Forgotten Movies Archives

Forgotten Movies: JOE

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May 072013

Bill Compton (Dennis Patrick) accidentally kills his daughter's (Sarandon) hippie boyfriend after an argument. Panic-stricken, he escapes to a bar, and meets Joe Curran (Peter Boyle), a loud-mouthed, angry, bigot who is bitter over what he feels his country has become. A bond between two men from disparate classes forms. Both are livid over changes in American society. Director John G. Avidsen ("pre-Rocky"), directs this low-budget film fearlessly, and at the time, people found the sentiments expressed here shocking and difficult to watch. Today, not so much. Opinions like this are now aired in the seats of government.

I really enjoyed Megan's review of the new book on Ripley of Believe It or Not fame in the LA REVIEW OF BOOKS, so I am sharing it with you.

Forgotten Movies: I LOVE YOU ALICE B. TOKLAS

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Apr 302013

There are very few good movies from the sixties and this is certainly not one of them. But any movie with Peter Sellers has something going for it. I guess.

A thirty-something square falls in love with a hippie and decides to "drop out" himself.

It all revolves around grass brownies. Didn't every movie in the sixties toy with this? It seems like it. Too bad it wasn't better but it is a time piece.

Forgotten Movies: WINGS OF DESIRE

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Mar 262013

Looking at my journal, which I keep in fits and stars, the movies I gave the highest rating to in 1988 were THE DEAD, AU REVOIR LES INFANTS and WINGS OF DESIRE.

WINGS OF DESIRE (Wim Wenders) is the one that has stayed with me over the years. Partly because Hollywood tried to make its own version of this beautiful, moody, sad film.

Berlin is populated by angels who listen to the thoughts of the people below them. Bruno Ganz, in an amazing performance, listens especially to the thoughts of a beautiful trapeze artist and makes a decision based on his love for her. Peter Falk is the only American in this German film. Black and white works wonderfully in this film.

Forgotten Movies: Baby Boom

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Mar 192013

I love Diane Keaton. And I feel a bit badly that she didn't have the career she deserved in many ways. She is such a skilled comedienne. But she is also a terrific dramatic actress, SHOOT THE MOON is one of my favorite examples and I have referred to that film on here already. She is great too in LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR (also used that one) and REDS. She has been stuck in a lot of mediocre movies for the last twenty years. And BABY BOOM is certainly no classic. But I am fond of it anyway. Even if the ending sort of takes everything back.

In BABY BOOM, Diane plays a very successful businesswoman who suddenly finds herself with a baby left to her by a dead cousin. She tries to fit the baby into her super busy life and that doesn't work. So she leaves her career to take care of the kid, moves to the country, falls in love with Sam Shepard, and eventually finds a way to make things work out all around. Having it all is possible apparently. But what makes this work is Diane's ability to work her way into your heart, much as the darling baby does.

Forgotten Villainesses: Judith Anderson

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Mar 052013

Of course, her greatest film role was as Mrs. Danvers in REBECCA but she was also memorable in LAURA as Ann Treadwell. She also played Lady MacBeth, Gertrude in Hamlet, Medea (who kills her children to get revenge on her husband) and Slade in Lady Scarface. In the STRANGE LOVES OF MARTHA IVES, she plays a cruel aunt who torments a cat. In AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, she drives a young man to suicide.

You can't help but wonder if an actress without classic beauty got offered very different parts.

Forgotten Movies: The Snakepit

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Feb 262013

This movie scared the bejesus out of me the first and only time I saw it. Based on the memoir of Mary Jane Ward, this film directed by Anton Litvak in 1948 explores the road to mental health by one woman. It utilizes all the therapies of the day (including electric shock). And although only one nurse on the ward rivals Nurse Ratchett her experience is difficult to watch. Olivia de Havilland earned an Oscar nomination for her work in this stark drama as Virginia Cunningham, a married young woman whose idyllic life falls apart when she sinks into a world of psychosis and is eventually placed in an institution.

Anatole Litvak's portrait of mental illness examines the treatment of mentally unstable patients in the late 1940s and '50s.When the film debuted in the UK, there was a warning added that UK mental hospitals were nothing like THE SNAKE PIT seen here. I hope that's true for their sakes.

This is a serious film--not a horror movie--although it seemed like one when I watched it on THE LATE SHOW in Philly in the early sixties. deHavilland was wonderful but up against some stiff competition for an Oscar. Jane Wyman won for Johnny Belinda.

Actors playing mentally or physically challenged people have a leg up on the competition as we have seen time and time again.

My Ten Favorite Quirky Forgotten Movies

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Feb 052013

1980-Gloria, directed by John Cassavetes, starring Gene Rowlands-A mobster's widow protects a orphaned boy. Love this one.

1994 Shallow Graves-directed by Danny Boyle, Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston, Ian McGregor, three roommates need a fourth and don't bargain for what they get.

1977-Three Woman-directed by Robert Altman. Sissy Spacek, Shelly Duval, Janice Rule-Three women exchange personas as they forge a family.

1981-Cutter's Way-directed by Ivan Passer-great novel and movie. Jeff Bridges and John Heard. Bridges witnesses a murder and goes after the killer.

1996-Hard Eight, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, A newly minted gambler runs afoul of a femme fatale

1996 Day Trippers-directed by Greg Mottola -A family takes a road trip into the city when a rogue love letter falls into a wife's hands.

2009 Cairo Time. directed by Ruba Madda Patricial Clarkson plays a woman alone in Cairo who has a whirlwind romance.

2003 The Station Agent, directed by Thomas McCarthy-Patricia Clarkson, Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannevale-Three lonely people connect in the desert.

2007 Lars and the Real Girl-Directed by Craug Gillespie. Ryan Gosling. A young man cannot be dissuaded from his love for a blowup doll.

1974-CockFighter-directed by Monte Hellman-Warren Oates, Harry Dean Stanton-a man years to be the world's greatest cock fighter.

Forgotten Movies: The Sterile Cuckoo

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Jan 292013

Other than CABARET, in which she is brilliant, this is the only Liza Minelli performance that works for me. But it does. She plays a kookie college co-ed, that is poignant in her attempts to forge a relationship with a straighter than straight guy. The boy tries hard, but her eccentricities are too much for him--a little like THE WAY WE WERE.

Sad and with a lovely theme song. COME SATURDAY MORNING.

Todd will have more links for you here.

Forgotten Movies: What Movies Have You Walked Out On?

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Jan 222013

Three that I can remember and they are all puzzling in retrospect.

UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG-it seemed ludicrous to me at age 16. I was not prepared for anything about it. I would probably like it now.

KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE-just didn't get the humor. Not sure if I would now or not.

LETHAL WEAPON-could not take watching Danny Glover's daughter get tortured (although it was mostly threat rather than action).

Of course, with movies on TV, we don't finish even half of them. It took us all we could do a few weeks ago to make it through 21 Jump Street.

What movies have sent you to the exit early?

Forgotten Movies-Remember the Night

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Jan 012013

Preston Sturgis wrote the screenplay, Michael Leisen directed this little dollop, which I found charming but left Phil cold. Stanwyck is a petty thief; MacMurray, a DA prosecuting her, when the holidays interrupt the trial. Long story short, they end up on a trip to their Indiana homes. Her home explains her future and his explains his. It looked to be a comedy for the first thirty minutes, but soon evolved into a sentimental piece for Christmas. Either the dialogue and characters are sharp enough to carry it for you or not. Not the best matchup of the two stars obviously but good enough for me.These two had chemistry from the get go. And Stanwyck is just plain good in anything although this film mostly makes use of her ability to be poignant. Was there ever a more versatile actress?
Todd Mason may have more forgotten movies today.

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