Andy Wolverton's Blog, page 7

May 2023 Film Noir New Releases

Two box sets (actually three), two releases from Warner Archive, and much more are waiting for you in the New Releases in Film Noir video for May 2023. There's some good stuff here, so please take a look!

https://youtu.be/fn9_SGhFzdQ

Upcoming Appearances

Things are really getting busy around here... I've got several upcoming appearances - some in-person, some virtual - that you might be interested in.

As far as movies go, I'm pleased to be the guest of an upcoming episode of Cinema Chat with David Heath, a terrific movie podcast you can find in various places. I'm not going to tell you what topic we'll be talking about, but I hope you'll stay tuned for more.

I'm also honored to be a guest on an upcoming episode of Book Stew, a WCTV (Boston) podcast about books, where I'll be talking about my book Men Don't Read.

And on May 11 I'll be speaking at the Maryland Library Association's annual conference on the topic "Why Men (and Boys) Don't Read."

Staying busy! Stay tuned for more soon.

TV: The Problem of the Long Form

If you look at my Letterboxd diary you’ll find that I haven’t been watching many movies lately. That’s true, but I recently finished a television series which took up a lot of my movie-watching time. I find it difficult to commit to a TV show, especially one that contains multiple seasons, but I also get bored easily. (I'm also a big advocate for most - but not all - movies having a running time of no more than 90 minutes. Another conversation for another time.) Maybe you get somewhat bored, too, or maybe not. Regardless, I have some questions for you at the end of this post.

People often recommend shows to me, and my honest response is usually, “Thanks, but I probably won’t watch it,” citing all the movies I see, books I read (around 100 a year), etc. Even shows that I begin watching and even somewhat enjoy, I usually abandon before a season is over. I recently watched the first two episodes of The Last of Us, and while those episodes were good, I didn’t care enough about the characters or the plot to keep watching. (Don’t hate me. It’s probably not the show’s fault.)

Most series simply do not appeal to me. And yes, while I did enjoy all things Star Wars for a number of years, (and this is a big “Don’t hate me”), I could care less about any of that stuff now, especially The Mandalorian. I know, you’re going to tell me it’s different, but really, I have no interest. Zero. If you like the show, I’m happy for you. Go in peace.

My favorite response to those recommending a television series is “A TV show is such a long-term commitment. A movie is a one-night stand.”

If it’s a show I think I might like, I’ll give it a couple of episode if I can access it. (I subscribe to just a few streaming platforms, so if I can get it there or from the library, there’s at least a chance I’ll check it out.) I only know of two current shows I’d like to check out and one I definitely will.

I’ll definitely check out Season 2 of Perry Mason (HBO Max). I enjoyed the first season, although it’s largely Mason’s origin story and is far removed from what we’ve come to expect from the original series starring Raymond Burr. But it’s very noirish and from what I’ve heard, even more so in the second season. (For more on the first season, you can read my review.)

Everyone’s talking about Poker Face (Peacock), and I like the concept, playing off the original Columbo series, but I wonder if I’ll tire of it quickly. Like Perry Mason, it seems this show is derivative but with a gender switch. I’ll give it at least two episodes. Plus Rian Johnson’s behind it.

One show (actually a mini-series) I’m interested in seeing that no one appears to be talking about is A Spy Among Friends ((Amazon Prime), based on a nonfiction book I greatly enjoyed titled A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre. It’s a mini-series and a limited commitment, so chances are I’ll check it out.

But the TV series I just finished is Better Call Saul, which I plan to write about more in the coming days and weeks. This show, along with Breaking Bad, are the two best TV series I’ve seen in a long time (understanding that I haven’t seen that many series in the past 10 years). Stay tuned.

So how do you balance TV vs. movie watching? What decisions do you make? What criteria do you use? How much of a factor is binge watching? Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

It's Not Just a Heist Story: The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

I saw Judy Cohen's (@IKnewThemWell) post this morning celebrating the birthday of cinematographer Harold Rosson, who was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his work on The Asphalt Jungle, one of my all-time favorite film noir titles. The film is certainly a great heist picture, but it's so much more, as I discuss in this video. I hope you'll check it out, but more importantly, I hope you'll watch and enjoy the film.

https://youtu.be/V2xe_SLfTys

Classic Films by Women Directors: Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

My friend Ann Glenn did a fantastic job of introducing, presenting, and leading a discussion of The Hitch-Hiker (1953) Monday night at the Busch Annapolis Library kicking off a series celebrating women directors.

There’s so much we could say about the film and Lupino herself, but I’d like to focus on one aspect that normally receives little attention: the character of Roy Collins, played by Edmond O’Brien.

After making the worst decision of their lives by picking up ruthless killer Emmett Myers (William Talman), Collins and his buddy Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy) are forced to abandon their fishing trip to Mexico to serve at gunpoint as Myers’s personal chauffeurs. If you’ve seen the film, read on. If not, go watch it now and come back and join us later.

Before this unfortunate stop to pick up Myers, Bowen and Collins were just two pals heading out to enjoy some harmless fishing while leaving their wives (and family, in Bowen’s case) at home. Yet once they cross the border, Collins remembers a club and a dancer he’d really like to see again. We wonder if this is the real purpose of the trip for Collins. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but Bowen makes it clear that he isn’t interested in those kinds of shenanigans.

Later when their lives are in danger, Bowen is constantly trying to follow exactly what Myers demands while also attempting to keep Collins from some impulsive act that could get them both killed. Bowen has a wife and a daughter at home, and perhaps this is primarily why he is more level-headed than Collins. We also see in the Mexican grocery store scene Bowen’s urgency in making sure the store owner’s little girl comes to no harm. Clearly Bowen is thinking of his little girl whom he hopes to see after surviving this ordeal. This situation is probably in the forefront of his mind, to come home safely for his wife and daughter. Bowen’s urgent plea “Via con Dios” to the little girl says much about his character, yet also rankles Myers.

Collins is different. In fact we see his motivation change from survival to vengeance. Is he thinking of his wife during the reckless plans he shares with Collins? Does he feel he has nothing to lose? Has he forgotten his wife? Are things not well at home? Are things so bad that he feels risking his life to stand up to Myers a gamble worth taking?

When Myers (who is no idiot) figures out that these guys maybe aren’t really in Mexico for fishing, but rather women, he tells them both, “You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.” Bowen’s face reveals a sheepish look that could convey that he’s entertained such thoughts even if he didn’t act on them. But Myers has clearly struck a nerve with Collins, who’s angered that Myers has found him out. Is this the reason Collins’s anger and desire for revenge become so much stronger from this point forward, or is it because he’s growing tired, has injured himself, and is fighting back like a wounded animal?

The symbolism of exchanging clothes with Myers is neither an accident nor a throw-away plot point. Of course Myers wants to disguise himself by having the authorities mistake him for Collins and Collins for him, meaning that Collins would get shot, especially from a distance. (The authorities know that Myers is wearing a dark leather jacket.) Yet the act of putting on Myers’s clothes also acts as a symbol. In donning the criminal’s clothes, Collins begins to take on some of Myers’s characteristics: brazenness, threats, anger, and more.

We know that Collins wants nothing more than to tear into Myers, not only because of who he is and what he’s done, but the killer is attempting to pass himself off as Collins, a good guy who’s done nothing wrong (even if he did want to step out on his wife while on vacation). Collins cannot allow a degenerate like Myers to stand in for him. Collins wants nothing to do with Myers, and possibly his subconscious mind has made a connection (right or wrong) that his intention (carried out or not) somehow links him to the criminal. Again, is this what sets Collins off or is it the accumulation of everything else that’s happened up to this point?

As Ann Glenn pointed out in the after-film discussion, the ending is a bit anticlimactic. We do see rage from Collins as he attempts to take out his vengeance on Myers, but he only gets a few punches in before Bowen and the Mexican authorities take Myers away. It’s all over very quickly, and Bowen comes alongside Collins with a “It’s okay, it’s over” type of comforting gesture.

I almost wish we could have ended the film with a close-up of Collins, allowing O’Brien to display the range of emotions he’s going through: There’s justice, but still plenty of rage, a desire to make Myers pay. I wanted Collins’s last screen presence to convey the fact that the damage Myers did to him and his psyche may be long-lasting, maybe damaging Collins permanently.

Lupino, who co-wrote the screenplay with (then) husband Collier Young, clearly understood all of these characters. We tend to focus on how brilliantly the character of Myers is written and portrayed, but Collins's character is filled with incredible depth and darkness. Credit Lupino not only for directing O'Brien to bring his character to life, but also writing a character whose depths could be tapped as brilliantly as she did.

If you’re in the Annapolis area, know that the rest of the Women Directors series is as follows at the Busch Annapolis Library (all events begin at 6pm ET):

April 10 - Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) Agnes Varda

April 17 - Selma (2014) Ava DuVernay

April 24 - A New Leaf (1971) Elaine May

Photos from DVD Beaver except for Lupino directing (Screen Queens)

The Black Bird in 4K

I love this shot. I could easily spend an hour examining each part of the image, the clock atop the book (the title of which I cannot read; maybe you can), the fact that both the face of the clock and the telephone earpiece seem to be staring at Sam Spade, the arrangement of papers under the phone, but mostly what fascinates me is speculation on what's going through Spade's mind.

I love The Maltese Falcon (1941). It's my favorite movie of all time, largely due to my relationship with it, which you can discover in this video:

https://youtu.be/TuMtDsyf1B8

The Maltese Falcon is now out on a 4K Ultra disc, and although I own a 4K TV, I don't own a 4K player. I used to tell people who asked why I don't yet own a 4K player that my eyes are so bad they probably couldn't distinguish the difference between a regular Blu-ray and a 4K disc. Maybe that's not true. After looking at some of the 4K images from the recent DVD Beaver review, I may have to get one.

Advice for a Saturday (or Any Day)

My piece of advice for a Saturday (or any day): Hang out with people who are intelligent, but not jerks. You can find them. I did last night. We discussed books, movies, and more.

If you do find yourself among jerks (even intelligent ones), just get up and leave. You won't change their minds about anything, and they'll just bring you down. You might pick up some useful information, but useful information presented in a hurtful way is ultimately not useful. Find another group.

Don't be intimidated if you're talking with people (no jerks this time) who are smarter, more well-read than you. You're going to learn. You're going to grow. You're also going to contribute something of value, if not at this meeting, perhaps the next one.

Full disclosure: When you hang out with intelligent people, time will fly by, leaving you yearning for more such conversations. This is how we grow. This is how we care about one another. This is how we build community. This is how we thrive.

Image from About Her

The Concept of Time and Watching Movies

I like to think about time. You can’t renew it, you can only live it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Sure, you can relive it in your memory, but essentially you’re retreading ground you’ve already traversed, a journey that can only be new once. Although revisiting an event, book, movie, painting, etc. can be valuable, you can only experience it for the first time once.

Like many things in life, you can only attempt to make the best of time, filling it (as much as possible) with those things you enjoy and allow you personal growth.

I think about the amount of time I spend watching movies and reading books, but today, let’s focus on movies. We all watch them for different reasons, but I believe most of us simply want to be entertained. While we’re entertained we can also be moved, comforted, angered, confused, delighted, or bored. Maybe you’re infuriated that you’ve spent two hours with a film that you thought was going to be worthwhile, yet ended up disappointing you. Perhaps you made an unexpected discovery in a place you never expected to visit.

During the last week or so I spent a portion of my time watching seven movies. For some of you reading this, that’s a lot. Others can knock out seven movies in a couple of days (or less). What’s important here (at least for me in this post) is not the number of films, but the motivation and expectation for watching them, and what I take away from the experience. Why did I decide to watch this particular movie on this particular day rather than another? Why didn’t I do something else with my time, like read, work on my World of Frankenstein puzzle, or walk upstairs to my office and do some writing?

And what did I come away with after watching these movies? What did I learn? Should I learn something? Can’t I just enjoy the experience?

Many of these movies I own on DVD or Blu-ray, films that have been sitting around on my shelves that I’ve finally decided to watch. One was a recommendation from a friend. Here’s what I saw and what I learned:

The Lighthouse (2019) recommended to me by my coworker Matthew

For several months Matthew has told me of his love for this movie, asking from time to time whether I’d seen it yet. The answer was always “No, but I want to eventually.” I like Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, but had never seen a film directed by Robert Eggers. Matthew praised the acting, the Jarin Blaschke cinematography, and the Robert Eggers and Max Eggers script, all of which sounded wonderful. I was convinced it was a movie I should and eventually would see, but I didn’t know when I’d carve out time for it. I don’t own it, but the library does. No urgency, or at least that’s what I thought.

But when someone starts quoting from a movie, that elicits one of two responses in me: (1) run far away, or (2) see the movie as soon as possible. Matthew isn’t the type of guy to burst into long soliloquies of dialogue, but just from the type of writing he was reciting and the fact that it was coming from Willem Dafoe, I knew I had to see The Lighthouse soon. Maybe I was afraid Matthew was going to get into spoiler territory (He wasn’t; he’s too much of a movie lover to do that to another movie lover.), but I think what drove me to check the DVD out from the library was the yearning to hear Dafoe deliver those lines in a confined space with black-and-white cinematography.

Bottom line: The film is stunning, filled with more than enough to keep me thinking about it for a long, long time. And yes, eventually I plan to own this and revisit it. I don’t have the time or space to explore my reactions here, but this is a tremendous film. Thank you, Matthew.

Time well spent? Yes.

Turner & Hooch (1989) suggested to me by a local family

“Suggested” is probably not the best word, but it’s the closest one I can come up with. A friend recently added to his family a French mastiff. When he was telling me about the puppy, he said, “You know, like the dog in Turner & Hooch.” I’d never seen the film when it was released and had little interest in seeing it, but it looked fun, and I’m always interested in checking out something I’d missed from the 1980s, so when I saw the DVD at the used bookstore recently, I caved.

The movie has a certain charm, the dog is cute, but the script is painfully formulaic, and I can take only so much of Tom Hanks shouting. I was, however, delighted to see John McIntire in one of his last roles.

Time well spent? Not particularly.

All That Heaven Allows (1955) An ex-library Criterion DVD that had been sitting on the shelf for at least five years

Besides the film noir Lured (1947), my first Douglas Sirk drama/melodrama was The Tarnished Angels (1957), a beguiling picture based on William Faulkner’s novel Pylon. Next was the moving There’s Always Tomorrow (1956), followed by Written on the Wind (1956), which I immediately bought on Blu-ray after watching. Then along came All That Heaven Allows that simply destroyed me beyond my wildest dreams. Now I want to see all of Sirk’s films, particularly everything I’ve missed from the mid-1950s through Imitation of Life (1959). I haven’t rewatched any of these films, but the way Sirk combines yearning, anguish, and stunning color combinations, all on a wondrous widescreen canvas, totally slays me.

Time well spent? Absolutely.

Never Take Candy from a Stranger (1960) Part of the Mill Creek Hammer Films - Ultimate Collection Blu-ray box set

Somewhere along my journey through the Mill Creek box set Hammer Films - Ultimate Collection, I stalled out, yet Never Take Candy (Sweets in the UK title) from a Stranger renewed my faith in the box set. Perhaps you can’t accurately call this a horror film, but it’s one of the most disturbing and effective Hammer pictures I’ve ever seen.

Time well spent? Yes.

Castle Keep (1969) Blu-ray from an Indicator sale, probably two sales ago

Castle Keep is too ambitious for me. Burt Lancaster stars as Major Falconer, an army officer leading a stunningly odd assortment of American soldiers to shelter down in a Belgian castle filled with priceless art. There’s an impotent Count (Jean-Pierre Aumont) living in the castle, a Countess (Astrid Heeren), a corporal (Scott Wilson) carrying on a love affair with a Volkswagen Beetle, a sergeant (Peter Falk) who leaves his fellow soldiers to run (or return to?) a bakery, a group of hymn-singing conscientious objectors led by a lieutenant (Bruce Dern), and more. I enjoyed the savagery of war vs. the fragility of art theme, and the film frequently looks gorgeous, but on the whole it’s one of those artistic messes that only the late ‘60s and early ‘70s could get away with.

Time well spent? No.

To Kill a Man (2014) DVD picked up on vacation at a library sale

This Chilean-French revenge film follows a man named Jorge (Daniel Candia, above) who lives in a bad part of town terrorized by a criminal gang. After witnessing his dad being harassed by the gang’s leader Kalule (Daniel Antivilo), Jorge’s teenage son stands up for his father, but gets shot trying to defend him. More a story of family alienation and moral murkiness than revenge, To Kill a Man often drags and seems very distant. Maybe that’s the point. Perhaps I should revisit this one.

Time well spent? Maybe.

Tron (1982) DVD from the library’s Lost and Found, never claimed

A rewatch. While I enjoyed the visuals of this movie, which I originally saw on VHS in the mid-1980s, I found the story and dialogue tiresome. I know this is a well-loved movie for many people, but I wish I’d left it where it was in my memory from the ‘80s.

Time well spent? No.

Maybe it’s due the my season of life, but I’m looking at all the unwatched movies (and unread books), asking myself, “Is this worth my time?” Sure, sometimes you want to watch something you know is going to be bad, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I’m beginning to question some of my movie-watching choices.

How do you decide what to watch? Do you have a system? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.

April 2023 Film Noir New Releases

https://youtu.be/rdqUJX8D1qs

March 2023 New Film Noir Releases

Finally we get some nice releases from the classic film noir era. Hope you'll find something to pick up:

https://youtu.be/epkL4D2Atgo