Reviews
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Undercover (2008)
They Missed the Chance
This review is almost all Spoilers, so don't read further if you haven't seen the show, And why haven't you? It's one of the key episodes in the series. The central problem with this otherwise very good episode is its credibility. The viewer knows Olivia will save the inmates from the evil guard, thus exposing the villain and that's a wrap. What's missing is even one iota of suspense, drama, tension or doubt. We know from the get-go that nothing will happen to Olivia while undercover, and nothing does happen, especially with Fin to watch over her. Under these conditions the infamous Basement Scene becomes a foregone conclusion long before it inevitably occurs. We know Olivia will not be raped, and that's the problem. If Dick Wolf were the trail blazer he thinks he is, he'd have told the writers to make it Real, bring Fin into the room just after the rape, get the bad guy, and in the process make not only a great episode, but also a television landmark.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Crush (2009)
Half good, half great.
Washington Mitch is dead wrong, and I couldn't disagree more with his summary and opinion of this latterly excellent episode. The first half of the show is your basic beautiful teen girl being abused by her sadistic boyfriend formula plot, which we've already seen maybe 60 times previously in this wonderful series. There are a few new wrinkles thrown in to keep the audience awake, until the far more interesting and often fascinating secondary storyline kicks in, at about the 35 minute mark.
Greatly aided by a terrific evil witch performance by Swoosie Kurtz as a corrupt Family Court Judge, the show sails along to a most satisfying conclusion, following a successful if paper thin ruse sprung upon the greedy, power hungry Judge Hilda, leaving her enough time for a right wing rant before being hauled off to the lockup, presumably for at least ten years. Plus the loss of her license to practice Law, and being removed from the Bench. 9 out of ten.
Back to that Rant for just a second, before signing off. Like so many other posters, I too deplore Dick Wolf's politics, and the way he manages to work his thoughts, ideals and preposterously over the top Liberalism into so many episodes, including this one. Just plain reprehensible, is what it is.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Abuse (2001)
Mother of the Year?
For me, the best thing about this episode is: Finally, after all these years and countless violations of policy, laws and privacy, Olivia Benson meets her match at long last. As usual, Cragen waffles and wishy washys around, never firmly forbidding Olivia's constant meddling, neither suspending her nor giving her some long overdue and much needed discipline, by placing a record of Benson's way outta line antics in her jacket. Not even when the Squad receives a mass restraining order, issued on behalf of an outraged Ricki Austin.
About five years down the road, a frustrated and greatly irritated Haley says to an unbelievably pesty (even for her) Olivia: "What part of 'No' don't you understand?" Oh, she understands it all right; she hears it all the time, from rape victims, witnesses, totally innocent suspects, etc, but she just ignores it, as long as she gets what she wants.
Remember the one where Olivia follows a rape victim all the way up to the Operating Room door, before she's halted by a very stern and I mean business nurse: "You're done!" Only for the moment, unfortunately.
"Abuse" is actually quite a good episode, in spite of Olivia's supremely irritating behavior, and one of the most negligent, wrongheaded mothers in the entire series.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Uncle (2006)
Wrong!
To the guy from Argentina - Jerry Lewis is between 5'7" and 5'8". Dean Martin was around 5'11" or 6'. I talked to Dean in Vegas in 1965, he came up to about my nose. I'm 6'3". Or, compare him to John Wayne in RIO BRAVO;; Wayne was 6'4". Then check out any Martin and Lewis movie, and you'll see the difference, plain as day. John Baragrey, the bad guy in PARDNERS (1956), was a 6'5" string bean; the various height differences are obvious.
As for "Uncle", it's a better than average show. Jerry's excellent, but as pointed out above, the script is flawed, particularly in regard to Andrew; and, as was true throughout her mercifully brief run as Olivia's fill-in, Connie Nielsen is Awful. 7 out of 10.
Loved the Subway scene; if only they could all be that easy.
Dragnet (1951)
Best of Them All
The original 1951-58 DRAGNET is my all-time favorite TV series. The 1949-51 DRAGNET is my all-time favorite radio series. The DRAGNET movie, a huge box office hit in the late Summer of 1954, was and still is the best TV to movie adaptation ever done, and #6 on my Best List for that best of all Movie Years. On top of all that, I wrote Jack Webb what amounted to a fan letter, and he wrote me back - trademark black flow pen signature and all.
So, if you're looking for a pan, don't hold your breath. Jack Webb was a genius, pure and simple; DRAGNET in its early years was a work of art nearly every week, with all the classic pieces firmly in place. Others have mentioned favorite episodes; I agree on each, but would like to especially note "The Big Little Jesus", the famous Christmas episode first telecast in 1953. Ever the innovator, Jack filmed that show in Color, at a time when Color TV was in its infancy. By the next year (1954) we had an RCA 18 inch TV.
This made it possible to see Betty Hutton in Max Liebman's "Satins and Spurs", the Army- Navy game, and Frank and Joe's search for the stolen statue. Richard Breen's brilliant script was perfect, with lines that still bring an emotional response: "Particularly thieves, Sergeant." "Paco's family, they're very poor." "Are they, Father?"
Another episode I always liked, "The Big White Rat", showed the daily grind of police work as usual, but forced the cops to shoot the last of several toxic lab rats, one of which had become a kid's pet before the bubonic plague infected rats had been diagnosed. Joe and Frank end up in the crawlspace of Ann Doran's home, finally killing Sammy Ogg's pet rat. Doran, concerned over her son's grief, and unaware of the cops' mission, lays into Friday and Smith: "We pay taxes, which help pay your salary, right?.....Tell me, what have you done today to earn it??"
But all this isn't going to be very useful. Let me say then, DRAGNET is a true classic; one that has aged well, inspired any number of copycats, none close to as good; and has a direct descendant, LAW AND ORDER: SVU, still drawing decent ratings on NBC in its tenth season. Jack Webb was a pioneer and a genius. DRAGNET is his masterpiece, and his legacy.
Digressing a bit, Jack Webb created several other very good TV shows and at least two great and unique movies (aside from DRAGNET): PETE KELLY'S BLUES and THE D. I. Sadly, Mr. Webb died of lung cancer on December 20, 1982 at age 62, a victim of his longtime sponsor, Liggett & Myers.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Second Most Overrated Movie Of All Time
The 1946 audience quite correctly stayed away in droves, making IAWL a box office flop. Generations later, after its initial failure, after public domain, after the not even born when it came out pseudo critics have somehow brainwashed almost everyone under 40 into believing IAWL is a Christmas classic, we must face the fact that IAWL is not only not a great movie, it's not even a good movie.
Treacly, sappy, overlong, exasperatingly predictable fairy tale with just two good scenes and a main character devoid of interest, empathy or sympathy, IAWL is an exercise in futility at every turn. To begin, this is closer to James Stewart's worst performance than his best; George Bailey is a dreamer with his thoughts in the stars, rather than focused on the very big problem at hand. He's a naive, crybaby whiner with just the right mix of stupid to make him truly annoying to one and all. And he takes forever to realize Clarence is an Angel; I mean, how many miracles does it take?
This turkey comes to life only twice - the scene between young George and the druggist, played by the always great H.B. Warner, in which George (brilliantly portrayed throughout by the underrated child actor Bobby Anderson) stops the grieving Warner - who has learned of his son's death - from dispensing a fatal dose of the wrong medication to an elderly customer; and the ending, which, while just as sugar-sweet as the rest of the movie, is so well crafted, it works wonderfully well, giving the film a 2 on the scale of 10
The Happening (1967)
This one Happens to be Bad
I saw this when it was first released in 1967. I was 27 and neither a hippie nor a flower child, but I'd loved movies for 20 years, and saw 150 or so movies in theatres every year. THE HAP- PENING is on my Worst List for '67 (not #1, though; that'd be SHOOT LOUD LOUDER...I DON'T UNDERSTAND), and to this day I can't think of anything positive to say about it.
Okay, okay, the theme song was pretty good, and Faye Dunaway wore one of those bare midriff pantsuits so popular at the time. Other than that, Nada. Quinn, Maharis and Parks are among the worst actors in talking pictures, and Robert Walker Jr. would have been, if he'd had a career. No problem, his dad was bad enough for both of 'em.
The only question now is will the new Happening be as bad as the original? From what I hear and read, it'll be pretty close.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955)
they were funny, this is funny
A&C Meet the Kops is a funny movie, then and now. Bud and Lou were funny men, and their best film work was done at U-I in the postwar years, starting with their Meet Frankenstein classic. All their U-I Meet Somebody movies were funny, some were very funny. This one's a hoot all the way. I saw it with Power and Hayward in UNTAMED, Fox Redwood, April 15, 1955. Can't get better value for money than that. I was 16, am now 63. Maybe you have to be really old to get it, but youngsters, these guys are better than Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller all put together. No, really, they are.
A New Leaf (1971)
Poison oak, in film form
Just a Terrible movie. Never funny, and often unpleasant. Elaine May
was never funny, unlesss she was working with Mike Nichols, and Ike was
still in the White House. The Mogen David bit gets old in a hurry,
wouldn't you say? I'm glad the studio recut it, but even so it's still
a stupefyingly overlong 102 mins. Let's hope they never find the
"Director's Cut" on this thing. At least Elaine stopped making movies
in the mainstream. Probably 'cause the studios figured out from the
books that none of 'em made any money. New Leaf is an Awful movie, by
the way. In case nobody's payin' attention. Really, not tops
Love Is a Ball (1963)
glamorous and fun
Tremendously entertaining and fun romantic comedy, set on the Riviera, filmed in warm sunshine with a top cast of real professionals. Saw it at the Royal in San Francisco, 3-31-63; co-feature was the Stewart Granger swashbuckler SWORDSMAN OF SIENA. Walked to the theatre from my apartment on a pleasant evening, for a comfortable evening at the movies, in a well appointed neighborhood house, for which I had a Pass. In the old days, one could expect a good time at the movies most times out, and always get value for money. In my case, it was a cinch
The Informer (1935)
worst of the 30s
I've seen about 820 movies released between 1931-39, and THE INFORMER is the worst major release I've seen from that time span. Awful, despicable, unpleasant, unhappy, unredeemable saga of a complete Loser. Watch a 1934 B Western instead.
Starcrash (1978)
Caroline Munro Showcase
See folks, it doesn't matter a whit if this movie's bad, which I don't think it is; but that's not the point with STARCRASH. No, the important thing to remember and take note of here is, Caroline Munro wears a stunningly attractive space outfit for almost the entire picture.
Caroline was a definite beauty to start with, but the costumers in
this film improved on her many natural charms, and Caroline
graced the screen with such allure it kicked this otherwise ordinary
space sci-fi adventure into the Hey, I'd Like to see That One Again
category. I never did see it again, and recall nothing about the plot,
but I certainly remember Caroline. Her poster musta been on a
lotta teenage walls in '79.
I saw it at the Tivoli Theatre here in San Carlos, March 25, 1979. The Tivoli's an Italian
restaurant now. STARCRASH is my #18 film of 1979. Hi, Caroline.
Rio Lobo (1970)
Beg to differ
Terrific Wayne-Hawks Western, almost remake of RIO BRAVO, which happens to be the greatest Western ever made. This is great fun, loaded with action, lotsa comedy, great finish with the Duke, Elam, Mike Henry and the vengeful Sherry Lansing. And Chris Mitchum's in there somewhere. My #4 film of '70. Young people, if you wanna see a Bad John Wayne film, check out BARBARIAN AND THE GEISHA. If you're lookin' for a Bad Hawks movie - Stop. There ain't any. Not even RED LINE 7000.
Das Boot (1981)
Longer than a real sub voyage
Interesting in that it looks at things from the German side, as well it should. A good movie that would've been better had not Hollywood made so many fine films on the same subject in the 40 or so years preceding Das Boot. The German film comes up short in comparison to some of these, none of which needed 150 minutes to tell their story. I'm particularly reminded of THE ENEMY BELOW (1957), a superb drama on some of the same subject matter. Far superior to DAS BOOT, it seems to have been an inspiration to Peterson and crew, since several scenes in his film have been lifted directly from the Dick Powell original, made for Fox in the CinemaScope era.
Thunder Mountain (1947)
Tim Holt was Good
Though he did fine work in major films by Welles and Huston, Tim Holt's true calling was in the Western. His RKO series, interrupted by World War II, extended to 1952, proving his lasting appeal and his many capabilities. THUNDER MOUNTAIN is fairly typical, though the format would still be upgraded through the next few years. Tim's ranch is up for auction, though he has the payment; crooked Sheriff Harry Harvey won't take it. Main bad guy Harry Carson (always great, bushy mustache and all) wants the ranch for its railroad right of way. The Hayden-Jorch feud's still raging, so Carson kills Steve Brodie a member of the Jorch clan, and frames Holt (a Hayden) into it. Tim breaks jail, a top notch gun battle ensues. Carson's captured, and Tim's got Martha Hyer. All this takes place in an excitingly paced 59 minutes, 16 less than Tom Hanks spent on that damn island in CAST AWAY last year, talkin' to a volleyball or something. The oldies are best, and when Tim Holt's in 'em, they're better than that. He gave me a lot of entertaining days at the movies when I was a kid; and as a 63 year old kid, he still does so, in late nite TV viewings on the W
Rio Lobo (1970)
Beg to differ
Terrific Wayne-Hawks Western, almost remake of RIO BRAVO, which happens to be the greatest Western ever made. This is great fun, loaded with action, lotsa comedy, great finish with the Duke, Elam, Mike Henry and the vengeful Sherry Lansing. And Chris Mitchum's in there somewhere. My #4 film of '70. Young people, if you wanna see a Bad John Wayne film, check out BARBARIAN AND THE GEISHA. If you're lookin' for a Bad Hawks movie - Stop. There ain't any. Not even RED LINE 7000.
The Misfits (1961)
Miller is so overrated
A miserable, unhappy, self-pitying wallow of a film, pretentious in the
extreme. Full of itself as a tribute to something or other, I'm not
sure what to this day. Very bad perf by Marilyn, but her performances
were usually bad. Gable seems along for the ride, and hating the
thought. Monty Clift's a breath of fresh air, in a delightful perf that
gives this turkey a few moments of quality. Thelma Ritter, as always,
is marvelous. Otherwise, 124 minutes of Arthur Miller sounding off
about Reno divorces and horse roundups. Chillingly Awful. My #1 Worst
of 1961, and among the 25 worst I've ever seen, in 56 years and over
8000 movies
All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960)
Nobody likes it but me - and a few other folks
Sex and drugs in the Big City are too much for the young country reared
Southern ladies and gents to bear, in this well over the top and very
florid meller, directed by the always unreliable Michael Anderson. But
I was young (23) when I saw it at the Loew's Warfield in San Francisco,
with PLATINUM HIGH SCHOOL, on 9-19-60; and it's a movie aimed at a young
audience. I always loved Natalie Wood, back to when we both were kids;
Bob Wagner was a fave since 1950; Susan Kohner caught my eye in TO HELL
AND BACK, dazzled the world, and me, in IMITATION OF LIFE.
George Hamilton's the odd man out here, but he's credible. Story and
treatment are pure soap, but nothin's wrong with that.
The only sour note for me in this lushly produced and always interesting
walk on the 1930s wild side, is the music. Jazz and more jazz; badly
played, written, composed and sung. Stops the movie stone cold whenever
they use it, which is waayy too often. Pearl Bailey's role shoulda been
cut. This aside I found it, then and now, an absorbing and watchable drama
with a sterling cast of young stars. The two girls are excellent in
every way. Too long (124), and too much jazzy music -
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Masterpiece, by a Master
De Mille's final masterpiece, in a 45 year career of making
magisterial epics of Americana; entertaining vast audiences over
three generations, and seldom coming up with a clinker in all that
time. Okay, maybe the Dr. Wassell picture, but that's it. This is epic filmmaking at its very best. You can take Lawrence of
Arabia and stuff him a sack, cause this here's how you do it, David. Hardly a wasted moment in all it's 220 minutes, a superb cast of
veterans doing in many cases their best work to that time, the age
old story of Moses moving along like the everlasting Nile River that
figures prominently in the sweeping saga Mr. De Mille so brilliantly
conveys. Heston is far better here than in the elephantine yawner BEN HUR,
and Yul Brynner gave one of the best perfs of his career as
Rameses: "His God IS God." Eddie Robinson and Vincent Price make splendid villains; John
Derek a stalwart hero; Debra Paget his lovely water girl; Anne
Baxter Moses' gal; Cedric Hardwicke the Pharoah Seti; Nina Foch
the mom; Judith Anderson the too talky nursemaid, and on and on.
A massive boxoffice hit for almost two years, and a spectacle
worthy of the name. My #3 film of 1956. I see it every year on ABC
at Easter, but it really needs to be in theatres again. Mr. De Mille ranks third on my all time Directors list. Since he
pretty much co-invented Hollywood, #3 is probably too low. But
Hitchcock and Hawks are one and two.
Teresa (1951)
Sorry folks, it sucks
It resembles REBEL because the same guy wrote both movies. Rod Steiger's okay because he's only in it for five minutes. He was also pretty good as a shrink in THE MARK (1961), but Rod's just about the worst movie actor of his entire generation. John Ericson was always terrible, no matter what. Bland, whiny, weak, untalented; a drag on the market. In the leading role, of which he had very few, fortunately; he was a disaster. Just like this over the top in all ways and cliched in every manner possible Very Terrible movie. MGM kicked John loose, fast; four years. Gee, Mom's the Culprit. There's a new one. Or an old one; See also REBEL. The only reason on Earth to watch the unending 103 minutes of this turkey is the lovely Pier Angeli. But she has what amounts to a secondary role. Nonetheless, when she takes Philip back at the end, you want to scream Teresa, throw a dart and find a better man. Sheesh. Which was what I tried to tell her when she married Vic Damone. Fatal taste in men, onscreen or off. TERESA's not quite Bad enough for my Worst of 1951 List, but it's on Dis-Honorable Mention '51, for sure.
Under the Tonto Rim (1947)
Can't beat Tim Holt
Tim Holt's postwar Westerns at RKO were as good as the genre gets. Fast pace, funny, action packed, well played by vet casts. Hissable villains, Richard Martin a hoot, Holt superb as hero and pal. I often went to the theatre just to see Mr. Holt's picture, no matter what the main feature was. Tim was so great in AMBERSONS and SIERRA MADRE, this musta been easy for him, but he never let it look easy. These little B Westerns were done with impeccable professionalism at all times, and the viewer reaped the rewards. DYNAMITE PASS is probably my favorite, but all of 'em were good. And only 61 mins long. Why, that's less time than Tom Hanks spent on the stupid island in that CAST AWAY picture. I give TONTO RIM 9 outta 10. For its milieu and genre, they don't get much better. Thanks, Tim.
Young Cassidy (1965)
Overlooked and underrated
Stage Door Theatre, San Francisco; May 19, 1965. Perfect venue for such things; an East Side art house in a West Coast town. I truly enjoyed every minute of this movie that night, and I still love it today. Rod Taylor was the ideal choice for the lead role in this always interesting vision of early life and career of Irish playwright Sean O'Casey, from his autobiog.
Dublin in the 1920s, with all the period feel and detail John Ford and Jack Cardiff could muster, beautifully photographed in Color and on location by Ted Scaife.
A splendid cast brings the days of O'Casey and the Troubles to vibrant and bitter life. Taylor's best work in many ways, though he did so many good movies and gave so many good pefs in his heyday, it's hard to pick just one.
Maggie Smith is marvelous as Cassidy's lost love: "I'm a small simple girl. I need a small simple life, not your terrible dreams and your anger." Smart girl, but two hearts are broken as Cassidy boards the boat for parts unknown.
Julie Christie's a revelation as Daisy, one of three stunningly good perfs she delivered in her Oscar winning golden year. Michael Redgrave is just right as Yeats; and Flora Robson gets a late career lift as Cassidy's Ma.
The entire production takes the viewer back in time to the turbulent setting of O'Casey's youth, in an exceptionally good yet unfairly overlooked film.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Nuts to you
Fletcher and Nicholson are great, the movie is not. Way too anti- everything, distasteful, nobody to root for, too weird by half;
generally uninvolving and uninteresting Nutbars Ahoy claptrap. In
short, about what one might expect from a Ken Kesey novel about
crazy people.
Zabriskie Point (1970)
Boom
Uh oh, Mike Antonioni goes American. Thanks a lot, MGM. Well,
they were going bankrupt; I guess they figured this would speed
things up. It did. You give one of the worst filmmakers in history a
free hand, a big budget and two amateurs in the leads, you sorta
deserve what you get. What they got was self indulgence taken to
the level of an art form. A foreigner's approach to American values, this is a crude,
expensive failure; an example of what can happen when you give a
no talent hack carte blanche. But that SloMo exploding house in
the desert is kinda fun. My #5 Worst film of 1970.
Young Cassidy (1965)
Overlooked and underrated
Stage Door Theatre, San Francisco; May 19, 1965. Perfect venue for such things; an East Side art house in a West Coast town. I truly enjoyed every minute of this movie that night, and I still love it today. Rod Taylor was the ideal choice for the lead role in this always interesting vision of early life and career of Irish playwright Sean O'Casey, from his autobiog.
Dublin in the 1920s, with all the period feel and detail John Ford and Jack Cardiff could muster, beautifully photographed in Color and on location by Ted Scaife.
A splendid cast brings the days of O'Casey and the Troubles to vibrant and bitter life. Taylor's best work in many ways, though he did so many good movies and gave so many good pefs in his heyday, it's hard to pick just one.
Maggie Smith is marvelous as Cassidy's lost love: "I'm a small simple girl. I need a small simple life, not your terrible dreams and your anger." Smart girl, but two hearts are broken as Cassidy boards the boat for parts unknown.
Julie Christie's a revelation as Daisy, one of three stunningly good perfs she delivered in her Oscar winning golden year. Michael Redgrave is just right as Yeats; and Flora Robson gets a late career lift as Cassidy's Ma.
The entire production takes the viewer back in time to the turbulent setting of O'Casey's youth, in an exceptionally good yet unfairly overlooked film.