Movies I Watched in August, Part 3

Seeing as how September is almost over, I'm going to make Part III of this little August Movie Trilogy quick, OK?


Re-watched this one for an upcoming episode of Out of Theaters that should, fate willing, feature a special guest. I'd seen it before, years ago, but had forgotten just how much fun it is. I'm a huge fan of the era of garage bands this celebrates, and I appreciate how much Tom Hanks obviously loves the time period, its music and its pop culture. I don't know if "That Thing You Do" is a great movie, but it's a very, very good one with a number of great scenes. Being a fan of schlock movies, I especially enjoyed the flawless recreation of the teen beachsploitation films, right down to the crazy side characters, boring leads and guest-star bands (in this case, the Wonders) who obviously aren't playing their instruments.


Watched this one for an episode of Out of Theaters that hit the airwaves (the podwaves?) a couple of weeks ago. Listen to it here , and while you're at it, read my essay about the film at that link. It sums up anything I'd say about this very funny, very violent, very smart film in this space, only with a lot more words.


I've seen this one before, obviously, but TCM devoted a day of its "Summer Under the Stars" festival to Boris Karloff, and this 1931 groundbreaker ended up in a prime time slot. It had been years since I last watched "Frankenstein" in its entirety, and I was shocked at how good it was. I mean, I knew it was good, but for some reason while (rightfully) elevating its sequel (see below), I was (wrongly) writing this film off as a crude, stagey rough draft for the greatness to come. I'm happy to say I was way off base. Directed by James Whale, this movie is beautifully filmed and strikingly edited, every scene designed to maximize the dread and shock to come. Sure, it's not quite as accomplished as "Bride," but it leaves the other big Universal Studios release of 1931, Tod Browning's "Dracula," in the dust. That movie is creaky and feels every one of its 85 years. "Frankenstein," on the other hand, feels alive and ominous even today. And the Monster's first appearance, with Karloff entering the room backwards and slowly turning to face the audience -- that's still unnerving!


And, of course, TCM followed "Frankenstein" with its 1935 sequel, which just might be the peak of that 1930s Universal horror cycle. (Though, my personal favorite is 1934's distinctly creepy oddity "The Black Cat." ) "The Bride of Frankenstein" is a funny, scary, ambitious film, with imaginative new characters (Dr. Praetorius and, of course, The Bride herself) and new twists on old favorites (the good doctor is crazier than ever, and the Monster talks this time around). I love the scene with the blind hermit, which gives Karloff a chance to add new levels to the Monster's personality, and the ending, with the Bride breaking the Monster's heart and him proclaiming "We belong dead," is one of the most iconic scenes in any movie, ever. (I wrote a lot more about that scene  here , in case you're interested).


I'd put off seeing this Quentin Tarantino Western for a while, and I'm not sure why. I'd seen all of his other movies (yes, even "Reservoir Dogs") during their theatrical runs, and this one, as Quentin was not shy about repeating, was filmed in 70mm to make the theatrical viewing experience mandatory. At any rate, when I finally did see "The Hateful Eight," I loved it, grooving on the sheet Quentin-ness of it all. Eight (actually more) dangerous folks meet at a "haberdashery" during a Wyoming winter storm, and naturally, lies are told, tempers flare, and bullets fly. I won't spoil any of it here, because seeing the carefully set-up scenario play out is at least half the fun. If you want to hear my Out of Theaters co-host, Billy Kulpa , and me talk about it in a spoiler-free discussion, click here and listen to the beginning of the episode. (And then, of course, listen to the rest of the episode, because I'll cover "Network," which we discuss, soon in this very blog.)