Review #1058: King of Jazz (1930)

Title: King of Jazz
Year: 1930
Director: John Murray Anderson
Country: US
Language: English

Produced by Carl Laemmie Jr. for Universal Pictures King of Jazz is a rare pre-code colour (made entirely in the two-colour technicolor process) film that stars Paul Whiteman and his orchestra. At the time of its production, "jazz" didn't mean what it means today. Their idea of "jazz" meant the jazz-influenced syncopated dance music which was heard on phonograph records and radio broadcasts throughout the country. 

This revue presents its numbers around the orchestra leader Paul Whiteman.

Universal expected this revue to make a large sum of money, mainly because their previous release Broadway (1929) was such a box office success. They put a staggering $3 million in depression-era money into King of Jazz. Unfortunately by 1930 the depression in the United States was in full-swing and audiences had grown tired of musicals, which had over-saturated the market since Warner Bros/ The Jazz Singer (1929). As a result the film made less of a third of its money back. 

Over the decades, King of Jazz has become beloved as a piece of Hollywood recklessness. It's one hell of a mess that now shows the apex of early technicolor and a time capsule of popular American music. A succession of musical and comic acts staged with supreme originality, one has to enjoy this film as a curiosity. King of Jazz is a grand spectacle that is full of jaw-dropping performances and strange acrobatic positions. 

Despite not making a dent in the North American market, the movie was surprisingly successful abroad, helping to salve some of the financial wounds. Many years after the 1930's the film was considered to be lost, but archivists were able to find a copy in the 1980's. In 2016 King of Jazz was finally restored to its original beauty. 

Out of the Fog (1941) Review

Title: Out of the Fog
Year: 1941
Director: Anatole Litvak
Country: US
Language: English

Out of the Fog was directed by Academy Award Winning director of Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) Anatole Litvak. This picture was based on the play Gentle People by Irwin Shaw. Upon its initial release it was neither a critical or commercial success, making far less money than the studios expected. Its perhaps most notable because it features the great John Garfield in his most nasty villainous role. 

Jonah (Thomas Mitchell) and Olaf (John Qualen) are trying to live the American dream, living earnestly and pinching every penny. Stella (Ida Lupino) and Goff (John Garfield) are attracted to riches and seek power quickly. Their worlds collide. 

Out of the Fog hit theatres during a remarkable point in American history. Released six months before the U.S. would formally enter WWII the movie boasts a message about stopping villains before they have a chance to gain significant toehold and crush the common man. John Garfield's character, who slowly attempts to take everything the hard-working heroes of the story work for, can be seen as a metaphor for Nazism, communism, and even the current Government, which makes the picture very relevant. 

Director Anatole Litvak did everything in his power to make the American people realize that Nazi threat was real and that conflict with them was inevitable. Many traces of his mission can be seen in his late 30's to mid forties pictures. The acting, especially by Garfield, who would later have his career ruined by being outed as a communist by the House of Un-American Activities Committee, is top notch. The photography is remarkable and the noir atmosphere, highlighted by incredible set design, is rich with cynicism. 

The foggy docks and gritty narrative is enthralling; Out of the Fog has a message that resonates and a tone that captures the mind of contemporary audiences. There are better film noirs out there, but this one is certainly a worthwhile viewing. 

Moonrise (1948) Review

Title: Moonrise
Year: 1948
Director: Frank Borzange
Country: US
Language: English

Moonrise (1948) is widely regarded as Frank Borzange's standout work among lesser known B-picture film noirs. It has a romantic southern atmosphere yet has the sensibility of film noir. The cinematographer, John L. Russell, would later work with the great "master of suspense" Alfred Hitchcock on perhaps his most acclaimed work Psycho (1960).

Danny (Dane  Clark) was despised by his schoolmates because his father was accused to have killed another man. He lives in a psychological shadow because his father died by a hangman's noose.

Moonrise takes place in a small southern town; set amidst swamps and rotten antebellum mansions. Based on a novel by Theodore Strauss and scripted by producer Haas, what we get isn't exactly Gone With The Wind, but it is a unique noir drenched in existential philosophy. The main character is tormented; convinced that he is beyond redemption and cannot overcome his bad blood.

Moody music and impressive photography create a near expressionist film that shows just how artistic the genre could be. Exhibiting a remarkable feel for nuance in language, Moonrise's use of sound combined with the director's clear love of silent masterpieces like F.W Murnau's Sunrise make this quite a unique picture.  

A poetic heart and (spoiler) not-so broody ending makes this picture less dark in tone than say, Sweet Smell of Success, but it's still a worth-while viewing, especially if you are a fan of John. L Russell's cinematography. The Criterion Collection is releasing a Blu-Ray edition in May, and I must say that this is overdue for a decent home video release. 

The Defiant Ones (1958) Review

Title: The Defiant Ones
Year: 1958
Director: Stanley Kramer
Country: US
Language: English

Tony Curtis, who ensured his co-star received top-billing,  and Sidney Poitier had great admiration and respect for Director Stanley Kramer. The man would make pictures about important and controversial social issues, during a time in which tabloid journalists could easily make or break careers. Despite the love on the set, both stars would find themselves constantly exhausted, as The Defiant Ones was their most physically demanding film to date.

Two escaped convicts chained together, white (Tony Curtis) and black (Sidney Poitier), must learn to get along in order to elude capture.

Nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and winning 2 (Screenplay and Cinematography) The Defiant Ones attempts to break racial-barriers by having a drama where where their difference in color seems to matter more than the fact that both are fugitives from the law. We see Curtis and Poitier's relationship slowly progress throughout the run-time; from pure hatred to tolerance to a kind of kinship. An incredibly well written story gives us two quite deep and revealing character studies. 

Stanley Kramer's picture has an unpleasantness about it as it highlights many unfortunate racial attitudes of the (hopefully) past. Even though both Curtis and Poitier are criminals, Poitier is treated far worse by the people they come across. One child even asks Curtis if he's handcuffed to Poitier because he's taking the man to jail. If this picture is a glimpse of 1950's intolerance, I'd hate to actually be living in that era. 

Overall I think this isn't one of Kramer's best pictures (Judgement at Nuremburg and Mad World are vastly superior works) but I do think this is a well made film with an important message that resonates even 60+ years after the film's initial release. 

Killer of Sheep (1978) Review

Title: Killer of Sheep
Year: 1978
Director: Charles Burnett
Country: US
Language: English

Written, directed, produced, and shot by Charles Burnett, Killer of Sheep was shot in Watts, Los Angeles on a budget of less than $10,000 USD (about $38,000 adjusted for inflation) and filmed over a year. He submitted this picture as his Masters of Fine Arts thesis at the University of California. Winning awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, it unfortunately never saw a large release due to the director unable to pay for its music rights. 

Set in the Watts area of Los Angeles, a slaughterhouse worker (Henry G. Sanders) must suspend his emotions to continue working at a job he finds repugnant, and then he finds he has little sensitivity for the family he works so hard to support.

In 1990, Killer of Sheep  was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. For many it will be a difficult film to watch as its narrative isn't structured in a straightforward manner. One scene follows another with no apparent pattern, reflecting how the lives of its family combine endless routine with the interruptions of random events. Popular African American music (Paul Robeson, Dinah Washington) floods our ears, as we view absolute poverty through the cinematic lens. 

Shooting in 16 millimeter and operating it himself, Burnett's camera observes everything, and is seemingly everywhere. It's raw and effective in showing the drudgery of life in poverty. The lives of unhappy adults, one who slaughters sheep for a living, are inter-cut with shots of the children at play. Perhaps making a connection and suggesting that the children's lives will become as meaningless and dead-end as the sheep. 

Killer of Sheep is not the easiest film to digest, but it's hard to deny the fact that it's one of cinema's masterpieces. Film critics have compared Burnett's work to Yaijuro Ozu, Satyajit Ray, Stanley Kubrick, and many Italian Neo-Realists. They don't make pictures like this anymore. 

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) Review

Title- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Year: 2017
Director: Jack Kasdan
Country: US
Language: English

Directed by Joe Johnston, 1995's fantasy adventure film Jumanji was, surprisingly, an adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's 1981 children's book. It starred Robin Williams and, despite its poor critical reception, would go on to be one of the highest grossing films of that year. Part of the Jumanji Franchise, the film spawned a sequel and an animated television series from 1996-1999. 

Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.

Cinephiles often complain that action movies resemble the structure of a videogame. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle takes pride in using videogame logic (each character has three lives, has statistics assigned to them) and does so in a more engaging way than most that try to follow the same formula. Add in the varied comic stylings of Kevin Hart, The Rock and Jack Black and you've got a decent flick on your hands. 

Unfortunately it does suffer from poor use of CGI; the digital animals and "special effects" look like they came straight from the original. ignoring 20+ years of computer progress. In addition, some of the humor, like Karen Gilan karate fighting to "Baby I Love Your Way" just falls flat. While I do love the main villain, a character who can control animals, I don't like that most of the baddies are just generic goons on motorcycles. 

Jumanji is a mixed bag that will please and bore, often multiple times throughout one viewing. Perhaps it could have been trimmed a half hour, as the 2hr run-time is a lot to sit through. Despite the public's nostalgia for the Robin Williams version, I must admit that I liked this better. 

 

Red Dust (1932) Review

Title: Red Dust
Year: 1932
Director: Victor Fleming
Country: US
Language: English

Based on the 1928 play of the same name by Wilson Collison, and adapted for the screen by John Mahin, Red Dust (1932) is the second of six movies Clark Gable (Gone With the Wind) and Jean Harlow (Platinum Blonde) made together. Made during the pre-code era of the Golden Age of Hollywood, the film was a commercial and critical success. 

The owner of a rubber plantation (Clark Gable) becomes involved with the new wife (Jean Harlow) of one of his employees.

1932 was perhaps the worst year for Hollywood in its history. Due to the Great Depression which swept North America several small studios had to close their doors for good and the the only studio that managed to make a profit was MGM...mainly due to Red Dust. Its racy dialogue and fiery sexuality, Harlow was willing to show quite a bit of skin, enticed penny pinching Americans to run to the cinemas.

Set on a hot plantation, Director Victor Fleming gives us the perfect setting for intense passion to seep through the screen. Clark Gable's machismo flourishes as his raging lust for Harlowe, a nymph-ish woman with a cutting edge, slowly takes over his mind. A well paced picture, Red Dust does suffer from the poor handling of minorities. The Vietnamese characters are viewed as savages whose idiocy attempts to provide comic relief. Its a very dated aspect of this film. 

Despite many racist scenes, Red Dust (1932) is a gem from the Golden Age of Hollywood that ought to be viewed by contemporary audiences. Though both actors have played better roles, it's still an entertaining tale of great passion.

I'm No Angel (1933) Review

Title: I'm No Angel
Year: 1933
Director: Wesley Ruggles
Country: US
Language: English

When Mae West's (1893-1980) film career had started she was already infamous for staging Sex on Broadway. She had received jail time for obscenity, and doing so made headlines across the country. At the age of 40, which was unusual for a woman that age, she was given a motion picture contract by Paramount Pictures. Her first film, 1932's Night After Night, secured her as a sex symbol on the big screen. 

Circus performer Tira seeks a better life pursuing the company of wealthy New York men with improbable comic complications along the way.

While many pictures at the time would turn a sexually adventurous young woman into a sweet heroine who enjoyed chastity, I'm No Angel presented the exact opposite. This is about a middle aged woman getting all the sex she can, and in the end striking it rich. It's a film that could only have been made during the pre-code era, as later censorship would not have allowed the majority of the script. 

I'm No Angel may be the most frank exploration of female sexuality to come out of the 1930's. This isn't just due to the pure charisma from Mae West, but also because the film allows for a dissection of sexual norms and a criticism of woman's role in society. We also see the issues facing feminism (unequal power, men manipulating women for their own gain) and have a character that appears stronger than these troubling forces. 

The humor in I'm No Angel is hit or miss, as well as the musical numbers. Perhaps its due to the limited sound technology, but Mae West's singing doesn't come across that well. Despite this, the film is ground-breaking in the way it addresses female issues and the time and thus deserves to be commended.

Madam Satan (1930) Review

Title: Madam Satan
Year: 1930
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Country: US
Language: English

Many sequences in Madam Satan (1930) were filmed in colour, but due to corporate backlash against musicals which made the extra cost of colour unnecessary, Director Cecil B. DeMille decided that he would release these scenes in black and white. The incredible influx of musicals being made, due to sound being introduced to motion pictures just three years earlier with Jazz Singer, made American theatres too saturated with the genre and thus the film was considered a financial failure. 

Angela (Kay Johnson) and Bob Brooks (Reginald Denny) are an upper class couple. Unfortunately, Bob is an unfaithful husband, but Angela has a plan to win back her husband's affections. An elaborate masquerade ball is to be held aboard a magnificent dirigible. Angela will attend and disguise herself as a mysterious devil woman.

The film comes across multiple genres throughout its run-time; at one point a musical, then a bedroom comedy, then a disaster film. Its plot is very reminiscent of an Ernst Lubitsch or Preston Sturges film like The Lady Eve (1941). DeMille's pictures aren't as subtle as Lubitsch's however; a heavy moral hand guides us and, while we are subject to plenty of sin, the lengthy run-time will grow any audience weary. 

Despite of DeMille's righteous morality, Madam Satan is a high budget film that gives us plenty in the way of impressive stunts, special effects and costumes. The staging, cinematography and cast is all remarkable. Unfortunately much of the film's energy is given to the second half of the picture, which makes the first hour or so a drag. 

Unfortunately, perhaps due to the limitations of sound technology in 1930, the musical half of the picture isn't as memorable as one would hope. Aside from one song (out of many) the music can be considered white noise at best. Madam Satan is worth one viewing, but ultimately it would be understandable if this picture became forgotten. 

Bad Girl (1931) Review

Title: Bad Girl
Year: 1931
Director: Frank Borzage
Country: US
Language: English

Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Bad Girl was adapted from the 1928 novel by Viña Delmar and the 1930 play by Delmar and Brian Marlowe. Several studios besides Fox were interested in making the movie, but the looming threat of the Hays office, and their insistence that the picture would not meet their standards, scared all but Fox away. It was a challenge, but Bad Girl barely made the censors. 

A man (James Dunn) and woman (Sally Ellers), skeptical about romance, nonetheless fall in love and are wed, but their lack of confidence in the opposite sex haunts their marriage.

Bad Girl (1931) reminds me of King Vidor's silent masterpiece The Crowd (1928) in the way that it realistically captures the trials and tribulations of an American couple, albeit the latter is a bit more bitter. The background story of what was considered "making it" in a poor economy is especially pertinent today. It primarily deals with finding contentment and trying to live up to romantic ideals while satisfying your own morals.

This picture is a romantic drama, that although can be a bit too optimistic, feels authentic and genuine in the emotions that burst through the screen. The misunderstandings within Bad Girl can be seen in the majority of relationships, especially blossoming ones. The richness in detail creates a gorgeous painting of daily city life during the depression era. Director Frank Borzage certainly is a master of his craft. 

The only real negative of Bad Girl is that it can be a bit too talky, especially during parts where you'd rather have silence. Still it's a remarkable picture that weaves tricky emotional webs that are unfortunately recognizable, even in 2018. 

Platinum Blonde (1931) Review

Title: Platinum Blonde
Year: 1931
Director: Frank Capra
Country: US
Language: English

Though American Director Frank Capra (1897-1991) had directed features in the silent era, Platinum Blonde (1931) was his first real critical success, albeit it did not do that well in the box office as returns would be seen as " a little disappointing". It was not until Capra further cemented his reputation that this picture would be seen as something with greater historical and artistic significance. 

A young woman (Jean Harlow) from a very rich family impulsively marries a reporter (Robert Williams), but each assumes the other is the one whose lifestyle must change.

At the height of Hollywood's Golden Era films about journalism were plentiful. Earlier pictures included It Happened One Night (1934) and His Girl Friday (1940), later pictures included Ace in the Hole (1950) and Sweet Smell of Success (1957). Platinum Blonde is a "rich vs. poor" romantic comedy that is full of charismatic and off-the wall characters who the audience becomes quickly attracted to. 

Though it can be a bit talky, the quick wit and speedy delivery of the dialog makes Platinum Blonde quite hysterical at times. Pre-Code naughtiness (implied sexual misconduct) make many scenes that much more special. Jean Harlow, a woman who turned heads back in her day, certainly is quite alluring in this earlier role. She would go on to make even sexier pictures. 

It's unfortunate that Robert Williams, who was spectacular in this picture, died just three days after the premiere of this film. His career would have been elevated and he could have starred in even greater films afterwards. Overall, though this is far from Capra's greatest picture, it still is an enjoyable piece of entertainment. 

Dames (1934) Review

Title: Dames
Year: 1934
Director: Bubsy Berkeley
Country: US
Language: English

Bubsy Berkeley (Nov 1895 - March 1976) was a film director and musical choreographer who planned elaborate musical numbers that involved complex geometric patterns. He is best known for his four back-to-back hits for Warner Bros; 42nd Street, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933 and Dames. The latter picture is what I shall review today. 

A multimillionaire decides to boycott "filthy" forms of entertainment such as Broadway shows.

Released in September 1934, just a few months after the Motion Picture Production Code, Dames presents a playful criticism towards the encroaching era of stifling morality. Equal parts comedy and musical, most of the supporting cast gets a chance to shine in this picture. Keeler, Powell, and Blondell show of their talent for dancing, while Hugh Herbert, Guy Kibbee and Zasu Pitts are allowed enough screen-time to tickle our funny bones. 

The plot isn't exactly feminist friendly, as Blondell's main role is to be a sex trophy and not have much agency in her "choices". This is a Bubsy Berkely musical however, and lavishly cheorographed musical numbers is what Dames does best. The Girl at the Ironing Board is a looney yet boisterous number and I Only Have Eyes for You has some of the most memorable shots ever put to film. Its a grand flick!

Dames is a sexy sleek picture that is memorable in more than one way. It pleased crowds in 1933 and I have no doubt cinephiles take great joy in watching it today. Though regarded as a lesser Bubsy entry, I must give it my utmost respect. 

Footlight Parade (1933) Review

Title: Footlight Parade
Year: 1933
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Country: US
Language: English

James Cagney was a former song-and-dance man, when he actively campaigned the executives at Warner Brothers to cast him for the lead in Footlight Parade. He was just falling into his gangster role however; as Public Enemy (1931) was an enormous critical and commercial success, so the studio was initially hesitant but eventually caved in. With this musical, Cagney would prove to be successful in more than one genre. 

Chester Kent (James Cagney) struggles against time, romance, and a rival's spy to produce spectacular live "prologues" for movie houses.

Footlight Parade is a feast for the eyes; a celebration of the magic of motion pictures. It has dazzling choreography, complete with visual bravado and spectacular songs that will have you humming long after the movie is over. Warner Brothers has the best possible cast for 1933; it includes the likes of Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell. In addition we have Bubsy Berkely directing the dances. 

This is a grandiose picture, as Warner Brothers spared no expense in making such a spectacular production. With full backing from the studio, we get sweeping cinematic shots with elaborate waterfalls and giant fountains full of women. The dancers, directors and musicians working together to create such amazing set-pieces is really telling of the country's attitude at the time. "We are going to work out our difficulties as a team!"

Made during the pre-code era, its risque humour helped make Footlight Parade one of the biggest hits of the year. Considering this was depression era and saving money to go to the movies was difficult, I'd say this film is a remarkable cinematic achievement. 

Felix Trifles With Time (1925) Review

Title: Felix Trifles with Time 
Year: 1925
Director: Otto Messmer
Country: US
Language: N/A

Disney aficionados will tell you that animation in cinema goes as far back as Steamboat Willie (1928) the first sound picture featuring the beloved Mickey Mouse, but I'm here to not surprise readers by telling you that animation goes back even further! Felix Trifles with Time (1925) is an unusual picture starring Felix the Cat, a character who debuted in a Paramount Pictures short called Feline Follies. 

Felix, the cartoon cat, travels back in time and encounters prehistoric monsters.

For lack of a better word, silent cartoons are weird. Even the most straightforward of narratives will leave you feeling like you've just had a fever dream or watched a surrealist Salvador Dali painting come to life. Felix's comedy was quite wacky; in one scene he turns the splash from a lake into an umbrella to float down a cliff from safety. Its absurdity is part of the characters' endearing charm.

The first cartoon of the series to be distributed by Educational Pictures, Trifles with Time embodies much of the comedic sensibilities of that era. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton had worn fur togas in some of their shorts; even D.W Griffith played the stone age for laughs in Man's Genesis. Though The Flintstones wouldn't be made until the 60's we see proof that audiences loved similar type of humor. 

Despite its short run-time, I do love the time-travel narrative and prehistoric setting that our feline hero gets mixed up in. Felix the Cat may be under-appreciated today, but it's easy to see why audiences adored him back then. 

My Friend Dahmer (2017) Review

Title: My Friend Dahmer
Year: 2017
Director: Marc Meyers
Country: US
Language: English

Jeffrey Dahmer (May 1960 - Nov 1994) was an American serial killer who had confessed to the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men, many underage, between 1978 and 1991. Found legally sane at the time of his trial, albeit later found to have many personality disorders, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. During his imprisonment he was left unsupervised in the showers of his prison gym; there he would be murdered by fellow inmates.

In My Friend Dahmer a young Jeffrey Dahmer (Ross Lynch) struggles with high school and the slow destruction of his home life. 

My Friend Dahmer was originally a graphic novel by John “Derf” Backderf, based on his own experiences as a sorta-friend of Dahmer’s in late high school. Much of the more grim aspects of Dahmer's life, such as his alcoholism and sexual fixations, are downplayed in favor of a more human aspect of the killer. Great sensitivity is given to our subject, as we see him struggle with impulses that he desperately does not want to give into.

There is something disturbingly relatable with this version of Dahmer, who is a sensitive curious child that seems to be brought down by his parents' neglect. Their constant bickering slowly drives his frustration to the surface. We pity this boy and become uncomfortable when we realize we are not just witnessing somebody going through an awkward stage in life. This being said, Lynch plays such a complex character wonderfully. 

An exercise in how far we are willing to go with compassion, My Friend Damher is an exceptionally well constructed film that takes us to a place we dare not have gone before. A great psychoanalysis of one of America's creepiest killers. 

Murder on the Orient Express (2017) Review

Title: Murder on the Orient Express
Year: 2017
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Country: US
Language: English

Agatha Christie's detective novel Murder on the Orient Express was first published in the United Kingdom in 1934. It made quite an impact upon that era's readers, particularly due to its thought-provoking ending, and its popularity meant many adaptations for stage, radio, television and film. It was first adapted for the big screen in 1974 by director Sidney Lumet. That version found great critical and commercial success.

When a murder occurs on the train he's travelling on, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh)  is recruited to solve the case.

Director and star Kenneth Branagh assembles an all-star cast for this enticing murder-mystery. Branagh reserves the juiciest role for himself: Hercule Poirot. This character was first introduced in 1920’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles, and has been played by over 20 legendary actors including Orson Welles and Charles Laughton. Branagh gives the character a playful and comical edge, which makes his audience drawn to Poirot.

The visual approach to the story is less successful, as much of the film looks like a digital mess of cartoon-ish CGI landscapes that waste potentially beautiful shots of Istanbul.The mountains and skies painted in pastel brushstrokes meant to imitate magic hour lighting have a lot left to be desired. Thankfully the main set-piece, the train designed by Jim Clay, looks of the period and doesn't distract from the well-crafted story appearing in front of us. 

Despite the distracting fifth-grader cinematography, Murder on the Orient Express is a charming picture that feels elegant in its storytelling. Perhaps the ending may not satisfy many people, but the journey ought to impress anybody with classical sensibilities. 

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) Review

Title: Gold Diggers of 1933
Year: 1933
Director: Bubsy Berkeley
Country: US
Language: English

"We're in the money!" Gold Diggers of 1933 was an essential viewing during the great depression, if one could afford it, because it took your mind off the grim reality of the day during its breezy 1hr 37 minute run-time. Presently the picture is known for its escapism and its pre-code sexuality. The musical number "Pettin in the Park" was pretty risque for the time, as it shows a dozen women undressing. 

In this a wealthy composer (Warren William)  rescues unemployed Broadway performers (Joan Blondell and Ginger Rogers among them) with a new play.

The story is based on the play The Gold Diggers by Avery Hopwood, which ran for 282 performances on Broadway in 1919 and 1920. It was first adapted to screen in 1923, and then again in 1929. This version, staged and choreographed by the famed Bubsy Berkeley, was the biggest box office hit of that year, it was a tremendous critical success, and is still considered one of the greatest musicals of all time. 

Gold Diggers of 1933 is equal parts funny, sexy and dramatic. It takes the poverty, sexual attitudes and humor of the time and blends them to great success. The movie is weird at times, but it is also sophisticated and graceful in its presentation. The film’s directors, Mervyn LeRoy and Busby Berkeley, take measured pains to make this movie about the Depression–but also give much needed escapist breaks. 

This Bubsy Berkeley musical is wonderful; it will make you fall in love with the movie musical all over again. Its numbers, particularly the two previously mentioned in this review, are difficult to forget even 80+ years after the fact. 

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Review

Title: Thor Ragnarok
Year: 2017
Director: Taika Waititi
Country: US
Language: English

Aside from Loki (Tom Hiddleson) I have to admit that I really did not like the first Thor film. The fish-out-of-water (Thunder God out of realm?) story was far too cheesy and run-of-the-mill to be enjoyable. Infact I disliked it so much that I decided to skip The Dark World, which I hear had so-so reviews anyways. Thor:Ragnarok brought me back to the franchise, only because I was excited to see Jeff Goldblum and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in the same movie. 

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his homeworld and the end of his civilization. 

After 30 minutes of run-time, Thor and Loki are exiled from Asgard due to the powerful Hela, the Goddess of Death. They find themselves on the garbage planet Sakaar, which is very reminiscent of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. There's a sense of wonder and discovery as we explore the planet; it does not look like a CGI-created landscape...at least not until later when more action is to be had. Best of all, the planet's citizens happen to be infatuated with their hero; the incredible Hulk. 

Thor: Ragnarok is filled to the brim with personality, being incredibly well-written and full of humor that is actually quite funny. It's more of a comedy than a serious action-adventure, which makes the two hour run-time feel like a breeze. Its infusion of pure joy has an energizing effect on the audience that lasts long after the picture is over. 

If superhero movies are meant to be mindless entertainment then Thor: Ragnarok gets a 10/10 for escapism. This is a thoroughly refreshing departure from the brooding comic flick that has poisoned the DCU. One of the better Marvel movies I have seen. 

Black Panther (2018) Review

Title: Black Panther
Year: 2018
Director: Ryan Coogler
Country: US
Language: English

Marvel Comics created the first African superhero in 1966, amid the civil rights movement which engaged controversial social revolutionary groups like The Black Panthers. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced Black Panther in Fantastic Four No.52, which then lead to regular spots in The Avengers and the genre series Jungle Action. In 2018, considering the ever-increasing neo-nazi movement, the hero's jump to the big screen was certainly needed. 

T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the King of Wakanda, rises to the throne in the isolated, technologically advanced African nation, but his claim is challenged by a vengeful outsider (Michael B. Jordan) who was a childhood victim of T'Challa's father's mistake.

Within the confines of the MCU, Black Panther may be the least preachy and most morally ambiguous superhero film to date. Director Ryan Coogler introduces us to the fictional African country Wakanda, and the issues that emerge from its isolationism are vital in today’s culture war, where xenophobia and intolerance run rampant. The film has many relevant thought provoking points to make about history, tradition, and social revolution. 

The strength of Black Panther lies heavily on the tragic "villain" Killmonger, which is admittedly a silly name for someone who has a legitimate reason to be upset. It's fairly easy to understand, emphathize, and possibly even agree with his point of view that the Wakanda Throne should use its resources to liberate the world’s “2 billion people who look like us,”. His motivation is rational, even heroic, but his planned desire of action, using the weaponry for a worldwide takeover, is not. 

Though Boseman himself comes across fairly one-dimensional because the script doesn't give him a compelling enough character arc, it's enjoyable to see a Marvel picture that is centered around a war of ideas & a conflict in ideology. Black Panther's ability to be superhero escapism  while also tapping into cultural zeitgeist is a remarkable feat that ought to be present in more of these films.