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The Maze (1953)
"The Maze" (1953), sadly not on DVD or VHS, but it was made in 3D,
I love movies, great ones, not so great ones good ones and bad ones, which fall into a special category. They are so bad they are acutely good even great, i.e. "The Wild Wild World of Batwoman." (1966), on DVD, a true gem about?, well you have to see it to get the picture, it got a wonderfully funny MST3K treatment, "The Conqueror (1956), on DVD, an epic produced by Howard Hughes, starring 6'4" John Wayne as a 5'4" Genghis Khan, think about that one, need I say anymore, the recently released on DVD "Welcome to Woop Woop" (1998) about an American con man who goes to Australia meets a nymphomaniac goes to the outback marries her and is trapped in a very strange community run by his demented father-in-law, finally there is "I Tartari", ("The Tartars.") (1961), again sadly not on DVD or VHS, and what a joy. This movie is drenched in soap. It's an Italian epic movie that they routinely made in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. "I Tartari" is about the Vikings and Tartars getting together and becoming friends so that the Tartars can wipe out the Slavs. It stars two Hollywood A list legends, the great Orson Wells and Victor Mature. Well wouldn't know it, the Viking Oleg (Mature) is miffed about the Tartar Burundia's (Wells), offer to unite their forces to conquer the Slavs. Not known to Burundia, Oleg's wife Helga is a Slav woman. Helga is kidnapped by the Burundia forces and held hostage. She is threatened with a foot torture by 350 pound Burundia, this scene has to be viewed to be appreciated. Meanwhile Oleg is preparing for battle by dodging large paper mache boulders hurled at him from a catapult. Victor Mature 6'2 1/2" insisted on wearing 3" sandals for the part to make him look taller. Why he did this is a mystery? This movie is best seen with a bottle of red wine. Sadly it's not on DVD yet. The Maze falls into this special category of bad good movies.
I saw The Maze when it was originally released in 1953 and never forgot it. It is so bad and it is a soap opera par excellence. The lead actor Richard Carlson, (of the 1950s TV series "I Led 3 Lives." his 3 lives were as an ad man for a Boston ad agency, an FBI agent and also a commie rat. It was the hight of the McCarthy era after all), has to explain the mystery to the rest of the cast and he can't get through it and had to face the camera with his back to the cast so that no one, including himself, would laugh themselves silly about the most ludicrous explanation and plot twist in movie history of why he left his lovely fiancé and soon to be bride for Scotland to take care of his 200 year old Titled amphibian uncle. It's really a soap opera, you have to see it to savor it, what a hoot! Sadly it is not on DVD. But it does appear on TV from time to time, I tape it a few years ago when AMC broadcast it on it's Friday Fear Night
I tartari (1961)
A rare and bad great movie, worth your time
Sometimes there are films that are so bad they are good, even great, see "Welcome to Woop Woop." (1998) "The Maze." (1953.) The Conqueror" (1956). "I Tarari" (1961) is in this vaulted class of movies. Staring the great Orson Wells and Victor Mature it just collapse under it's own sincerity, what a hoot!. The lines are stock and over blown. Don't bother with the plot what ever it is, just listen to the lines and watch the really bad acting, have a bottle of cheap red wine to get the full effect. I love this movie and give it a 10.
It is worthy of an MST3K treatment. Orson Wells must have needed money to make a movie he wanted to make, as others have pointed out in this section. It's a lot of fun to watch with friends.
Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)
This movie is a lot of fun!
Welcome to woop woop is great fun, provided you leave your morals at the door kick back and enjoy it, like great sex. It is at times silly, the music from some of the greatest Broadway shows is also great and a nice touch. One of the best scenes is at the end of the credits which is a must see and you will have final laugh. I don't want to divulge any of the plot or story except to put it in a nut shell, a con man escapes to Australia, meets and marries a nymphomaniac who takes him home to a town called Woop Woop deep in the Australian outback, run by a mad man, his father-in-law. If you like bad movies that are so bad they are good, great in this case. Do yourself a favor and see this, it was just released on DVD this month.
The Dam Busters (1955)
A great film even after 55 years, telling a great story.
OK. I saw this movie when it came out in 1954, when I was 10, and never forgot it. I have the DVD and have watched it several times and will probably watch it again over the coming years. I'm looking forward to the remake due for release next year in 2010. I hope the makers of the new movie don't go overboard and over do the special effects. What clicked for me when I first saw The Dam Busters, was the story of a genius Dr. B. N. Wallis, C. B. E., F. R. S., who devised the idea to blow up dams and how to do it. I love the story and hope in the new version that the makers keep it intact. Also the bravery of the fliers who took on the very dangerous task of destroying the dams must be retold. This is a wonderful film and it holds up very well 55 years later. Three cheers for the maker of the original movie and the brave and clever people portrayed in it. And if you want to see another British war time move telling another true story get, "The Man Who Never Was," (1956). Also very good and holds up very well.
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
Hippies unite
I saw this movie a week ago, and will see it again sometime. In a nut shell, The Men Who Stare at Goats, is an undated and psychedelic version of Joseph Heller's Catch 22, a great book, good read, or vook, (vook a book on CD.) And the movie version of it is OK, provided you allow for it's surreal and crazy nature. But back to TMWSaG. We were talking to a couple at a restaurant this weekend, and asked if they had seen A Serious Man, they said no and were going to see TMWSaG, and asked me about it, if it was any good. I said yes, and added it's about the Hippies taking over the Army. That got a laugh. If you are looking for a point in this movie, don't bother. I recall reading that the CIA and the military actually went in for this mind control business a few decades ago, and had an on going program to explore it as a combat or espionage tool. And perhaps that is what this movie is based on. Any way it's fun.
Quo Vadis (1951)
Tribute to an epic
I love movies. I have watched them most of, no all of my life. Old ones new ones, silent almost any genre, I pass on the soaps and chick flicks. One movie I saw when it was released in 1951 was Quo Vadis, from the Latin, "where are you going." I have never forgotten it and it is a favorite of mine. If you are hard up for a great movie, you will enjoy this one. I promise you.
It was marketed as a epic biblical move and it kicked off that style which would last till the mid 1960s, but it is also about ancient Rome. Where is was filmed on location. The cast is great, Deboral Kerr as the beautiful Lygia, Peter Ustinov who played the emperor Nero and Leo Genn who played, Guis Petronius Arbiter. Ustinov and Genn were nominated for academy awards, most deservedly, for best actor and best supporting actor respectively. For me the most interesting character was that of Petronius. He was a real person, he wrote Satyricon, and was a favorite of Nero. Until Nero ordered him to kill himself. Petronius was non judgmental about his times, but at the same time saw them for what they were, decadent, corrupt and brutal but also great in it's laws, art and engineering feats. In the commentator on the DVD the said correctly that Gore Vidal patterned his life after Petronius. Seeing America as a modern Rome, decadent and corrupt but also glorious.
There is also the Biblical story which believers will appreciate. Saint Peter and Paul are there, a recap of the life of Christ and the Christian martyrs, Elizabeth Taylor, who was to star in the move as Lygia, and Sophia Loren unknown at the time are among the 30,000 extras, (good luck finding them), are fed to the lions. The lions who refused to come out into the arena because of the hot bright sun they squinted and went back inside to the cool shade. They were tame zoo and circus animals and well feed. There were 30,000 extras today they would be digital created. Hollywood doesn't or can't make movies like this any longer, too expensive.
A Serious Man (2009)
More further thought
I have seen this movie five time in theaters and have the DVD, and figured out last spring. Just as Dorothy, Scare Crow, Tin Man and Coward Lion go to find the wizard to help them with their difficulties, so Larry needs answers. He needs to find someone with the answers and goes to his attorney, who wisely consults other attorneys, the first and second Rabbis, the hot wife next door Mrs Samsky, his brother Arthur, even his wife and Su Ableman. He can find no one with the answers. The Twister at the end of the movie, a strange ending if there was ever one, is a clue to what this move is really about ; it's the Coen brothers version of The Wizard of Oz. Getting through life as best you can hopefully there will be wise advise along the way, but he nest is you were born lucky.
OK I have seen this move three times, below is my original post about my first impression, and have enjoyed it each time. Thinking about it further, it seems to be about finding a philosophy that can guild one through the maze that is life or human existence. For some it is religion, others science, others racism, others culture, others a heritage, etc. Rabbi Marshck's response to young Danny is interesting. He is saying to him about the lines from the song here is your times, your life, they are OK, be a good boy. This is very wise, live in your times I judge you, (Danny), not.
Post from November 14
Sorry there is no yellow brick road, 14 November 2009  Author: (pittplay@gmail.com) from United States
I love this movie. No I am not a scholar, biblical or otherwise , just a dumb ex-mill hunky from Pittsburgh who was ejected from the ninth grade. In a nut shell, its simply about dealing with life's adversities; good luck. It's a lot of fun. Half way through this movie I decided that it was like a Woody Allen movie, Broadway Danny Rose or Crimes and Misdemeanors. But then it changed, it went deeper and got nuttier. Mel Brook's Twelve Chairs or his original The Producers came to mind. At the end I came down to that this movie is an original. There is no yellow brick road to a wizard that can answer all of life's questions. I didn't try to find any deeper meaning in A Serious Man, I guess I am like the lead character Larry Gopnik, just trying to get to the next sunrise in one piece and my sanity intact. No I am not Jewish, but an atheist. I will see it again, and again.
About the parable and it's meaning relating to the movie. It is confusing, but the Coens have a habit of sometimes putting a scene into their movies that have nothing to do with the over all plot. In Fargo the sheriff Marge Gunderson meets an old high school friend, and he tries to put a move on the very pregnant Marge. The scene has little to do with he movie.
Correction. After reading other comments and post on the Internet Movie Data Base, IMDb, the beginning parable is clear to me, somewhat? Others at IMDb suggested that to understand the beginning review Schrodinger's Cat on Wikipedia, its a paradox or thought experiment. This cleared up the beginning of the movie for me, and whether or not it has anything to do with he rest of the plot, you will have to decided.
The Coen brothers like to skip back and forth across the conscious and unconscious mind. The best example is Barton Fink. A Serious Man goes a little further than that wonderful movie. One day I think they will make a movie solely in the unconscious. Fellini would be proud of them.