Month: September 2017

Starship Invasions (1977)

STARSHIP INVASIONS (1977)
Article 2182 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-7-2007
Posting Date: 8-3-2007
Directed by Ed Hunt
Featuring Robert Vaughn, Christopher Lee, Daniel Pilon

Evil aliens plan to destroy all human life on earth. Good aliens try to prevent them. A UFOlogist helps the good aliens.

STARSHIP INVASIONS, huh? I wonder where they came up with that title? Yet, in all fairness, I have to say that at least they didn’t just lift the plot of STAR WARS, and had they done so, it would have most likely blown the budget. Yet, what they substitute in its place is hardly worth cheering about. As it is, this glum compendium of UFOs, spaceship battles, mass suicides, telepathy and robots ends up having the feel of watching bad news reports on a static-filled TV screen while suffering from a high fever; it’s woozy and unpleasant. The listless score is of no help, and the fact that this movie consists of the most depressing alien invasion imaginable (they shoot a ray onto the earth that causes mass suicides) just makes things worse. The star power does little to help, for that matter. Still, I did emerge from watching this movie with one big discovery; after having so many scenes of people talking telepathically, I discovered just how much I really liked seeing people’s mouths and lips move when I watch a movie. This movie is singularly lacking in fun. It made me really appreciate STARCRASH.

 

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Quatermass and the Pit (1958)

QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1958)
TV-Serial
Article 2181 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-6-2007
Posting Date: 8-2-2007
Directed by Rudolph Cartier
Featuring Andre Morell, Cec Linder, Anthony Bushell

Professor Quatermass becomes involved in an investigation of the remains of ancient mammals discovered in a digging in London. When further digging yields a large container, authorities believe it is a bomb, but Quatermass comes to believe it was a spacecraft from another planet that played a role in the evolution of humanity. However, there are more increasingly sinister discoveries to be made…

My version of this British TV serial was edited together into a single whole with only an intermission to mark a breaking point; nevertheless, I chose to watch it in thirty minute increments, partially because that was the way it was originally planned and partially because it spared me from watching the whole three hours in one sitting.

At least part of the reason I feel pretty lukewarm about serials that were made for the movies is that they lacked the ambition of TV serials like this. Granted, most cinematic serials were made with the full knowledge that they were only a secondary attraction. The TV serials of Nigel Kneale were not throwaways; this one takes advantage of its running time by coming up with an elaborate and sophisticated plot which covers a vast range of subjects, including the origin and psychology of man, the conflicts between science and superstition (and the similarities as well), and the uneasy partnership between science and the military. The acting is excellent throughout, with the three leads particularly memorable. I think the show “Doctor Who” shows a great deal of influence from these Quatermass serials, and I suspect that this is one of those stories that simply grows deeper on repeated viewings. Quite frankly, it may be one of the finest science fiction presentations ever.

 

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Spook Chasers (1957)

SPOOK CHASERS (1957)
Article 2180 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-5-2007
Posting Date: 8-1-2007
Directed by George Blair
Featuring Huntz Hall, Stanley Clements, Darlene Fields

When a doctor orders Mike Clancy to get some rest and relaxation, a salesman hoodwinks him into buying a rickety house in the country for an extended rest. He brings the Bowery Boys along to help him clean the place, but Sach discovers a stash of money. However, gangsters want the money and the place is rumored to be haunted, so…

This movie is not to be confused with GHOSTS ON THE LOOSE, SPOOKS RUN WILD, SPOOK BUSTERS, or GHOST CHASERS, all of which feature the Bowery Boys or one of its earlier incarnations, all of which predate this one, and any one of which you would be better off with. This one was made after the death of Bernard Gorcey and the departure of Leo Gorcey, leaving only one third of the attractions left – namely, Huntz Hall. Replacements for the Gorceys in the form of Percy Helton and Stanley Clements do little to compensate for the loss. To his credit, Hall keeps the energy level up, and he lets some of the other Bowery Boys share in the gags, but it doesn’t help much; the gags are abysmal, and they’ve gone down this route one too many times for there to be any hope of freshness. Director George Blair’s next two movies would also veer into fantastic territory, namely SABU AND THE MAGIC RING and THE HYPNOTIC EYE. This is the bottom of the Bowery Boy barrel.

 

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The Terrornauts (1967)

THE TERRORNAUTS (1967)
Article 2179 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-4-2007
Posting Date: 7-31-2007
Directed by Montgomery Tully
Featuring Simon Oates, Zena Marshall, Charles Hawtrey

When scientists receive what they believe to be a distress call from outer space, they use a radio telescope to reply. They then find themselves kidnapped by a spaceship that takes them to an alien fortress inhabited by a robot, where they must undergo a series of tests, but to what end?

This silly, unconvincing science fiction epic is nonetheless entertaining and offbeat. The screenplay was written by noted science fiction author John Brunner (his only produced writing foray into cinema) and based on a novel by another famed science fiction writer, Murray Leinster. Had this story been made a couple of decades later, there would no doubt have been a video game based on it, as its puzzle-solving plot and Space Invaders-style action sequence at the end both lend themselves to it. Curious touches abound; I like the one scientist’s memory of having been given an alien artifact as a kid that led to his interest in listening for messages from the stars. It also has some very cliched touches; notice how the movie bends over backwards to make sure that the strictly-for-laughs prissy accountant and crusty old coffee lady just happen to be in the building at the time that it is spirited away, just to make sure that we can enjoy (if that is the correct word) their comic antics during the movie; as far as the plot goes, they are nonessential. The scene in the advertising where a beautiful lady is about to be sacrificed by green-skinned aliens takes up about two minutes of the plot, most of which is spent on the spaceship with a robot, and the monster that shows up at one point (with an eye on his lower left side) is pretty goofy. Still, I can’t help but like a movie where the ultimate reward for out planetary heroes is to be arrested by a French gendarme; really, there’s just no justice in the world.

 

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The Outrage (1964)

THE OUTRAGE (1964)
Article 2178 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-3-2007
Posting Date: 7-30-2007
Directed by Martin Ritt
Featuring Paul Newman, Lawrence Harvey, Claire Bloom

A trial is held to figure out who was responsible for the knifing of a colonel in a nearby forest. The conflicting stories about the event from those involve cause a preacher to doubt his calling, but he tries to sort out the story with the help of a con man and a prospector who holds the missing pieces of the story.

Akira Kurosawa was heavily influenced by western (as in opposition to eastern) sources in his movies, including the Bible, Shakespeare, and westerns (as in six-guns). So it’s no surprise that his work was more accessible to westerners, and several of his movies have been remade as westerns. This is perhaps the oddest choice from his oeuvre to be recast in such a way, though it certainly lends itself to this approach. And the story is certainly sturdy enough that it still holds interest even if it’s not done as well as it could have been here. There are definite problems in this version; the text was largely adapted from Fay and Michael Kanin’s stage version (some of the dialogue is identical), but in the attempt to adapt it to a western setting, it often resorts to western slang that is more corny than effective. Furthermore, many of the actors are saddled with distracting accents; in particular, Paul Newman’s Mexican accident and Claire Bloom’s southern twang often call more attention to themselves than is recommended. Laurence Harvey might have had the same problem, but since his character says very little during the proceedings, he is spared that embarrassment. Another problem is William Shatner, though it is through no fault of his own. Shatner’s vocal mannerisms have been the target of parody for some time, and this is one of those movies where those mannerisms are particularly prominent. Edward G. Robinson is great as the con man, and Howard Da Silva also does well as the prospector. The best scene of the movie is the cat-and-mouse game between Newman and Bloom right before the rape, a scene that benefits from the fact that no one is talking. Once again, as in RASHOMON, the fantastic aspect of this movie is that the testimony of the dead man is done via a medium, in this case, an Indian medicine man.

 

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Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON (1964)
Article 2177 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-2-2007
Posting Date: 7-29-2007
Directed by Bryan Forbes
Featuring Kim Stanley, Richard Attenborough, Judith Donner

A mentally unbalanced woman, convinced that she has powers as a spiritual medium, emotionally manipulates her weak-willed husband into kidnapping a young girl; the woman hopes that she will become a celebrity by solving the case.

The more things stay the same, the more things change. The concept of a spiritualist trying to gain fame by illegal means is the stuff of b-movies from the thirties, but this movie ups the ante considerably. It is more concerned with the psychological reasons that drive the various people involved than it is with the mechanics of the spiritualistic scam, though it doesn’t stint on the details of the kidnapping. Both Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough give excellent performances as the dysfunctional couple, but it is Attenborough’s character that most fascinates us; it’s very easy to relate to this relatively normal man who finds that his love for his wife and his desire for her to live a happy and comfortable life end up causing him to commit crimes that would be unthinkable to him in other circumstances; we feel his every fear, frustration, and even his relief in the final moments of the story. It’s also interesting in that the woman truly believes she is psychic; she spearheads the kidnapping not to convince people of her abilities, but for the fame that will result in more clientele. It’s fascinating to watch how these people try to outthink the police in their investigation, and how they adjust the plan when things go awry. It is also fascinating to watch the woman descend deeper and deeper into madness as the story progresses. This is truly an excellent and memorable movie.

 

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The Reluctant Saint (1962)

THE RELUCTANT SAINT (1962)
Article 2176 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-1-2007
Posting Date: 7-28-2007
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
Featuring Maximilian Schell, Ricardo Montalban, Lea Padovani

The story of Saint Joseph of Cupertino is told here. At the beginning of the movie, he amounts to what would be called the village idiot, and his mother pulls strings to have him accepted as a lay worker by the monastery. By an amazing chain of events, he manages to take holy orders and become a priest. It is then discovered that he can levitate when he is in the throes of religious ecstasy.

This movie opens with a statement saying that the story the movie tells is “in essence” true to the facts, which I interpret to mean that some liberties were taken with the story. After having seen the movie, that didn’t really bother me; I found it a fascinating, moving, and sometimes comic experience. What really makes this inspirational movie come to life are the performances, especially from Maximilian Schell (I was flabbergasted that he didn’t get nominated for an Oscar for his acting in the title role), Akim Tamiroff as an archbishop (his scenes with Schell are the highlights of the movie), and Ricardo Montalban, who I didn’t even know was in the movie until I saw his name in the final credits; his ability to disappear into his role here is simply amazing. I didn’t anticipate really enjoying this movie, but from the beginning I was hooked. This is one of those rare inspirational movies that really does inspire, even if you’re not particularly religious. Highly recommended.

 

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Miracle in the Rain (1956)

MIRACLE IN THE RAIN (1956)
Article 2175 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-28-2007
Posting Date: 7-27-2007
Directed by Rudolph Mate
Featuring Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Peggie Castle

A woman who works at a shoe company meets and falls in love with a soldier. His regiment is then sent out to the front, and then….

Yes, there is fantastic content in this movie, but the titular miracle doesn’t occur until the final moments of the movie, and, truth be told, it’s not particularly surprising. As for the movie as a whole – well, let’s just say that one of the main reasons I’m doing this whole series of write-ups on fantastic movies is that I’m into monsters, aliens, strange creatures, etc. This is not the type of movie I’m watching them for; this is, in essence, a soggy hanky movie (you know, one of those movies where people go in with dry hankies and come out with soggy ones) with a bit of religious inspiration on the side. It’s well directed and solidly acted; Jane Wyman is always very good in this type of role, and I also quite liked Eileen Heckart as Jane’s decidedly unglamorous buddy. My problem is that it just doesn’t transcend its tearjerker status, and, given the fact that the fantastic event at the movie smacks of cliche, I really didn’t care for it, especially when several storylines never get adaquately resolved, including the survival of a major character and the ultimate fate of our heroine’s estranged parents.

Time to move on…

 

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The Wandering Jew (1933)

THE WANDERING JEW (1933)
Article 2174 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-27-2007
Posting Date: 7-26-2007
Directed by Maurice Elvey
Featuring Conrad Veidt, Marie Ney, Anne Grey

A Jew spitefully spits on Jesus Christ as he carries his cross, and is cursed to remain alive until Jesus returns.

There are two versions of this play by E. Temple Thurston, and both were directed by Maurice Elvey; there are other movies of the same title, but not based on the play. The fact that it’s based on a play explains somewhat the structure and the staginess of the presentation. For me, this movie was a bit on the dull side, especially during the middle sequences where we encounter the Jew as a mysterious knight during the crusades and his life years later as a merchant. For me, the movie really starts to come to life during the last sequence, where, as a doctor, he comes under the suspicion of the Inquisition, and finds himself undergoing many of the same experiences that Christ had during his final days. At this point, the Jew’s observations about what makes a true follower of Christ have a real poignancy to them, especially when we observe how those qualities are missing from the inquisitors. The U.S. version of the movie is missing a good 26 minutes from the story, much of which seems to be cut from the opening sequence. Conrad Veidt does an excellent job, but some of the other actors chew the scenery a little too much for my liking.

 

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The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp (1954)

THE ANGEL WHO PAWNED HER HARP (1954)
Article 2173 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-26-2007
Posting Date: 7-25-2007
Directed by Alan Bromly
Featuring Felix Aylmer, Diane Cilento, Robert Eddison

An angel comes down from heaven to help people with their personal problems.

This is a very nice movie, but I’m afraid I don’t really mean that as a compliment. What I mean is that it is so gentle and fluffy and sentimental and pretty that there’s hardly room for tension, drama or conflict, and these are the things that drive a story. As it is, it’s really hard to be drawn into the story when the characters themselves seem so unaffected by their own problems. Still, Diane Cilento (who plays the angel) is lovely, the acting from everyone is good, and there’s a definite charm to some of the scenes. It just needs some variety of mood and something to make it more compelling for it to really work. As it is, it’s a piece of fluff.

 

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