larryludwigpilot Reviews

3 Cheers for the Irish (1940)

Wonderful Film

[10/10 · 11 September 2008]

This is simply a wonderful film made during the glory days of Hollywood which sadly are LONG GONE. One of the last interviews with Bette Davis said it all...you had to be a leading actor to be a "star" in Hollywood.. but by the 50's anyone that was in a film now carried that title. There are no BIG STARS in this film, but you will recognize Alan Hale who always makes me laugh. This movie with such fine actors/actresses Lane,Morgan,Mitchell show their craft and skills in every scene the way that films were intended to be made. It's just a delightful movie that gives you 90 minutes of fun and clever dialog. Just enjoy it.

Wide Awake (1998)

Punishment

[1/10 · 12 June 2007]

One of the things they never mention in flight school is being trapped in a hotel with crummy cable. Being bored enough to watch terrible films on the premium channel in your room is dangerous to your mental health. If you liked "They Shoot Horses Don't They" or think Kafka is good for few laughs, this will be right up your alley. Otherwise, if you are stuck in a hotel with this film on... go ride up and down in the elevator and listen to the musac.. it's more enjoyable.

Odds are you will probably not make it through the first 3 to 5 minutes. The opening sequence pretty well sets the pace for Rod Serlings coming of age in the twilight zone. This was one of those films, that they make fun of in other films. Remember when on I Love Lucy she wrote her novel, and it was finally published.. in a text book on writing under the chapter "don't let this happen to you"...well... here it is on film. This should be in text books of young film makers... don't let this happen to YOU. My advice, run away, watch the foreign language channel, you might learn something, the PBS auction is more entertaining. BOMBS AWAY !

Ten Tall Men (1951)

A great Saturday afternoon popcorn chomper

[10/10 · 20 March 2007]

This is a great movie for just watching and enjoying. No overwhelming drama, no thought to guess the plot or who-done-it, just good old fashioned entertainment. Burt Lancaster shines in a way only he can. The jokes are funny, lines memorable (mamasita, what a rap she gave me... Khassein is a lump of evil smelling goat cheese) the girls are pretty and it rolls along as you "listen to the squeaking of the little mouse". Just enjoy yourself, if you miss a few minutes in the kitchen it won't throw you off the plot. It's great to see REAL actors displaying their craft in a time period when talent was more important than looks, bra size and CGI. If you want drama, go find Wuthering Heights and get your fill.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

The WORST Movie EVER made

[1/10 · 26 October 2006]

I rated this abortion of a film a 1 because ZERO was not an option. Were it not a Clint Eastwood film, and my disbelief had me hoping for some salvation I would have walked out. Now I wish I had. This is the most Anti-American, Anti-military, Anti-war, Anti-Government film I have ever had the displeasure of seeing. I am trying to convince myself that after a 40+ year career of wonderful excellent films from Eastwood, that perhaps other forces took charge of the project and cut it to suit their personal taste or political beliefs, but that is a mighty thin belief. Reading about the film this evening after seeing it I am not surprised at the reaction by the veterans groups that are vilified by this horrible movie.

The soldiers died in vain, the politicians are all cigar chomping, glad handing, better you over there than me let me get back to my slush fund pigs, woven through the tapestry of anti-war and look what it did to the HEROES crap. In a world today, where some rapper is a HEE-RO because he gets shot in a drive by and lives to chant out a CD about his sexcapades, to take what these men did and gave for this country is beyond despicable. One of my closest friends and mentors made every amphibious landing in the Pacific, he was there and this ain't it folks. The soldiers are lost, they don't achieve anything, they wander around through the movie and die in gruesome and ridiculously staged death scenes. If it were not so trite it would be corny. I have not seen such garbage since "Guadalcanal Diary"... and it at least has it's moments. Beyond disappointing, insulting, and geeee... what timing.... an unpopular war, and our boys over there dying for ...what??? GOLLY... I wonder where they were going with THAT theme. If Clint would stand up and say he had nothing to do with it I could sleep better. What a waste, and what an embarrassment to the wonderful brave men and women that fought and died for this country.

Hollywood does it again, for their own benefit.

Flyboys (2006)

Pearl Harbor meets WW I

[1/10 · 4 September 2006]

What an abortion. WHY do these morons in Hollywood have to take an honest, decent, serious subject and make it into this trite piece of garbage? The saddest thing is that since the children of today rarely read, they will think that this horrible piece will be factual. I have been a pilot since I was 16, and flying is something quite important to me, and I was so hopeful that this would be a decent film about some incredible young men on both sides of this terrible war. Instead I see nothing but smarmy faces mocking the sacrifices that those men made on a daily basis. I don't expect a documentary, most people have to be entertained and recoil at the thought of being educated. Somehow it just makes it all the worse when the technology is there with CGI and the ability to seamlessly provide images that could not be done before, so they overkill the scenes with more planes in one shot than were in the entire theater of operations. I honestly hoped that PEARL HARBOR would never be topped in the category of most horrible war film, but it looks to be that FLYBOYS will be close competition.

"I miss you more than Michael Bey missed the mark when he made Pearl Harbor"........ looks like Parker and Stone will have more fodder to lampoon now. WHAT A WASTE!

Dante's Peak (1997)

Bombs Away!

[1/10 · 3 September 2006]

This was a bomberoo if ever I saw one. Corny, predictable, if you can manage to stay awake through the standard disaster film opening 20 minutes you will continue to be disappointed. The studio should have taken the money they spent on this on and played one shot of Red/Black on the roulette table at Vegas. The odds were better and so was the payoff. Brosnan looks good as always, but you keep waiting for some of the magic from the Bond films to come through and save this one. It doesn't happen. Linda Hamilton is still a favorite of mine, but wow... she had to have something to work with here... and between the story/plot and writing.... she was doomed with the rest of the film. Read about the actors comments themselves from interviews and they admit that this was just a paycheck for them. There are just so many good movies out there, I hate wasting the time on these clunkers. The only way that this is watchable is being snowed into a cabin with only one channel on the tube.

All Through the Night (1942)

Not the normal Bogie film

[8/10 · 22 July 2006]

Not the typical Bogie film, but still with the typical Bogie... cracking wise and being a tough guy that is slower to catch on that usual. This is more of a romp with plenty of fun thrown in, almost akin to a Bob Hope style Ghost Busters or even a Bowery Boys serial. William Demarest plays a good supporting role for those of us that only remember him from "My Three Sons" replacement to Bill Frawley.

If you are a fan of the 30's and 40's style vernacular, you will enjoy this film more than most from the period as the lingo is fast and furious and many terms familiar with some new ones in there as well. Light humor, CORNY... but get a bucket of corn of your own to fight back with... and hiss the villain... Gee, I wonder if Bogie will come through in the end and get the pretty girl?!!?

Mitchell (1975)

Linda Evans for 10 seconds almost saves the movie.

[1/10 · 25 June 2006]

While this is a regrettable and wholly forgettable movie... there is the briefest of scenes when the bad guys send Linda Evans... playing the part of a $1,000 a night prostitute to Bakers apartment with the idea that she will keep him busy for the night and persuade him to drop the case. She arrives unannounced at his door in a slinky dress and boots to Baker's just stepped out of the shower in a towel and revolver. He offers her something to drink, and being a manly man...only has beer to offer which she accepts while sitting on the couch. Baker, standing over her pours the beer into a glass (she is a lady after all) and while observing her lovely figure overflows the glass and pours beer down her legs and boots to which he says.. "Oh, I guess the beer got excited.. do you want me to get you a towel?" Linda eyes him back shaking the beer from her boots and asks "Do you want to lick it off?" I don't remember the rest of the movie after that point as I lost concentration and was never able to get past that part.

Treasure Island (1934)

The best of the rest, and top 10 of all time

[10/10 · 25 June 2006]

We would always gauge films with the old test of... if you were going to be shot off in a capsule into space and could only take 10 movies... this one would be the first I would chose. Dialog is excellent and follows the story from the book. Casting is spot on with the obvious out of the park home run for the choice of Wallace Beery as Long John Silver. The mark of his skill and acting in this film, is that even though he describes in some detail the murders he committed of his shipmates (there were too many to share the treasure) and is seen in the film.. as best as it was shown in the '30's... killing yet again... by the end of the film you have forgotten his evil. How can this happen? Simply because he is that wonderful in the part. Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson) as the bumbling Squire, and Harold Stone (Judge Hardy)round out the cast in glowing Technicolor. Jackie Cooper has been knocked for giving a "stiff" performance, but I thought he was great. Give the kid a break. Many great lines, memorable moments and favorite scenes that will stay with you long after the movie ends. This is one that I can happily watch once a week forever.

For me this will always be the classic and definitive version, everything else is just chasing this one and none have come close.

Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

Bad is a compliment

[1/10 · 6 June 2006]

I have seen plenty of BAD movies, but this one is insulting. Furthermore, I loathe films that teach the public the wrong things. I know, I know... it is not a documentary... but give me the benefit of the doubt that watching a movie that shows things that are completely and totally inaccurate for the purpose of making the movie "exciting" is WRONG. After watching this movie, people will think that fighters get chased around by missiles which keep after them until one or the other is destroyed. If it were not so stupid it would be comical... but sadly, people believe this crap because they don't know better. Please avoid the ignorance, and forgive the waste of your time if you see more than 10 seconds of this horrible film.

The Longest Day (1962)

Longest Day 40 years later

[5/10 · 29 May 2006]

I remember seeing this film when it came out, and most people didn't know better. I suppose it did some good reminding a few of the sacrifices made on 6/6/44. Now that there is so much more information available because of the release of documents and pictures from families of survivors that have since died, so much more can and should be shown and told about these events. Most will compare "Saving Private Ryan" which is technically far advanced, and understandably does a better job, it still presents a limited view and from an artistic and not historical point of view. The first 20 minutes of Ryan will live on, but even it will have some mark set before it when you consider that Longest Day is now 40 years old and more time has passed since the making of the movie, than had passed between the event and the filming times two.

Jet Pilot (1957)

Jet Pilot Surprise

[9/10 · 16 May 2006]

At the ripe old age of 50, I was amazed to see JET PILOT today for the very first time. Not many Wayne films have escaped me, but this one had. As I was watching the film, it occurred to me that ol Duke must have enjoyed being a fighter pilot (as he should) because he played a pilot in at least 6 films I could think of off the top of my head. Janet Leigh was not overly convincing as a Soviet, but WOW is she gorgeous... WHO CARES. Still, if she had a convincing Russian accent and some leather this would have been the Duke's best effort! Great film of some wonderful machines, and such a treat to see them as well. I became a fighter pilot because of the F-86 though I was too old to fly one... this film features them constantly. Chuck Yeager stunted for the film and broke a tail in a Sabre pressing the envelope. Overall, just a nice film, that was totally unlike any Wayne film I had ever seen. Normally, you know exactly how the plot will go, and that Good, Truth, and the American Way will prevail... but this one... actually makes you wonder if that is going to be the case?!?! Maybe not for the Duke, you know he has a trick up his sleeve, but Janet Leigh?? She is a wild card and you never know till the end who will win out. This movie was akin to finding a $20 bill in your pocket from last year... it has been there a long time, and just a nice treat to come across it.