Movie of the Week

This week,

HISTORY OF THE WORLD- PART I (1981)

Starring- Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise

While this film isn't the height of Mel Brooks' cinematic work, it has some of the most memorable moments and lines of all his movies. Told in several vignettes, History of the World takes on Ancient Rome, the French Revolution and some Bible stories in hilarious fashion. Using many of his regular actors, Brooks switches from satire to goofball to slapstick and spares nobody in his quest to make his mark as he skewers humanities achievements.

Narrated by the booming voice of Orson Welles, the film begins with a look at ancient man, using the comedic talents of the great Sid Caesar, who had employed Brooks as a writer on Your Show of Shows. While the jokes in this section are a bit on the cheesy side, there are a few real belly laughs that make you grateful for Caesar's participation in the film. Following that segment Brooks does a short Biblical bit where he plays a clumsy Moses. Then the film goes into a lengthy vignette about the Roman Empire that is probably the film's strongest and funniest bit. Brooks is Comicus, a stand-up philosopher, who finds himself playing the main room at Caesar's Palace. Caesar (DeLuise) is a farting, burping treasure bathing pig and his wife, Empress Nympho (Kahn) is a nympho- go figure.

The Roman scenes are full of memorable Brooksian moments, and finish up with a great parody of the Last Supper. A big song and dance number follows, as Mel and friends make light of the Spanish Inquisition. Only Mel Brooks would dare to turn a dark chapter in human history into a hilarious, bubbly musical parody. The film ends with another long story that is set during the French Revolution. Comedy greats Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman and Spike Milligan guest star in this segment that sees a Piss Boy (Garcon de Piss) step in to double for King Louis as the peasants attack the palace. All you need to know about this part is that it's good to be the king.

Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein are better films in almost every way, but there is enough good stuff in History of the World- Part I that it makes you wish that Mel had gone on to make Part II. Oh well, we can only sit around and think about what might have been.

Things to watch for-

A young Gregory Hines as Josephus
My favorite Golden Girl- Bea Arthur
Jesus! What?
Quicktime Harch
Hitler on Ice

"Don't get saucy with me, Bearnaise."

Movie of the Week

This Week,

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966)

Starring- Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw, Wendy Hiller, Orson Welles

As a nod to my Halloween costume this year (I'm being Henry VIII) I am highlighting a great Oscar winning film that tells the story of Sir Thomas More and his struggle with Henry VIII over divorce and the king's ultimate break with the Catholic Church. Written by Robert Bolt, who adapted it from his successful play, the story portrays More as the ultimate man of principle- beloved by the common folk for his conviction and loyalty to his values and religion in the face of death. Scofield's work as More is top notch, and it garnered him an Oscar for Best Actor.

While the film takes some dramatic license with the facts, it is quite accurate overall. Henry VIII (Shaw) is upset at the fact that his wife Catherine of Aragon has been unable to provide him with a male heir, and so he wants a divorce. Unfortunately for the king, it is not up to him, but rather the Pope to grant the divorce. Henry's Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey (Welles), urges More to help him let Henry out of the marriage. More refuses and Wolsey dies, disgraced by Henry who is still married to Catherine. More succeeds Wolsey as Lord Chancellor, but angers Henry when he says his conscience will not allow him dissolve a marriage that he feels is valid.

More is also up against the ambitious Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern) who wants to gain power and take More down for his actions. Henry VIII, tired of waiting for the Pope to grant his divorce, creates the Church of England with himself as the head. He then marries his mistress Anne Boleyn. More refuses to recognize the union and is imprisoned in the Tower of London for treason. More is eventually put on trial where he boldly sticks to his principles. For that he is ultimately beheaded.

The story is a powerful one and is  masterfully executed by Director Fred Zinneman and his first rate cast. It is no wonder that this is still held up as the quintessential film about More and Henry VIII. Scofield was made a popular actor for his work as More and became forever tied to this role. See this film for the history, the performances- especially Scofield and Shaw, and the fact that it is way better than The Tudors.

Things to watch for-

A young John Hurt
The great score by George Delerue
A cameo by Vanessa Redgrave as Anne Boleyn
The epilogue

"I know a man who wants to change his woman."

Top 10 Villains of All Time

The movie industry has given us some great villains over the years, and I feel compelled to recognize the ten that I think are the best. Here they are...

10. KHAN NOONIEN SINGH

Star Trek's best and most memorable villain gets us off to a great start. Khan is a genetically engineered genius who is hell-bent on revenge. It is Khan's determination that makes him a great villain, and his use of brain burrowing, mind controlling eels on his enemies doesn't hurt either. (Played by Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II)

9. HARRY LIME

Perhaps the most charming villain on this list, Harry Lime is a criminal mastermind. His plot leaves many people dead or terminally ill, and he feels no remorse. He is a product of World War II and its aftermath, but that is no excuse for his sadistic behavior. (Played by Orson Welles in The Third Man)

8. CAPTAIN BLIGH

This is the only villain on this list who actually existed in real life. Captain Bligh is a cruel disciplinarian that forces his crew into mutiny because of his evil and irrational treatment of his men on the H.M.S. Bounty. Bligh has been played by many men, but make sure to see the 1935 Oscar winning version of Mutiny on the Bounty for the best and most villainous Bligh. (Played by Charles Laughton)

7. BRICKTOP

You might look at this guy and think, "Who's this old dork?" But while you're thinking that, he'll be planning to kill you and feed you to his pigs. That's right, he's a mob boss who kills his enemies and those who displease him and feeds them to his pet pigs. Don't cross Bricktop, he's a tough customer. (Played by Alan Ford in Snatch)

6. HARRY POWELL

There's nothing more villainous than a bad man who pretends to be good. Harry Powell claims to be a minister, but he is really a thief and a murderer. Worse than that, his target is two children who know his true intentions. I'll never hear the hymn "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and not be creeped out. (Played by Robert Mitchum in The Night of the Hunter)

5. NURSE RATCHED

This woman makes mental hospitals less appealing than they already are. Her manipulative hold on her patients makes her a very evil villain, and responsible for more problems than she cures. She's also not willing to be challenged, and will use any means necessary to stay in control. (Played by Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)

4. ROSA KLEBB/RED GRANT

These are the two best villains that James Bond creator Ian Fleming ever gave us. They get paired together because one is the brains and one is the braun. He's the most dangerous assassin SPECTRE has, and she's the creepy mastermind with poison knives in her shoes. 007 has a hard time getting the better of the these two. (Played by Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love)

3. THE JOKER

Completely unpredictable, ruthless and sadistic, The Joker is in a class of his own. The fact that he believes in anarchy might make him the most dangerous villain on this list, and his wicked sense of humor only adds to his menacing personality. Wanna know how he got his scars? (Played by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight)

2. DR. HANNIBAL LECTER

This guy is a genius psychiatrist who eats people. He eats people! What else do you need to know? Maybe that he's always two steps ahead, and that he's really charming and manipulative. The Silence of the Lambs is scary as shit, and 99% of that is because of Dr. Lecter. (Played by Sir Anthony Hopkins)

1. DARTH VADER

You cannot think villain without picturing Darth Vader. He is the epitome of evil, with his force chokes, his light saber skills, the black helmet and that deep voice. I don't know if any villain before or since has made as big an impact as the Dark Lord of the Sith. (Played by David Prowse and James Earl Jones in the Original Star Wars trilogy)

Movie of the Week

This Week,

CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Starring- Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore

I'm going film school on your ass this week, kids. I know it sounds super pretentious of me to say this movie is one of the greatest ever made, but I was in film school once, and I really do appreciate this as one of the best films of all time. Sadly, Orson Welles peaked at the age of 26 with his work as Director, writer and star of this masterpiece. I guess I better get cracking, since I turn 27 in March.

I digress, this film is amazing in almost every regard, especially when you consider a 26 year old kid made it. Citizen Kane is the story of newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane (based on real-life media baron, William Randolph Hearst) and the search for the meaning of his last word "Rosebud." Most of the film is told in flashback, as an unseen reporter interviews those close to Kane for clues as to Rosebud's identity. Welles masterfully crafts the mystery, and drops hints along the way as we are taken through Kane's successful and also turbulent rise and fall from power.

Welles plays Kane at all stages of life (except his youth) remarkably well, and his supporting cast gives him plenty to play off of. Many of the actors in the film are veterans from Welles' Mercury Radio company, and their pre-existing rapport is evident in their onscreen interactions. Joseph Cotten's work with Welles especially stands out. (See my first movie of the week for another Welles/Cotten classic)

While Welles deserves much of the credit for Citizen Kane, he would have been lost in his first film effort without a few select individuals. Cinematographer Gregg Toland creates some of the most iconic shots ever committed to celluloid, and Robert Wise's editing is fabulous. It's not surprising that both men were nominated for Oscars. Wise eventually won as a director. The script also received polish from Herman Mankiewicz who claimed sole authorship of the script. History has come out in favor of co-authorship for Welles and Mankiewicz, with much of the dialogue being credited to Mankiewicz.

All of the scandals surrounding this movie aside, it is a great work of filmmaking in every facet of the trade. See it again, or for the first time, and try to figure out what Rosebud is before the big reveal at the end.

Things to watch for-

The depth of field shot that opens the film with the snow globe

Bernard Hermann's amazing score

Agnes Moorhead (Bewitched's Endora) as Kane's mother

"I don't think there's one word that can describe a man's life."

Movie of the Week

Here is the first of what I plan to be a weekly feature of the blog. I will pick a film to be my movie of the week- it will be film I know well that I think you should see or see again. Take it or leave it.

This week,

THE THIRD MAN (1949)

Directed by Carol Reed

Starring- Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Valli, Trevor Howard

This film is easily in my top five of all time. If you have never seen it, put it on your Netflix list or whatever. Based on the novel by Graham Greene, it focuses on post-war Vienna and beautifully captures the spirit of the forlorn city. Even if you have never seen the film, you have seen its influence or parodies of its scenes. Welles is great as the mysterious Harry Lyme, and after this you will remember him as a handsome cad, and not the wine-drenched planetoid he became in his later years.

Cotten is also good as the conflicted hero who tries to negotiate the seedy world of Vienna with a beautiful girl and the British and Russian authorities complicating his search for his old friend, Lyme. His scenes with Howard, who plays the British commander, bristle with wit and conflict.

Director Carol Reed brilliantly weaves suspense, humor and melancholy in a way that makes Hitchcock pissed he didn't make this film himself. He also shoots the film in stark contrast, so much so that you can't imagine the film in anything but black and white. The scene where we meet Welles' character is so powerful because of the use of the shadows and light. Few reveals compare in the history of film.

Also worth mention is Anton Karras' signature zither music which makes this film even more unique. What makes it even more amazing is that he made the music up as he went along, without writing it down.

With all this said, The Third Man is a brilliant piece of cinema, and it is no wonder that it was voted the best British film of all time. For fans of Welles, the spy genre, mystery, suspense, great characters and music, this movie does not disappoint.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR-

The fat Viennese kid with the ball

A pre-James Bond Bernard Lee (M)

The Prater Ferris Wheel Scene

The Sewers, oh the Sewers

The Greatest Ig of all time

"Death's at the bottom of everything, Martins. Leave death to the professionals."