larry-175 Reviews

Shinbone Alley (1970)

Two great tributes

[7/10 · 30 November 2002]

Okay, so there's better (far better!) animation out there. And the music is to kill for. (Not 'die for;' kill for.) Not even Carol Channing can save it. But 'Shinbone Alley' is special in its tributes to a great writer, Don Marquis, and an even greater cartoonist, George Herriman. The story is true to Marquis's "Archy" poems; the depiction of the footloose Mehitabel is right on target. The newcomer to Archy and Mehitabel would do well to read some of Marquis's newspaper columns and poetry before tackling the film. The effort won't be wasted.

The real surprise to me, though, was the cartooning style of Herriman, eminently featured in mid-film. It's a treat no Krazy Kat fan should miss.

The Fighting Vigilantes (1947)

Bad -- even for a B Western

[3/10 · 5 October 2002]

An interesting concept (a crooked food wholesaler assailed by a vigilante group) is shot in the pants by crank-em-out filmmaking. Even the vaunted Lash LaRue can't pull this one out of the fire. My major complaint is the way the director used Al St. John -- he evidently was looking for Emmett Kelly and got Fuzzy instead. Ol' Fuzzy was a master of the 'sidekick' role; witty but wise, and always ready and able to save the hero at the critical moment. Here, he's just another clown, and not a very good one at that. Overall, the film is far too predictable in spite of its very different concept.

Betty Boop and the Little King (1936)

One of Fleischer's best!

[9/10 · 12 August 2002]

Soglow's 'Little King' meets Betty Boop, and the results are a delight. Those familiar with the comic-strip King know of his propensity to try anything he sees his subjects doing -- and in this cartoon, he ends up selling pretzels to members of Betty's audience and even joining Betty's 'Wild West' act. The animation is Fleischer-good; the laughs are Soglow-great.

Murrow (1986 TV Movie)

A tremendous piece of broadcast history.

[9/10 · 24 May 2002]

Tough, gritty -- this film is a great inside look into the workings of network news broadcasting, from the earliest days of radio into the modern era of television. It goes beyond a mere biography of Edward R. Murrow, although this phase is fascinating in itself. The film touches heavily on the inherent conflicts that influence (and sometimes quash) the dedicated journalist. Daniel Travante does a fine believable job of portraying Murrow as an insightful professional who does his best to excel in a business guided primarily by the profit motive. Dabney Coleman's portrayal of CBS chairman William Paley is a masterpiece of understatement. The primary value of "Murrow" lies in its tantalizing look at the ways in which radio and early television evolved into media powerhouses. Using actual clips of historical events -- notably those involving Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy -- the film nicely depicts the journalist's battle to bring hard news to the viewer, even when the effort upsets sponsors and politicians. Money is the bottom line, and "Murrow" leaves the viewer with a sense of sadness at the way journalists are forced to dance to the tune of the dollar bill. In all, "Murrow" is a fine piece of work. It's not for those who want only to be entertained. But it's must-see for anyone who cares about how the opinion-makers operate.

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Mishmash Impossible

[4/10 · 16 April 2001]

None of the delightful convolutions of plotlines that made the television series so watchable -- MI (The Movie) is an unfortunate mess of forced action scenes that serve only as an attempt to liven up an otherwise dull flick. Good acting, not that it matters; a lot of fine talent goes to waste in this contrived mishmash. If you like action for action's sake, then go for it. But the viewer might be better off with a Wonder Woman comic book.

Grand Prix (1966)

The best racing film ever made.

[8/10 · 26 March 2001]

Ignore the trite formulaic story line and enjoy this film for its fantastic racing sequences. There are none better, and they are rivaled only by those in "LeMans." For anyone who is a follower of Formula One racing, this is the "Mecca" film. Frankenheimer directs with a fine hand, and even the professional drivers (of whom there are many) act as though they're in a race and not in a movie. James Garner (as Pete Aron) gives one of his better performances in a role that could have easily been mishandled. This is top-of-the-line movie-making, and even those who are not racing fans will find much to enjoy.