Motley Blog

MISSOURI BREAKS

1976

Directed by Arthur Penn

Starring Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando

With Randy Quaid and Harry Dean Stanton

This movie has many of the elements of greatness and is a worthwhile watch. Among it's major themes is that of a young man facing the harsh realities of life on the frontier of the American West. This theme is shared with a current release, 'Into the Wild', by the director's son, providing an extra dimension to the film absent in its initial release.

Nicholson and Brando in a Western plot as complex as Eastwood's 'Unforgiven' could be a true diamond. The setting of this movie - the great plains foothills of the upper Missouri basin and the surrounding mountains of the Glacier National Park area do make a grand stage But the movie falls short, albeit not drastically.

The very young Quaid and Stanton both give performances of full depth - Nicholson and Brando are not at all bad, but perhaps just a touch comfortable in their success. Perhaps it is Penn's history in TV and the formulaic history of the Western in film, but this is a stone in the rough - needing just a bit more buffing to bring out the true shine.

The casting of an apparently jewish beauty in the romantic lead, opposite Nicholson, just seemed incongrous to me. Perhaps I am wrong, but I don't think there were all that many jews on the Western frontier, save perhaps Mel Brooks. That might be an interesting story but it isn't one explored here., The more apparent back story was that this character's father was cuckolded, perhaps most likely a jewish lawyer from Seattle? -That said, she does make a good attempt at what is apparently a losing cause.

The sound track also adds to the 'made for tv movie' feel of the flick, though if measured in that class this movie would be among the very best.

Perhaps a remake by the son, Sean, with another Vedder soundtrack? Someone will do it, sometime.

I, ROBOT

by Isaac Asimov

1950

Also a 2004 movie starring Will Smith

Watching Will Smith's 'I, Robot' was strangely revealing. I had read the book when I was quite young, 12, give or take. The realization of the impact the book has had on my life was quite shocking - all the more so when you consider the nature of the plot.

Writing in 1950 the case could easily be made that Asimov was extrapolating the warnings of Eisenhower and others regarding the military industrial complex into their manifestation with computer, and 'robotic' (a word Asimov is credited with coining') technology. As you will recall the movie explores the potential risks of even a responsible implementation of 'motive' computing technology. His foil was a doubting aquaintance of the inventor, Will Smith's gritty detective character.

The 'Three Laws of Robotics' are the 'hardwired' safeguards built into every robot. What surprised me watching this movie was realizing that Asimov, a crafty secularist, had 'programmed' me to respond to the military industrial complex?

Go figure.

BTW - Asimov died of tranfusion contracted Aids, a fact not publicized. He was born as a Russian Orthodox Jew, his parents emigrating before he learned to speak the language. He was trained as a Chemist and worked both as an engineer and a University Professor starting during WW2.

STALKER

Written and Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

1979

The Russian Director Tarkovsky is best known for his movie 'Solaris' remade in the US starring George Clooney. Like the original Solaris, released in 1972, 'Stalker' deals with the deeper questions of life like others in it's sub-genre of Science Fiction, including '2001' (released in '68) and the more recent 'Fountain'.

I highly suspect the title has different connotations in the original russian - it refers to the lead character - a 'proletatarian' tracker/guide. The other two main characters are refered to anonymously as 'writer' and 'professor', symbolizing the artistic and scientific elites of pre-Reagan Russia.

This movie is complex. Perhaps the simplest summary of it would be an allegory about the Chernobyl Disaster - though it's release pre-dated that tragedy by 7 years. (Tarkovsky also died that same year, 1986). Another of Tarkovsky's movies was about the Russian religous icon painter Rubleyev - this movie may well place Tarkovsky himself in that same league. Call him, if you will, a prophet of the godless Soviet State.

Again, this movie is complex and difficult to write about - but another good comparison would be Shelley's 'Frankenstein' in the way it deals with the potentials and pitfalls of science. Nuclear engineers were perhaps the most prominent scientists in that era of Soviet history, as symbolised in the 'professor' character.

The DVD I saw has a two voice English soundover track. Though rough, and by native russian speakers, the voiceover does add to the the depth of the movie. Definitely a five star movie, if not my all time top ten.

This isn't about the Joel and Ethan Coen film still in current release, though I do recommend it.

Rather this is a comparison of the psychological profile of power presented in this piece of fiction with the power structure of King County.

Perhaps the most curious thing about this movie was that I identified with all 3 characters. I wish I was more of the Tommy Lee Jones character, but the truth is I've got a bit of all 3 inside me - thankfully enough of the Tommy Lee to keep my own 'country' looking pretty good.

In the movie the character played by Javier Bardem, Anton Chigurh, is very efficient, very rational, and very, very much a violent psychopath. Logic, law can be consuming, and Chigurh has been consumed completely and effectively. In his world he is fair and consistent but around him spins nothing but chaos and destruction.

Simply put he is a control freak.

And yes, I am saying that King County is being run by control freaks(mostly unknown). No Anton Chigurh's there, save for the occassional wannabe like a likely victim of Gregoire's projessional cohorts, Dan Evans own Ted Bundy. But the profile is similar and revealing.

Does that mean I'm comparing Microsoft to a bunch of drug runners? Go figure....

There will likely be no atonement for Benazir Bhutto, just an ongoing tragedy.

I've never been in Pakistan, but I have been only a camel ride away in Western India - a region populated with villages of Muslim, Hindhi and Sikh faiths. My camel voyage, with muslim guide, is a story worth telling, but not today.

I've also been aquainted with two younger Pakistani's - the first likely a left member of Benazir's coalition, though this was prior to her first election. He was following in educational footsteps not all that different from Benazir's time at Harvard, where I'd guess she was popular. The second was more recent, in business - most likely son of a moderate successful right wing merchant who paid his way to the US via work in Kuwait or the like. Although my current politics are probably closer to number two, this guy was arrogant, incompetent and stupid, though I guess I'm being redundant. I've filed him away as a profile of the arab mindset, right or wrong, though I do have others that are more positive.

Pakistanis, like the followers of the Sikh faith, have found a balance between the typical arab mindset and the more mellow hindhi which is admirable. However I fear the 'force' of the taliban and al qaeda may well have doomed this country.

Remember, Pakistan is a member of the nuclear club.

If we do pull completely out of Iraq I fear for the future of this region - their redemption, their 'Atonement', most likely leads through nuclear conflict, on arab soil, though not necessarily in Pakistan (hopefully not on US Iraq bases).

Some lessons have to be learned again, the hard way. Call it going back to basics, if you will.

'Z'

Directed by Constantin Costa-Gravas

Starring Yves Montand and Irene Papas

1969, based on events in 1963

Some stories never change - in time or place. Roger Ebert makes a similar comment in his 1969 review of this movie, the first foreign film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

The plot concerns the May 1963 assassination of the Greek leftist, Grigoris Lambrakis, as well as the successful investigation, and the subsequent military and political consequences. As even the most casual observer of history will note this was only some six months prior to the murder of the first Kennedy.

The actual date of the assasination got my attention, though I won't say why. For trivia buffs it was also the date of the first American ascent of Everest, via the West Ridge - by Washington's own Whitaker, if I recall correctly.

BOOM

A discussion of the book with

Author Tom Brokaw

Moderator David Brewster (Founding Team Member of the Seattle Weekly and Crosscut)

Available for Download from TVW

David Brewster and Tom Brokaw are both big fishes in their respective ponds - Brewster in the world of local alternative weeklies and Brokaw as a long term top dog of the news team at 30 Rock. One might think Brokaw to be a big fish in a bigger pond, but Brewster is a bit more of a pioneer, and at least in Seattle may have more influence than Brokaw. As to the rest of the region their influence may be relatively equal.

Like my Parents Brewster and Brokaw are not technically 'Boomers', born before the war, but to young to have worked during it. Their leadership in that history, as well as the differing approaches towards journalism, makes for a very interesting discussion.

Alternative weeklies, including Brewster in Seattle are an experiment in journalism - dropping the pretense of inpartiality for advocacy journalism (turf the bloggers may yet win). Brokaw, in comparison follows the tradition of Cronkite and Murrow in attempting to be objective. Their discussion from those two perspectives from two top players at the top of their game is as interesting as the discussion of the baby boomer generation.

I'll leave it up to you to decide who is the more impressive. I do think though that from the perspective of politics in America (Brewster is unashamedly pro-Democrat) Brokaw wins hands down.

FWIW I haven't read either of Brokaw's two books, I do think I know the story already and don't have the time to rehash. They are both on my list though, and hopefully at some point I will - perhaps if I should ever be so fortunate to have a couple of children of my own - 21st century boomers or busters, however the case may be.

The Hill

Directed by Sydney Lumet

With Ossie Davis, Sir Michael Redgrave

1965

In the opening scene a British Lorrie pulls up in front of a WW2 North African Military Prison - two men leave heading back to the front and five arrive. This is a story of these five men's 'breaking in'. Their odds may well be worse than 2 in 5, though at the end their future is left to the viewer.

There are only two really bad men in this story, the third in command at the prison and a particularly slimy repeat offender. The story is complex. Lumet has crafted a social commentary typical to the the later 1960's on the ruling 'military-industrial complex' and those who 'work' for it. In hindsight that commentary was at the leading edge of massive societal upheavals to come - represented in this movie by a prisoner riot.

FWIW Ossie Davis in a supporting role just about steals the show from the lead Connery. (The 'N' word is used, more than once.)

This is a man's story. Only two women appear, for a total of maybe 30 seconds. One is the Chief Officer's prostitute, the other a belly dancer for the guards, during a drunken interval at this isolated outpost.

Vanishing Point

Starring Barry Newman and Cleavon Little, aka the DJ SuperSoul

Directed by Richard Sarafian

1971

This classic flick is a pass along from the recent Tarentino film, 'Grindhouse' which paid major homage to the movie.

Newman plays James Kowalski, an early Vietnam Vet and busted former, honest, cop working as a car delivery person. The car, a white 1970 supercharged Dodge Challenger is as much the star of this movie as Newman.

Newman is engaged to drive this muscle car from Denver to San Francisco. For some reason, left to us to speculate upon, he decides to do so in record time. This, of course, garners police, and a multi-state, escalating, chase develops from Western Colorado to Eastern California.

The locations for this two lane chase are all superb - scenic highlights of the route. In contrast the soul DJ played by Cleavon Little gives us running social commentary on the events as he tracks them on the station's police scanner.

The Scar

Directed by Krystof Kiezlowski

1976

Call this a movie about comparative office politics in the Polish Soviet sattellite. Kiezlowski is a contempary of Roman Polanski, another Polish film school product who emmigrated to the U.S.(Rosemary's Baby, etc.)

The plot of this movie might appear boring - it concerns the actions of a group of state appointed managers building a large new factory in an underdeveloped rural area. There is some conflict - between the managers as well as some of the local residents. But the most fascinating part of this is comparing this portrayal of the Soviet State to corporate America - public or private. The similarities are downright horrifying!

Kiezlowski's other works include 'A Short Film about Killing', 'Double Life of Veronique', and my personal sub-title favorite, 'Blue', part of a 3 part series, in French. The success of that movie is largely the result of the score, composed by long term collaborator Preisner. Juliette Binoche is perhaps at her most empathetic as well. Roman Polanski's Polish production, 'Knife in the Water' is also recommended.

Equus

Starring Richard Burton

Directed by Sydney Lumet from a Play by Peter Schaeffer

1977

I believe in the future historians will have a field day with this film as an expose of the ethos of the era. Today, those perspectives are a bit droll, especially at the begining. The movie does still engage, and builds from there..

I'd put it in a class with 'Last Tango in Paris' for its frankness. This story is about a young man making his way into the sexual world. Richard Burton plays his psychiatrist and is not totally out of the Story. Like Brando in Tango he may well be ending his sexual life.

The movie does contain full frontal nudity, male and female.

Blame it on Rio

Starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore

Directed by Stanley Donen

1984

This is another historical sexual oddity. No way would this ever get produced today, save perhaps something similar in the adult genre. In one of her first roles Demi Moore plays 17 year old daughter to Michael Caine - both go on a vacation to Rio with their mutual best friends, another father/daughter pair.

Caine and his best friend's daughter seduce each other. Hillarity ensues, as one might imagine it. Movie includes a fair number of topless shots, but alas, not of Ms. Moore.

Night Moves

Starring Gene Hackman with Melanie Griffiths and James Woods

Directed by Arthur Penn

1975

Gene Hackman's career is close to its 50th Anniversary, starting in 1959. This 1975 Warner Brothers production is a bit of a soap opera, but it is also a self aware one. The fact that it concerns the L.A. art and movie scene makes the self references meaningful and the soap makes this some fun 1970's popcorn. James Woods is very young in this movie, and Melanie Griffiths, even younger.

Moseby plays a straight up guy dealing with some rather nefarious dealings concerning the trust child daughter (Griffiths) of a former minor hollywood actress. His office, I believe, is the same one used by the TV series Starsky and Hutch.

Lilith

Starring Warren Beatty

With Peter Fonda, Jean Seberg, and Gene Hackman

1964

This movie is a gem.

Beatty is portrayed as a returning vet, perhaps WW2, who joins the staff of a private East Coast Asylum. Fonda is his rival for the amorous patient Seberg. Hackman is the man who married Beatty's High School Sweetheart while he was at war in a relatively minor, but noteworthy, role.

A running speculation of mine is that Ted Bundy identified with Beatty, the 1974 star of the 'Parralax View'. Although only speculation, this movie does make an interesting addition to that 'profile' - and perhaps a profile of America's sexual politics.

Everyone in the cast nails their part to a 'T'.

La Femme Nikita

Directed by Luc Besson

Starring Anne Parillaud with Jean Reno

1990

This is the original version, not the competent U.S. remake starring Bridget Fonda or the Candian TV series by the same name. (I've not seen the TV series).

Besson is the maestro of stylish european action films and this movie may well prove to be his biggest masterpiece.

Parillaud plays 'Nikita' a very drugged out survivor of a drug store robbery gone bad shootout where everyone else dies, including the police, one cop by her hand. After conviction she is given the opportunity by the French State to enter a training program for assassins. As one might expect the State does not necessarily have her best interests at heart, viewing her as an expendable 'asset'.

Jean Reno plays the 'cleaner', at the ultimate moment of Nikita's 'sobering' - will she survive this gunfight or not?

Rosewood

Directed by John Singleton

Starring Ving Rhames with Jon Voight and Don Cheadle

1997

Like the John Hopkins vehicle 'Amistad' this movie will make white audiences uncomfortable.

Based on a true story, Rhames plays a drifting decorated WWI vet who arrives in the Florida town of Rosewood just prior to a false rape allegation by a white woman against another black male. This triggers what could basically be characterized as a genocidal raging mob killing many of the black citizens of the small town.

Rhames plays the protector.

This move is very much underrated and underappreciated - a must see.

Rambo

Directed by Ted Kotcheff

Starring Sylvester Stallone

1982

Rambo is not the sort of classic movie I review. However a comment by a Veteran, in Pierce County, seat of my hometown of Tacoma prompted a great deal of speculation. Pierce County, home of the Army base, has a large former army contingent and their presence is not one to ignore - especially in the trades and blue collar fields.

His historical comment was simply this, that 'Rambo' captured the Reagan era angst of Veterans and their treatment upon return from combat in Vietnam - a cohort of people at war with their own country.

This is true, and this movie marks a crucial point in the history of the United States. One caveat though - in the Army it can also be fellow soldiers - outside of your unit - who just might NOT have your back. That's a tougher subject, and a longer discussion....

The Secret of Roan Innish

Directed by John Sayles

With an Irish Cast

1995

John Sayles is perhaps best known for his Texas desert drama, 'Lone Star' - which in the canon of classic films gets shelved right next to 'No Country for Old Men". 'Secret of Roan Innish' was actually released just before this film, and is quite the climatic contrast - I viewed them in reverse order, and am reminded of the movie now by a recent travel transition, in that same reverse order. Hopefully all interpretations are valid...

Roan Innish is a children's story, but the literary quality is one that educated adults should love, perhaps more. It concerns a youngster's return to rural Ireland just after WW2 and captures the magic of the Country and one's roots - while also not hiding the hard working lives of the adults.

The family legend here concerns a 'selkie' - a seal capable of turning into a human, and the loss of her own brother as an infant. All of this unfolds as the family itself attempts to reclaim their homestead on an abandoned island near the ancestral village.

El Espinazo Del Diablo
(The Devil's Backbone)

Written and Directed by Guillermo Del Toro

2001

Like M. Knight Shymalan Del Toro has the ability to capture the light of humanity in well crafted horror. This movie is darker than Shymalan. Like the more recent 'Faun's Labryinth' the period is the Spainish civil war, one of the most interesting chapters of the 20th century.

American Psycho

Based on a novel by Bret Easton Ellis

With Reese Witherspoon, Wilem Dafoe, Chloe Sevigny, Justin Theroux and Jared Leto

2000

Bret Easton Ellis's 1990 novel is a wickedly delicious account of 1980's yuppie culture.. It is quite graphic and definitely deserves it's 'R' rating - and a rating to take literally. Enough said.

El Topo
(The Mole)

Written, Directed, and Starring Alejandro Jodorowsky

1970
(re-released on DVD 2007)

European art films can suffer from dense cinematic symbolism - and this movie certainly has much of this strangeness It also definitely works. Stylistically it is a spaghetti western but it is much more of an allegory than any other contribution to that genre.

The start of the movie left me perplexed. I think my interpretation may help to make sense of the movie, so a bit of a spoiler, which may or may not be true.

After Jodorowsky's wife is killed by a rampaging gang of thugs he is left only with his naked son, his horse and guns, and a picture of his beloved.

Though the movie starts with his pursuit of the killers but is really about the many challenges he and his son face in the decades following.

In company of the recent 'Dark Knight' release 'The Mole' sits very well. Being a hero is not so simple as it seems, and it will change your life of your entire family forever.

Belle Epoque
(The Age of Beauty)

Starring Penelope Cruz

1992

This 1992 romantic comedy was set during the Spanish civil war - a favorite period for Guillermo Del Toro whom I've also recently covered. (This period also holds my attention - arguably the most significant chapter of the 20th Century.)

This was Cruz's first leading role, the youngest of four sisters 'hosting' the only man in town, a deserter from the Spanish Army. There is no nudity in the movie, but nonetheless it is very, very sexy, as well as funny.

If you are not familiar with the Spanish Civil War it immediately preceded WW2 ending in the victory of the military dictator Franco in 1939 - backed by the Axis and the Catholic Church. The opposition, the 'Republicans' were largely communist, including some 30,000 American Union sympathesizers who volunteered in the 'Abraham Lincoln Brigade'. Although often disparaged the so-called anarchist faction of the Republican side did stand up to the communist influences, though perhaps this is what caused their defeat.

BTW, the film adaptation of the Hemmingway Book regarding this war, 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', is also pretty good. Although Ingrid Bergman is not particularly convincing as a spanish peasant girl she is perhaps at her absolute best. This leaves me in a dilemna - which is the more romantically beautiful - Bergman or Cruz. Cruz or Bergman. Please, excuse me while I think on that one a bit..

Being There

Directed by Hal Ashby

with Shirley McLaine and Richard Dysart

1979

This movie was the capstone of a career of shere comedic genius. Sellers is perhaps best known as the bumbling French Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series, starting in 1963. 1964's 'Dr Strangelove' (directed by Stanley Kubrick) may well exceed this movie in the eyes of history, but both are clearly part of it.

'Being There' is a critique of TV driven culture and politics and in it's time it was biting. In this age of emerging internet media influence the look back makes this a different movie than at the time of it's release. I recently watched it again, and enjoyed it immensely, all the more so for this being an election year.

If you aren't familiar with the plot it concerns a reclusive gardner forced into a world he only knows from TV, after his lifelong employer dies. He actually does pretty good, much to the chagrin of the black maid who took care of him previously.

In reviewing Sellers Filmography for this piece I noticed a 1967 James Bond Spoof he did of "Casino Royale'. The cast includes Ursula Andress as the Bond Girl, David Niven, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, John Huston, Deborah Kerr and William Holden. I'm gonna watch this one soon, sorry Mr. Meyers.

Eating Raoul

Directed by Paul Bartel

Written by Paul Bartel, with Richard Blackburn

1982

Imagine the Wine aficionado couple from the recent movie 'Sideways' (Paul Giamatti and Virginia Madsen) ten years later and you have the start of this movie.

Then put on your bell bottoms and other 'inspired' items from the 1970's, light up some Thai Stick and get ready to swing baby! Or, if you prefer, a glass of Pinot Noir or a Fume Blanc!

FWIW Giamatti and Madsen could probably put together a pretty mean Country Restaraunt, but I'd hope they treated the help better than Bartel and his screen wife.