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Reviews
Love Affair (1994)
Much better aged 30 years later
I didn't remember this film being so well made when I first viewed it back in 1994. I think it's aged well 30 years later. Some of that is due to a wonderful cast of actors, (some no longer with us); Many welcomed faces: Garry Shandling, Brenda Vaccaro, Paul Mazursky, Pierce Brosnan, Harold Ramis.
Also the cinematography is much better than I remembered; Katharine Hepburn's brief but key performance is excellent. Young Annette Bening's beauty and grace is matched with her engaging performance.
Warren Beatty is good, but I think he's too old for this role, sad to say. The Warren Beatty of Heaven Can Wait would have been more age appropriate for this character. He doesn't ruin the film--he just doesn't enhance it.
Do I believe this love story? Well yes, 30 years later: it's Bening and Beatty.
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: Nightmare (1966)
Great Little Thriller with top cast
I just found this on Youtube and remember it from 55+ years ago. An atmospheric "Spooky House" storyline with Julie Harris in her prime playing a dual role of identical twins. Farley Granger co-stars as the duplicitous husband of one of the twins. Beautiful Joan Huntington is featured, sporting a European accent, as a lurking house maid with wavering loyalties.
All performances are top notch and the sets are expensive looking; the grounds expansive. The great character actor Thomas Gomez rounds out the cast as a suspicious Police Detective.
Plenty of twists and suspense. A great showcase for Ms. Harris.
Star Trek: The Tholian Web (1968)
Crown Jewel Episode of TOS Season Three
Science fiction, suspense, horror, adventure and Emmy Award nominated visual effects-- all coming to you at Warp Speed.
This episode will grip you from start to finish. There are at least four (4) ticking clocks weaved believably and elegantly into the story line layer upon layer.
This episode is also a rare treat showcasing the talents of the entire classic TOS ensemble cast, and is absent a guest star.
Originally conceived as a TOS "Ghost Story" it uses a most creative element of Science Fiction: the lure of "unstable, fragmenting space" which our Enterprise crew unwittingly get tangled up in.
This episode also introduces a new silicon-based alien adversary: the Tholians.
Night Sky (2022)
Cocoon meets Breaking Bad, not a good mix for this viewer
Excellently cast, superbly acted, horribly edited and padded. I was pulled into episode 1 by being promised a sci-fi fantasy with pathos and charm centering on an aging couple, then, rudely thrust into a Breaking Bad storyline from episode 2 and on.
There is nothing entertaining watching a 15 year old girl holding a gun on Ms. Spacek and Mr. Simmons. I won't be back for season 2.
Kudos to Ms. Spacek, Mr. Simmons and Mr. Adamszyk for standout performances.
Bewitched (2005)
This one will get better with age and I LIKE IT!
A very clever reworking of the classic TV Show by updating and presenting the core of 'Bewitched' as a story within a story.
Great cast, beautiful sets. Miss Kidman creates her own 'Samantha' and never attempts to play the role as the remarkable Elizabeth Montgomery played it.
I think this was a wise decision. Miss Kidman's Samantha is much more childlike as a magical creature. She is clueless how to integrate into the world as a mortal and that fuels the story.
The brilliant casting of Shirley Maclaine as the 'TV Show' Endora and Michael Caine playing the father of Miss Kidman's character is delightful.
I'm not a big fan of Will Ferrell, however I do like him here: it's a complex performance, almost a dual role as the actor 'Jack' and the TV Character 'Darrin' and how they eventually gel together. Mr. Ferrell pulls it off.
Death on the Nile (1978)
No Reason to ever remake this film again
Beautifully directed, photgraphed, staged, casted and acted.
No reason to ever remake this film because it is
a masterpiece.
As for Mia Farrow, this actress was totally robbed of
acting recognitions due to the remarkable supporting cast surrounding her.
Nevertheless, Miss Farrow is superb and perfection as the story's anti-heronine Jackie.
Overall a rating of '10' with a film adaptation production to do Mrs. Christie proud.
The Unseen (1945)
'Gaslight' meets 'Turn of the Screw' with great cast and worth a look
1945 Paramount production with a very impressive cast headed up by winsome, lovely and sadly tragic Gail Russell, here barely 21 if that.
Joel McCrea, Herbert Marshall and Norman Lloyd all on hand to add to Miss Russell's ethereal charms and give the film class.
A 'Dark Old House' mystery as most other reviewers have mentioned.
It kept me happily entertained during a snowy December day and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. Just don't expect the top notch original storytelling of a 'Gaslight' or 'Turn of the Screw' or 'Spiral Staircase' because this one is a shameless hybrid taking from the best.
Still, I give it a 7.
Route 66: Blues for the Left Foot (1962)
A solid 10 for Miss Seal, Mr. Tamiroff, Mr. Monaco, writer and score
Messrs. Milner and Maharis are supporting players to this showcase written for Elizabeth Seal, Tony Award winning actress/dancer.
Everyone, especially the audience, can't help but get involved in this 'Rocky' styled story of a lost soul struggling to find her courage to live back again.
Admirably supporting the story, Akim Tamiroff is a power to be reckoned with as a television show producer, and Tony Monaco, actor/choreographer, is equally showcased along with his excellent choreography for this episode.
Mr. Nelson Riddle's score for this episode is one of my favorites and helps frame the story beautifully.
Harry O: Accounts Balanced (1974)
Well done mystery
I found this to be a very satisfying story that works on a number of levels. It's a tight, clever script with good dialogue, is true to the character of Harry Orwell, the detective genre itself, and has some lighter moments of comedy.
But at its core it's ALL mystery. This story starts out in a very obvious direction and then out of nowhere throws a sharp curve to Harry O and the audience.
I'm a big fan of Robert Reed. I always enjoy seeing him playing against type and portraying shadowy and complicated characters. He did some extremely good work in the 70's that allowed him this freedom. This role would be among them. Reed's 'Paul Virdon' is a compelling enigma and Reed nails him.
I was impressed with the subplot and staging of the story that had Harry O attempting to track down the family origins of Reed's character. It leads Harry Orwell to a small town and a graveyard and is very well done.
However, this scene did remind me of the movie 'Family Plot', (which hadn't been made yet). I would guess these writers must have read 'The Rainbird Pattern', the book 'Family Plot' was loosely based on.
Moonlighting: North by North DiPesto (1986)
A showcase for actress Beasley
This episode is a showcase for actress Allyce Beasley, supporting co-star. It is a very cleverly written episode and carried admirably by Ms. Beasley. It also moves very quickly as the whole story takes place in a 48hr period.
As the title implies, it sends up Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest' with Ms. Beasley's mild-mannered 'Anges DiPesto' being thrust into danger due to a mistaken association with a mystery man.
Well-worth your time. This one casts Mr. Willis and Ms. Shepherd strictly in support to Ms. Beasley. And as much as I admire all of them, I didn't mind the script giving Mr. Willis and Ms. Shepherd most of the night off. I was too busy being entertained to really notice.
Haunts of the Very Rich (1972)
Reworking of 'Outward Bound'
I liked this film very much. However I take issue with the credit 'Story by T.K. Brown.' This is NOT an original story; it was lifted from the play 'Outward Bound' by Sutton Vane.
Having given credit where it is due, the premise is very simple: Seven (7) vacationers are on an airplane bound for a mysterious resort called 'The Portals of Eden'. A newlywed couple, a married woman in recovery from a nervous condition; a Clergyman experiencing a crisis of faith; a businessman on the wrong plane; a single, insecure woman; A lusty man traveling alone whose marital status is in question. They are all about to experience the vacation of a lifetime...
Viewing this film 40 years later, I am sentimental because I love the entire cast: they are immortalized in their prime and I thought they all did a terrific job. Robert Reed is the stand out for me; his character, the Reverend Fellows, is mostly in the background until the last 20 minutes or so. It is Mr. Bridges's, Ms. Leachman's and Mr. Asner's characters who move the story forward throughout most of the film with the participation of Ms. Francis's, Ms. Mills's and Mr. Bill's characters who are all followers.
Mr. Reed then takes the helm and his character provides a most powerful and moving soliloquy vital to the plot to help the story towards closure.
I found this movie a bit 'Haunting' as the title suggests; it does what a good movie should do, it stays with you after it is over. I give this a 9 out of 10.