Riddick Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Riddick

Year: 2013

Director: David Twohy

Country: US

Language: English 

Ever since Vin Diesel moved us as the enormous robot in The Iron Giant, the public has had a soft spot for him. Women want him and men want to be him. He is the epitome of the perfect action hero: buff, handsome, suave, mysterious and an all around badass. While he has disappointed his fans with cheap comedies like 2005's The Pacifier, many can forgive him because of Pitch Black, the cult sci-fi film that started the Riddick Franchise. 
 
In this third instalment of the Riddick saga, Riddick (Vin Diesel) is betrayed by his own kind and left for dead on a remote planet. He desperately fight for survival against hungry predators and thirsty aliens. Once they realize Riddick is alive, bounty hunters from all across the galaxy go on the hunt for him. Little do they know they are merely a pawn in his great game of revenge.

Instead of putting any effort into this picture and releasing it upon the masses,  director David Twohy should have just given Pitch Black a theatrical tour and gave it a 3D gimmick, much like Disney does with their older releases. Riddick  so closely resembles his older film that it's almost a remake. I say "almost" because, while Twohy has the story right, he does everything else wrong.

The writing for this movie is absolutely atrocious.  Though it is expected that we lower our expectations regarding the writing for an action flick,  it still is mediocre at best. There is no tension or suspense in Riddick, we don't even get cheesy dialogue that could make this picture at least somewhat fun. Even though Riddick has been betrayed and abandoned, the emotions do not resonate. The camera doesn't even do its job at making Riddick a lonely hero. Vin Diesel's acting is decent,  but it doesn't make up for everything that fell apart.

In conclusion, there really is no reason to be watching this. Save your admission fee and buy a copy of Pitch Black on Amazon. Then watch said copy in the comfort of your own home, while thinking to yourself "I'm glad I'm not watching Riddick" I would say a ten year old could write better dialogue, but that would wouldn't even be an exaggeration, a 5yr old could probably do better. Piss on it! 1/5

Sid & Nancy Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Sid & Nancy
Year: 1986
Director: Alex Cox
Country: UK
Language: English

In the late 70's punk would bring the world to its knees. The Sex Pistols, a controversial punk band from England, was responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom which would inspire many other musicians to join in. Their hits like Anarchy in The UK, God Save the Queen and Pretty Vacant definitely appealed to the pissed off Generation X youth. While Johnny Rotten was the front-man for group, their equally reckless bassist Sid Vicious, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, were often the center of attention.

Sid & Nancy is the biographical tale about the relationship between Sex Pistol's bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his difficult girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). When the Sex Pistols break up after their fateful US tour, Vicious attempts a solo career while in the grip of heroin addiction. Nancy, also a junkie, sticks by his side through thick and thin. Unfortunately both of them will meet a terrible fate.

Like most film biographies, Sid & Nancy isn't very historically accurate. In-fact Johnny Rotten dismissed the film as "mere fantasy" and called it "the peter pan version" of the truth. Regardless the film is more about feeling and tone. It's about love, alienation, desperation and isolation. Sid and Nancy are probably the worst people in the world for each other, yet the film suggests that they are together because they have nobody else. Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb have constructed characters that no one would want to be or be with.

Alex Cox creates a picture that is uncomfortable and bleak, the two child-like characters seem helpless and ultimately doomed by their poor decision making. However we sympathize with them and even understand why they make some of their decisions, because they are very human and we are not perfect as well. Sid & Nancy has great cinematography and set design which really captures 1970's England. The lighting and costume design also capture the many dark moments of the film. The acting by Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb is remarkable.

In conclusion, Sid & Nancy is perhaps the most effective anti-drug film. If you were doing drugs before the watching the film, you likely wont afterwards. Cox does everything right from a technical point of view, the themes are thought provoking and it is easily re-watchable. Does it give a satisfying conclusion in regards to the mystery of Spungen's death? No, infact I would rather the death be left ambiguous, but it's still a fascinating piece of work regardless. Praise it! 4.5/5

This Is the End Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: This is The End
Year: 2013
Director: Seth Rogan
Country: US
Language: English

What do you get when you cross Michael Cera, James Franco, Seth Rogan, Craig Robinson, Emma Watson, Danny McBride and The Backsteet Boys? How about the funnest movie of the year! Admittedly, after watching the trailer for This is The End a couple of months ago I thought this would be a terrible movie, on par with Scary Movie 5. However this film went above and beyond my expectations, it's incredibly funny beginning to end.

All Jay Baruchel expected coming to LA was a fun time with his best friend Seth Rogan, who wanted a good time himself at James Franco's housewarming party. Suddenly, the Rapture hits and the Biblical Apocalypse has begun. Now Jay, Rogan, Franco, Robinson, McBride and Jonah Hill must wait in Franco's home until rescue comes for them, which should be very soon because they're important celebrities.

If you go to the IMDB section of This Is the End, under reviews you'll see hundreds of

people giving the picture 2 stars saying "sooo disappointing!" These are the same people who thought The World's End was a masterpiece and that was complete crap. Did they expect a serious thought provoking masterpiece from Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill and James Franco? This film is stoner comedy at its best. It never takes itself seriously, even moments that could be considered "serious" have an underlying tone of camp and cheese. It's brilliant.

Some complain that the film was "too slow" but I felt it was perfectly paced. Each comedic moment built up and reached a hilarious climax. Sure some jokes were offensive and other might have been a little gross, but the cast didn't rely on that for the entirety of the movie. Each character is charming and has a fun edge to them, even Emma Watson and Rihanna made memorable cameos. Ultimately this is a film I could watch again and again, despite my love of Woody Allen and Pierre Etaix.

In conclusion, This Is the End will definitely divide the public, but I think it's a remarkable stoner comedy like Pineapple Express. It's immature, but it sure brings a lot of laughs to the table. It's incredibly good natured and does not reinforce negative stereotypes regarding race and gender like so many other modern comedies do. It also doesn't forcefeed us sentimental bullshit.  Praise it! 4/5

Double Indemnity Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Double Indemnity
Year: 1944
Director: Billy Wilder
Country: US
Language: English 

World War Two changed the face of America. Soldiers coming back from the war were traumatized by what they encountered in Japan and in Europe. Though America's economy was on the rise, the American people seemed more critical of their Government and were tired of information being withheld from them. The  mood during the war and after the war was not as Frank Capra depicted in It's A Wonderful Life, it was more in tune with the style of film noir, which was running rampant at the time.

The film is set in 1938, where Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), an experienced salesman of the Pacific All Risk Insurance Co., meets the seductive wife of one of his clients, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck). They have an affair and Phyllis proposes to kill her husband to receive the proceeds of an accident insurance policy. The couple devise a scheme to receive twice the amount based on a double indemnity clause.

Billy Wilder is perhaps the greatest classic Hollywood filmmaker in the history of Cinema. He direct a comedy (Some Like It Hot) as well as he can direct a serious cold drama (Sunset Boulevard), so it is no surprise that Double Indemnity is considered a classic among film enthusiasts. The picture has not only a fantastic story, but it is also uniquely constructed; the film begins at the end, and is told through flashback, much like Wilder's later film Sunset Boulevard. The emphasis in Wilder's film is not who committed the crime or if the crime could be committed, it's how the crime was committed. This unique aspect led to a lot of imitation by other noir directors. 

Barbara Stanwyck is the perfectly cast femme fatale. Her natural sexual prowess and seductiveness sell very well on the screen. She also adds a layer of emotional detachment and cruelty to her character, which makes Phyllis Dietrichson even more villainous. Wilder creates a sense of dread and doom from the start of the film; the lighting, score and claustrophobic camera-work create a cold atmosphere where life seems to be of little importance.

In conclusion, Double Indemnity perfectly captures America's detached mood following the horrors due to World War Two. The villains of Wilder's film are very much like the people America were fighting in 1944; cold, calculating and careless about the lives of others. There are various opinions regarding the "best" Wilder film, but this is certainly one of my favourites. Praise it! 5/5

The Grandmaster Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: The Grandmaster

Year: 2013

Director: Wong Kar-Wai

Country: China 

Language: Mandarin

  Perhaps the most well known Chinese writer-director in North America, Wong Kar-Wai has made four decades worth of sensational and spell bounding films. 1994's Chungking Express, 2000's In the Mood For Love and 2004's epic  2046 are just a few fantastic films in his repertoire. The man is certainly capable of making a masterpiece at any moment, which is why fans are on the edge of their seats when a new Wong Kar-Wai picture arrives in theaters . His latest film, The Grandmaster is certainly making waves with audiences worldwide. 

The Grandmaster is a biopic which stars Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Red Cliff) as IP Man, the martial arts master who trained the likes of Bruce Lee. The film chronicles his life, starting with his peaceful time in the city of Foshan.  However, this is interrupted as he is threatened  by Gong  Yutian (Wang Qingxiang), a retired martial arts master of the North.

Though it's "based on a true story", the majority of the film seems more fantasy than reality.  While discussing the film with a friend from Taiwan, he claimed that it "felt like an attempt by the Chinese government to glorify and white wash IP man's history".  While Wong Kar Wai's film can be obnoxiously melodramatic, it is spectacularly well made and absolutely enthralling.  It is full of love and hate, of despair and of hope.

   
Apparently there are many versions of The Grandmaster circling theaters around the world. While North America can see a 108 minute cut, Asia is in possession of a 130 minute cut. Does the Director think so little of the  American attention span? While the North American version is absolutely breathtaking, it feels as though a  chunk of the story is missing. Regardless, the themes seep through the screen and into our consciousness.  IP's inner struggle for peace is universal and the fight scenes are majestically choreographed by Yuen Po Ping

In conclusion, The Grandmaster is an exciting martial arts film with some incredibly deep themes that will resonate with the viewer long after the film is finished. The acting, especially from Tony Leung Chiu Wai, is pretty decent and adds to the drama that unfolds on the screen. I wish North America had the full cut, but the version we have in North America will have to suffice. Unfortunately because it is cut too short, the film feels poorly paced during the second half. 3/5

Passionflower Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Passionflower
Year: 2012
Director: Shelagh Carter
Country: Canada
Language: English  

The tragedy of the Canadian Film Industry is that it is almost always overshadowed by our Hollywood neighbors to the south. Our modestly made pictures are no match for the mega blockbusters that seem to be released every week. Unlike Canadian radio stations, movie theatres are not required by law to play a certain percentage of Canadian films. Therefore most theatres will only play American films because it drives in more customers. Few Canadians have actually seen a Canadian-made film. This is a shame, because it allows great artists like Manitoba born Shelagh Carter to go un-noticed. Her latest film Passionflower is one of the greatest movies ever made.

The film is set in the Early 1960's. Sarah (Kassidy Love Brown) and her brother Thomas (Ethan Harapiak) live with their parents in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She belongs to a regular nuclear family. However something is not right; Sarah becomes confused at her mother's increasingly destructive behavior. Her father refuses to believe that anything is wrong and their family is slowly imploding from the stress. Sarah tries to survive this using her creativity and imagination.

In some ways Passionflower reminds me of John Cassavetes' 1974 classic A Woman Under the Influenxe, but in many ways it's completely different. Shelagh's picture is more personal and realistic, it is autobiographical. On one hand it's a tale about a woman's brutal slip into psychosis and on another it's about a daughter who just wants to love and be loved back. It's heartbreaking and certainly tear-jerking, I felt immensely drawn into it as I could relate it to my own experiences with mental health.

Shelagh Carter uses her film to push mental health issues to the forefront. Perhaps if mental health was treated more seriously in the 60's her family would not have suffered as much. Passionflower is a reminder that mental health should not be ignored, but always treated with care. Carter doesn't blame the mother for her actions, rather it shows her as a victim of an uncaring world. From a technical point of view, the Director did everything she could to make an authentic 1960's Winnipeg and it looks absolutely wonderful. The set and costume designer from Mad Men should be replaced by her people. The actors are magnificent, they truly draw you into the story.

In Conclusion, if you have never seen a Canadian film in your life then this is the picture to start with. It is alluring and never ceases to be thought provoking. It is a complex honest film about mental health, marriage, growing pains and parenting. It is hard to think of what I didn't like about it, because Carter makes a film with very few flaws.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Review- By Michael Carlisle

 Title: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Year: 1984
Director: Wes Craven
Country: US
Language: English

During the early 70's to early 80's, the horror genre had a unique period of revival. Classic films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Halloween (1978), and Friday the 13th (1980) were all made during this time. However by 1984 the horror sub-genre known as the "slasher" flick was wearing thin, reduced to awful cliche sequels like Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Fortunately an enticing Director named Wes Craven stepped onto the scene and gave fans something to be excited about.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is about Freddy Krueger; a child murderer who haunts the dreams of his potential victims, feeding off their fear. On Elm Street, Nancy Thompson and a group of her friends including Tina Gray, Rod Lane and Glen Lantz are being tormented by Krueger. They must think quickly, unless they plan to die in their sleep.

Essentially the film's main theme originates from Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous quote "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" Roosevelt meant that fear could potentially paralyze a nation, it could stop us from thinking rationally and result in our own self-defeat. We saw this happen post 9/11.Wes Craven takes Roosevelt's speech and enacts it on the micro-level. It seems that Krueger would be a very easy villain to defeat, since he exists in a realm where anything is possible, but fear is a very powerful force.

Wes Craven delivers an intriguing original horror film that has the tense atmosphere of horror films before it. The Director realizes the importance of the anticipation of danger, rather than the final attack. Each victim's death builds up, and when it finally happens it is horrifying. Though there is some gore in the film, Craven does not rely on the gore for shock value. Krueger himself is a very interesting character, but the rest seem to fall flat and are one dimensional. It does suffer from some of the usual genre problems, it can be a little formulaic at times and the ending flat-out sucks.

In conclusion, A Nightmare on Elm Street is a pretty decent picture that more modern horror filmmakers need to pay attention to. Too many "scary" movies nowadays rely on brutal death, instead of the suspenseful anticipation of it. Unfortunately it is a victim of having too many sequels, a remake and a crossover film (Freddy vs Jason), but overall it is a picture that I would recommend. 3.5/5

Friday the 13th Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Friday the 13th
Year: 1980
Director: Sean S. Cunningham
Country: US
Language: English

The genre of horror has gone through many evolutions since George Melies made the first horror film in 1897 called Le Manoir Du Diable. In the 1920's we saw it most in German Expressionism films like The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu (1922). In the 1930's Universal Studios scared us out of our wits with their monsters like Frankenstein (1931) and Dracula (1933). Throughout the decades Horror would split into many subgenres; slasher, thriller, monster, vampire, zombie, etc. Friday the 13th is an  incredible example of the slasher film.

The picture is set in Camp Crystal Lake. On paper it might seem like an ordinary camp where one goes to roast marshmallows and sing campfire songs, but it has a very terrible secret. While a group of young counselors begin to get ready to reopen the camp they start dropping like flies as they are stalked and murdered one by one by an unknown killer.

As a child, this film frightened me. As an adult, this film greatly impresses me. Unlike many horror films of today, Friday the 13th doesn't look like it was made with a big budget in a studio and it isn't filled to the brim with special effects. This non-Hollywood look makes the picture feel realistic. It doesn't rely on gore, rather Director Sesan S. Cunningham creates an atmosphere that is uncomfortable and unnerving. The film is very cerebral. Cunningham borrows elements from horror films of the past and employs them in an incredibly unique way to make a great picture. 

The camera does a great job at making Friday the 13th feel claustrophobic. The viewer is as trapped in Camp Crystal lake as the counselors are. The way the camera chases after it's victims, as the point of view of the villain, is fresh and exciting. We also feel a sense of insecurity, as the camera views the soon to be victims from behind bushes and trees. Though the acting isn't astounding, it doesn't need to be. The technical quality of the camerawork, lighting, amateur look etc. more than make up for the acting.

In conclusion, one can see Friday the 13th as a morality tale. Sex before marriage equals death.  Drugs and alcohol equal death.  Immorality of any kind equals death. Jason Vorhees is the vengeful old testament God, smiting those who do not follow biblical law. It's unfortunate that the film's reputation is shattered because of the many shitty sequels that followed like Jason X. However it's still a great film that is brilliantly made. 

Praise it! 4/5

The Manor Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: The Manor

Year: 2013

Director: Shawney Cohen

Country: Canada
Language: English

Ontario born ShawneyCohen began his film career as a digital effects artist for James Issac’s underwhelming Jason X. Slowly he received greater work with much more respected films and filmmakers; in 2003 Cohen was the CG supervisor for Alexander Witt’s Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and in 2007 he became the 3D animator for David Cronenberg’s critically acclaimed A History of Violence. Recently Cohen, along with fellow Canadian Mike Gallay, has decided to make the jump to Director. Their debut documentary The Manor is certainly making an impression all along the prairies. 

The Manor is an intimate documentary about Director Shawney Cohen’s odd Jewish family. They have owned a peculiar strip club/hotel in Guelph, Ontario, Canada since Stawney and his brother were born.  We follow their days of mediating fights between strippers, changing the bottles in the liquor room and making sure the club isn’t run into the ground. We also see real soul shattering characters that will make your stomach quench in despair.

Cohen’s film is shocking in its honesty, having many moments and characters that are almost too melancholy to sit through. For instance Roger, Shawney’s father, is a 400 pound man who is absolutely unbearable. He has a foul mouth and always needs to say the last word. Shawney’s mother Brenda is the exact opposite of this; a frail Holocaust survivor with anorexia, she gains most of the audience’s sympathy. The Director makes it clear that the club is the cause of their problems.

While watching the film I was thinking; what is the point?  Is there any redemptive quality? Then I compared Cohen’s family to my own and realized that maybe my family isn’t that terrible after all. There is great healing power in Cohen’s film because while your family may seem insufferable, they aren’t as bad as this family. At first the film is depressing, but eventually it becomes inspiring.

In conclusion, The Manor is a unique documentary and the filmmaker is brave for doing it. He doesn't attempt to polish his family, but rather creates an atmosphere of honesty. Though he never thought it would turn into anything special, it is slowly becoming a modern Canadian hit, with critics praising him left and right.  3.5/5

The Bridge On the River Kwai Review- By Michael Carlisle

 Title: The Bridge On the River Kwai
Year: 1957
Director: David Lean
Country: UK
Language: English

David Lean is the most loved British Director next to Alfred Hitchcock. Though his filmography is a bit low, having Directed only 13 pictures, each one of them can be considered a masterpiece. He started his career adapting Noel Coward plays like This Happy Breed, In Which We Serve, and Brief Encounter and ended his career with epics like Doctor Zhivago and A Passage to India. Bridge on the River Kwai is the first of his undeclared War Trilogy and it is considered one of  his finest works. 

The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guiness), they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first the prisoners admire Nicholson, however they slowly realize that he is going mad.

It is important to watch this film with the realization that everything seen in the picture is fictional. Though loosely based on a true story, it caused the real Colonel Nicholson and the Kwai veterans a great deal of stress, because Nicholson wasn't a man who had gone mad. In-fact he was greatly respected after the war and became President of the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War. With that in mind Kwai is an incredibly sensational picture that changed the landscape of cinema, especially as far as War epics were concerned. 

With his camera, David Lean submerses us into the world of the POW prisoner. We feel their pain and see their shattered remnants of life. The cinematography is breathtaking and powerful, perhaps even better than Lawrence of Arabia's. The jungle settings add a necessary tone of realism and suspense that keeps interest, despite the runtime being more that 3 hours long. The film's climax slowly builds, though we cannot predict what will happen we know it will be something big. The acting is superb, Alec Guiness truly deserved the "Best Actor" Oscar for his role as the complicated Colonel Nicholson.

In conclusion, The Bridge On the River Kwai is a film I have seen about a dozen times in my life. It is remarkable; no scene or screen pace is wasted in telling one of the most compelling stories you will ever watch. With this film Lean proved to the world that an epic could still make us weep and cheer for joy. Praise it! 5/5

Doctor Zhivago Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Doctor Zhivago
Year: 1965
Director: David Lean 
Country: UK
Language: English 

A film that casts Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia), Julie Christie (Don't Look Now), Geraldine Chaplin (Cria Cuervos) and Alec Guiness (Kind Hearts and Coronets) has got to be absolute gold. Winner of multiple Academy Awards, iconic British director David Lean sweeps us with his third part of an undeclared War Trilogy (Bridge Over the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago) There is a reason Lean is known as one of the greatest British Directors of all time, this film is just one example. 

Doctor Zhivago is about a woman named Lara (Julie Christie) who inspires debauchery in Komarovsky and can't compete with passion for the revolution of the man she marries, Pasha (Tom Courtenay) . Her true love is Zhivago (Omar Sharif ) who also loves his wife. The story is narrated by Zhivago's half brother Yevgraf (Alec Guinness), who has made his career in the Soviet Army. At the beginning of the film he is about to meet a young woman he believes may be the long lost daughter of Lara and Zhivago. 

David Lean's magnificent film about the Russian revolution is a picture that breathes life and is abundant in suffering and passion. It is the pinnacle of war and melodrama, a slave to romance, lust and heartache. It is a dire question of morality, deciphering the shaky grounds between adultery and true love. It is a timeless epic that weighs on our minds and our hearts, perhaps the closest war been made to resemble poetry. 

It is a film that must be watched over and over again, because the characters are incredibly complex. While Zhivago is the largely empathetic character, it is hard to know what is stirring in that brilliant mind.The cinematography is astounding, here we see a blizzard ridden Siberian wasteland, a magnificent ice castle and a raging war. Zhivago may be the most powerful of all Lean's films, certainly the score is one that will stand the test of time.

In conclusion, Doctor Zhivago is such a good film that it arguably makes the original source material, a 1957 novel by Boris Pasternak, even better. It is full of rich themes that stick in your mind. After Gone With the Wind, the highest grossing film of all time adjusting inflation, Zhivago is the second highest grossing film in MGM's history. When you consider that MGM released classics like 1939's Wizard of Oz and 1952's Singin in the Rain, this is a pretty good achievement. Praise it! 5/5

Lawrence of Arabia Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Lawrence of Arabia
Year: 1962
Director: David Lean
Country: UK
Language: English

David Lean is perhaps the most important British Filmmaker in the History of Cinema. While he has only Directed 19 pictures, every last one of them is remarkable. His Dickens adaptations (Oliver Twist and Great Expectations) greatly improve the original source material. His late 50's to late 60's epics (Bridge Over the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago) continue to stun the world entire. This review is about his second Oscar winning film.

Lawrence of Arabia is about Thomas Edward Lawrence, a flamboyant and controversial British military figure who is given leave to investigate the progress of the Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I. He is eventually conflicted about his loyalties during his service in Arabia and forms a guerrilla army.

If a friend wished to be introduced to "epic" cinema, where would you lead them? While Gone With the Wind is a good choice, it may prove too long for some. Lawrence of Arabia, on the other hand, is certainly manageable. It is sweeping and stunning, full of great cinematography charting the vast desert land. The score is unforgettable, perhaps the greatest in all of cinema. It is full of exquisite detail that you may not notice at first, but may be noticed over a lifetime of viewings.

Unfortunately it is a victim of being in the "sorry for colonialism" genre, along with films like Avatar, The Help, and Django Unchained, but since it came out decades before those terrible movies I'd say we don't hold this fact against Lean's picture. His characters are incredibly complicated and full of raw emotion. We can really get behind Lawrence, who is somewhat of a messiah of the desert. Renowned actor Peter O' Toole is at his absolute best and it's a shame that he was snubbed at that year's Oscars, it was also unfortunate that Alec Guinness lost out too.

In conclusion, Lawrence of Arabia has had a profound impact on the making of the "epic" genre of film and continues to this day. It is masterful, Lean was truly a perfectionist of his craft. It's even entertaining to here about the stories O'Toole has to say about the production of this scene. During a scene involving going high speeds with camels, O'Toole confesses (50 years later) that he was drunk the entire time, mainly because beforehand he was scared out of his mind. Praise it! 5/5