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Reviews
Det sjunde inseglet (1957)
Man's existential agony
I love this film. In my opinion it aims at and successfully displays not only man's fear of death, even when some of the characters believe in an afterlife, but more importantly, man's various emotional and intellectual strong reactions of living life with the great uncertainty of what happens after death, and what's more, the meaning of existence and suffering if there is no God. The sensual squire seems to take the question of life (and death) with an atheistic calmness, while others, particularly the knight, agonize over the absolute senselessness of life if there is not God. It must be remembered that the film takes place in the 14th century during the murderous intensity of the brutal Black Plague, which heightens the question of the meaningfulness or pointlessness of life at all. I think all thinking people, including but certainly not exclusive to Sartre and Camus would enjoy this film. Is life and suffering of any value in what might be a pointless and absurd world. "To be or not to be" is really the underlying question here and, just like Hamlet, neither answer is satisfactory.
Night Must Fall (1937)
excellent film
Note: I am unsure as to whether my comments about Mongomery here are a spoiler, so rather than be blacklisted, I submitted it as "spoiler," although one would have to be a bit dense not to see where the film is going.
Now to what I gave to say: If you don't think Robert Mongomery can act, see this film. If you do think he can act, see this film. This is very close to being a classic, low key thriller with even an unusual twist about the dark side of one of the "upright" characters thrown in as highly believable depiction of the complex nature of the psyche. The other members of the cast, Rosalind and the rest, are just great. It seems to be in the Hitchock vein and to really outdo the "master," at least in my opinion. For me, this was an entirely different Robert Mongomery than any of the characters I've seen him play. He is simultaneously credibly charming and sinister. And I do mean "credible." He most certainly deserves kudos for his role.
Breathless (1983)
an underrated film; Kapriskie and Grere are excellent
This is a good film which has been unfairly panned. The direction is excellent. Valerie Kapriskie does very well as Grere's love interest, and Grere himself, always willing to take an artistic risk, is superbly offbeat. The music is compelling and is used with genius, particulalry in the Santa Ana winds heat scene, where Kapriskie burns up the screen by simply slipping into a shoe. The chemistry between Kapriskie and Grere works. This should be a cult film.
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Should be considered tops in its genre
I can't understand why so few people have seen or even heard of "To Live and Die in L.A." I'm making up for some of them, I guess, because I've seen it three or four times. This is a most gripping, realistic, unsentimental view of a U.S. Treasury officer and his buddy obsessed with catching a counterfeiter who has killed one of their buddies trying to collar him. At the end of the exciting film, one questions who the bad guys really are, given the methods used by the feds. Really, see this if you get a chance. It is absolutely worth it.
Breathless (1983)
an underrated film; Kapriskie and Grere are excellent
This is a good film which has been unfairly panned. The direction is excellent. Valerie Kapriskie does very well as Grere's love interest, and Grere himself, always willing to take an artistic risk, is superbly offbeat. The music is compelling and is used with genius, particulalry in the Santa Ana winds heat scene, where Kapriskie burns up the screen by simply slipping into a shoe. The chemistry between Kapriskie and Grere works. This should be a cult film.