Category Archive: FILM
Perfect Murder Perfect Town
Jon Benét Ramsey's grave at Saint James Episcopal (by Taurusrus)
(2000) (Dir. Lawrence Schiller) Directed by Schiller as a tele-movie, originally a series, from his own book about the murder of 6 year old glamour-puss Jon Benét Ramsey on Christmas Day (or Boxing Day) 1996 in Boulder, Colorado, it violently divided critics and viewers alike as either partisan, too procedural or just plain icky. Young Jon Benét was found strangled in the family’s cellar after what was called “the ‘War and Peace’ of ransom notes” turned up. The parents became prime suspects; police and prosecutors clashed over the making of a prima facie case, and no one was ever charged….
Continue Reading →Oscars – the people aren’t right
Kevin Marc is as shocked as us at some of the Academy's choices...
It is timely, in this awards season, to recall that Aristotle suggested the three bad forms of governance were tyranny, oligarchy and democracy. With these matters in mind, let us roam at random over some of the choices (for best picture) of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. To judge film awards, you presumably have to have clear criteria and then see everything. This is not feasible or even sensible. To make an appraisal, you have to be a ‘stakeholder’ in the proper sense of the word – in other words, be completely disinterested. This is not feasible or…
Continue Reading →The Candidate
(Dir. Michael Ritchie) (1972) Before he signed on as that perennial emblem, Bastard Dad, in the shrill and leaden “comedy series”, Everybody Loves Raymond, Peter Boyle did some interesting stuff: Joe, Taxi Driver, and in particular, his role here as a political Svengali to neophyte golden-boy Robert Redford in his against-the-odds shot at the California Senate race. Fascinating depiction of a modern campaign’s trajectory, with strong performances by supporting players Boyle, Allan Garfield as a bumptious PR guy, Melvyn Douglas as the candidate’s former Governor Father, and Don Porter as the formidable Republican opponent seeking yet another term. Highly watchable,…
Continue Reading →What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?
(Dir. Robert Aldrich) (1962) I’ve written a letter to Bobby, With grotesques he was deeply in love, “Bob, which of Joan or dear Bette Was easiest for you to shove?” On piano, you drafted big Victor The Warners said “Buono, he’ll do”, I’ve written a letter to Bobby Saying “What a stew”; I’ve drafted a notice to Bobby Telling him he’s through. [TVC note: for all the Grand Guignol of her later performances, TVC considers Bette Davis an authentic star and pretty good actress to boot – e.g. All About Eve, Dark Victory, Of Human Bondage, Now Voyager, The Little…
Continue Reading →Peter Lorre Takes to Santa with a Bat
Hollywood Canteen (1944)
We at TVC have not seen this 1944 film, Hollywood Canteen, but we want to. See TVC’s review of The Lost One here. And then Peter inveigles Mickey Rooney to take a loan for a date (in Quicksand)…is there no end to his perfidy?
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