The Merry Merry Movies of May

Two Tracys, two Fondas, two Cushings, two Kilmers, two Goughs…

As usual, there is a whole list and this is just a few notes.

Batman Forever (1995)

Cable, original English
Somehow I missed this when it was in the theaters, despite being a fan of both Kilmer and O’Donnell, but I guess I was busy that year. It was…OK. While I was watching it I thought it sounded quotable, but after a week I have forgotten the quotes.

As far as costumes and aesthetics, I prefer Burton’s Gotham.

A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

Cable, original English
For the first 75 minutes or so, I found myself wondering why established actors like Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward agreed to do this increasingly silly movie, absent a studio system or a Colonel Parker forcing them into it.

Then it was obvious. They signed on because the ending makes this a great script.

I’m not sure it can be watched twice, once you see the ending, but watch it once.

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Cable, original English
Spencer Tracy stars as a WWII veteran who returned from Italy without the use of his left arm, and travels to a wide spot in the road somewhere in the West to find the father of the fellow soldier who saved his life. Small problem: He’s not there. Bigger problem: Some local ranchers are going to kill Tracy to protect a community secret.

Good story, satisfying ending (not a happy ending; happy wasn’t possible). Nice desert scenes. Also–I don’t think this spoils too much–one-armed Tracy crawls under a jeep and makes a Molotov cocktail with his tie while being shot at. Inspiring!! I really wish I’d seen this movie two years ago.

The Last of Sheila (1973)

Cable, original English
Murder mystery on a yacht off the coast of France; everyone on board works in Hollywood and everyone on board has a secret that could ruin their public image–things no one blinks at anymore, like shoplifting, homosexuality, and vehicular manslaughter. Definite time capsule. The reveal of the murderer’s identity was a surprise, and I always appreciate that.

I’m always trying to imagine a contemporary remake of old films (Why not? There’s nothing new anymore…) and I have no idea what sort of secret would be devastating to a Hollywooder of today.

Star Wars (1977)–1997 rerelease

German Free TV, Deutsch
It was at least five years since the last time we saw it in German Free TV; Mr R wanted to watch the beginning, then we just let it run. So many commercials–never watch a movie in German Free TV unless you’ve seen it a dozen times already.

Notes: All the post-production bright pink lighting in the rerelease didn’t bother me in ’97*, but it was really annoying now. The guy who does Hamill’s German voice is less whiny than Hamill, but Vader’s voice is higher and less impressive than James Earl Jones. The Reichstag might actually be the Death Star.

* In 1997, I saw the rerelease in a theater in Huntsville, AL, with a mosaic of Neil Armstrong on the wall. I have forgotten the other details of this roadtrip and am too lazy to dig around in the basement for my old longhand blogs. But I remember the theater.

Mister Roberts (1955)

Cable, original English
A comedy, set on a cargo ship in the Pacific Theater in the waning days of The War, but ultimately about male friendships and the respect men can develop for each other when they’re doing stuff together. Still funny, although younger viewers may lack context to understand the gags (and could possibly be triggered by blatant displays of heterosexuality).

Final scene was poignant. One of the top movies of the month.

The War of the Roses (1989)

Cable, original English
Viewer warning for murdered cat.
The IMDB calls this “romance”? Yikes.

In high school, I thought this was funny. I still liked Danny DeVito’s character, and the set up where he narrates the story to a young client. But this movie has not aged well, or I have not aged well. Sigh.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Kino! Original English

Mr Radish surprised me with tickets to see this one at a Preview at Cinema in München, the day before the official German release (which was a day before the official US release, because in Germany the new movies come out on Thursdays). Apparently I have mentioned more than once how cool the planes looked when I saw the anniversary re-release of the original on a big screen, after years of seeing it on a VHS player borrowed from the library.

Yes, it’s basically a remake of the original. It was still very good. I will poke fun at how carefully the studio made sure the “rogue state” where the mission is flown was not identifiable–gotta make that Chinese money–but it’s clear from the terrain and a scruffy maple-leaf-shaped bird painted on the Deus Ex Machina that the bad actor with nuclear ambitions is Canada. Ed Harris is the only “veteran actor” in this film without a creepy painting in his attic. But you know Ice and Mav are old, because they use complete sentences with punctuation when they text.

It’s good, go see it.

Horror of Dracula (1958)

Cable, original English
The Christopher Lee flick the Pakistani Drac was based on–except in 1950s Britain there was no need to add dancing girls or censor out crucifixes. It was probably scarier sixty years ago, but when you get Grand Moff Tarkin and Bruce Wayne’s valet teamed up to hunt the undead, you have a good time.

Wyatt Earp (1994)

Netflix, original English
Crazy all-star cast–dozens of big-time names from a hundred all-time great movies and TV shows–and yet I found that finishing it was a chore. The script is long and dull. Notable: Ma Ingalls appears as Earp’s mother-in-law.

Next of Kin (1989)

Cable, original English
Another crazy all-star cast–Qui-Gon Jinn! G’Kar! Zoolander!–but this one was actually good. Patrick Swayze stars as a man from a Kentucky holler turned–get this–Chicago detective who has distanced himself a bit from his roots until his little brother is murdered by an alien-hybrid supersoldier…er, a rogue in the Chicago mafia. He tries to bring the perp in according to the law before his other brother can mete out a little holler justice, but that doesn’t go well.

The ending is satisfying.