Lots of moviegoers talk about 'guilty pleasures' that are not all that
guilty, i.e., movies that actually have some reputation in certain
circles. But I'll give you four that are truly guilty, that you might
like on one these hot summer nights.
1. Radioland Murders (1994). This offbeat homage to screwball comedy was produced by George Lucas, and almlost universally despised by the critics. The conventional wisdom is that it has the same place in Lucas' career that '1941' has in Spielberg's. The plot takes place in 1939, on the evening that a Chicago radio station (clearly modeled after WGN) is about to go national. The station is going to showcase all of its programs. The major sponsor announces that he hates all the scripts, which have to be rewritten while the show is in progress. Meanwhile, homicides keep occurring. The picture includes bows to all the famous radio drama prototypes, as well as radio music - Spike Jones, the Andrew Sisters, Gene Autry - the works. The picture was widely denounced as sophomoric in the extreme, and just plain silly in parts.
So what are its redeeming features? It is by miles the fastest paced movie I have ever seen in my life. It makes the Marx Brothers look like they're walking in molasses. The plot takes off in the opening credits and does not slow down for two hours. (In fact, I think that is one of the reasons the critics disliked it so much - on the big screen, the pace of action would been numbing.) Although it IS silly, it is also great fun, with any number of good gags. The musical numbers are superb. The overall affect is wonderfully energizing.
Seond, it looks terrific on a reasonably sized TV. The cast is first rate, and manages to convery most of the jokes as they fly by. A good movie for a late, hot night, if you can focus your attention. My daughters and I had great fun with it.
2. The Escape Artist (1982). I am probably the only Bootie who thinks of Emily and Zooey Deschanel first as the daughters of Caleb Deschanel. Father Deschanel is a world class cinematographer, who won an Oscar for 'The Black Stallion' and (I think) 'Cold Mountain'. 'The Escape Artist' is the only picture he ever directed, one of the last movies done at Zoetrope Studios for Coppola. The picture chronicles the adventures of what can only be called a magic prodigy - a teen-age sleight-of-hand wizard - in a corrupt town. The movie has all sorts of problens. For one thing, the scene designer couldn't decide whether the action took place in the 30's or 50's or some time in between. The casting is positively weird, with Joan Hackett and Desi Arnez in their last roles.
But I don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie. The hero's use of his repertoire to escape from one tight spot after another is fascinating. The score, by Georges Delerue, is absolutely terrific and deserved a better fate. (The picture got a cup of coffee in limited release in 1982, and promptly disappeared.) With all its obvious flaws, a truly haunting movie.
3. Mack the Knife (1979). At least the first two are on DVD. Good luck in even finding this one. I saw it on laser disc years ago. It is the Globus Brothers version of 'Threepenny Opera' and came in for the usual round of denunciations on the grounds of sacrilege. But the truth is that the Threepenny Opera isn't all that good, apart from the songs, and this movie is actully quite good. It starred Raul Julia (who is also in 'Escape Artist'), Julia Mignenes, Richard Harris, and Roger Daltrey as a street singer who provides narration of the action in the form of versions of 'Mack the Knife' written for the movie. No matter what the critics thought, the production values are really good, Julia is superb, and the movie is actually very solid.
4. Return to Oz (1985). This picture is cheating a little. Although it was the most universally despised movie of the 80's, it has won support and a following over the years. An amalgam of the second and third OZ books, it is far darker than the MGM musical, a sin that the contemporary critics in 1985 were unable to forgive. They were particularly incensed that Dorothy is snatched away to Oz as she is about to undergo a quack electroshock procedure circa 1890.
However, what they overlooked is that this version of Oz is actually much closer to Baum's books than the musical. More to the point, both my daughters when younger vastly preferred THIS Oz to the musical - and I have heard the same thing universally from parents whose children have seen both. It's an odd thing - the light-as-air musical with the color and funny costumes is actually the adult movie, while the dark and sombre movie is the kids' version.
In any case, it's an awfully good movie, that both children and grandchildren will enjoy. Another great score, this one by David Shire.
1. Radioland Murders (1994). This offbeat homage to screwball comedy was produced by George Lucas, and almlost universally despised by the critics. The conventional wisdom is that it has the same place in Lucas' career that '1941' has in Spielberg's. The plot takes place in 1939, on the evening that a Chicago radio station (clearly modeled after WGN) is about to go national. The station is going to showcase all of its programs. The major sponsor announces that he hates all the scripts, which have to be rewritten while the show is in progress. Meanwhile, homicides keep occurring. The picture includes bows to all the famous radio drama prototypes, as well as radio music - Spike Jones, the Andrew Sisters, Gene Autry - the works. The picture was widely denounced as sophomoric in the extreme, and just plain silly in parts.
So what are its redeeming features? It is by miles the fastest paced movie I have ever seen in my life. It makes the Marx Brothers look like they're walking in molasses. The plot takes off in the opening credits and does not slow down for two hours. (In fact, I think that is one of the reasons the critics disliked it so much - on the big screen, the pace of action would been numbing.) Although it IS silly, it is also great fun, with any number of good gags. The musical numbers are superb. The overall affect is wonderfully energizing.
Seond, it looks terrific on a reasonably sized TV. The cast is first rate, and manages to convery most of the jokes as they fly by. A good movie for a late, hot night, if you can focus your attention. My daughters and I had great fun with it.
2. The Escape Artist (1982). I am probably the only Bootie who thinks of Emily and Zooey Deschanel first as the daughters of Caleb Deschanel. Father Deschanel is a world class cinematographer, who won an Oscar for 'The Black Stallion' and (I think) 'Cold Mountain'. 'The Escape Artist' is the only picture he ever directed, one of the last movies done at Zoetrope Studios for Coppola. The picture chronicles the adventures of what can only be called a magic prodigy - a teen-age sleight-of-hand wizard - in a corrupt town. The movie has all sorts of problens. For one thing, the scene designer couldn't decide whether the action took place in the 30's or 50's or some time in between. The casting is positively weird, with Joan Hackett and Desi Arnez in their last roles.
But I don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie. The hero's use of his repertoire to escape from one tight spot after another is fascinating. The score, by Georges Delerue, is absolutely terrific and deserved a better fate. (The picture got a cup of coffee in limited release in 1982, and promptly disappeared.) With all its obvious flaws, a truly haunting movie.
3. Mack the Knife (1979). At least the first two are on DVD. Good luck in even finding this one. I saw it on laser disc years ago. It is the Globus Brothers version of 'Threepenny Opera' and came in for the usual round of denunciations on the grounds of sacrilege. But the truth is that the Threepenny Opera isn't all that good, apart from the songs, and this movie is actully quite good. It starred Raul Julia (who is also in 'Escape Artist'), Julia Mignenes, Richard Harris, and Roger Daltrey as a street singer who provides narration of the action in the form of versions of 'Mack the Knife' written for the movie. No matter what the critics thought, the production values are really good, Julia is superb, and the movie is actually very solid.
4. Return to Oz (1985). This picture is cheating a little. Although it was the most universally despised movie of the 80's, it has won support and a following over the years. An amalgam of the second and third OZ books, it is far darker than the MGM musical, a sin that the contemporary critics in 1985 were unable to forgive. They were particularly incensed that Dorothy is snatched away to Oz as she is about to undergo a quack electroshock procedure circa 1890.
However, what they overlooked is that this version of Oz is actually much closer to Baum's books than the musical. More to the point, both my daughters when younger vastly preferred THIS Oz to the musical - and I have heard the same thing universally from parents whose children have seen both. It's an odd thing - the light-as-air musical with the color and funny costumes is actually the adult movie, while the dark and sombre movie is the kids' version.
In any case, it's an awfully good movie, that both children and grandchildren will enjoy. Another great score, this one by David Shire.
Recent Comments