THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1948): Kelly's Heroes

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (Blu-ray Review)

1948 / 126 min

FROM WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Review by Mr. Paws😸

With Lana Turner’s top billing in 1948’s The Three Musketeers, there's no questioning who was the bigger star at the time, even though she’s more of a supporting player here. However, she does give the film’s best performance. As Milady de Winter, Turner is seductive, treacherous and utterly hateful, making the character’s ultimate fate pretty damn satisfying.

Not that the rest of the cast are slouches. Van Heflin gives head-musketeer Athos considerable gravitas, while Vincent Price is wonderful as the conniving cardinal, Richelieu. Legendary character actor Keenan Wynn also stands out with his amusing turn as Planchet, d’Artagnan’s loyal servant. Speaking of d’Artagnan, I would argue that Gene Kelly is miscast in the lead role (and a maybe bit too old), but he’s certainly entertaining, especially during the numerous action sequences, which he apparently helped choreograph. 

"Talk to the hat..."

Those action scenes - the swordplay, in particular - are still pretty amazing seven decades later. The initial clash pitting d’Artagnan and the musketeers against Richelieu’s guards is a definite highlight. Rousing and often quite funny, the scene deftly establishes the film’s breezy tone, an aspect which not only endeared it to audiences, it arguably influenced later adaptations of the story (most notably, Richard Lester’s similarly star-studded 1973 film, which is still this writer’s favorite version). 

Though a bit overlong, The Three Musketeers remains an exciting adventure film bolstered by a great cast (including June Allyson, Angela Lansbury, Frank Morgan & Gig Young), as well as handsome, colorful production design (which really shines in this vivid Blu-ray transfer). Whether or not this is the definitive adaptation of Dumas’ classic novel is certainly open to spirited debate, but time and umpteen retellings haven’t diminished the fun found here. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

“LOOKING AT LONDON” - Fitzpatrick Traveltalks short from 1946.

“WHAT PRICE FLEADOM” - MGM Tex Avery cartoon from 1948.

RADIO PROMO

TRAILER

REPEAT PERFORMANCE: Noir or Not?

REPEAT PERFORMANCE (Blu-ray Review)

1947 / 93 min

FROM FLICKER ALLEY

Review by Mr. Paws😸

Whether or not Repeat Performance is true film noir is certainly open for debate. Noir guru Eddie Muller even acknowledges as much during his introduction to the film. After all, the basic concept seems more Rod Serling than Raymond Chandler. 

The plot does, at times, unfold like an extended Twilight Zone episode. It opens with our amiable heroine, Sheila Page (Joan Leslie), shooting husband Barney (Louis Hayward) on New Year’s Eve. After wishing aloud to friend William Williams (Richard Basehart) that she could re-do the whole year over again, Sheila’s wish is granted, this time with knowledge of what’s going to happen. However, she’s the only one who knows.

Sheila hopes to prevent certain things from ever happening - Barney’s murder in particular - but while she can alter the course of events, she’s unable to change the outcome. That might not be such a bad thing because Barney is such a drunk, abusive, narcissistic bastard that we’re incredulous when Sheila not only tries to save their marriage, but his life. Then again, anyone who’s ever endured an abusive relationship knows that simply walking away isn’t always so easy, so our heart goes out to her.

H

Happiness is a warm gun.

But is Repeat Performance film noir? Again, that’s debatable, though even The Twilight Zone often ventured into noir territory, narratively as well as aesthetically. Sure, this film is primarily a supernatural melodrama, but one could easily argue it has its own femme fatale in homewrecking playwrite Paula Costello (Virginia Field). And while William’s not the primary protagonist, his bleak fate is largely of his own making. Finally, the suspenseful final act definitely has the look, pace and tone of classic noir.

Even if one doesn’t agree, Repeat Performance is an entertaining film, with yet another affable performance by Leslie and a deliciously nasty turn from Hayward. After a slam-bang opening scene, things are a little pokey and meandering for a time, but as the film gains momentum, so does our attention, which is ultimately rewarded with a satisfying climax. Recently rescued from obscurity and wonderfully restored, this is another solid release from Flicker Alley.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTRODUCTION BY EDDIE MULLER

PROFILE OF JOAN LESLIE - A brief appreciation of the actor’s career.

EAGLE-LION: A NOIR-STAINED LEGACY - The best of the bonus features, this doc looks at the short-lived studio’s film output.

PROMOTIONAL PRESSBOOK - Digital version of the original pressbook.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Nora Fiore (aka The Nitrate Diva).

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Features an essay, “Repeat Performance: A Book to Film Comparison,” by Brian Light.

REVERSIBLE COVER - The reverse side features original poster art.

DVD COPY

SEOBOK: PROJECT CLONE: Not Just the Gong Show

SEOBOK: PROJECT CLONE (Blu-ray Review)

2020 / 115 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Around this house, the arrival of Seobok: Project Clone on Blu-ray was a big deal indeed. 

Not because of the concept, although it’s a solid, reliable foundation for an intriguing story. In this one, Min Gi-heon (Gong Yoo) is a cynical ex-intelligence agent - and dying of a brain tumor - who’s coerced back by his ruthless old boss, Ahn (Jo Woo-jin), to escort the first human clone out of Korea. That clone, Seobok (Park Bo Gum), is almost childlike, despite being in his twenties. He’s never experienced life outside of the facility where he was created. 

Nor was it for the action, though there’s certainly plenty of that. Ahn wants Seo Bok destroyed before he falls into the wrong hands. At the same time, the greedy chairman of the facility essentially wants to dissect him because, not only is Seo Bok developing powerful telekinetic abilities, his DNA might contain the secret to immortality. Though initially concerned with protecting Seo Bok because it could save his own life, Min ends up being the only one who sees him as a human being. This leads to a road trip/chase with fighting, gunplay, mind-over-matter mayhem (courtesy of Seo Bok) and plenty of soul searching by Min.

"That your Winnie the Pooh jacket?"

No, the main reason the movie is a big deal is because my wife's a die-hard Gong Yoo fanatic. She first fell in love after discovering him in K-dramas and has since dug into all-things Yoo, including Train to Busan, even though zombie movies aren’t really her thing, and the recent Netflix sci-fi series, The Silent Sea. While I don’t share the same twitterpated devotion as my wife, Yoo’s low-key, tough-but-tender style certainly suits Min, since the character isn’t too far removed from the redemption-seeking dad in Train to Busan. It’s an affecting performance, especially during moments which see him reluctantly becoming something of a father figure for Seo Bok.

The film itself is a well assembled amalgamation of sci-fi, action, road movie and a dash of buddy comedy. Seo Bok’s skills are similar to those depicted in Scanners, though he’s capable of going full X-Men when pushed too far. Speaking of which, the action is deftly handled, bolstered by some impressive special effects, particularly during the climax which pits Min and Seo Bok against…well, pretty much everybody. The combined story elements don’t result in anything particularly original, but the protagonists earn our investment and the bad guys - though broadly drawn - are suitably hateful, so the film is constantly engaging, right down to the poignant denouement.

While I’m certain my wife would be content to watch her hunky heartthrob read a dictionary, Seobok: Project Clone is more than just the Gong Show. As demonstrated in other films and series, he’s a plausible action hero, but not the whole reason this film works as well as it does. Solid direction, tight pacing and strong characters keep things interesting despite a narrative that often charts familiar territory.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Making of Seobok”; “The Characters”

3 TRAILERS

BLACKLIGHT: Liam Does Bronson...Again

BLACKLIGHT (Movie Review)

2022 / 108 min

FROM BRIARCLIFF ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Tiger the Terrible😾

Ever since 2008’s Taken, the continuing onslaught of movies featuring Liam Neeson as a geriatric asskicker has become something of a running gag. However, I still appreciate them, even some of the goofier ones (like The Ice Road). Part of that might be because I’m nearing the age when he began displaying such latent badassery, but also because he’s become sort-of a 21st century Charles Bronson.

Most of Bronson’s post-’60s career consisted of modestly-budgeted action flicks that never approached high art - even within the genre - but were reliably entertaining. And until the dreaded Cannon years, fans of ol’ Chuck rarely walked away disappointed. Neeson has more-or-less taken the mantle, cranking out a similar brand of middle-aged mayhem.

However, I’m wondering if Neeson might be entering the Cannon Films phase of his own action career, because Blacklight is a listless, formulaic bore. 

Liam burns another Eggo.

Neeson plays Travis Block, an obsessive-compulsive who does a lot of the FBI’s dirty work. He’s tasked with bringing in rogue agent Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith), who seemingly snaps during a routine encounter with cops and later escapes Travis’ custody. However, Dusty is actually trying to blow the whistle on FBI director - and Travis’ oldest friend - Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn), who has set-up “Operation Unity,” a program that targets and assassinates innocent people. While attempting to provide local reporter Mira Jones (Emmy River-Lampman) with evidence, Dusty is murdered by two of Robinson’s thugs. Now Travis must use his particular set of skills to…

…well, you know the rest. It’s what we signed up for. But unfortunately, Blacklight is indifferently conceived and woefully predictable, right down to clumsily contriving family members for Travis to worry about. There are a couple of decent - albeit implausible - action sequences, but they serve an poorly-structured narrative that lays all its cards on the table in the first 45 minutes. After that, Travis and Mira simply move from one crisis to another, with no attempt at additional plot developments or surprises. 

It ain’t Neeson’s fault, though. As yet-another age-defying, one-man wrecking crew, he’s earnest and likable. But this time, it’s not enough to lift Blacklight above mediocrity. Though competently assembled (‘assembled’ is definitely the right word) everything about the film is hopelessly generic.

APEX: The Bruce Willis Movie of the Week

APEX (Blu-ray Review)

2021 / 93 min

FROM RLJE FILMS

Review by Tiger the Terrible😼

Tonight’s Bruce Willis Movie-of-the-Week is Apex, another budget conscious riff on “The Most Dangerous Game.” This one is just as laughably bad as the other six movies Willis knocked-out in 2021, but believe it or not, a few of those laughs appear to be intentional.

In the near future, Apex is a high-tech corporation that gives rich people the opportunity to hunt humans on a remote island. They recruit prison inmates as prey, offering freedom if they survive the hunt. Enter Thomas Malone (Willis), a disgraced ex-cop now doing life in prison. To one group of severely overconfident hunters - led by glowering trillionaire Samuel Rainsford (Neil McDonough) - he just looks like a tired old man. But of course, they underestimate their prey.

Willis spends a majority of his screen time hobbling through the woods, leaning against trees in exhaustion and occasionally eavesdropping on the hunters’ bickering. And in one hilariously prolonged scene, we watch Malone enjoy a breakfast of hallucinogenic berries. We rarely actually see Willis interacting with the rest of the cast, prompting one to suspect all his scenes were shot separately (maybe on a weekend between shooting Survive the Game and Deadlock).

"Is that poison oak?"

Elsewhere on the island, this group of ‘elite’ hunters has to be the dumbest collection of toxic masculinity - including the lone female in the group - ever assembled to gun down an old man (with automatic weapons, no less). In fact, their frequent verbal pissing contests usually result in them killing each other. Perhaps writer-director Edward John Drake found inspiration from Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, but whatever the case, Rainsford has to bring in more cannon fodder professional killers to finish the job. This results in a genuinely amusing montage of Malone taking-out assorted bad guys one by one (including a hilarious scene involving the accidental firing of a rocket launcher). However, Willis is still conspicuously off-camera for most of the mayhem.

Bad performances, stupefying dialogue and phony special effects notwithstanding, I can’t honestly say Apex is boring. Like most of his recent play-for-pay gigs, Willis puts minimal effort into his role, displaying the lazy arrogance of a guy who thinks he’s above the material, yet blissfully unaware of just how far he's fallen since the Die Hard residuals dried up. So there’s a lot of fun to be had at his expense, especially during a scene featuring sly allusions to Willis’ bonafide classics. Sure, Drake probably intended it as a respectful homage, but it's more fun to think it was meant as a reminder of the good ol’ days, back when his star still gave a damn.

KING RICHARD: Will Smith's Disappearing Act

KING RICHARD (Blu-ray Review)

2021 / 145 min

FROM WARNER BROS

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😸

#InPartnershipwithWB

This might be the first time I’ve ever watched Will Smith in a movie where I wasn't constantly reminded I was watching Will Smith. Even in Ali, it was difficult to overlook his heavy-handed attempt to be taken seriously as an actor. But in King Richard, I never felt like I was watching a movie star. I felt like I was watching Richard Williams, and one scene in particular is the best thing Smith has ever done.

Like everyone else, I’m well-aware of tennis terminators Venus & Serena Williams and their impact on the sport. But being a casual observer, I didn’t know who their father was, even though he - along with beleaguered wife ‘Brandy’ (Aunjanue Ellis) - are pretty much the main reason his daughters were able to escape Compton, slaughter their competition and adorn Wheaties boxes, becoming cultural icons along the way. 

Since the Williams sisters’ lives have more-or-less unfolded in the public eye, making a movie about them seems rather redundant. Richard, on the other hand, is another matter. Not only was he a somewhat controversial figure, his seemingly single-minded obsession with guiding his girls to greatness is both inspirational and infuriating. King Richard does not depict Williams as a selfless underdog. His heart is in the right place and not-once do we question his love for his family, but he’s often overbearing, stubborn and self-aggrandizing, basking in media attention more than he probably should. 

Will regrets that second chalupa.

As the narrative unfolds, Richard also appears to be the main obstacle holding his girls back, Venus, in particular. His growing lack of humility and unwillingness to listen to others threatens to alienate everyone close to him, and despite his dedication, there’s a point where we aren’t even sure we like the man. But in a single, wonderfully-realized scene where Richard is telling a distraught Venus of a harrowing moment from his own childhood, we suddenly understand him. It’s the best, most heart-warming/breaking moment in the entire film and Smith absolutely nails it.

Smith’s performance is terrific because he finally disappears into a character, while Elle matches him step for step as Brandy, Richard’s moral compass and the most empathetic character in the film. Saniyya Sidney (Venus) and Demi Singleton (Serena) are also excellent, though their characters aren’t as well-rounded. But since this isn’t really their story, I suppose that’s to be expected. As tennis coach Rick Macci, Jon Bernthal makes a congenial foil for the more headstrong Richard, putting up with a ton of the man’s bullshit.

Elsewhere, King Richard is a bit overlong and sometimes meandering, particularly during the climatic tennis match between Venus and Arantxa Vicario. Considering it’s mostly been Richard’s story up to this point and the ending is a foregone conclusion, the final act could have been trimmed up a bit and had the same emotional impact. Still, this is a solidly entertaining film with a career-best performance by Will Smith.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “The Making of King Richard”; “Becoming Richard”; “Champions on Screen” (these run from 5-9 minutes each).

DELETED SCENES

DIGITAL COPY

A Newbie's Guide to LA DOLCE VITA

LA DOLCE VITA (Blu-ray Review)

1960 / 175 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Mr. Paws😸

As someone who often boasts being something of a cinephile, it shames me to confess I never actually sat down to take in a Frederico Fellini movie until now. Sure, I’m aware of his influence on world cinema and familiar with some of his films by reputation, but just never got around to it.

Going into it cold, I didn’t know what to expect from La Dolce Vita, but at least Martin Scorsese was on-hand to provide a fitting introduction. He offers a sincere appreciation and nostalgic anecdote about what this film means to him. And hey, if Scorsese ain’t a ringing endorsement, nothing is.

I won’t claim to understand everything I saw in the film - there’s a lot to take in - but these are a few of my takeaways:

I don’t know if it’s indicative of all his films, but Fellini is a master of pacing, knowing when a particular scene has run its course and whether or not providing traditional transition is required. No matter how tenuously tied to the overall narrative, every scene in La Dolce Vita is interesting, either thematically, visually or when focused on a particular peripheral character.

Speaking of narrative, La Dolce Vita doesn’t initially seem to be about anything…just a series of chapters depicting a week in the life of celebrity journalist Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni), who isn't the most sympathetic character on Earth. By the end, I still wasn’t sure I even liked the guy. But certain scenes lingered with me afterwards, particularly those where Marcello displays rare moments of emotional vulnerability, only to be hurt by those he opens up to. The film’s most telling sequence involves an evening in Rome with his visiting father, which doesn’t go as expected. We may not always sympathize with Marcello, but we begin to understand him. Ultimately, Marcello is not quite the carefree womanizer he appears to be. His life is full of despair because, like so many of us, he doesn’t really know what he’s looking for, meaning he’s probably never going to find it.

"Squirrel!"

Despite her prominence in trailers and advertising - understandably so - Anita Ekberg isn’t really in the film all that much. As free-spirited American actress Sylvia Rank, I wouldn’t even consider her the main female character, since cynical socialite Maddalena (Anouk Aimée) and fiancé Emma (Yvonne Furneaux) appear to have a greater impact on Marcello's life, both positively and negatively. Still, Sylvia does that fountain dance, La Dolce Vita’s most iconic scene, which might be cinema’s single most erotic image that doesn’t involve any sex or nudity.

Fellini knows how to shock an audience, not by what he shows, but the false sense of security he instills in the audience before throwing a narrative sucker punch. At certain points in the story, Marcello meets friend and fellow writer Steiner (Alain Curry), one of the few people he admires because Steiner seems to have everything Marcello wants: Wealth, professional respect, a beautiful wife and two loving children. Not to give anything away, but what happens to Steiner late in the film leaves Marcello - and perhaps the audience - completely disillusioned, somewhat exacerbated by the apathetic presence of the paparazzi, Marcello’s leechlike sycophants throughout the film.

Finally, La Dolce Vita is always visually interesting. From the very first scene - a statue of Jesus being transported via helicopter to the Vatican - the city of Rome and its nightlife locations are almost secondary characters. Furthermore, I’ve seen few films of the era that utilize black & white more effectively. In terms of tone and theme, the film would not have had the same impact if presented in color.

I believe it was Lauren Bacall who once said, “It’s not an old film if you’ve never seen it,” and indeed, there are many aspects of La Dolce Vita - visually and narratively - that are new to me. With its daunting running time, there’s a lot to unpack here - some of which remains almost frustratingly ambiguous - but it’s an easy film to appreciate and a fine introduction to Frederico Fellini. 

That’s a newbie’s take, anyway. As for the disc itself, La Dolce Vita has been previously released by Criterion Collection with a huge batch of bonus features. Other than Scorsese’s introduction, this one contains no supplemental material, but it’s more widely available, a hell of a lot cheaper and the transfer is terrific.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN SCORSESE

THE SPINE OF NIGHT (4K) and the Familiar Path

THE SPINE OF NIGHT (4K UHD SteelBook Review)

2021 / 94 min

FROM RLJE FILMS

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😾

I’ll give directors Morgan Galen King & Philip Gelatt props for one thing: Though naked throughout the entire film, lead female character Tzod (voiced by Lucy Lawless) isn’t rendered as yet another ridiculously-voluptuous, iron-boobed adolescent sex fantasy. She’s sort of a Plain Jane, a tad on the hefty side and - like most of us - would look better if she threw on some clothes. In other words, she’s plausible.

In fact, The Spine of Night is loaded with male and female nudity, none of it even remotely sexual or titillating.

Elsewhere, the directors also wear their influences proudly. The film is clearly inspired by the work of Ralph Bakshi and such other bygone relics as Heavy Metal, achieving a similar aesthetic by using the same rotoscoping process for its animation. While I’ve personally never been a fan of rotoscoping, those with an appreciation for the craft might find The Spine of Night to be a visual feast. 

"Lost another marshmallow, didn't you?"

But although it’s an obvious labor of love, the film is never particularly engaging. The overall story arc involves a type of flower that gives those who seek it almost unlimited power, but the episodic structure precludes any real investment in the characters, all of which are drawn - visually or otherwise - in broad, bland strokes. And with the exception of a wonderful creation myth segment that serves as sort of a backstory, the film treads awfully familiar narrative ground. 

Despite attempts to liven things up with buckets of gore, The Spine of Night mostly ends up being a plodding checklist of time-honored adult fantasy tropes. The filmmakers’ sincerity is admirable, but an atypical protagonist notwithstanding, it adds nothing to the genre that hasn’t been done before.  

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K & BLU-RAY COPIES

THE MAKING OF THE SPINE OF NIGHT - A 30-minute behind-the-scenes doc that’s actually more interesting than the movie.

“EXORDIUM” & “MONGREL” - Two early animated shorts by director Morgan Galen King.

THE CAPTURE: South of the Border Noir

THE CAPTURE (Blu-ray Review)

1950 / 91 min

FROM THE FILM DETECTIVE

Review by Mr. Paws😽

My appreciation for director John Sturges came pretty late in life, when I eventually noticed that his name popped up in a lot of old classics I've always loved, like Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape, as well as kitschy potboilers like The Satan Bug and Ice Station Zebra. So whenever the chance to discover another one turns up, deal me in.

This time it’s The Capture, one of Sturges’ early, lesser known films. Though not among his best work, it’s a fairly entertaining stab at south-of-the-border noir. Lew Ayres stars as Lin Vanner, an oil drilling manager who single-handedly hunts down and shoots Sam, a man who allegedly robbed the company payroll. Sam claims he’s innocent and tried to surrender, but couldn’t raise both hands because of an injury. When he later dies, guilt over the incident drives Vin to quit his job and start a new life elsewhere…

Some guests just don't know when to leave.

…which happens to be in the same hometown as Sam's widow, Ellen (Teresa Wright). But even though they eventually fall in love (!), Vin can’t completely let go of the past, not just because he was responsible for Sam’s death, but the circumstances surrounding the robbery suggest the man might have been innocent after all. His investigation leads to his former boss, Earl Mahoney (Barry Kelley). When a violent scuffle results in Mahoney’s death, Vin becomes a fugitive.

Told in flashback, the narrative features some effective film noir touches, such as Ayres’ narration (though he sounds a lot like Jack Lemmon), as well as Vin making numerous ill-advised decisions, like hooking up with Ellen in the first place. Speaking of which, their initially acrimonious relationship developing into romance is a tad hard to swallow and occasionally meandering, but once Vin goes on the run, Sturges delivers some hard-boiled action and suspense (which was always his comfort zone).

Ayres is good in the lead, while the always reliable Wright has a few nice moments in a comparatively thankless role. I suspect Sturges is more of a director-for-hire here, but like most of his pictures from this era, The Capture is well made and efficiently paced. While the film doesn’t rank among his classics, it’s solidly entertaining.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Teresa Wright: The Actress Next Door”; “John Sturges: Man of Action” (as a big Sturges fan, I wish this was longer).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By C. Courtney Joyner (an author & screenwriter probably best-known for some Full Moon Features flicks).

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an essay, “Not Quite Picture Perfect,” mostly about Teresa Wright’s marriage to The Capture writer-producer Niven Busch.