Christine (40th Anniversary Fathom Event)

 

I would describe myself as a John Carpenter fan, but not necessarily an aficionado. Of the eighteen theatrical releases his films have had, I have seen fifteen. "Christine" from 1983, was one I had missed for years and only caught up with during the pandemic, catching it on one of the streaming services maybe a year or so ago. I enjoyed it, but it did not make a strong impression on me, at least until last night. Seeing "Christine" in a theater, in the dark, with an audience was a frank reminder of how differently a movie can play given the environment in which it is being experienced. There was no daylight streaming through the window. No dogs were demanding my attention, and sitting in a theater is much different from laying on the bed and watching TV.  The immersive atmosphere brings out the creepy and haunting elements of the film much more vividly.

The movie has a rock and roll attitude about it from the very beginning. The fact that the 1958 Plymouth Fury is being assembled in 1957, and that Rock music was just starting is not a coincidence. Carpenter's selections of source music emphasize the time period of the cars date of manufacture, not the time of the story. "Bad to the Bone" may have been an 80s record, but it is based in a 50s style and sound, emphasized by the roots rock of George Thorogood and his band. The songs that play on Christine's radio are by 50s artists like Buddy Holly and Little Richard. The transformation of Arnie, the kid who restores and loves Christine,  is largely an evolution to a greaser personality and style, even though the film is set in the late seventies. 

It is a slow burn after a suggestive opening scene during the manufacturing process. Arnie, a good natured kid who is a bit of a sad sack, is played by Keith Gordon. His buddy Dennis, played by future genre director John Stockwell, is a football player with a lot more popularity but a good heart and a loyal friend to Arnie. We get some good character points about the friends and we see the initial enthusiasm that Arnie has for the dilapidated Fury he catches a glimpse of on their way home from school. Arnie's parents are not monsters but they don't come off as nurturing, and it is a surprise when Arnie starts talking back the them. It is the change in Arnie's personality, rather than the satanic car, which drives the opening half of the film. The killings don't start until well past the mid way point of the story.

We know that the bullies are going to get theirs at some point. After we see what a douche the lead bad guy is, we will all be rooting for Christine to come to life and take him out. Christine however is a jealous lover and Dennis and new girl girlfriend to Arnie, Leigh, also run afoul of her. The early incidents are hints of what is to come but the real violence involves a car taking out the trash. The most visually frightening sequence has Christine aflame, chasing after Buddy, the alpha bully of the group. In a night time scene on a lonely road, she really does look like a car from hell on a mission.  All of the deaths will get more vivid renderings with a new version that has been announced. 

Practical effects are used for the car to restore itself after being heavily damaged in an act of vandalism but also after the murders of the bullies. It is visually as accomplished as any CGI work, but because it is done in camera it looks far more convincing and disturbing. The great Harry Dean Stanton shows up for a few scenes as a detective investigating the killings, but his part is under developed and we seem to be missing the section where he figures out that the car is possessing Arnie and is really responsible for what has happened. 

When I asked Amanda what she had thought of the film, she gushed enthusiastically, that it would be craking her top five list of John Carpenter films.  I don't know that I will go that far, but I will say it played really well in the theater and I was sorry I missed it 40 years ago, but completely happy to be seeing it on the big screen. 

What's Up Doc?-Paramount Classic Film Series Finale

 

The Summer Movie Series at the Paramount Theater finished off on Saturday with one of the most enjoyable movie experiences of the summer. Director and local hero Robert Rodriguez again hosted an event that he programmed. The idea that a Barbara  Streisand comedy from 1972 was his selection is intriguing, but it was easy to understand when he revealed why. This was a family favorite of his parents when he was young and they were big fans of the singer/avtress. After the film Rodrieguez shared some stories that I will share at the end of this post.

Director Peter Bogdanovich had an amazing trifecta of films to launch the decade of the 1970s. "The Last Picture Show", "What's Up Doc?" and "Paper Moon" were all critical smashes and financial successes. "What's Up Doc?" may be the most unusal of the three films because it mines the classic screwball comedies of the 1930s for it's material and sensibility. "Bringing Up Baby" and "Ball of Fire" are a couple of the films that this movie cribs from, and it does so quite effectively. Slapstick is an art that does not alwasys get much credit because some see it as easy humor, but ask anyone who has participated in a play or movie that is a slapstick and you will find that timing is the essential ingredient to make things work. The actors and plot points have to synchronize or else the result will be painful rather than joyous.

Fortunately, Bogdanovich found three essential actors to carry off this elaborate farce and make us laugh in delight. Ryan O'Neil has been criticized for years as a dull actor who got by on his looks and the huge success of "Love Story". Well anyone seeing this film will know he was capable of being an hysterical straight man and counterpart to the crazed characters he was playing against. Barbara Streisand was a Broadway sensation in comedic roles and transitioned to movies smoothly, and with her fast paced delivery, you will be reminded of Rosalind Russel in "His Girl Friday". She has to do most of the heavy lifting on the comedy, but carries it off with grace and perfect timing. Finally, in her first film role, Madaline Kahn, practically steals the move in the gender reversed Ralph Bellamy part. Kahn shines so much in this film that you just knew she was going to be a comedy star.

When Robert Rodriguez talked about the film after it was done playing, he outlined the fact that the comedy bits all centered around five particular scenes. The sequence in the drug store is all about the two leads and they completly own the scene with their by play and word games. The scene in Howard Bannister's hotel room, that ends with it being completely destroyed is a master class in building mayhem. The scene though, that most people will remember is the elaborate chase sequence through San Francisco on a bicycle with taxis and town cars in pursuit. There is a wonderfully choregraphed piece with a large pane of glass that comes close to destruction by the vehicles and of course the payoff is that it gets done in by something else. 

The theater must have had six or seven hundred people filling the seats on Saturaday, but surveying the audience would tell you less about the capacity than listening would. The sound of laughter was loud and it was consistent. The audience was laughing at the jokes and stunts in the moments that were planned by the film makers, and the combination reminds me so much of why seeing a movie with an audience is the reason I love films so much. The shared experience and communal response is not something that gets replicated, even if you are having a watch party at home with your friends. Six hundred people, laughing together is a wonderful sound.

Our host came out after the movie and talked about how the film was a family favorite. He also told stories of becoming friends with Bogdanovich and a particularly delightful encounter he had, along with his parents, at the wedding of his friend Josh Brolin who is Barbara Streisand's step son. The fact that his Mom got to meet Steisand and that the star convered with her like they were old friends is just heartwarming. I was most amused by the bit of information about a stunt early in the film. As Barabara's character is being tracked by the camera as she approaches the hotel, she is nearly run over by a car in the street. That is followed up by a crash between two other vehicles. The budget was generous but they had to be careful about spending. Bogdanovich had the production crew rent two cars from an agencey and purchase the damage insurance that they always up sell customers with. They did the stunt and returned the cars the next day, and simply said there was an accident. That story got a big laugh out of all of us. 

We were fortunate to seel this movie back in 2017 at the TCM Film Festival, the late Peter Bogdonavich was there to be intervied about the film, so I have seen it twice with some expert commentary and incites, and both experiences have been worth savoring. This screening brought the Summer Classic Film Seroes to a close. This was the 49th year the Paramount Theater has done this film series, but it was my first. I made it to twenty-five screenings it the theater this summer, and I was able to attend four of the five films that Robert Rodriguez presented. It was a spectacular experienec and I look forward to the Halloween and Christmas Series as well. You can bet I will be back for year 50 of the terrific tradition. 

The Equalizer 3

 

As long as Keanu Reeves, Liam Neeson and Denzel Washington keep showing up in movies to dispense some violent justice on bad guys, I will be going to watch. This is the third "Equalizer" film, and it carries over some of the background we got in the second film. We always knew Robert McCall was a former C.I.A. wet operative, but his spy connections became the framework for the story in the second movie and they return here with just a slight twist. 

I never watched the original series and I have not seen the reboot with Queen Latifa, so I can't say there is much overlap in the approach. The basic idea always seems to have been that McCall is assisting someone who has run out of options. In this film, it is a whole town that has run out of options. The evil doers are numerous and incredibly violent, but they discover that they barely know what violent means when they cross paths with McCall.

Denzel is low key in this film. His character has always been even keeled and a bit OCD, and that shows up in a number of ways in the movie. His polite demeanor when first talking with people he is going to kill, suggests a huge degree of confidence. Even when at one point he might be sacrificing himself for the good of others, he never raises his voice, looks at all concerned or hints that he is not ready to handle an unpleasant job. The closest we come to seeing him conflicted over the killings he has committed is a flashback to the events that open the movie. That moment does not feel like remorse however, it only feels like a memory. 

Director Antoine Fuqua has made a bunch of these action films, and he and Denzel know how to build up the anticipation of vengeance. You show how intolerable the bad guys are, and here they are truly insufferable. There are two brothers who head a mafia style family, and they act like untouchable apex predators to everyone, including the police. Their vile acts of violence and the threat they present to the local Southern Italian town that McCall has become invested in, but their actions have bigger ramifications and McCall's former employers take an interest. The operative they send is played by Dakota Fanning, which is a nice touch since she was the little girl who needed violent rescue by Denzel in "Man on Fire" back in 2004. 

Does the plot get convoluted, yes, but it makes sense in the end. Are there enough action scenes, yes, but no chase scenes like you might usually see in these films. The violence is usually close up and personal, and when Robert has a bottle in his hand or a nearby poker or lanyard, you can be sure he will use it in a gruesome manner. Even an empty revolver becomes a penetrating weapon. This film is R rated for a reason, and it is the reason that we go to these movies. Justice dispensed without mercy in a violent manner on people we know deserve it. Pass the popcorn. 

2001: A Space Odyssey-Paramount Summer Classic Film Series

 

The Paramount Summer Classic Film Series, at the Paramount Theater in Austin Texas, has been one of the great discoveries of my arrival in the area. When I saw the schedule for this summer, I joked with my daughter that I should just get an apartment downtown for the season, since I will be at the theater so often. I will do a more complete wrap up of the Series in a another post, but in commenting on this particular film, it seemed right to take note of a particular fact. Four of my ten favorite films played during the series, Jaws, Lawrence of Arabia, Amadeus, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Some might find that a sign that my tastes are not particularly daring, I on the other hand, find it proof that these films have merit because they deserved to be included in the series. 

"2001: A Space Odyssey" is the first of the films that make up my list of the ten best, for me to see in a theater as a child. This movie came out when I was ten, and I saw it with my family at one of the movie palaces on Hollywood Blvd. It made a big impression on me and it has continued to stimulate my mind, overwhelm my senses and make me deeply grateful for fifty plus years. As I watched it last night on the Big Screen in another old movie palace, I was in awe immediately by the title sequence of the film. It was a combination of shots of the Earth, Moon, and the Sun lining up and the music cue is fantastic. When the title is listed, I was sooo ready to go on this ultimate trip once again. 

The Dawn of Man Sequence befuddled people early on but the symbolism is not subtle and when you pay attention, you will understand the jump of a million years of evolution immediately. The space sequences in the second act are all about showing our technical advancement, and repeat the flight, landing pattern three times back to back. I have seen this movie dozens of times but it was not until last night that a new piece of information dawned on me. The two sections of the flight to the moon where the crew and passengers are weightless are impressively created with practical effects, but I had not noted before how the costumes were also part of that effect. The Flight attendants wear uniforms that are a little odd. I'm not talking about their grip shoes, I am referring to their headgear. Suddenly it hit me like a thunderbolt why they wear those turban like get ups.

Ok, so it only took me fifty years to figure it out, but that's because everything Stanley Kubrick did in making this movie was meticulous. 

The screening included the Intermission break, which has almost disappeared from modern films, even the ones that probably need a break. "Gandhi" was the most recent film with an intermission scheduled for all it's screenings. "The Hateful Eight" had an intermission built into it's 70mm engagements. This year's "Asteroid City" has an optional intermission that I have not heard of anyone using. The break in 2001 is at a particularly portentous moment and it makes returning to the last part of the movie so much fun. 

I flew solo last night because my daughter had a social event planned, but to my major disappointment, she would have skipped the movie anyway. We went to a screening a few years ago in Hollywood, and I'm sad to say, she is not a fan. No matter, I am a fan and I got to enjoy this masterpiece one more time on the big screen. The psychedelic trip into the monolith near the end is not nearly as long as you think it is, and it still dazzles in spite of the fact that the optical technology seems quaint in comparison to some of the modern film techniques. 

This film will always have my full endorsement. See it in a theater and be awed. 
 

Slotherhouse

 

This is a film that is completely ridiculous and stupid to boot. The idea of a killer sloth is a funny premise from the get go, so it is not too hard to figure out that this is a comedy, disguised as a horror film. If you took all the clever parts of this year's earlier film "Megan", with its animatronic doll killer, and replaced them with a stuffed puppet of a sloth that is never convincing, you would get the joke immediately. The film makers here are having a lark and they know that there is nothing remotely legitimate about their film story. So they lean into the stupidity and have some fun, and that ends up working. 

"Slotherhouse" is a pun that gets a groan in the film, and it is the kind of joke you will see repeatedly if you catch this movie. "Alpha" the sloth, becomes an internet sensation at the sorority house where she ends up. There are parodies of all the social media tropes now present in the culture. They even laugh at the idea that an "influencer" gets paid for doing nothing but spouting off. That story line gets mixed with a sorority mean girls plot and thus you have the movie. There are nods to other horror films as well, so maybe you can see it an an homage. 

How this got rated PG-13 is not clear. There is no bad language, no nudity, virtually no blood, and all of the violence happens off screen except for the climax, which is no worse than most Saturday cartoon. It is not at all scary, although the director knows all the shots that need to be copied from a slasher film, but then uses the jump scares for laughs instead. In the end, it succeeded in entertaining me. I laughed a lot during the film. Most of the time I was laughing at how stupid everything happening is. I think the script and director know that and they just let the chips fall where they will. 

In all fairness, I enjoyed this movie much more than "Barbie" or "Cocaine Bear", although both of those are far superior to it. This is one of those movies you laugh at, not with, but in this case the film makers know that this is going to be the result. How else can you explain a sloth that learns how to use social media to spread the word about it's own murderous ways? When Alpha makes her way to the hospital, you know at that point that the story is completely designed like a sketch, this is an SNL moment that is better than most of the stuff on SNL itself.

I can't recommend the film to you, it is not good. I will tell you however that if you do watch it, you will laugh a lot. So, you decide how to take that. It's entertaining and funny, but at the expense of any story. #killerslth, #housesloth, #whatthehellgoseeit. 

Amadeus-Paramount Summer Classic Film Series

 

This film came out during one of the greatest years in film history. It won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, and in my opinion, it is the best film of that decade. I have written about the film before on my retrospective blog "30 Years On". It is doubtful that any of you reading this will be unfamiliar with the film, but if that is the case let me briefly sum the story up. Antonio Salieri the court composer, develops a degree of envy of Mozart that leads him to plot a complicated revenge. 

F. Murray Abraham was a character actor who was given the keys to a fantastic part, and he floors it all the way to a well deserved Academy Award for Best Actor. Salieri has charm, and guile and anger that he channels at all the right times. Abraham has a great range, and is the most duplicitous friend a great composer could have. Abraham makes us both pity and hate Salieri at the same time. The scenes that I find most effecting however, are not the plot driven moments, but the character points, especially the sequences where he waxes about the music. His own compositions are not worthy, as he discovers when comparing himself to Mozart. When he describes listening to Mozart's Operas, he is carried away with envy and passion. 

The best moments of the film occur at the climax, fittingly soaking up the talent of his rival and grateful to be a participant in writing it down. The fact that Salieri plans to steal the Requiem that is emotionally draining Mozart, is almost irrelevant to the moments of intense joy he experiences in seeing how Mozart works and participating in just a little bit. Both Abraham and Tom Hulce, who played Mozart, were nominated for the acting honors and this scene earned them both a place in history. This past weekend, CBS Sunday Morning had a little piece on the actor who played Mozart's alleged assassin. You can watch it here:

  

My only reservation about last night's screening is that it was the so called "Director's Cut", which is a 2002 revision. I'd seen the material on a a Laserdisc Special Edition from 1995. There, Director Miloš Forman explained why the material was left out, it mostly had to do with time. Figuring with a DVD release, that time was not an issue, they went back to the original script. I don't think it works as well in a theater. I think the right choice was made when the film originally came out in 1984. While there are a few moments that are enhancements (a longer version of the Opera Don Giovanni for instance), most of the time it feels like padding and the narrative is undermined a little. I'd still say it was better than any other film of the decade, except for the original version. 

What makes the film more memorable and powerful than the play is the way that music can be integrated into the story. We see segments of the Operas, we hear key pieces used for dramatic purpose in the score. The mix of aural and visual is simply superb in this film. The opportunity to see "Amadeus" on the big screen does not come up as frequently as those for "Lawrence of Arabia", if it did, you would see far more entries on this site.

 

Blue Beetle

 

Superhero/comic book fatigue may be a real thing, or it may simply reflect the decline in original and interesting stories in those sources. "Blue Beetle", regardless of it's original iteration, feels like a weak version of "Iron Man" with just a little bit of alien technology and a central character of a different ethnicity. Maybe throw in a little "Venom" to boot, and you have a formula film that feels loke a mock-tail concoction. 

Let's begin with some positive things about the film. The star, Xolo Maridueña, is an appealing actor with a youthful attitude and a friendly smile. The look of the film, heavy on CGI, is solid when it comes to the "Blue Beetle" technology, but a little less convincing and somewhat disappointing when it comes to the environment. This may reflect the fact that the film was originally going to be a streamer from HBO Max and not a theatrical release. The family plot line, a well worn path, is also a plus, at least in the first half of the movie. When the action climax shows up, the family connection becomes preposterous. 

Now, some of the drawbacks. Almost everything that George Lopez does in the film as Uncle Rudy, is off putting. Most of the words from his mouth would make a comic book character blush at having to say them. His bigoted demeanor stands out in comparison to his brother, sister in-law, and Mother. Jaime, who becomes the Blue Beetle, fortunately has been most strongly influenced by his parents and not the xenophobic, culture victim that Rudy is. Unfortunately, his sister aligns more with Rudy and her attack on privilege by taking a dump in the mansion bathroom, is an extension of an ugly victim attitude that permeates the whole film.

Susan Sarandon is the villain of the story, and you can tell it is a comic book movie because her character is a comic book level person. In an "us vs. them" story, she represents the stereotypical "them" like a cartoon. She is privileged, disrespectful, thoughtless and can't be bothered to see anyone as an individual, including the Hispanic men she is using as part of her plot. She can't be bothered to learn their names. This attitude is presented as universal when the receptionist at the Office building for her corporation, can't be bothered to get Jaimie's name right, even though he corrects her repeatedly. All of this takes place in a location dominated by Latin culture so obviously, the rich and white who have been living there their whole lives, are ignorant and self centered.   

For comic effect, it is fun to have Grandma hoist a weapon that is too large for her, and then pose like the Terminator with the canon, but it sends off a vibe that is not really where the movie was headed. The symbiotic interface needs to have a little more character so that it does not simply become a tool for an on and off switch at plot convenience. Finally, the love story could be fleshed out a little more so that we care about what happens a little more, it felt tacked on.

Overall, the film was fine, but not special. If you see it on Max next month, it will be a reasonable experience, but I can't say I would spend much to see it before then.