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Reviews
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
A movie that deserves a re-make.
A black & white "B' movie made memorable by Ray Harryhausen's wonderful stop motion techniques and the absolute coolest design for flying saucers and sound effects. Aside from some minor low-budget use of stock footage (which are edited quire well actually) the movie has some various interesting ideas behind. The fact that the invaders had a totally different time reference than we do opens up some very profound concepts of time and space thst added a layer of credibility to the film. The alien solid electric suits were also very inventive. Also, the creepy factor plays into them as they had no faces and were only vaguely anthropomorphic (Until the helmet of one them was removed. Even that was inventive as the helmets and suits were bioengineered to elevate the senses. Plot hole: Realistically, there would not have been enough time to build the magnetic interrupter guns in large enough quantity to stop a world-wide invasion. I would love to see this movie re-made with newer special effects.
Father Knows Best: Woman in the House (1955)
Beatnik vs. Square
Jim Anderson's old friend's (played by Harry Hickox) wife is a 1950s free spirit. A beatnik to use the parlance of the era. She smokes cigarettes from a long cigarette holder, wears glasses and reads Existentialist literature. Obviously just the kind of influence Margaret Anderson wants for her children. When she learns that the bohemian chick (wonderfully played by Mary Webster) will be staying with them for a little while her husband goes on a business trip. Margaret is definitely not happy about it. After a couple of contentious days, Margaret, after a heart-to-heart talk with daughter Betty, decides to accept Jill as a friend, and learns a lesson in tolerance for different types of people. A very amusing ending shows Margaret lying on the couch reading Kafka. This episode of Father Knows Best proves that it is was not a cookie cutter 1950s sitcom It runs against the stereotype that Father Knows Best has beco.me. I think Father knows Best is one best written show of the golden age of TV. There is more to it than meets the eye.
Target Earth (1954)
What could Ray Harryhausen have done with this?
Having too much time on my hands, I often reimagine old science fiction movies from the 1950s that could have been done far more effectively given a larger budget. The premise of Target Earth is interesting and does play on the emotions of isolation and paranoia. The thought of killer robots from another planet is pretty cool and at least if you are kid watching, it's the stuff of modern nightmares. Of course, this "army" of robots is never seen. They could only afford one robot. Not a bad design as 1950s robots goes (It was no Robby the Robot for sure). This brings me to my main thesis. What if Ray Harryhausen could have designed and animated an army of alien killer robots? Given the special photographic techniques used in the The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and Earth vs. The Flying saucers, I believe Target Earth could have been a classic sci-fi movie of its kind, and not this tedious version of "Waiting for Godot".
The Wonderful Land of Oz (1969)
Robot Monster is Citizen Kane
What can I say? This "movie" makes Robot Monster look like Citizen Kane. In Robot Monster, the acting was better, it had special effects (stock footage of dinosaurs and atomic explosions) and a memorable character, and more importantly, a coherent storyline. The Wonderful Land of Oz had NONE of these. Watch the Rifftrax version, frealin' hilarious.
Tomorrow, the World! (1944)
German-American Bund would have made more sense
Okay, I realize this movie was based on a Broadway play, and it addresses issues of how to deal with a post war Nazi Germany. By 1944, things going against Germany in a big way. So, it was not a matter of "If" Germany would surrender, but "When". But the whole concept of a German boy being allowed to travel to the U. S. from Germany in 1944 is absurd. What would have made more sense, is if the boy Emil (Skip Homeier). Had been a member of the Youth arm of the German-American Bund. American boys and girls who were the children of pro-Nazi German Americans also went through intense indoctrination and para-military training in camps, like Camp Siegfreid in Long Island, NY before America's entry into WW2.
Also there was a major continuity issue. In one scene Emil uses his Hitler Youth Dagger to shred a portrait of his deceased and politically "disgraced" father. In a later scene the portrait is seen again in perfect condition. Overall it is an over rated so-so B movie.
Meeting of Minds (1977)
This program would fail today
Simply put, the general intellect and ability to listen to other points of view are all but no-existent today. Sadly, most people wouldn't even know who these historical personages were, let alone be engaged in an imaginary discourse with them. Mass / social media has succeeded in dumbing down our society. There is no going back.
The Patty Duke Show: The Girl from N.E.P.H.E.W. (1965)
Secret Agent Man
I love this episode. Patty Duke as always is adorable. Our favorite teenager always takes things too far, and dragging her brother Ross into her imagined intrigue is hilarious. International spy TV shows and movies were all the rage in this era, I remember it well. It's no coincidence that Johnny Rivers hit song a year later was "Secret Agent Man".
Twist Around the Clock (1961)
Thank God for the Beatles
Rock and Roll in America was dead, and this movie proves it. Twist Around the Clock has none of the energy and sheer, raw brilliance of it's 1950s predecessors. Fortunately, the British invasion was on it's way. Crazy Daddy!
The Outer Limits: The Architects of Fear (1963)
Timely, oddly familiar
With the recent spat of supposedly authentic videos of anomalies which seem to indicate advanced UFOs being reported by the U. S. Navy, (As reported on 60 Minutes) I am inclined to think that something very similar to The Architects of Fear is being orchestrated in our own time. For what purpose, I don't know. But it seems odd that the U. S. Military who for so long denied the existence of alien vechicles is suddenly changing their tune.
The Cleveland Show (2009)
Brian and Stewie would have been better
Should have spun-off Brian and Stewie. The Cleveland show sucks, almost as bad as American Dad!
Higgins Boys and Gruber (1990)
Back when Cable-TV was the wild west
Higgens boys and Gruber was one of the first programs I watched when got my very first cable-TV hook-up. It came on every afternoon when I got off from work. I had no idea that Joel Hodgson created the show, but in retrospect, it makes sense, dry humor and a great sense of pop-culture charm. I hadn't watched "Supercar" since I was 7 years old, and here it is again! I had almost forgotten the show. Today cable-TV sucks. There's nothing on worth watching, except perhaps the Family Guy and South Park. The History Channel doesn't even do history anymore. Where else could you watch "Joe McDoakes?" but the orginal Comedy Channel. Those were the days!
Decision Before Dawn (1951)
Flawlessly authentic
As a World War Two buff and collector, I am often horrified at Hollywood's lack of attention to detail concerning uniforms and equipment. But Decision before Dawn, filmed in post-war Germany is an exception. The German uniforms are correct down to the rank insignia and headgear of the Wehrmacht in 1944-45 .
Very few films are that authentic, and the storyline is intelligent and does not fall into the stereotype "Nazis" as bad guys, and American's are "Goodie-goodies". There is plenty of moral ambiguity to go around.
Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)
I liked The Blair Witch Project 1 & 2 Better
Ever since The Blair Witch Project, which despite negative reviews I truly enjoyed
simply because of the pure creative originality of the film and the premise of the film. I even liked the sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 , much of which reminded me of the mythical "Manson Family Snuff Movies" Promoted by Yippie writer and journalist Ed Sanders. However this snooze fest of a movie is so obvious in it's gimmicky "People died after viewing the movie" Oh please! For genuine Satanic thrills, I would recommend Hammer Film, The Devil Rides Out or Tigon's Production The Blood on Satan's Claw over this cinematic torture. As usual Amazon Prime showcases the worst films ever.
Robot Monster (1953)
An Overlooked Dadaist classic of film making.
I don't care what anybody says. I love this movie from a purely visual standpoint. The dialogue between R0-man and his commander is oddly logical and alien. The visuals of Ro-man, the bubbles, the Tesla coil, is awesome. The creative use of stock footage just adds to the childish nightmare scenario. And the acting is actually pretty good! They obviously took this seriously, and it shows. The fact that is a recurring nightmare of a child, reminds of the original Invaders from Mars.
Rollergator (1996)
Makes Hobgoblins look like a Fellini film
I can't, nay, I won't write anything more. The title of my review says all I want to say.
Tony Robinson's Romans (2003)
Tony Robinson brings history to life.
Tony Robinson done a ton of outstanding, engaging history documentaries. From Medieval Europe, the Victorian Era, the First World War just to name a few. His series on Rome is about as good as it gets. As much as I like and admire Mary Beard's insightful documentaries, Tony Robinson has a more casual, conversational approach. It's like being on vacation in Italy, and meeting a really knowledgeable fellow tourist, who is able to give tiny details often lost by professional tour guides.
Target for Today (1944)
WHO WAS THE NARRATOR?
After listening to the narrator's voice, I have come to the conclusion that is the voice of John McGiver, a veteran of T.V. and film in the 1950s and most of the 60s,.character actor who's profile can be found here at IMDb. Born in 1913, he certainly could been doing acting and voice performance in the 1940s.
The Magic Sword (1962)
Worthy only of "Rifftrax"
I just viewed this movie on Amazon Prime, it was a Rifftrax episode. The commentary made this dreck watchable. If only they had Ray Harryhausen do the special effects, this movie might have been tolerable.
The Twilight Zone: The Thirty-Fathom Grave (1963)
One Step Beyond did it first.
I am not knocking a great ghost story, ghost stories that revolve around ships at sea and oceans are always PRETTY SCARY. The Thirty-Fathom Grave is a great story, but it seems very similar to an episode of the show One Step Beyond entitled the Haunted U-Boat. In this story, a U-boat at the end of World War 2 is making it's way to South America with a Nazi war criminal on board. A mysterious knocking sound is heard, basically driving the Nazi mad, and upsetting the crew.
It is later revealed that at a scrap yard, a skeleton holding a wrench was found of a workman trapped in the U-boat. The moral of the story of course, is that the Nazi was cursed by this unfortunate soul. The similarity of the stories is striking.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Three Salient Points
I will not rehash the huge amount of analysis about Forbidden Planet. They have been made, and are easily accessible in books, videos, articles, etc. The sound track was revolutionary. I don't think anyone would dispute that. My intention is to bring up three important plot devices introduced in this ground-breaking SIFI film.
1) Though only briefly shown, is a computer flow chart illustrating the Krell language. I am pretty sure most people in the 1950s would not recognize a flow chart, unless they were involved in computer technology at the time.
2) Holograms. When Morbius is at the Plastic Educator, he creates a living image of his daughter. Today, we take holograms for granted. I dare say that holograms were an unknown technology. True, it was not a real hologram, but the special effects of the time surely were hinting at their existence. (Whether they knew it or not.)
3) The southwest direction. When Robby the Robot senses the approach of the id monster, he says it's coming from the southwest. In Assyrian mythology, the southwest wind was an omen of destruction.
Forbidden Planet stands for what science fiction is all about. Pushing present day themes and technology to most extreme limits of imagination.
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
A Prequel to Day of the Dolphins?
Other reviewers have covered the plot of The Incredible Mr. Limpet, but so far no one got the oddly significant plot element that "Someone or Something is teaching dolphins to talk" near the end of the movie. Hilarious!
The Double-Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power 1918-1933 (1973)
An over looked gem of a documentary.
This film was worth watching, if for no other reason than that the unabashed messianic power of Hitler is clearly seen. The scene of Hitler speaking for the first time as Chancellor in 1933, clearly demonstrates his power. The film of the audience, many of them women, are shown absolutely beaming in joy and rapture as they sing the Horst Wessel Lied. Like William L. Shirer noted, (Who by the way was there) It was a like a Bible revival meeting in the deep south, the listeners were ecstatic.
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)
A Christmas special with heart.
Unlike most Christmas specials, animated or not, Very few Have heart and meaning. One of my fondest memories of Christmas growing up was watching Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol. Like the memory of Christmas trees, snow, the smell of candle wax, the nervous expectation of Santa Clause. The sheer joy of the songs, and the pathos are rare in a live-action film. But a cartoon? Amazing. From the songs "It's great to back on Broadway" to "A Lord's bright Christmas" This cartoon shows what an obvious love of labor this was. A Christmas more glorious than grand! Indeed.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
I was blown away!
My dad took me to see 2001 A.S.O. at a special showing in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was 1968, a full year before we landed on the moon. Needless to say, I had never experienced a movie like this one. From the opening scenes of prehistoric Africa, and Mankind's gradual evolution through the use of tools, So brilliantly presented by an animal bone tossed in the air, fading to a space shuttle, the whole Million year evolution in technology was presented. I had never seen computer graphics of schematic diagrams before (Being only 11 years at the time, I was not an M.I.T. graduate) 2001 changed everything I thought about space travel, and SF in general. When you watch it today, it does not even seem like science fiction. Everything presented has come to pass. Arthur C. Clarke was without a doubt the greatest genius of the 20th century. It took a genius director like Stanley Kubrickto bring it to life.
The War of the Worlds (1953)
What, no China or Soviet Union?
I am not going rehash the plot, special effects, etc. Other reviewers have covered those. What always got me, is that the World being attacked by martians excluded both China and the Soviet Union. It would have added an interesting dimension had the Chinese and Russians had to deal with the rampaging Martians. Perhaps the Soviets and Chinese would have reached some compromise with the martians....(Crazy I know, but hey it's just a movie!)