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Reviews
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Oedipus sibs in Space.
I was not a fan of the series and never saw 'Empire', but I saw 'Jedi' when it came to Europe with my buddies Punky and Chewy. Back in those days Star Wars nerds mostly identified with Luke or Han and all loved the Princess, but Chewy identified with Chewbacca. Chewy may have been related to Chewbacca as he was tall and angular, had the same color hair with long bangs, glassy look in his eyes, not very verbal and would release mournful groans, but was a really good guy and was someone you'd want to go to battle with.
The movie was exciting with lots of action and terrific special effects and the little furry guys were fun and fierce. I never understood the allure of the Storm Troopers because they weren't intimidating or productive.
I booed the ending and then started laughing when I realized all the Star Wars nerds who identified with Luke would need plenty of counseling. It was a terrific movie up to then.
The Anderson Tapes (1971)
I'm glad you didn't tape up Dyan Cannon
Sean Connery is a dedicated criminal, but not a thug, and he likes being the brains, but he prison time would suggest mixed results. He gets out again and chooses to rob a bunch of nice, rich white people in their plush apartment building where his gold digging ex-lover Dyan Cannon lives. The crew he sets up is experienced , but not very cohesive. The heist is pretty well planned, but problems rise and the plan gets broken up by a bed ridden boy and his Ham radio. Another Hammer from Wichita Falls, KS (sister city of Jersey City, NY) breaks through the bureaucracy and contacts the NYPD. The best imagine of the movie is how the NYPD has blocked off the street leaving the gang unaware of their presence.
There's a lot of memorable performances like Alan King (mobster turned legit?), Martin Balsam (the gay advance man not cut out for crime), Val Avery (the brutal thug Socks), Chris Walken (in his film debut),Margaret Hamilton (in her last), Judith Lowry (who had to be the second oldest working actress of that time behind Estelle Winwood), Mr. Muscle Garrett Morris (as the recon team squad leader doing his own stunts) and Ralph Meeker (who may have advised Marlon Brando on what it's like to perform with cotton swabs in your mouth, obviously great).
Director Sidney Lumet knows New York very well and everything in the planning and build up of the crime is audio taped by somebody, and these nice, rich white people are being spied on by several government agencies, but the robbery has nothing to do with what they are spying on so you can guess what happens to these illegal wire taps.
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Lust in the Texas Dust
Amferene, TX is a dull town in 1950. The houses are spread out you may never see your neighbors at home. The main drag makes it look like the town is dying. Not much goes on there so the young and young at heart are obsessed with sex.
Cybill Shepherd is the prettiest girl in town, manipulative and an opportunist, but she desires more despite being limited by her lack of passion. She finally gets deflowered by the town stud and who is also her mother's occasional lover and he turns out to be as passionless as she is. Jeff Bridges is the future town stud if survives Korea. Tim Bottoms is the dependable kid the coach sends to his lonely wife (Cloris Leachman) who seduces him and fears that he will outgrow her. Ben Johnson is the mentor to the boys and has a past with Ellen Burstyn, Sheppard's mother. His death signals the end.
Filmed in glorious B & W the dusty streets are a metaphor that the town needs to modernize besides paving the streets. Great performances and Eileen Brennan could stand a young suitor as Amferene needs fresh blood.
The Avengers (1961)
The Bowler and the Tantalising Three
'The Avengers' was a tale of three magnificent women and one lucky guy. When Cathy Gale enters the show explodes. Not a very big budget then and it was performed like a play with every scene being shot from start to finish in one take which makes Cathy Gale's fight scenes even more impressive because she did not have a stunt double. Cathy Gale was TV's first butt kicking woman.
While Cathy Gale's relationship with Steed could be tense his relationship with Mrs. Peel was flirty and agreeable. ABC had pumped a lot a money into the show and they could actually afford better locales, stunt people, editing, costumes and Sci-fi villains. In the B & W year Mrs. Peel's costumes were amazing, very daring for the time. In the colour year it was just her famous cat suit. Her departure was painful and her missing husband turned out to be a clone of Steed, dapper and proper (Patrick Macnee's suits were famous). For being a splendid example of girl power they could at least paid Diana Rigg. Then came Tara King, wide hips, blue-blue eyes and really young. When people have their faces that close together and aren't kissing or head butting each other there's a confront level there and Mother became a player in the show, Familiar faces popped up: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and young Charlotte Rampling among others.
'The Avngers' had snappy dialogue, quick British wit even more brutal than American TV, '...I haven't killed anyone all week, You can ask Mrs. Peel.' The Bowler and the Tantalising Three (they had interesting episode titles) was a fun show and had great music by John Dankworth and Laurie Johnson.
Norman... Is That You? (1976)
Norman changes teams
'Norman... is that You', was popular on the dinner theater circuit in the '70's. It was strangely written by Sam Bobrick earlier of 'The Andy Griffith Show' then later created 'Save By the Bell'. This inspired casting by big time TV producer George Schlatter had Redd Foxx. I saw this when I was stationed at a remote site and they would send us one movie a week (before video, and it was like in 'MASH' except without any women). Everybody was looking forward to a raunchy Redd Foxx comedy and when it started every black guy walked out. The rest of us laughed our butts off at this funny, bawdy comedy. 'Madame' who became a TV star on 'Solid Gold' was the foul mouth older temptress and Pearl Bailey in limited screen time was Redd's wife and foil. With Redd Foxx trying to understand why his son has become gay (not Stephen Foster)the black guys in the original screening had to wait 40 years to accept black gay men on the screen, 'Empire', that's to bad. This is a very funny coming of age movie, and only for those who don't offend easily.
Frasier: Caught in the Act (2004)
Nannie G give me a hug.
'Fraser' was a series that allowed its guess stars to shine brightly and this show has the dazzling Laurie Metcalf. Playing a role from Frasers 'Cheers' past Metcalf is Nannie G his first wife. Playing the same role for 20 years was tough on her (but good for Kelsey Grammar). Nannie G has become part Shari Lewis (who didn't love her), part Marilyn Chambers (the girl next door ever guy wishes he had as a neighbor) and part Norma Desmond (the woman you really need to stay away from). Metcalf shows off some musical theater background and is hilarious through out the whole show.