Displaying items by tag: Peter Malone's Movie Reviews

BARNACLE BILL/ALL AT SEA

UK, 1957, 87 minutes, Black-and-white.

Alec Guinness, Irene Brown, Percy Herbert, Maurice Denham, Victor Maddern, Donald Pleasance, Warren Mitchell, Lionel Jeffries, Jackie Collins, Miles Malleson, Allan Cuthbertson, Charles Lloyd Pack, George Rose, Richard Wattis, Eric Pohlmann, Joan Hickson.

Directed by Charles Frend.

Barnacle Bill/All at Sea was Alec Guinness’ last comedy film, immediately after his Oscar win in The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957. And, it was the last of his Ealing comedies, his moving into more serious films into the 60s and 70s.

The film was written by T.E.B.Clark, author of many of the Ealing studios films, Passport to Pimlico, Lavender Hill Mob, films about individuals and their defying the authorities. It is the same here, Captain Ambrose, played by Guinness, has seafaring ancestors, even from the Stone Age, and/or visualised with Guinness playing each of them, but all suffering from seasickness and disasters. During World War II, in Ambrose tested vessels rather than going to see!

After the war, very seriously, he buys a pier on the coast, the ship Arabella, and turns it into the equivalent of the tourist ship. But, he runs foul of the local Council, leading to scenes of tourists enjoying the comforts of a sea voyage and some sabotage from the Council members.

It is brief, rather low-key, British comedy of the time, social commentary. And, looking at the cast, it is filled with quite a number of well-known British character actors of the period or who were to emerge successfully in coming decades in television series – Warren Mitchell, Donald Pleasance, Joan Hickson… And, yes, that is the Jackie Collins in the cast!

Direction was by Charles Frend, who directed many of the significant British films, especially the 1940s and 50s, including Scott of the Antarctic and The Cruel Sea.

1. From Ealing studios in the 1950s? An Alec Guinness vehicle and his Ealing Studios films? The individual against the corporations?
2. Ealing Studios comedy, the writer, the directors, British humour, situations, character actors? Musical score?
3. The title, given the alternate All at Sea?
4. The introduction to Captain Ambrose, a celebrity, the honours, his manner, perfectly straightforward sometimes mischievous humour? The interviews, his reputation, at the pub, the rum cask, going to the bank, his money account, the staff, listening to his story, at the end, the celebrity mood?
5. Captain Ambrose’s story? His ancestors, from the Stone Age, Francis Drake, the Later Sea Captain, World War I – and Alec Guinness playing all roles? Seasickness and the way that it was manifested, the comic tragedies?
6. Captain Ambrose and his war career, seasick, the audience thinking he was at dea, but his career in demonstrating seasickness in various vessels?
7. His decision to buy the Arabella, the pier? Very serious, spending his money? The initial encounter with Mrs Barrington and her accusations? Going to the pier, the staff, seriously setting up the ship and the crew? The first officer and reliance on him? The performance, the Houdini -like character, the Captain tying him up in a bag, unable to get out?
8. Captain Ambrose vision for the pier, looking at the slot machines, the police, getting the young expert, his knowing how to win with skill? The machines being allowed? The youngsters, the rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere, taunting Captain Ambrose, coming to the concert, the talent not turning up? Playing the piano, dancing, the ripping up of the seats, providing the dance area, the youngsters enjoying it?
9. The plan to turn the Arabella into a cruise ship, holidays, yet at the pier? The work, the volunteers, the transformation? The dining area, the pool, all the luxuries?
10. The Mayor, his visits and discussions, the Council meetings, his henchmen, legal advice, Mrs Barrington? Corruption? The decision to improve the seafront, threatening Mrs Barrington’s dressing cabins, upset, the encounter with Captain Ambrose, his taking them, installing, her supporting him, her transformation, drinking the rum?
11. The crowds, coming aboard, the atmosphere of the luxury ship? The staff? Captain happily moving amongst his guests? The young lovers always hiding in boats et cetera?
12. The Council, their plans, the confrontations, the turncoat, swimming underwater engaging the depths, seen by the drinking Captain? Looking at the radar? Reality, his being Captain, interrogated?
13. The Council and the plan, sending out the boat, underwater, the Captain, facing his seasickness, Mrs Barrington’s cure, corset and earplugs? Going out, the confrontation, the four in the cage, trying to escape, Captain Ambrose and the machinery, capturing the Council?
14. The legal issues, the cruise ship and the foreign government and the permits? Sawing the connection so as not to pay shore taxes?
15. Small British comedies of the 1950s, the humour, still entertaining even if they look dated?

LIFE WITHOUT DICK

US, 2022, 100 minutes, Colour.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Harry Connick Jr, Johnny Knoxville, Craig Ferguson, Teri Garr, Geoffrey Blake, John Eddins, Claudia Schiffer, David Koechner, Lee Garlington, Holmes Osbourne.

Directed by Bix Skahill.

In no way to be taken seriously. For audiences who like a very, very light comedy with some twists, some romance, some pratfalls and silliness, 100 minutes to entertain them.

However, with two very ditzy central characters, some basic dialogue, some funny moments, many silly moments, many audiences have found it a mixture of too much and too little.

Sarah Jessica Parker, so well-known from Sex and the City, plays Colleen, an ingenuous would-be painter (framed single colours), with a private detective boyfriend, Dick, Johnny Knoxville, is upset at his packing to leave, holds a gun at him, shoots, and he had put a bullet in the gun. She hides the body in the basement.

There are all kinds of side issues throughout the film though, at the end, one can admire the various strands of the screenplay coming together. She has visited medium, Teri Garr, misinterprets Dick’s behaviour, flashbacks to him at a bar, the encounter with two straightfaced detectives (who do provide some deadpan comedy), is the target of the local Irish Mafia chief, Craig Ferguson, who has employed a singer, his brother-in-law, Daniel, Harry Connick Jr, whose girlfriend, Claudia Schiffer, had laughed at him, so he is becoming a hitman but is unable to shoot straight and is reluctant to shoot. Dick was his target. He visits Colleen and the romance and the complications start. Especially as, we expect in the romantic scene, that she volunteers to do all the shooting which is not seen on screen.

The romance progresses as do the success of the hits. Colleen is in love and conscienceless.

Of course, the romantic complications, the former girlfriend turning up, Colleen misinterpreting, the owner of the yard where the bodies are buried, David Koechner, confesses. Daniel gets his audition, Colleen thinking to shoot him, the revelations about the Mafia boss and a climax after the singing of Danny Boy.

Perhaps, that makes it sound better than it actually is!

STRAW

US, 2025, 107 minutes, Colour.

Taraji P. Henson, Sherri Shepherd, Tayana Taylor, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Ashley Versher, Mike Merrill, Glynn Turman.

Directed by Tyler Perry.

Tyler Perry, for many decades, has shown his abilities as a producer, with his own studios in Atlanta, Georgia, as a director, writer, actor. He has quite a list of achievements in directing.

There is an intensity in this storytelling, the focus on a mother with a sick child, working at a supermarket, finding it hard to make ends meet, expenses for her sick child and medication. The film introduces her, and an extraordinarily intense performance by Taraji P. Henson.

What makes the film different is that there is a continued increasing intensity and pressure on Janiyah, with her daughter, getting her to school, unable to buy lunch for her daughter, late for work, pressures from the boss, cantankerous customers, having to go to the school, her daughter taken away by child-welfare, going to the bank to get her a cheque cashed, long lines, thieves entering the store, shootings.

The second half of the film is a bank siege, Janiyah having taken the gun from the supermarket robbery, continuing to wave it around, and with the school project in her daughter’s schoolbag identified as ticking and as a bomb. The intensity in the bank siege is palpable. However, there is sympathy from the bank manager, Sherri Shepherd, and from the negotiator for the police, Tayana Taylor.

What happens is that a crowd gathers, given information about Janiyah, a television interviewer moving amongst the crowd, the transmissions of the crowd and the public response on television, seen by Janiyah and the others in the bank.

The FBI come in, most unsympathetic, wanting to attack, not interested in the negotiator.

The film is highly emotional, building up to a climax, and Tyler Perry showing what might have happened, the FBI entering and a shootout, or a surrendering.

And, of course, while this is very much an American story with guns, it is even more significant in racial terms, that Janiyah is African-American on a lower rung of American society. This film is an intense protest.

1. The title? The last straw?
2. The American urban setting, homes and interiors, schools, supermarkets and checkout, banks, police precincts, the setting up of the surveillance squad, familiar urban surroundings? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Janiyah, mother, her daughter, ill, the bath, criticisms at school, not enough money to buy her lunch, the pressure on her mother, taking her to school, going to her workplace? Audience interested in Janiyah, her age, personality, social situation, pressures, love for her daughter?
4. Janiyah at work, the customers, angry, throwing the bottle, the manager making her clear it up, her being late, his harshness, the phone call from the school, his unwillingness to let her go, not paying her, her going to the bank, the long line, the demands, going to the school, the teachers, the social worker, her daughter taken into care? Her coming back to the store, the pressures, in the office with the boss, the robbers, calling her by name, seeing it on her tape, the struggle, the shooting? Her panic, the demands of the boss, her shooting him?
5. Travelling back from the school, her car, cutting off the policeman, his angry reaction, threatening her, his associate, the documents expired, the towing away of the car? The traumatic effect of the policeman’s attack on her?
6. Her decision to go to the bank, her keeping the gun, the significance of her daughter’s backpack with the science project, the assistant thinking it a bomb, writing the message on the bank window?
7. The siege of the bank, Janiyah and her bewilderment, still with the gun in hand, Nicole, knowing her, sympathetic, dealing with the situation? The two young tellers, the response, Tessa and her antagonism, lack of sympathy? The old couple and their being let go, the elderly woman, sympathetic, treatment, letting her go? Officials?
8. The police, Raymond and her partner, going to the supermarket, killings, Janiyah being blamed? The bank, the message, shut down? The setting up of the van, Raymond and her military background, ability as a negotiator? Making the contact, Janiyah and her varied reactions, eventually the breakthrough with Raymond, the police chief and his response?
9. The crowds gathering, the television interviewer, the information, watching the television program in the bank, the information? The sympathetic crowd, the placards? The range of interviews from the public?
10. Time passing, progress not being made, Raymond and her efforts? The arrival of the FBI, taking over, the unsympathetic agent, the phone calls, the plans? Raymond and her objections? The role of the police chief and his sympathies?
11. The hours within the bank, Nicole sympathetic, Janiyah telling her story, tensions, the toilet breaks, messages to the outside? Janiyah with the gun, telling her story, her bewildered telling the story and the others uncertain?
12. The issue of the policeman, his identity, Janiyah and her demands that he be found? Eventually found, identified, sacked? Janiyah reassured? Raymond going to the door of the bank, reassuring Janiyah?
13. The phone call from Janiyah’s mother, the news that her daughter had died? The effect on the audience – and the question of what had really happened during the day and how much was Janiyah’s imagination and hallucinations?
14. The FBI, the teams to go in, the preparations, the eventual attack?
15. Janiyah, her imagining the attack, her being shot? Nicole and her support?
16. The reality, the ending, the gun, giving himself up – her future?

UNINVITED

Philippines, 2024, 93 minutes, Colour.

Vilma Santos, Aga Muhlacj, Nadine Lustre, Mylene Dizon

Directed by Dan Villegas.

A Filipino drama/melodrama set amongst the wealthier echelons of Metro Manila. It is a revenge story.

The occasion for the action is a 55^th birthday party for an influential wealthy man, played by former romantic and comedy lead, Aga Muhlach. A slick businessman, now wealthy, wants to celebrate his life and achievement in the most bombastic way. He has many well-dressed and affluent guests at his party, rather fawning on him. There is also his wife and daughter. The wife is revealed to be in a liaison with one of the businessman’s close associates – and some brutal revenge. There is also his disillusioned daughter, her boyfriend, drugs, emotional…

But, the uninvited of the title is an older widow, played by veteran Filipino star, Vilma Santos. And she plays her role intently and intensely.

She comes to the party, a false name, lavishly dressed, moving amongst the guests, encountering the daughter and making a bond with her, observing all the guests, a discussion with the wife, but all the time seeking an opportunity to kill the guest of honour.

With flashbacks, her background stories filled in, her love for her daughter, her daughter with a boyfriend, happy home life, but then the two abducted by the businessman’s callous thugs, the boyfriend tortured then killed, the daughter raped by the businessman and then his henchman, their bodies discarded.

While the framework is the party and the search for opportunity to kill the businessman, there are graphic flashbacks to the story, sympathy for the young girl, her boyfriend, their friends, caught up in the ugliness of human trafficking and abuse.

There are also interludes with the guest of honour in his room, boasting, or sexual liaisons, the public face and smiling for his guests, the singing Happy Birthday, basking the reality of his evil.

And, as expected, final comeuppance.

KO

France, 2025, 85 minutes, Colour.

Cyril Gane, Alice Balaidi, Foued Nabba, Maleaume Paquin, Anne Azoulay.

Directed by Antoine Blossier.

A brief French action and detection film. Cyril Gane, a strong screen presence, plays a mixed martial arts fighter, Bastien, who unintentionally kills a rival. He gives up fighting, is resented by the wife and son of his rival.

The wife then approaches Bastien to search for her son because of his involvement in brutal drug gangs in the neighbourhood. Also in pursuit of the gangs are a police officer who has grown up with them. She is tough.

The material is as expected, the bonding between the two investigating, the resentment of the son who has witnessed a killing and is in danger of his life. A lot of action sequences, and a set piece of fight within the nightclub.

The running time is short, the setup more or less as expected – and all is fulfilled.

1. The title and expectations? The fight sequences? The confrontation with the drug gangs and the finale?
2. The French settings, cities, mixed martial arts fights, the crowds? The different neighbourhoods, migrants and refugees, lifestyle? Drug dealing and issues? Gangs?
3. The fight sequences, fight choreography, stunt work? In the ring? In the bar? In the police officers? The musical score?
4. Bastien, in the ring, the fight, determination to win, his rival, Enzo, knocking him down, his death? The repercussions? Bastien withdrawing from fighting? Emma, grief at her husband’s death, antagonism towards Bastien? Leo, his age, watching, devotion to his father, vengeance on Bastien? Leaving home, drug involvement?
5. Emma, going to Bastien, concerned about Leo, Bastien feeling he must help? The issues in the neighbourhood, the Manchour gang, leaving, returning, dominating? Abdul as leader, Driss his associate? The scenes in the warehouse, Leo, Courier, watching, witnessing the death? His dilemma, fears for his safety?
6. The police, Alaoui, tough, her partner, working together, the revelation of her background, with the gangs? Her police work, meeting Bastien, wary, working with him, as a team?
7. The mole in the office, the phone calls, the warning to the gangs? The pay off?
8. The police precinct, the commander, Halloween and her work, suspension? Her tough behaviour, beyond the rules? Free to work with Bastien?
9. The detection work, tracking down the gang, the confrontations, finding Leo, hiding him, girlfriend, the dangers, at the police precinct, the interrogations?
10. The final confrontations, the fights, Leo saved, reunited with Emma, the achievement of Bastien and Aloui? Expectations fulfilled?

THE STORY OF SOULYMANE/ L'histoire de Soulymane

France, 2024, 93 minutes, Colour.

Abou Sangare, Alpha Ouimar Sow, Nina Meurisse.

Directed by Boris Lojkine.

Soulymane is one of many refugees coming to France from Africa, in particular from Guinea-Conakry. The audience spends two hectic days with him in Paris, the screenplay and the performance from Abou Sangare, instantly gripping us. For audiences who have had little to do with refugees and their difficulties in getting to a country, living without papers, trying to get access to documentation, in the meanwhile trying to work, sometimes even to survive day by day, this film is the strongest of challenges. Those who work with refugees and experience their struggles will immediately identify (and urge as many as possible to go to see the film, to learn and appreciate).

In fact, the film opens with Soulymane making an appointment for an interview to get his papers. However, he is at the mercy of other refugees who actually exploit the newcomers. There is Barry, a wheeler dealer, inventing stories for the interviewees, suggesting that they are members of an active political group in their own country, committed to causes (and with a list to help the interviewee remember they were supposed to have done, the names of the people that they worked with, precise and dates and statistics, which Soulymane and others have difficulty in memorising). And Barry Is demanding for payment, abrupt in manner, some few moments of sympathy but on to the next refugee.

And there is Emanuel, also exploiting newcomers, sharing his permit card so that they can work on deliveries of food, on their bikes through the busy city, accidents with cars, time demands, mean-minded and racist Café managers, police enjoying taunting the refugees, and Emanuel demanding 50% of Soulymane’s earnings.

There are time demands and constant pressures, hurrying to catch trains, connecting buses, missing connections and sleeping out, booking in advance a bed for the night in one of of the many hostels, large rooms full of bunks, and lining up at the soup kitchens for something to eat and drink.

There is constant pressure on Soulymane, phone calls from a girlfriend from Guinea who is thinking of marrying, double dealings from Emanuel, a fight and injury, trying to pin down Barry for coaching for the interview.

But, thankfully interspersed are some moments of quiet, but then on with the pressure. While most of the supporting characters here are refugees, many of them sympathetic to Soulymane, and some glimpses of French people who are kind.

And, finally, the interview itself, tense, Soulymane drawing on his coaching to answer the questions, the interviewer a sympathetic listener – but who has heard all this many times before. Sold does eventually, haltingly, at the end, tell his story of home life, decision to leave home, travels, ill-treatment, his hopes.

As mentioned, the film is often hectic, handheld camera, running after and with Soulymane, speeding through the night city. At the end, the audience has to decide, along with the interviewer, whether Soulymane is telling a story that deserves refugee status and acceptance in France for him.

1. Awards and nominations, an important film for those interested, concerned about, refugees, treatment and status? African refugees in France?
2. The French settings, the city, the streets, cafes, food deliveries, bikes and cars, the city at night, busy? Homes and apartments, centres for refugees, soup kitchens…? The musical score?
3. The action taking place over two days, hectic, the pressure, booking the interview, preparing for the interview, the interview itself?
4. Soulymane,, appearance, age 25, Guinea-Conakry, the opening and the office, the interview and planning the final interview? The pressure on him?
5. The scenes of Soulymane at work, his bike, hitting the car, pace, the crowds of the delivery workers, placing orders, the phones, the need for the codes, the delays, the treatment by the owner, the impact of the various deliveries, the woman refusing delivery because of the bike crushed by the crash, the old man on the top floor, kindly to Soulymane his story, his son and the phone call, the police in the car, teasing and taunting? The pressure for the work?
6. Accommodation, phone calls to ask for a bed, getting the Metro, connecting with the bus, persuading the driver to open the door, the crowds of refugees on the bus, friendly, clashes? The night at the hostel, the number, the kindly neighbour, is good advice about the interview, changing the bed, the meals? The phone calls during the night, his girlfriend, talking about her intended marriage to the engineer? Wanting to talk to his mother? Her coming on the phone?
7. The discussions with Barry, Barry’s role, the scenario for stories, member of a social group, motivations, time of joining, place, dates, names of officials, imprisonment, the walls of the prison, the behaviour of the prison guards? Soulymane trying to memorise? The discussions with Barry, Barry’s impatience, demanding his money, providing the documents? The phone calls, Barry surly, eventually at the station, in the carriage on the train, the discussion, the list for the interview, handing over the documents, Barry giving him €40?
8. Emanuel, his sharing his permit, illegal, Soulymane giving him half the earnings? Phone calls, not answering, going to the apartment, knocking, the encounter on the staircase, Emanuel pushing him, the injuries, face, hand? The confrontation? The €40?
9. The next day and the pressures, Soulymane memorising, wanting to meet Barry, the preparation, the work and the deliveries, late for the bus, having to spend the night sleeping out, the soup kitchen?
10. His friend providing the shirt, getting ready for the interview, going to the office, being called in?
11. The interviewer, open, sympathetic, listening, typing, the recording? The question is, Soulymane going through the routine, all the details, trying to remember and be accurate? The interview a questioning him, telling him she had heard this all before, twice the week before? Her sympathetically offering him a chance to tell his actual story? Is telling it, his mother, mental illness, his father, wanting to do something to his mother, no education, mechanic, the decision to leave, Algeria, the torture in Libya? His emotions, hesitation, telling the truth, something of a relief?
12. The interviewer saying he would get a document, welcome if accepted, a month to lodge an appeal?
13. The film ending, the audience not knowing the decision, over to the audience, listening to Soulymane and believing him, or applying the rules strictly?

ROUGH DIAMONDS

Australia, 1995, 90 minutes, Colour.

Jason Donovan, Angie Milliken, Peter Phelps, Jocelyn Gabriel, Hayley Toomey, Jeff Truman, Max Cullen, Kit Taylor, Roger Ward.

Directed by Donald Crombie.

Rough Diamonds is a popular entertainment from 90 the mid-1990s, capitalising on the reputation and popularity of Jason Donovan, actor in Neighbours, singer…

The setting is a Queensland country town, the open highway and a truck hitting a car off the road. The driver is Chrissy, a singer (Angie Millikan), unhappily married to a lawyer, travelling with her daughter. They are stranded in the town, and dependent on Mike, Jason Donovan, who is actually a cattle man, driving to supplement his income. There have been difficulties in the family, deaths, car crash, and struggling to keep his farm going. His younger sister cares for their prize ball.

The film shows the image of a country town of the past, the range of characters, the pub, drinking and singing in the pub, the Rodeo and the prize money, the banking difficulties and the confrontation by the bankers.

Peter Phelps appears as a friend, would-be entrepreneur, smart, successful the rodeo, singing, collecting money in the pub, fights and friendship.

The focus on Chrissy and her daughter, who befriends Mike’s sister, shows her alienation from her husband, the attraction to Mike, and her being commandeered to drive the prize bull to the show in Brisbane while Mike has been taken to prison (fairly easy-going, playing cards with Peter Phelps and the local Constable). And the bull wins the prize.

Chrissy meets up with her husband, commenting on his infidelity, her being arrested for stealing the bull, his offering to defend her and going to the country with his week, giving a long long speech. However, the local magistrate is played entertainingly by veteran, Max Cullen, Mike’s friend, lowering the fines, good friends.

Chrissy stays in the town, has a turn in singing with Mike, then goes out on her own, the two girls supportive, Mike thinking that she was gone back with her husband to Brisbane but her staying behind, reconciliation is all round – and a happy future.

This is all pre-social media but there are mobile phones. Because of this, the story and characters are very much of the 20^th century rather than the 21^st.

Direction is by veteran director, Donald Crombie (Caddy, Robbery under Arms, Cathy’s Child).

RUN FOR THE SUN

US, 1956, 99 minutes, Colour.

Richard Widmark, Jane Greer, Trevor Howard, Peter van Eyck..

Directed by Roy Boulting.

Jungle adventure set in Mexico. Richard Widmark plays a celebrated writer who served in World War II as a journalist but has disappeared. Jane Greer plays a journalist from a popular magazine, try to track down the author, flying to Mexico and discovering him.

Widmark flies his plane and crashes in the Mexican jungle. However, Widmark and Greer are quickly rescued by Trevor Howard and his associates, allegedly doing archaeological work in the jungle, especially Peter van Eyck.

But, Widmark recognises Trevor Howards voice, remembers that he was a kind of flawed Haw-Haw broadcasting from Berlin during the war, then that van Eyck is a ruthless assess officer. In a scene outlining his novel to Howard, he voices his hold history from dissatisfied but English upper-class to traitor and then fugitive.

The latter part of the film is a pursuit through the jungle, the former Nazis with their dogs, a variation on the Most Dangerous Game scenario.

It looks rather dated in decades later, but at the time it was quite popular. The film was cowritten by director, Roy bolting of the bolting brothers, and veteran Dudley Nichols.

1. The title, the final chase, running east, to the sun?
2. The Mexican settings, the village, the water and fishing, the bar, flight through the jungle, the crash, finding the settlement, the covert operations, the pursuit through the jungle? The musical score?
3. Katie, New York journalist, arriving in Mexico, the taxi, the hotel, the encounter with Mike, his novels, pretending not to know him, her quest to find him, for the magazine? The attraction, the conversations?
4. Mike, author, disappearing, background, journalism, D-Day, Berlin, his writing, Africa, disappearing?
5. The interaction between Katie and Mike, his discovery of the truth, her phone call from New York, his disdain, her giving him the address – and later finding it and apologising for his suspicions?
6. Taking her to Mexico City, the plane, petrol, the crash? Brown and his associates rescuing them? The local Indians and their village? The disappearance of the plane? The welcome, suspicions? Archaeologists, Mike searching the basement, discovering the lies?
7. Brown, welcoming, the Dutch archaeologist, suspicions, the dogs and their barking and threats?
8. Mike unmasking the group, his narrating the story for his novel, Brown’s story? Katie and Mike walking, Brown’s plane?
9. The escape, the pursuit, the Indian family, the puma and is warding off the dogs? Through the jungle, brown in pursuit, setting up the trap? The dog is passing through the River, Brown and the group? Mike doubling back, to get the plane, exhausted, trapped, the set up with the bullet, killing Brown?
10. The final escape, to the plane, the happy ending?

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD/ Kamera o tomeru na!

Japan, 2017, 96 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Shin'ichirô Ueda.

The casual viewer on World Movies, where it was screened for Australian television, might quickly turn off this film, discovering that it was a zombie film, highly exaggerated horror touches, corny acting. Of course, the zombie horror fans and those who enjoy schlock horror movies will continue with glee. The situation gets worse and worse, real zombies arriving, all kinds of chases and terrors, ugly zombies, arms cut off, heads decapitated, the director gone mad, practically everybody taken over until a final rooftop sequence, the lone heroine, the love interest decapitated, the other main character with an axe in her head.

And then the credits start to come up. Will the film to be only half an hour or so?

For those interested in send ups, Mockumentaries, the invitation is to continue watching. The rest of the film, while reprising quite a number of the zombie sequences, is actually about the making of this zombie film for a zombie television channel in Japan. At one stage, the cast discussing the film, it is remarked that this is a zombie films not art!

So, it is enjoyable to watch the production company, their ideas about making the film, just schlock material for the zombie channel audience. So, there are members of the cast, the director, lots of discussions about what should be happening, a reprisal of the earlier scene where the director goes berserk criticising the leading actress.

But also interesting is the way the second part of the film shows the production values, rather minimal, but also the plans for the single shot photographing of the film, the various set-ups, and in fact lots of sequences showing the camera operators and how they worked, how close, had distant, the difficulties in locations – in fact, quite an interesting look in this context of how films are actually shot.

And, congratulations at the end all round on the success of the project.

Obviously, not a must-see, but more interesting look at filmmaking than initially expected.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

US, 2025, 125 minutes, Colour.

Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Denison.

Directed by Dean DeBlois.

Once upon a time, there was a village in the Arctic, a Viking village, called Berk. Life was tough. And, there was continued threat of rampaging dragons. In the Viking tradition, the way to win was to conquer the dragons in battle – but, the Vikings were often thwarted, even with the staunch leadership of Stoick. Audiences were introduced to this adaptation of popular stories by Cressida Cowell in 2010. This was through the highly entertaining animated version of How to Train Your Dragon. And, so popular, there were two popular sequels.

In recent decades, there has been the Hollywood trend of making live-action versions of popular animated films. And with varying success and, sometimes, odious comparisons in favour of the animation In fact, the director of How to Train Your Dragon was a co-writer and co-director of the original Lilo & and Stitch as well as of the live-action remake, which broke box office records around the world only a month before the release of Dragon.

When it was suggested that there be this live-action remake of Dragon, Dean DeBlois decided  to direct it. And, while he brings the magic touch of his animated films, he has made the transition to a vigorous and enjoyable life-action. At times this film is quite spectacular, extraordinarily rugged cliffs and clifftops, surging sea. And, the director has been able to use, often scene by scene, the screenplay of his original film. It works well.

And, the casting is also strong. This time the young Hiccup, son of Stoick, expected to follow in his chieftain father’s warlike footsteps, is played by Mason Thames, an affable young man, the actor able to act and cavort with his favourite Dragon, Toothless, since Thames has ballet training and experience. The voice of Stoick in the animated films is that of Gerard Butler, here able to use his Scottish accent after all those action shows in the US, but is not just a cartoon character. He is a proud father, disappointed in his son, ultimately forced to acknowledge  the moral strength of his son as well as his courage and wisdom with the dragons.

The casting is also effective in choosing live-action actors who resemble cartoon characters! (And it is always a pleasure to see New Zealand’s Julian Denison, the Wilderpeople, here as one of the Dragon-fighting students.) Nico Parker proves that female Dragon fighters can be as good as, even better, than so many of the men!

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And training one’s Dragon? The moral of the story is the importance of brains over brawn. All kinds of training to fight the dragons, ships and weapons, shields against the Dragon flames. But, Hiccup Is intelligent, encounters a friendly Dragon, relates to Toothless, but has a scientific and engineering mind and imagination, finding ways of befriending and taming the dragons – able to achieve peace.

If you enjoyed the animated films, try this one because while both  fantasy, live-action actually creates the impression that this is what those Viking times were really like!

1.            The quality of the film?  Popularity?  Visuals?  Vocal?  Story?  Values?

2.            The live-action remake, the use of the same screenplay, the look of the characters, their voices, the sound effects? The action, the sense of realism compared with animation fantasy? The action sequences, the dragons, flight, the warfare? The human characters, seeing them and hearing them? More real? The score?

3.            The title and expectations? 

4.            The voice-over explanation, the traditional Viking life, the desolate island, the culture, eternally fighting the dragons? 

5.            The island, its peaks and forests, the surrounding sea?  The sheep and their expressions, the dragon attacks?  The fights?  The Viking way of life?  Life as a battle?

6.            The visualising of the dragons, the great range of appearances, the swooping, the fire, the stealing?

7.            Stoick the Vast?  The patriarch, leading the Vikings, the warrior, the loyalty of his men?  His disappointment with Hiccup?  His hard attitude, talking and not listening?  His friendship with Gobba?  The training, his dismay, wanting to disown his son? 

8.            Hiccup in himself, scrawny build, the Viking expectations, trying to life up to his father’s hopes?  At home?  Gobba and his work?  His being  mocked by the other kids?  Yet being inventive (and his fixing the artificial limb for Toothless)?  The attack of the dragons, his wounding Toothless?  Going through the forest to find him, Toothless unable to fly properly?  Hiccup and his reaching out, the trust of the dragon, supplying him with food – and the jokes about fish and eating, Toothless having to eat the fish?  Playing with Toothless, flying?  Hiccup and his talent for flying?

9.            Gobba, his work as a blacksmith, confidant of Stoick, his wooden leg and the story of his losing his limb?  Training the young kids?  Astrid, the boys and girls, their parody of American teenagers?  The variety of dragons, the various tests, the fears, the reaction to the dragons, running away?  Hiccup, learning the reactions of the dragons, their fears?  Able to tame them, put them back in their cages?  Everybody amazed?  Stoick amazed?  Hiccup’s changing reputation?

10.     The character of Astrid, warrior, tough, defying Hiccup? The training sequences, her collaboration?

11.   The training sessions, pickup and avoidance, his studying the dragons, his imagination, science, the equipment, with toothless, the success of his techniques? The other members of the training squad, the range of characters, cartoon characters, activities, their build, talk, finally joining in the final confrontation? The parents?

12.         Astrid, Hiccup’s attraction, her tough stances?  Going with Hiccup, discovering Toothless, kissing him, slapping him?  Flying and the bond between them? 

13.         Stoick and the decision for the expedition, Hiccup’s pleading that they not go?  The ships, the sea, the danger, the storms, the battles? 

14.         Hiccup and Astrid, flying, discovering the nest of the monstrous dragon?  Toothless and his abilities?  The return, the explanation? 

15.         Stoick, the defeat, Hiccup and his flying, being forced to listen?

16.         The Night Creature, monstrous, the dragons all supplying it with food, its emergence, the challenge, Hiccup and Astrid, Toothless and the destruction of the dragon? 

17.         The dragons and the Vikings, in peace?  The film’s themes about fathers and sons and reconciliation, expectations, listening?  Peace as more important than battles?  Friendship and society?