The Brits excelled at propaganda movies, an awkward genre that nonetheless produced a handful of classics -- say, Noel Coward's "In Which We Serve" and the Archers' "The 49th Parallel." MIA from the brisk U.K. propaganda effort was one Alfred Hitchcock, the director who'd found fame combining dark British sensibilities with German … [Read more...]
‘Throne of Blood’: Madness & ‘Macbeth’
Shakespearean hearts of darkness pump the lifeforce into "Throne of Blood," one of Akira Kurosawa's greatest films. Loosely based on "Macbeth," the movie is a blood-soaked tragedy set in feudal Japan of the 16th century. "Throne of Blood" is widely regarded as one of the most successful film adaptations of a Bard play. Kurosawa dares to edit … [Read more...]
A trio of Halloween treats from Criterion
When it comes to classy horror, everything looks better in black in white. See "Dr. Caligari." "Psycho." "Vampyr." "Night of the Living Dead." "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." ... And "Eyes Without a Face." Georges Franju, director of that French horror classic, once was asked why he preferred his chills in black and white. He pointed to … [Read more...]
Miyazakis’ ‘Poppy Hill’ in bloom
"It's like some cheap melodrama," the teen says to the girl he loves, who may or may not be his long-lost sister. It's teen melodrama all right, but hardly cheap. "From Up On Poppy Hill" is another handsome and touching film from Japan's Studio Ghibli, factory of animated masterpieces. Hayao Miyazaki, the director of "Princess Mononoke," … [Read more...]
Criterion takes ‘3:10 to Yuma’
A plain-speaking western hero makes a lonely stand against a gang of outlaws. The clock ticks down. The townsfolk cower. A train steam-bellows down the tracks, its arrival presaging a shootout and near-certain death for the hero. That's "High Noon" all right, one of the most famous American westerns. But it's also "3:10 to Yuma," a lesser-known … [Read more...]
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