Jonathan Rosenbaum's Blog: jonathanrosenbaum.com, page 41

Wriggling Free of Perfection [THE EEL]

From the Chicago Reader (September 11, 1998). — J.R.

The Eel
Rating *** A must see
Directed by Shohei Imamura
Written by Motofumi Tomikawa, Daisuke Tengan, and Imamura
With Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Fujio Tsuneta, Mitsuko Baisho, Akira Emoto, and Sho Aikawa.

I’ve seen only five of Shohei Imamura’s 19 features, most of them so many years apart that it’s hard [...]

MACHORKA-MUFF (1975 review)

From Monthly Film Bulletin, January 1975 (Vol. 42, No. 492). — J.R.



Machorka-Muff

West Germany/Monaco, 1963 Director: Jean-Marie Straub




Germany, in the early 1950s. Colonel Machorka-Muff arrives in

Bonn to see his mistress Inn and continue his efforts to clear the

name of General Hürlanger-Hiss from disgrace after his retreat at

Schwichi-Schwalache during World War II. At his hotel the [...]

Flirting With Disasters [SIX O’CLOCK NEWS]

From the Chicago Reader (April 24, 1998). I’m not sure why, but this is one of my long reviews for the Reader that appears to have disappeared from their web site. — J.R.


I’ve seen Ross McElwee’s documentary Six o’Clock News (1996) twice, on video about eight months apart, and each time there was a moment [...]

FAREWELL, MY LOVELY (1975 review)

From Monthly Film Bulletin, December 1975 (Vol. 42, No. 503). — J.R.

Farewell, My Lovely                                                         U.S.A., 1975

Director: Dick Richards



Employing the same production team (Elliott Kastner and Jerry
Bick) as The Long Goodbye and the same director of photography
(John A. Alonzo) as Chinatown, Farewell, My Lovely resumes the
Los Angeles private-eye cycle with a clear grasp [...]

Bucking the Remake-and-Sequel Syndrome: The 40 Best Movies of 2002

From the Chicago Reader (January 10, 2003), where it was printed under the title “Against the Tide”. — J.R.

While putting together a collection of my film pieces for an upcoming book I included an appendix listing my 1,000 favorite films and videos made between 1895 and the present — features and shorts, live [...]

Global Discoveries on DVD (my 1st column, 2003)

From Cinema Scope #14 (Spring 2003). It’s interesting to note that many of the releases that I discuss here are still available, if not always readily available. All of my recent columns, by the way, starting with issue #40, can be found on Cinema Scope’s web site. — J.R.


A FEW PRELIMINARIES. [...]

Fresh Clues to an Old Mystery [THE BIG SLEEP]

From the Chicago Reader, June 20, 1997. —J.R.

The Big Sleep
Rating **** Masterpiece
Directed by Howard Hawks
Written by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, and Jules Furthman
With Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Dorothy Malone, Pat Clark, Regis Toomey, Charles Waldron, Sonia Darrin, and Elisha Cook Jr.

For all its reputation as a classic, and despite the greatness [...]

SHORT AND SUITE (1975 review)

From Monthly Film Bulletin, January 1975 (Vol. 42, No. 492). — J.R.



Short and Suite

Canada, 1959 Directors: Norman McLaren, Evelyn Lambert





Dist—BFI. p.c–National Film Board of Canada. visuals–Norman

McLaren, Evelyn Lambert. In color. sp. effects–Arnold Schieman.

m–Eldon Rathburn. performed by–The Buff Estes Group. 450 ft.

5 mins. (35 and 16mm.).





A characteristically bright, giggly and pithy animated short in

the [...]

Nihilism for the Masses [ROGER & ME]

From the Chicago Reader (February 2, 1990). — J.R.

ROGER & ME
*** (A must-see)
Directed and written by Michael Moore.



There’s no question that you should see Roger & Me if you haven’t already. Michael Moore’s comic documentary about the devastation of Flint, Michigan, resulting from General Motors’ massive plant closings and job layoffs is the most [...]

Aspects of the Avant-Garde: Three lnnovators

From American Film (September 1978). -– J.R.









Talking about avant-garde film these days raises a quandary. For one thing, no one can agree on precisely what the label means. Start by asking the proverbial man on the street what an avant-garde movie is. Chances are, if you don’t get insulted, the description that’s offered won’t exactly [...]