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Robin and Marian (1976)
I Don't Care What Anyone else says...
I Don't Care What Anyone else says... this is a wonderful Film. Perfectly humorous in that Richard Lester sorta way. Part farcical and part very serious... and a solid 100% wonderfully Entertaining.
The Actors are flawlessly cast with Connery playing Robin like a well-worn British Patriot sarcastically returning to so-called civilization after far too many years murdering people for British Christianity.
Hepburn is even more than flawless. Her back story, told toward the finish, is absolutely and wonderfully believable... and... its danged Audrey Hepburn.
Nicol Williamson as Little John is a delight, perfectly responding and somewhat echoing Sean's Robin.
Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham, and Richard Harris as Richard the Lionheart are equally and superbly entertaining.
This film is the sublime bookend to the 1938, Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn. Not really sure what might fit in-between... likely, not much, if anything.
The teaser here at IMDB: "Robin Hood, aging none too gracefully, returns exhausted from the Crusades to woo and win Maid Marian one last time."
Um... not exactly.
Nothing Is Truer Than Truth (2018)
Horrible, horribly researched nonsense...
This is the QAnon of Shakespere. Badly researched, if at all. Just the usual nonsense spit-up by a no-talent family with a no-talent heritage, desperately needing/seeking to claim ancestry to the throne of someone with actual talent. It's a pathetic attempt to "In Search of..." William Shakespeare.
In point of fact, I wholeheartedly recommend "In Search of Shakespeare," by Michael Wood. Unlike this film, it contains no melodramatic bullsquat aimed at trying to influence people who obviously never took a class in Critical Thinking in their lives.
Almost as bad as the 2011 distorted melodrama, "Anonymous," by Independence Day's, Roland Emmerich, who directs a gorgeous but insipidly fact-checked bunch of silly, overacted nonsense, that is oddly supported by actual actors like Derek Jacobi - who is apparent in both these films... to the point where it seems he must have some serious cash invested in the de Vere estate.
Tin Men (1987)
Wonderful and Thoughtful Storytelling!
A while back, I somewhat accidentally came upon the newly released widescreen DVD of Tin Men, Barry Levinson's 1987 follow up to his remarkable 1982 Diner. I hadn't seen this movie for quite a while and was expecting an entertaining thoughtful movie experience in light of my recent appreciation of just having seen "Diner" for the first time in a few years. I recalled enjoying Tin Men when it was originally released in theaters, but I was wonderfully surprised that it was even better than I'd remembered.
I think Tin Men is a significantly "superior" film than Diner. While the latter is a fantastically written and directed, assembly of intimate choice moments in the lives of a few remarkably entertaining boys (and one girl) on the teetering verge of new adulthood, Tin Men is much more. The same seemingly stream of consciousness, throw-away snappy patter, permeates the experience, but the situations are much more "adult..." sorta.
Overall, Tin Men is a technically much more evolved Film than Diner, and while I don't prescribe to the notion that technical prowess is tantamount to creating a better film, I also don't think that clumsy, inept movie-making is the key to superior colloquial entertainment, "indie" or otherwise (although I'm sure it is to some people). While someone like a Kevin Smith plays at the contrivances of continually remaking an amateur movie, Barry graduates from a mere excellent Filmmaker to an incredibly wonderful movie maker.
With Tin Men, Levinson has learned even more about the emotional contributions of music, lighting, camera movement, interesting frame composition (although this may indeed be the developing artistic eye of Cinematographer, Peter Sova) and most important; the art of "naturally" evolving his characters in linearly in a very compelling light. The story takes a back-seat to the lives and emotionally natural free-fall of his main characters.
The performances are quite remarkable. Richard Dreyfus and Danny DeVitto - being the focal points for the two "families" of tin men that inter-react - have a fascinating and very complicated rapport. Dreyfus' performance is especially interesting in light of what is said by him in the commentary. Barbara Hershey's performance doesn't seem to have as much range as the rest of the ensemble, but fits quite naturally amid all the turmoil expressed by the main characters and their entourage. It's interesting to realize that "Tin Men" and "Diner" are mostly about Boy's Clubs with the pivot of action revolving and resolving around the singular female lead.
One of Levinson strengths is his ability to interest a movie-going audience in what is essentially a play, in that, the forward motion of the experience is driven almost entirely by dialogue, and he does it with a most wonderful quiet but exhilarating panache.
One of the rumors I've heard since its initial release is that the Micky Rourke character in "Diner" was supposed to be the same character as the Richard Dreyfece character, albeit grown up. The only substantial clue I've found being the last comments of the friend of Boogie's (Micky Rourke) father who saves Boogie from a beating in the last few minutes of Diner.
All in all, a wonderful experience with a great and informative commentary, especially suited for a burgeoning writer or director.
~albabe 3-10-22.
The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
Heartfelt, Wonderful film and absolutely Gorgeous Photography of the American Countryside
Heartfelt, Wonderful film and absolutely Gorgeous Photography of the American Countryside. Breathtaking, in fact. Great Characters, and mega Kudos for all the Nice performances. Meredith Salenger is wonderful as Natty. Ray Wise has a lovely emotional arc. John Cusack is barely in the film, but plays an instrumental Part of Natty's evolution.
There's a Fairy Tale caress that never interrupts the Soulful Drama. Similar in feel to "The Black Stallion" and "Fly Away Home," and almost like an Inverted version of "Call of the Wild" (The Book). I hate to sound like a bad Commercial, but it's "Really Wonderful For All Ages."
I didn't even know it existed, and now I feel sad that I missed it for 36 years.
The Rhythmatist (1985)
One of my Fave-Rave Films... along with Peter Weir's "The Last Wave" and Moyer's Interviews with Joe Campbell...
As far as I know this has only been available as a VHS Tape and a Japanese Laser Disc... all now long Out Of Print.
I love this Film. It's a wonderful crazy cosmic romp loosely based in Anthropological Science, but not really... It is, however, filled with an otherworldly Musical Twist. It's Mystical, even Psychedelic, very tuneful, and definitely presented with tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek.
A little Background: In 1985, Copeland released a solo album, The Rhythmatist. The record was the result of a pilgrimage to Africa and its peoples, featuring local drums and percussion; with more drums, percussion and other musical instruments added by Copeland.
The album was the official soundtrack to the movie of the same name, co-written by Stewart. He also starred in the movie, which claims that its "A musical odyssey through the heart of Africa in search of the roots of Rock & Roll."
The movie is an almost psychedelic, psychological, anthropological, and mythological cosmic adventure drawing from sources like Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, and similar to Peter Weir's "The Last Wave." And we get to see Stewart playing drums in a cage with hungry lions surrounding him.
Echoes of a World: The Story of the Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (2018)
Very Nice Documentary (except for some silly so-called "Acting")
Informative and Entertaining. Some wonderful Recent and Vintage Interviews with most of the members of the Band and fellow Travelers.
Lot's of nice Commentary from other Great Songwriters like XTC's Andy Partridge, along with Opinions by some pedestrian-at-best Songwriters.
The odd contrivance is the "Pretending" that Actor Danny Horn is sporadically Ray. Danny shows-up on occasion to "Perform" as Ray Davies, "Saying" things that I can only assume are Quotes from Ray published in Print formats. The so-called Dramatic "Acting" was terribly annoying to me, and my Wife, who is not a Kinks aficionado (but LOVES Village Green), thought Horn was actually someone in the Band, or at the very least someone with a clue... I had to tell her he was an Actor, who for some reason is pretending to be Mr. Davies. Very odd convention, to say the least.
I assume Ray thought this was groovy because the last "Acting" Attempt by Horn cross-blends into the Real Ray... and walks away. Fitting, in more ways than I assume intended.
Village Green is one of the most Fantastic Albums of All-Time. This Doc is a fitting Tribute to a Master Songwriter who sculpted one of the most Enduringly Glorious Albums of the Ages (except for the asinine and silly Horn nonsense - No offense to Danny).