This is a typical 70's soft core sex romp in the Russ Meyer genre, though perhaps less outlandish than some of Meyer's work. This film has higher 'production values' than many of it's contemporaries, suggesting a larger budget. It's plot, writing and acting are straight out the B zone, though. Of late, this film has become a mainstay of B movie channels (such as "Drive In Classics") in the 500 channel universe. If soft core is what you are in the mood for, this is as "good" as anything else in the B range. Don't expect Polanski though, Sarno is just Sarno. Nothing more, nothing less. Jennifer Welles performance as the "mother" is perhaps the best of the cast. None of the actors in the film went on to greater fame, unsurprisingly. Confessions of a Young American Housewife is far from the worst example of it's kind. It is watchable, if this is your type of film. 30 years ago, this would have been an avant garde and riske film. You can see more or less the same kind of thing on Showtime/HBO series these days, and in prime time.
Reviews
4 Reviews
8 Million Ways to Die
(1986)
Underrated Mid-80's detective film
24 March 2004
This film is consistently rated at or below the median for it's genre and period. In my opinion, this is an unfair rating... the film is better than it has been portrayed.
Jeff Bridges plays Matt Scudder, a down on his luck detective who is suspended by the LAPD after a violent confrontation with a suspect.
Bridges life spirals down (in something of a preview of the character he would later play in perhaps his best film, 1991's The Fisher King) into chronic alcoholism. He receives an unexpected invitation to a party hosted by Angel Maldonado (Andy Garcia in an early role) and there the story proper begins.
Scudder is drawn into the dark side of LA's party scene by "Sunny", one of Maldonado's erstwhile hangers on. Through this connection, Scudder determines to bring down Maldonado's drug empire - and make off with Maldonado's favourite girl...
All standard hollywood stuff, but reasonably well done. The mid 80's seems to have been a fairly soft time for truly good films, but this one is worth watching. I give it 7/10 on the public scale...
Jeff Bridges plays Matt Scudder, a down on his luck detective who is suspended by the LAPD after a violent confrontation with a suspect.
Bridges life spirals down (in something of a preview of the character he would later play in perhaps his best film, 1991's The Fisher King) into chronic alcoholism. He receives an unexpected invitation to a party hosted by Angel Maldonado (Andy Garcia in an early role) and there the story proper begins.
Scudder is drawn into the dark side of LA's party scene by "Sunny", one of Maldonado's erstwhile hangers on. Through this connection, Scudder determines to bring down Maldonado's drug empire - and make off with Maldonado's favourite girl...
All standard hollywood stuff, but reasonably well done. The mid 80's seems to have been a fairly soft time for truly good films, but this one is worth watching. I give it 7/10 on the public scale...
Being There
(1979)
A perfect Final Act...
24 March 2004
Being There, the 1979 film version of the Jerzy Kozinski book (please see bio on Kozinski for additional details), was the film Peter Sellers desperately wanted to make throughout the 1970's. He was unable to obtain backing for it until near the end of the decade - a fact we should all be thankful for.
Being There is the story of Chance, a simple middle aged man who has lived his entire life within the walls of a NY house owned by a mysterious figure known only as the old man. The film suggests that the old man was once quite rich, but in fact lives a fairly modest existence in what is now a rather poor neighbourhood.
When the old man dies, Louise, the housekeeper and Chance, the gardener, must leave the old man's house. Chance begins to wander the streets and has several hilarious encounters along the way. He finally encounters socialite Eve Rand near the end of the day. After being injured slightly during their encounter, Rand insists Chance return home with her to be seen by a doctor. This sets the premise for the remainder of the film... Chance answers every question (except those he fails to understand well enough to answer at all) with a gardening reference... this is mistaken for brilliance by nearly everyone around him. The simple Chance's response to "modern life" are fabulously funny... This, coupled with the occassional cut back to the poor Housekeeper Louise's home - showing her contempt and disgust that a mere idiot could rise so highly - lend a wonderful context to the film.
Made near the end of Sellers all too short life, Being There ranks with Dr. Strangelove as perhaps his best. You won't be disappointed if you rent this film... it's simply marvelous! It's on my top 10...
Being There is the story of Chance, a simple middle aged man who has lived his entire life within the walls of a NY house owned by a mysterious figure known only as the old man. The film suggests that the old man was once quite rich, but in fact lives a fairly modest existence in what is now a rather poor neighbourhood.
When the old man dies, Louise, the housekeeper and Chance, the gardener, must leave the old man's house. Chance begins to wander the streets and has several hilarious encounters along the way. He finally encounters socialite Eve Rand near the end of the day. After being injured slightly during their encounter, Rand insists Chance return home with her to be seen by a doctor. This sets the premise for the remainder of the film... Chance answers every question (except those he fails to understand well enough to answer at all) with a gardening reference... this is mistaken for brilliance by nearly everyone around him. The simple Chance's response to "modern life" are fabulously funny... This, coupled with the occassional cut back to the poor Housekeeper Louise's home - showing her contempt and disgust that a mere idiot could rise so highly - lend a wonderful context to the film.
Made near the end of Sellers all too short life, Being There ranks with Dr. Strangelove as perhaps his best. You won't be disappointed if you rent this film... it's simply marvelous! It's on my top 10...
The Wind and the Lion
(1975)
fabulous sweeping epic...
7 February 2004
The wind and the lion is a marvelous sweeping motion picture. It is a monument to what filmmaking once was but is no more.
Connery, despite the thick scottish brogue, plays the Raisulu very well. He inspires the viewer in a way many lead characters cannot.
Candice Bergen, in one of her early roles, is marvelous as the kidnapped socialite Mrs. Pedacaris, showing courage in the face of adversity (and plenty of humour as well). A marvelous film, rent or buy it and you won't be disappointed.
Connery, despite the thick scottish brogue, plays the Raisulu very well. He inspires the viewer in a way many lead characters cannot.
Candice Bergen, in one of her early roles, is marvelous as the kidnapped socialite Mrs. Pedacaris, showing courage in the face of adversity (and plenty of humour as well). A marvelous film, rent or buy it and you won't be disappointed.
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