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fritzbruder
Reviews
Lonesome Dove (1989)
amazing
I really don't know how I came to miss the original airing of this
masterpiece.I must confess to only watching it start to finish last year when a good friend lent me the videos.I felt like I was reading The Lord Of The Rings for the first time.Nothing more to be said.
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
A haunting scene
Sam Peckinpah is somewhat of an enigma.His genius can be unmatched or absent within the space of five minutes.The same can be said about the choice of casting sometimes.However in one scene of this film everything was "done just right" Slim Pickens(A vastly unrecognised versatile actor)plays Sheriff Colin Baker who,now aging,has all but retired and is looking to add to his pension- i.e he likes to do things for gold,a reward that he feels is justified by his long service.Pickens sets the character up superbly,the viewer immediately identifies and sympathises with this. What follows is one of the most beautifully haunting scenes ever
created.I will not put in a spoiler by describing all in detail. Needless to say though,the silent,expression acting of Pickens,Bob Dylan at his very best,the face of Baker's wife,the setting and cinematography.You will know this scene when you get to it.Please take time to watch something ,when the very best of all came together for a
few brief minutes.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Simply,the Film of the Book
I first read LOTR when I was 20 years old and crashed through all three parts in about as many hours,what an experience.Since then I have read the books(including all the peripherals)many times over.They are escapism and a thundering good read.After the earlier attempt at the movie(Which in all fairness was true to the book until money ran out) I was somewhat sceptical,well what a darn fool I felt when I saw this one.A marvelous experience for the soul and mind,a refreshing reminder that there are brilliant directors making movies.The film accomplishes what the book did,it greatly pleases.Of course there are missing bits,and bits changed a bit,and bits added,inevitable-but purveyed with such panache as to not seem noticeable.The casting and performances of ALL THE ACTORS is extremely well done,the special effects second to none.I especially liked the Troll(very cute-but as I had imagined). For twenty years I have been trying to get my Wife to read the books and now,at last She will-what better testament to the movie.The story flows very well and the techniques used by the screenplayers and director to explain those parts of the story which take up considerable print in the book are very clever.The good news is that the best is yet to come.
Krakatoa: East of Java (1968)
a bit of a serious road to bali really
Not a bad movie,notwithstanding that Krakatoa is actually West of Java but who is counting.The movie captures the futility of one of the Earth's greatest eruptions with good special effects for the time.The human plot involvement is somewhat contrived,but there you go,it sold and was entertaining.
Frankenstein (1931)
Made by people who knew how to make movies
When all is quiet in the wee hours of the morning I like to carefully place the video in the player and watch for the umpteenth time simply one of the greatest pieces of art ever created.Karloff bought to the role an expression which none since has ever recreated.Clive has no rival-It's Alive seems somewhat tame from anyone else.Remember this movie was made in 1931,what a shock it must have been then.The direction and cinematography puts it in almost a film noir category but without the cliche.The masterful direction(Notice the lack of incidental music) brings on all the characters in just the right proportions.The obviously,by todays standards,low budget sets(No location here)places you in the heart of Europe in the mood of the times.The fear of the locals,the superstition,the myths come across as very real and of the
moment.The foil of the older Baron,rational,depositing an explanation is not bettered in Mary Shelley's brilliant book.It is a disturbing film.The murder of a child,the death of a creation,the creation of the first debate on cloning.There is nothing lurid in the delivery it is
honest and true.The film is excellent and one would almost think I am writing a book review it is so complimentary to the original text. If you haven't seen the movie please do not watch it one Saturday afternoon with distractions-it is an after dark movie to be viewed in peace and quiet.Thankyou