arranged duels with them all. And D'Artagnan is shocked to learn the three men he's agreed to fight are Musketeers. He finds no joy in killing a Musketeer. But there will be no killing - the Cardinal's guards attack and the four men fight back. The Three Musketeers are surprised by the young D'Artagnan's skill. They defeat the first group of the Cardinal's guards, then another group attacks. Athos urges D'Artagnan to leave and go home.

D'Artagnan, doesn't leave, gets separated from the group and is captured. But he frees himself from the dungeons and hears the Cardinal meet Mi Lady D'Winter - and hears their entire plan. Richelieu plans to betray France to England by signing a treaty with Lord Buckingham - his payment for this will be the throne of France. Mi Lady D'Winter will carry his terms, and the treaty to Calais. Somehow, though he hears the entire plan, D'Artagnan doesn't see Mi Lady D'Winter, or forgets who she is when he meets her later.

The Three Musketeers rescue D'Artagnan from the chopping block - literally, and they escape in the Cardinal's own coach. The four drink the Cardinal's wine, eat his food, and give his coin to the poor as they leave Paris. D'Artagnan tells the Musketeers of Richelieu's plot - and the Musketeers realize that if they can stop the spy and get the treaty, they will be able to prove Richelieu's a traitor, as well as saving France. Unfortunately, the Cardinal knows that D'Artagnan knows about his plot - he orders a 1000 gold coin bounty on the heads of him and the Musketeers. This makes getting to Calais difficult.

To make their travel less obvious, and to double the chances of finding the spy - the four split into two groups. Athos and D'Artagnan are attacked by bounty hunters. D'Artagnan offers to stay with Athos (until the bitter end, because they are outnumbered by men with guns, or at least, muskets), but Athos orders him to go on to Calais, knowing that finding the spy, stopping Richelieu and rescuing the King are more important than a single Musketeer's life.

D'Artagnan takes the surviving horse and heads off but eventually falls asleep and falls off his horse. He's picked up by a woman in a carriage - a woman he doesn't recognize. She's Mi Lady D'Winter. They go to the ship for her meeting with Buckingham. But Porthos and Aramis have reached the ship first, and have knocked out or killed the crew. The Musketeers end-up with the treaty, and D'Artagnan is again, rescued. Mi Lady D'Winter turns out to be Sabine - Athos wife, whom he kicked out and thought dead. Athos had regretted his decision to kick out his wife (he thought her an enemy of France and a murderer, she professed her innocence, he exiled her anyway.)

The next morning she's to be executed. Athos had tried to get her to tell him the rest of Richelieu's plan, but she refuses. At the execution, Athos stops the ax-man. Sabine reveals that Richelieu plans to have the King assassinated at his birthday celebration, that Friday. She forgives Athos for not believing in her all those years ago, then kills herself by jumping off a cliff.

The Musketeers and D'Artagnan rush to Paris, leaving "All for one and One for All" markers everywhere in their wake. At the birthday celebration, the four try, desperately, to find the assassin. He gets a shot off, misses, and the plaza fills with Cardinal's guards and Musketeers. D'Artagnan, meanwhile fights the assassin on a nearby rooftop. The battle moves inside as Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan, try to find and rescue the King and Queen from the Cardinal. They succeed, the Cardinal is captured, and the King admits D'Artgnan into the Musketeers.

Again, this is fun, light, adventure film. There's no serious violence. No one gets killed. The good guys win and the bad guys lose. In the middle there's lots, and lots, of sword-fighting to enjoy - as well as chases. The film's score is excellent, and the cast is good - if a bit young. The filming is gorgeous - and especially the greens just pop off the screen. The whole film has a very storybook quality to it. It's highly enjoyable, and not too deep. I recommend this, especially for families.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  Four Stars
Next Film:  Thunderbirds

Friday, April 17, 2015

The Thomas Crown Affair


  • Title:  The Thomas Crown Affair
  • Director:  John McTiernan
  • Date:  1999
  • Studio:  MGM
  • Genre:  Romance, Action
  • Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Faye Dunaway
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"Regret is usually a waste of time. As is gloating. Have you figured out what you're gonna' say to your board when they learn that you paid me $30 Million more than others were offering?" - Thomas Crown

"It's obvious that you like men, but you never keep any of them around very long, either." - Thomas Crown
"Oh, well, men make women messy." - Catherine

"You really think there's happy ever after for people like us?" - Catherine

The Thomas Crown Affair is a fun, romantic, romp - in both senses of the world. Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) is a very successful and rich businessman who has made his multi-billion dollar fortune by acquiring other businesses, then selling them off. The realities of such a source of income aren't explored - basically, he's rich, successful, lonely, and bored.

Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) is a highly successful insurance investigator and bounty hunter. She makes her considerable fortune collecting a portion of the recovery fee from high stakes art theft recovery.

Michael McCann (Denis Leary) is a cop, who - we find at the end of the film - would rather work homicides, or help abused women and kids then worry about a multi-million dollar art theft.

The film opens with Crown starring at a painting of haystacks in the Impressionist wing of a large unnamed art museum in New York. He apparently does this a lot, as one of the museum guards recognizes him and the two also make small talk. Meanwhile, the loading dock workers are surprised when a large crate is delivered. They are expecting an Egyptian sarcophagus, but instead a large Greek horse sculpture was delivered instead. Soon, a group of men break out of the horse and attempt to steal paintings from the museum. They are caught, but an investigation quickly indicates that a Monet, worth $100,000 million dollars is now missing from the museum. The Monet will be the McGuffin of the film - it also brings together the main characters.

Leary's Mike McCann, is a tough, wisecracking, swearing, New York City cop who would rather investigate a murder or do anything else other than investigate an art theft. But he's called in, and his initial sweep of the Impressionist wing, isn't successful - either in finding the missing Monet, nor in understanding how the crime occurred or what the thieves were trying to accomplish. But even Mike, appreciates the slightly twisted humor of the Trojan Horse being used to gain access to the museum.

During his initial investigation, Catherine arrives. Much more experienced in investigating art thefts - she corrects nearly every assumption Mike's made. They spark some. It's Catherine, who realizes that the showy and unsuccessful attempted theft was a distraction, so the Monet could be stolen by someone else - and she and Mike immediately suspect Crown.

The resulting cat-and-mouse game has Catherine and Mike attempting to catch Crown and get the Monet back. This is complicated by Crown's romantic pursuit of Catherine. Mike sees Crown's interest as a way for him to keep her off-balance so he doesn't get caught. Mike is also jealous of Crown - not necessarily simply his money and success, but he would like to become romantically involved with Catherine himself - though he knows she wouldn't be interested in a plain, blue-collar, cop like him, especially when she could easily have a rich, successful, businessman like Crown.

Crown romantically pursues Catherine - dancing with her in a club, taking her home for a steamy session of sex, taking her for a flying lesson in his glider, and then taking her away for a weekend to his Caribbean Island get away. Their romance is intercut with the investigation by both the police and Catherine of the art theft. On Crown's side, his romance is intercut with sessions with his psychologist, played by Faye Dunaway. She points out his deep distrust of women.

Trust will be a re-occurring theme of the film. Can two extremely rich people really trust someone new? Especially when that person may have a reason to not be trusted? Catherine has trouble trusting Crown because not only did he probably steal the Monet - but he may be only using her affection to get away with the crime. For his part, Thomas Crown has reason to not trust Catherine - after all, she could find evidence of his illegal activities - and have him arrested.

The Thomas Crown Affair  is stylish, smart, bold, romantic, and steamy. The music is wonderful, though my (very cheap) copy seems to be missing some of the music. Setting the story firmly in the art world gives it a gloss that a similar romantic film in another setting wouldn't have. There's some wonderful direction of the initial theft, and Crown's crazy plan to return the Monet - let's just say, The Purloined Letter, and leave it at that. Brosnan is sexy, and plays his smart, rags-to-riches character well. Russo is also sexy and smart.

I enjoyed seeing this film again. It's more of a romance than a caper film - the stolen Monet really is no more than a McGuffin. Russo has excellent chemistry with both Crown and Mike. And the film has the last minute twist-that-isn't-really-unexpected that works for this type of romantic film. Overall, it's a great role for Brosnan, and I wish he would make more of this type of romantic film.

The Thomas Crown Affair is a remake of the film of the same name from 1968 starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. In my opinion, and I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me - the modern film is better. Personally, I really dislike Steve McQueen - he gives me the creeps, and he's so icy and cold. McQueen's the type of actor I constantly expect in his roles to turn out to be a serial killer or something, and I just cannot watch him. Dunaway is also a cold actress, and I just can't see her playing a romantic role well (though in the 1960s, icy blondes were popular in romantic and suspense films.) Brosnan is much better as a romantic hero - and he gives Crown the depth of someone who is emotionally closed off, and what that costs him. Russo is the exact opposite of cold. Leary adds to the plot, giving the 1999 film a much more modern feeling.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating: 3 out of 5 (Slightly predictable)
Next film:  The Three Musketeers (1993)