Li'l Duce's Reviews Palace

[titoli]

Young Frankenstein (1974) I saw it when it first came out and wasn't so enthusiastic then. But I saw it dubbed and that is a great disadvantage. Now, almost 40 years later, I see that it is a sort of classic, though it isn't the kind of no-holds-barred comedy I prefer. And Gene Wilder does nothing for me: he's not a good comedian. This thrives on Feldman-Leachman-Mars performances which should have earned them a triple nomination like it had happened for The Godfather. And I think that, for once, Brooks (who delivers his best - only?- directorial performance, Blazing Saddles not being as professional as this one) should have played the Hackman (I'm still not convinced it's him playing! ) blindman role. 8\10

[Groggy]

Young Frankenstein (1974) I saw it when it first came out and wasn't so enthusiastic then. But I saw it dubbed and that is a great disadvantage. Now, almost 40 years later, I see that it is a sort of classic, though it isn't the kind of no-holds-barred comedy I prefer. And Gene Wilder does nothing for me: he's not a good comedian. This thrives on Feldman-Leachman-Mars performances which should have earned them a triple nomination like it had happened for The Godfather. And I think that, for once, Brooks (who delivers his best - only?- directorial performance, Blazing Saddles not being as professional as this one) should have played the Hackman (I'm still not convinced it's him playing! ) blindman role. 8\10

 

[titoli]

Le mystére Picasso (1956) Fascinating movie on Picasso at work. Watching each painting developing from start to finish is engrossing because Picasso never starts with a definite idea of what the final result will be. The last painting is actually a failure as he is not satisfied with the result and cancels it in spite of endless reworkings. 10\10  

[dave jenkins]

Le mystére Picasso (1956) Fascinating movie on Picasso at work. Watching each painting developing from start to finish is engrossing because Picasso never starts with a definite idea of what the final result will be. The last painting is actually a failure as he is not satisfied with the result and cancels it in spite of endless reworkings. 10\10  

The Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan ( http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/english/ ) has a pavillion in which the film plays continuously (which is where I first saw it).

[titoli]

The Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan  has a pavillion in which the film plays continuously (which is where I first saw it).

Where did you second see it?

[dave jenkins]

At the museum (been there more than once). But I have the DVD now.

[titoli]

My Forbidden Past (1950) This is more a movie of actors with some good dialogues but all of them miscast because of their ages. Yes, Gardner is at the height of her beauty and Janis Carter is not far behind, but Mitchum and Douglas (who delivers a great performance) look old for their part. It's impossible to think that Carter would leave Mitchum for Douglas who looks on the verge of death any second. 7\10

[titoli]

She Couldn't Say No (1954 )This is where you find "a child actor of the period who doesn't get on one's nerves." I wonder why so much is made of the Katharine Hepburn - Cary Grant comedies and not much about a classic like this, where you have a prettier girl who can play and a better script. 8\10

[titoli]

The Producers (2005) A musical should be judged successful first on the songs. Then on coreographies and the script.  This has no noteworthy song (all written by Mel Brooks, which does explain why they are not that good), no great jokes and no great leads. Still the idea of the nazi musical still has some bite, Uma Thurman at last looks sexy and the coreographies are very good. 7\10

[titoli]

In Which We Serve (1942) I expected less from this which on the contrary it has a good script and some memorable scenes (like the blitz heard in the apartment and some scenes near the raft). I don't like Coward's performance: he shoots his lines too fast. 8\10

Here the complete movie: 

http://www.archive.org/details/In_Which_We_Serve

[titoli]

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Cagney was awarded for this. Inevitably. The biopic is rather unoriginal, the musical numbers are good but not memorable like some Astaire's or Kelly's, the music is not up to what later served by the great american Broadway composers, but Cagney makes it a must watch it anyway. 9\10

[titoli]

The Sound Barrier (1952) Couldn't have done worse in Hollywood. 4\10

[titoli]

This Happy Breed (1944) The story is nothing worth remembering, just a series of vignettes inserted in the two WWs in-between years. Good performances by Johnson, Newton and Walsh (Mills looks too old for the part for a good 2\3 of the movie). I wonder why they shot this in colour. 7\10

[Groggy]

Spot on for both of those.

[titoli]

The World Is Not Enough (1999) Probably the worst of all Brosnan's Bond. All action is mostly imbued in darkness or grey, the plot is mostly imenetrable and the villains are small stuff. Sophie Marceau could have been a plus but she was here past her prime already. 5\10