bill-528 Reviews

Song of the South (1946)

disney seems to be pandering to the thought police

[17 October 2002]

i was fortunate enough to see "song of the south" when it was released after world war II. it is a joy to see and hear! my children, however, have been deprived of the pleasure of this animated feature gem. a few years ago i telephoned the disney corporate headquarters and asked an office administrator why "song of the south" was/is being withheld from the american market. she told me that the movie simply had not been "formatted" for video release even though many of the songs are available on the "sing along" series. later i received a bag full of disney buttons, stickers and decals! it's hard to believe that disney would market a film like "scream" but keep "song of the south" locked away. those opposed to the film are of the same mentality as whose who demand that "barbershop" be edited because it offends them. how sad.

Darkest Africa (1936)

stars the son of a brownsville, texas, animal collector/dealer

[28 August 2002]

many of the indoor scenes featuring big cats were actually filmed in brownsville, texas, at the compound of well-known local animal trainer/collector "snake" king. manuel king was his son and this taste of stardom was his only movie outing. the film is available in an edited, feature version on vhs. manuel king is alive and well and lives in houston, texas. sadly, there is no trace of his father's animal compound to be seen today in brownsville.

The Red Badge of Courage (1951)

captures the civil war like no other film before or since.

[22 July 2002]

stephen crane's best work. audie murphy's best work. any serious student of the civil war will recognize this film as the best, most honest portrayal of civil war action. it captures the fear and dread of deadly combat like no other film on the american civil war. during bloody battles, if your side was not having a successful day, the usual way out was "skedaddling" or running like the wind. both sides did it. a great little film that all civil war students and scholars should own and view every so often.

The Fighting Lady (1944)

stirring documentary of action in the south pacific.

[16 July 2002]

i saw this film as a child during world war 2 and it has stuck in my mind all these years. i remember the brilliant color and the aerial photography. i grew up in a texas town that had an army basic training post and the theater that day contained many, many basic trainees from camp wolters who cheered and clapped at the pro-american action. i can't believe this film isn't shown on the history channel and i further can't believe it isn't available to the american public.

Obsession (1943)

stark, gritty peek at life in italy during wartime.

[10/10 · 27 June 2002]

fascinating look at fascist italy and the people who carved out a life under mussolini. street scenes and lifestyle glimpses alone are worth watching. combine this with a masterful plot and premier acting and you get a film that you will want to watch again . .. and maybe again.