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La diagonale du fou (1984)
Adequate chess drama
"La Diagonale Du Fou" is notable as one of the only two Swiss films to ever take home the Academy Award for "Best Foreign Language Film". It is also notable as being one of only a handful of films about chess which, apparently, is not considered the most cinematic "sport", although with the right director it can be. Richard Dembo may not have been that director: his film is perfectly watchable, but not as exciting as it should / could have been. Unsurprisingly, the brightest moments involve the actual chess games; most of the other stuff (the wise old pro and the rebellious young upstart, the neglected wives, the Cold War tensions, etc.) we have seen before, in different surroundings. The little-known Alexandre Arbatt holds his own against the well-known Michel Piccoli; Leslie Caron receives third billing but is largely wasted; Liv Ullmann fares a little better. **1/2 out of 4.
Loulou (1980)
Shallow and disappointing teaming of two top French stars
It might seem crude to suggest that "Loulou" was made for the single purpose of getting Gerard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert, two of the biggest stars of the French film industry then (and now), in bed together; on the other hand, it's hard to think of any other reason for making it (or seeing it). They do share a strong chemistry, and Huppert may never have looked better, but their characters, like all the others, lack interest and depth: all they do is eat, drink, argue and screw, in no particular order. The script is void (there is not a shred of plot, and barely any dramatic conflict, in this 105-minute movie), and the direction is totally pedestrian. *1/2 out of 4.
Messidor (1979)
Like "Thelma & Louise" as if directed by Robert Bresson
"Messidor" is the second Alain Tanner film I have watched, after "La Salamandre" (1971); I gave that one zero stars, but I'm giving this one ***. Maybe it's because it's about two girls while "La Salamandre" was about two guys? In any case, "Messidor" is a love poem to aimlessness (its liberations as well as its limitations), to girl-bonding (one girl is working and from the country, the other studying and from the city), and to the magnificent variety of the Swiss landscapes. It is very deliberately paced and decidedly not for all tastes: only put it on when you're in a patient mood. But if you do surrender to it, you may find it quite hypnotic, right up to its bitterly ironic ending. Tanner is a talented director (a conclusion that I came to even in his previous film that I disliked), with a highly distinctive, minimalistic style. The two grls are not exactly likable, but they are real (and beautifully acted).
Olivier, Olivier (1992)
Compellingly ambiguous arthouse thriller
"Olivier, Olivier" is one of the best films I've watched recently, and comes from one of the most creatively fruitful periods for cinema - the early 1990s. It is unpleasant yet riveting, thought-provoking, erotic, ambiguous, and beautifully detailed. The director, Agnieszka Holland, does not feel the need to do anything overly fancy: she relies on the locations (the deceptively quiet French countryside), the acting (powerful across the board, but the young Gregoire Colin and Marina Golovine, in particular, are revelations) and the story (full of twists and turns) to carry the film, and they do. The ending leaves a lot up for debate - just like a work of art should. ***1/2 out of 4.
The Vanishing (1993)
Slick, good-looking, if unnecessary remake
With "The Vanishing" (1993), George Sluizer joins the short list of directors who have remade one of their own films; unlike Alfred Hitchcock and "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956), he does not improve upon his original work. With that said, this remake is not as bad as some have claimed; in fact it is perfectly watchable, and Jeff Bridges is well-cast as the well-adjusted psycho-next-door. It's just that, with so many scenes and even pieces of dialogue replicated shot-for-shot and line-for-line, you wonder about the purpose of its existence. If there is one in the mind of Sluizer, it must be the alternate ending; on one hand it's true that it's a conventionally happy Hollywood ending, on the other hand Nancy Travis, in the beefed-up part of the new girlfriend, makes an unconventionally kickass action heroine! (she rescues the male lead before he has to rescue her). In fact, Travis is so much livelier than Bullock (the vanished girlfriend) in this particular film that you can't help but wonder if maybe Kiefer Sutherland should just cut his losses and focus exclusively on her from the get-go. ** out of 4.
Accusée... levez-vous! (1930)
Uneven but worthwhile courtroom whodunit
"Accusée.... Levez-Vous!" begins well, as a celebration of sound and female flesh (in the form of underdressed French showgirls). In its combination of murder and show business, it predates the minor Hollywood classic "Murder At The Vanities" (1934). But when the action moves to the courtroom (as the title implies that it will), it becomes talky and overindulgent, especially in the case of an elder ex-actor / now-stage manager who is allowed to ramble on for centuries, for supposed comic effect. Still, the film boasts excellent use of sound, a well-done final unmasking of the killer, and a beautiful female lead (Gaby Morlay). **1/2 out of 4.
Eaux profondes (1981)
Very much in the Claude Chabrol vein, though not quite as good
"Eaux Profondes" is based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, but to the book-illiterate it may look more like an unofficial remake of Claude Chabrol's "La Femme Infidele" (although the book came out in 1957 and Chabrol's film in 1969, making you rethink who influenced whom first). It is a calm, dispassionate story about infidelity, jealousy, and murder, with some interesting transitions by director Michel Deville and two excellent leads: Jean-Louis Trintignant (he's at his best when he puts on a wolfish smile) and a young, frequently nude Isabelle Huppert. But it is also repetitive, feeling longer than it is (93 minutes), without enough psychological depth. Also the music score sometimes gets too loud and annoying. ** out of 4.
Toutes peines confondues (1992)
Offbeat crime movie begins with promise, goes nowhere
"Toutes Peines Confondues" begins with some promise (if somewhat confusingly), as it runs through the events that bring a cop (Patrick Bruel) and a criminal (Jacques Dutronc) together. But after the first 20 minutes or so, the film seems to lose its way - and its sense of purpose. There is so much small talk and so many word games between the two men that at times you may wonder if they are flirting and if that's the subtext of the film, which is further marred by the distasteful treatment of its secondary female character (Sophie Broustal). The acting is good by all and there is some nice scenery, mostly in Switzerland. ** out of 4.
Le cri du hibou (1987)
Medium-grade Chabrol
"Cry Of The Owl" is one of the most obscure mid-1980s Claude Chabrol films, and frankly, not among his best (I prefer his "Masques" from the following year). It is very low-key, and doesn't ignite - to the extent that it ever does - until it's too late. Mathilda May is radiant and gives a touching perforance, but it is a little disconcerting that this story is based on a book written by a woman (the famous Patricia Highsmith), considering the behavior and, especially, the fate of both main female characters. Then again, you could say that the men don't fare much better, either. **1/2 out of 4.
Les liens de sang (1978)
Absorbing policier dvelops into moody, compelling psychological thriller
One of Claude Chabrol's most underrated movies, "Blood Relatives" begins as a police procedural, with interrogations, police line-ups, red herrings, etc., but gradually transforms into a psychological family drama, with long flashbacks that take up nearly the entire second half; the ultimate solution of the murder is guessable for fans of the genre, but remains chilling to see unfold on the screen. Aude Landry (why did she have to quit acting so early? She shows huge potential here) and Lisa Langlois give haunting performances, and Donald Sutherland is effectively introspective as the inspector who, much like Hercule Poirot, tries to understand the psychology of the crime in order to get to the truth. The Montreal setting is refreshingly different and just right for this moody, understated film; it stays in your memory. *** out of 4.
Australian Survivor: Master and Apprentice (2024)
Masterclass in smart storytelling that pays off
(Warning - Heavy Spoilers!) This is a rare case of a Survivor episode that tells a complete, enclosed mini-story within about an hour. Having Eden put so much work into bringing the two fractions (Mark & Val and Caroline & Kitty) of the OG Titans together again, only to have his "protegè", to whom he had been "teaching" the game, take initiative and blow up his plans and his spot in the game was the ultimate ironic payoff. This season has an impressive fluidity in alliances: yes, in this episode, as JLP observed, it was mostly OG Titans vs. OG Rebels, but in the previous episode it was very different! A non-elimination episode, a unanimous vote and a quit stopped the season's momentum for a while, but now it seems to be back on track. 8/10.
Le parfum de la dame en noir (1931)
Weaker story, stronger technique than its predecessor
One of the earliest "talkie" sequels made in any country, "Le Parfum De La Dame En Noir" follows up on the events of the previous year's "Le Mystère De La Chambre Jaune", made by the same director, reuniting most of the same cast. The story this time is weaker: the villain's secret identity had already been revealed in the previous chapter, and nothing much seems to be happening until well over an hour in. But the filmmaking technique is more advanced: Marcel L' Herbier's camera is restless and spry, it frequently finds itself is strange places (the film is set in a huge chateau overlooking the Monte Carlo sea). There are also some rub-your-eyes acrobatics performed by Rouletabille. **1/2 out of 4.
Le mystère de la chambre jaune (1930)
Early talkie is very "talkie" indeed
"Le Mystère De La Chambre Jaune" is undeniably a historically important film as one of the earliest French talkies, and what's more, one of the earliest talkie locked-room murder mysteries / old-dark-house thrillers / courtroom dramas. It is stilted, static, confusing (there are a lot of people to keep track of, and sometimes it's not clear who or why all those people are in a scene together), and technically rough-around-the edges, but it does boast an acrobatic amateur detective, a surprising resolution and occasionally creative use of sound (meow!). The film also begins and ends rather originally: at the start it verbally announces its credits, and at the end its own sequel. ** out of 4.
Une manche et la belle (1957)
Sluggish thriller
"What Price Murder?" suffers from a way, way, way too sluggish first half where almost nothing happens and which could potentially cause viewers to shut the film off early: it largely appears to be a travelogue of the French Riviera and the Italian Venice, but for that purpose it would have benefitted majorly from being shot in color. The film does get better in the second half, when it embraces the pulpiness (and the bleakness) of James Hadley Chase's story: there are some interesting plot developments and one "bit of business", in particular, involving a phone call and a recording machine, that I would honestly describe as brilliant. Still, that is not enough to recover from the sluggishness of the first half. Mylene Demongeot is very good here and shows again why she was arguably Bardot's most serious French rival at that time. ** out of 4.
Cette nuit là... (1958)
Decent Parisian noir
According to IMDb trivia, in 1963 Stanley Kubrick listed this film as one of the ten best of all time (until then); you are not likely to agree. The fact that it was Maurice Cazeneuve's ONLY feature / non-TV film ever may be more telling. The first half is slow and uneventful, but the film picks up energy with the arrival of the polite-yet-slimy blackmailer played by Hubert Noël: even though he is a face unknown to me, whereas the three leads are famous French film stars, he gives the best performance here. There is also a fairly tense climactic sequence. Overall, an average example of its genre. **1/2 out of 4.
The Black Sleep (1956)
Standard mad-scientist shenaningans, worth seeing primarily for Basil Rathbone
In a classic case of a marketing ploy, "The Black Sleep" promotes itself as an unprecedented gathering of horror stars, when in fact it is largely an one-man show: a terrific Basil Rathbone carries the proceedings almost single-handedly, delivering lines such as " I will destroy a hundred men to restore my wife for just one day" with utter conviction. He gets some support from an utterly slimy Akim Tamiroff as his "assistant" / body snatcher, but the other names are mercilessly underutilized: Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr never even speak (!), while John Carradine and Tor Johnson (who also never speaks) appear only near the end. The film begins well, gets overly talky in the middle, but still offers some jolts, especially when it cribs stuff from "Freaks". ** out of 4.
House of the Long Shadows (1983)
Saved by double-whammy ending and legendary supporting cast
"House Of The Long Shadows" is an anachronistic old-dark-house movie that wearily plods through a long list of dusty clichès (would you believe there are TWO black cat jumps, a rat sighting, and multiple spider webs?). Desi Arnaz Jr doesn't cut it as a sub-Chevy Chase lead. And yet, the film is partially saved by occasional atmosphere, an once-in-a-lifetime supporting cast of horror legends (Vincent Price, in particular, has some choice moments: "Please don't interrupt me whilst I'm soliloquizing!" or "Piano wire. He must have heard her singing"), and a double-whammy ending which, however, will not surprise those who have seen the 1929 version of "Seven Keys To Baldpate", of which this film is a loose remake: it maintains the same initial setup, then invents a completely different story, but the ending(s) is (are) almost exactly the same. ** out of 4.
The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock (1973)
Superficial and spoils a lot, but it's always a pleasure to hear Sir Alfred speak his mind
If nothing else, this hour-long documentary on the career of Alfred Hitchcock makes you appreciate the progress of technology in at least one respect: the remastering of film prints. All the clips of Hitchcock's work which are presented by this doc are in poor condition, and given that it carries the TCM logo, you'd have to assume that these were probably the best available for viewing in 1973. The doc covers only a limited number of his films, and spoils some of his best endings; at the same time, it has little to offer to someone more familiar with the director's oeuvre. With that said, it's always a pleasure to see and especially hear Sir Alred speak, in that uniquely sarcastic style of his. I loved hearing even his stories that I've heard before. **1/2 out of 4.
Suspicion: Four O'Clock (1957)
Quintessentially Hitchcockian
Alfred Hitchcock directed the first (and only the first) episode of the 1950s TV series "Suspicion"; it is certainly a much better showcase of his talents than "Incident At A Corner", the one TV episode he directed for a different TV series, "Startime", three years later. Hitch puts his stamp all over this one, having his customary fun with little details that first give false hope to E. G. Marshall's character that there may be a way out of his predicament, only to dash those hopes time and time again by unforeseen developments. Cornell Woolrich's story is filled with ironic twists and reversals. *** out of 4.
Startime: Incident at a Corner (1960)
A footnote to Alfred Hitchcock's career
If you sat down to watch "Incident At A Cormer" without knowing that it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the same year he did "Psycho", no less, you'd never guess it. This teleplay has an interesting beginning (the same event filmed from three differennt perspectives) and a daring theme (involving accusations of child abuse), but it turns out to be a shaggy-dog story, and Hitchcock directs it mostly as a talking-heads affair. There is also some noticeably unconvincing casting, with people looking barely 10 years apart playing father and son. Not much more than a curio, to be honest. ** out of 4.
The Wrong Man (1956)
Versatile Hitchcock at his most artistic
Alfred Hitchcock is often simplistically classified as "The Master Of Suspense", when in fact he experimented with many different genres throughout his career, and rarely were two successive films of his similar. In this case, he followed up on a "traditional", glossy suspense story ("The Man Who Knew Too Much") with an offbeat, laid-back black comedy ("The Trouble With Harry"), and then with this riveting, ahead-of-its-time pure drama which at times resembles a documentary, at other times an "indie" film of the 1960s or later. It seems far-fetched, but it is based on a true story! The performances are convincing (though Henry Fonda is not, and does not look, "38" as announced), and there are a few amazing shots: the zoom in & out of the prison cell, the shake-up of another prison cell, and the revelatory sequence. *** out of 4.
The Paradine Case (1947)
Slick, smooth, lavishly produced but undoubtedly lesser Hitchcock movie
"The Paradine Case" is one of the very few courtroom dramas of Alfred Hitchcock - but he waits too long to get to the trial. The film is slickly made and lavishly produed, but the soapy material visibly restricts the director; if you're in the mood for a melodramatic Hitchcock, I'd recommend "Under Capricorn" over this, which has color, Ingrid Bergman, and some exceptional long unbroken camera shots. In "Paradine", the best shot is a pan tracking Louis Jourdan's entrance into the courtroom. Ann Todd, a beauty in her own right, pales next to the breathtaking Alida Valli; the spirited young Joan Tetzel, who made only a handful of films, also leaves a good impression. Charles Laughton is relatively more "reserved" here than he was in Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn". **1/2 out of 4.
The 39 Steps (1935)
Classic Hitchcock - but is it a Hitchcock classic?
"The 39 Steps" (1935) is generally considered Alfred Hitchcock's first great movie. It's a good one, no doubt, though time and an endless series of remakes and imitations (a few by Hitchcock himself - see "Young And Innocent" or "Saboteur") have taken some of the bloom off from it. It still offers shocks, (pitch-black) laughs, a cheeky cheesecake shot of Madeleine Carroll's legs, and an outstanding sequence involving a farm cabin couple (John Laurie and the haunting Peggy Ashcroft) which is unusually bitter and "realistic" for Hitchcock (and perhaps the high point of the film). But Hitch has done better, especially when the climax is concerned, and even from his early British work I would rank "Sabotage" and "The Lady Vanishes" higher than this one. *** out of 4.
High Flyers (1937)
Weak comedy, but some nice specialty numbers
Robert Woosley and Bert Wheeler are a comedy duo whose career was hurt by the strict enforcement of the Production Code in 1934: their often risquè humor was necessarily reduced to mostly "safe" slapstick. In "High Flyers", their last film together, the comedy is weak and repetitive, and the story is aimless. But there are a few funny bits, and some bright spots, particularly a couple of specialty numbers which have absolutely nothing to do with the "plot": Lupe Velez's terrific impersonation of Dolores Del Rio (what adds an extra punch to this is that Del Rio was probably the only other Mexican female star working in Hollywood at that time), and Wheeler's equally terrific impersonation of Charlie Chaplin. There is also a pretty spectacular plane crash. ** out of 4.
The Hidden City (1950)
The one with the Arabs
That's probably the chief distinction to keep this one differentiated from the others in the series. It has a dull story with lots of padding (you know, characters getting captured so that they can escape so that they can get captured again, that sort of thing), but Johnny Sheffield is getting even better at the role of Bomba: this time he displays a deadpan comic flair in some of his deliveries ("You cannot swim? Goodbye!"), and he is also more of a pure action hero than before, eliminating a number of villains one-by-one at the end all on his own. Sue England, the sole female character, is spicy and busty. ** out of 4.