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Reviews
The Marauders (1955)
Tough B-Western
Corey Everett (Jeff Richards) has dug a well on a barren patch of land owned by wealthy land-baron John Rutherford (Harry Shannon) who so far had no interest in the property. But thanks to the new found water the land's value has increased considerably. This is enough reason for Rutherford to get rid off Everett. With a bunch of gunmen he sets out to get the dirty job done. Everett argues that having dug the well gives him the right to stay and work the place. Rutherford eventually accepts Everett's position but his second-in-command Avery (Dan Duryea) will stop at nothing to get the well for himself.
Dan Duryea shines in this gritty little western movie. He's a great villain in this one as he was in plenty of other films. Check out his performance in the classic western "Winchester '73" with James Stewart directed by Anthony Mann or in the seminal film-noir "Scarlet Street" with Edward G. Robinson directed by Fritz Lang.
It is obvious that this film here was shot on the cheap but that actually helps to give it the right feel. The barren dusty landscape reflects the mood of this western: live and let die.
I recommend "The Marauders" to fans of Dan Duryea, to lovers of tough westerns and film buffs who enjoy little known B-Movies.
Agian (2006)
Basque artists come together
"Agian" is a documentary about a group of Basque poets shot and directed by the Basque filmmaker Arkaitz Basterra Zalbide.
After watching the film I realized that the filmmaker is a poet too. He is one of the group, even though he may not be a member of the inner core and only accompanied the others for the length of the shoot. The artists which are portrayed here interact with each other on several levels: intellectually, philosophically, emotionally, and of course artistically. They are painters, writers, musicians, singers and friends. They are also travelers both in space and time because not only do they perform wherever they can but they also keep their cultural inheritance alive by remembering their roots and thus planting their artistic seeds in the hearts of audiences everywhere. Their performances are warm and inviting, yet they gives us a sense of urgency as we realize that we are experiencing a group of artists from a place that we know very little about and it is unclear when we will get the chance to see, hear and enjoy their work again.
The film itself interacts in a similar way with its audience by making very good use of title-cards, paintings, photographs, interviews, and alternating shots of cities and landscapes both of the old and new world. Appropriately the interviews are partly in Spanish, partly in Basque and you can even hear some snippets in English by New York City residents who spontaneously get to participate in the documentary. Even the aspect ratio of the film changes at times, which adds to the sparkling, bubbly feeling of the film. The images include bright, warm tones of the Basque landscapes, glittery night shots of New York and also give us an insight into the artists' homes where we find them in their everyday surroundings. Here they open up to the filmmaker and let them share some of their childhood memories, their reasons for becoming artists and how they met and connected with one another. Eventually they invite us to come along for the ride by presenting us some of their most cherished places, both internally and externally.
"Agian" tells us a lot about the group and eventually also about the Basque Country, as it is impossible to separate them from their background, which influences their work tremendously. Although the film clocks in at 81 minutes it is a very informative film and I often wished for even more of that lovely music, those ravishing location shots and wonderful paintings cut into the interviews. In the end a painting, a photograph or a piece of music is still the easiest way to connect to an artist's soul and to understand where they really come from. If one wishes to learn more about these artists and their work then this documentary is the perfect introduction.
In many ways "Agian" is open to interpretation. It invites the viewer to accompany the artists on their journey and to think about them and their influence on us long after the film is over. "Agian" is Basque for "Maybe" and it is up to the spectator to find out some of the meanings this title could refer to. "Maybe" it was a twist of fate that the group and the filmmaker met in New York City and agreed to create a slice of movie magic.
Uz zase skácu pres kaluze (1971)
good film for the whole family
This wonderful Czech movie is based on Alan Marshall's novel "I can jump puddles" and tells the story of a young boy contracting polio. Although a drama at heart the filmmakers keep a good sense of humor, which adds enormously to the story's charm.
Even though this film aims at a younger audience it is just as moving and entertaining for grown-ups. The story is engaging from the get-go as we see young Adam admiring his father's talent with horses. Like father like son, he too wants to learn how to ride. Unfortunately polio gets in the way and we now follow Adam's fight with the disease.
The shots of the rural landscapes are beautiful and build a sharp contrast with the hospital where Adam is sent. The characters are believable and the relationship between Adam and his father is quite heartbreaking.
When Adam suffers from fever dreams the movie slips into moments of surrealism, which I found quite exceptional for a children's movie. Some good use of slow-motion and different color patterns keep this film also visually interesting. I wasn't too crazy about the music though, which was a little annoying at times.
Overall this is a really good film for kids and the whole family.