Into the Blu

This is a film that has become a significant contribution to the very the time line it depicts, which is that of US President Nixon being forced into resignation after the Watergate scandal. This film is an engrossing depiction of the actual reporters who used anonymous tips to help uncover a scandal so big that it rocked the entire US nation. Continue Reading

As I had admittedly gushed about my appreciation for Elvis in prior reviews, I could be viewed as somewhat prejudicial in my viewing of Jailhouse Rock.  Although Elvis on Tour was disappointing, I thoroughly enjoyed Viva Las Vegas and was hoping this other “young Elvis” film would deliver an equally lightweight and enjoyable cinema experience.

I was somewhat curious about reviewing my first “true” black and white film (Young Frankenstein was the first I had reviewed), and was equally curious to see how much charisma the relatively young Elvis of 1957 possessed. Continue Reading

Although I have enjoyed the music of Elvis since being a wee lad (and even being known for performing Suspicious Minds occasionally at Karaoke), it was very odd that I had never sat down and watched an Elvis movie.

My impression of the films was that they were fluff pieces, that Elvis wasn’t really much of an actor, and that they were really “teen exploitation” films (the logical successors of which include The Hannah Montana Movie).  So it was with some amusement that I sat down to watch Viva Las Vegas, curious to see just exactly what an Elvis film was. Continue Reading

After reviewing the five Mel Brooks films in the collection I had not yet viewed, it was now time to revisit some old friends.  And first up was History of the World – Part I, a movie that I had first seen long before I was old enough to understand most of the jokes.

Before watching the collection, this film fully defined what I thought a Mel Brooks film was.  A musical number, genital-oriented humor, and an overall irrelevance for its subject matter would be what I thought of when I heard the words “Mel Brooks”.  However, after watching such treats as To Be Or Not to Be, Silent Movie, and even High Anxiety, I was curious to see if I remembered the movie correctly, and if it was truly as good as I thought it was. Continue Reading

For my fifth movie in my review of the Mel Brooks Collection, I selected The Twelve Chairs, Mr. Brooks’ movie adaptation of an Old Russian folk tale.  This is a fairly obscure film, and one I likely would not have watched if it had not been a part of this collection.

As Mr. Brooks’ second directing effort (his first being the conspicuously absent The Producers), it would be interesting to see what his later work evolved from, and how much his early work was influenced by others.  Did the movie deserve its obscure status, or was it worthy of more attention as part of the Mel Brooks legacy? Continue Reading

As mentioned in my review for Silent Movie it is a formidable task reviewing all nine (yes, nine!) movies in the Mel Brooks Collection box set, so again I beg for the reader’s patience as I soldier through the movies.  For my second review, I continued to focus on the Mel Brooks movies I had missed.

Second up for review was 1974’s Young Frankenstein, a film from which I had seen various scenes, but never sat through the whole film.  Of all the Mel Brooks movies, this one appears to have the most loyal following, and I was intrigued again by Mr. Brooks making an atypical movie (a horror movie throwback in black and white) in the 1970’s. Continue Reading

As a 10-year old boy, I loved Mel Brooks movies.  To this day, I vividly remember seeing History of the World: Part 1 during its release week and thinking it was about the best movie ever made.  However, as we get older, our tastes mature.  And as viewers, North American audiences are now much, much more cynical about comedy than their counterparts were in the 70’s and 80’s.

Therefore, when The Mel Brooks Collection showed up in my docket for review, I was quite intrigued.  Not only did it contain the Mel Brooks movies I had missed, it also contained movies that I had loved when younger.  However, this is also a formidable task reviewing nine (yes, nine!) movies, so I beg the reader’s patience as I wander through this box set.

First up for review was 1976’s Silent Movie, a film I had never seen before, and one that had intrigued me.  As a boy, I loved both Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy silent shorts, and I was curious to see how well Mr. Brooks could deliver a modern version of this art form. Continue Reading

It had been a very long time since this author saw The African Queen for the first time, 29 years to be exact.  So going into the review of this Blu-ray, it was like seeing the movie again for the first time.

The African Queen also has an intimidating pedigree.  Nominated for four Academy Awards, it has become legendary for the danger and hardships director John Huston exposed the cast and crew to.  Filming in wild parts of the Belgian Congo, legend has it that Bogart and Huston avoided the sicknesses that afflicted all other cast and crew by drinking only Scotch.  Legend also has it that Huston stalled production in his obsession with hunting an elephant, later fictionalized into “White Hunter, Black Heart”.

As a film, The African Queen continually appears on AFI’s “100 years, 100 movies” list, has been selected for preservation in the U.S. Film Registry, and was the source of Humphrey Bogart’s only Academy Award.  How well does it survive its restoration to Blu-ray?  Continue Reading

Reviewing one of the most respected films of all time is a bit daunting. I hadn’t seen the Godfather trilogy in years so when it came time to review Godfather II I immediately went out and purchased the trilogy in order to refresh my memory… That’s how important these films are. Do they still hold their ground now though?

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Half a century ago seems like a long time; but it was around that time that one of Hollywood’s most gifted and eccentric directors was in his prime; making classic films that would set the stage for today’s filmmakers. Alfred Hitchcock was one the kind of director that doesn’t really exist anymore; similar to Orson Welles, his films were carefully crafted masterpieces that were so layered that even today there are countless books and websites dedicated to analyzing his works. North by Northwest was screenwriter, Ernest Lehman’s attempt to create the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures, did he succeed? Continue Reading

The Duke has made his way to Blu-ray.  The John Wayne classic The Green Berets recently hit store shelves on Blu-ray disc, which for many, was a long awaited arrival.  It’s a positive thing to see studios focusing not only on current films, but those from the past as well.  Let’s not waste any more time on an introduction and find out the verdict on John Wayne in 1080p! Continue Reading

Cujo used to haunt my dreams… There I said it! Having to review this movie really hurt my inner-child emotionally. I remember all those years ago, saying “Don’t worry, you’ll never have to watch that lame movie again”. Years later we’re celebrating the 25th anniversary and here I am reviewing the Blu-ray release of the cult classic based off of a story by Stephen King. Let’s see how Cujo holds up after a quarter of a decade. Continue Reading