All in Classic
John Ford's “THEY WERE EXPENDABLE”
Compared with too many other World War II movies that came out of Hollywood during World War II THEY WERE EXPENDABLE is exceptional.
Henry Levin's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
This thoroughly enjoyable 1959 classic is a childhood favorite. Viewed again recently I was pleasantly surprised to see how enjoyable it remains.
Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
Seeing this movie again after a delay of several years I was very pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up.
Dziga Vertov's THE MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (Chelovek s kinoapparatom)
This 1929 silent film by Russian director Vertov is a masterpiece of fluid editing and visual storytelling.
Jack Arnold's IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE
Back in 1976 I was taking a driving tour of California, my first.
Nicolas Roeg's WALKABOUT
This 1971 movie is stunning.
Fritz Lang's “WOMAN IN THE MOON”
This 1929 silent film by Metropolis director Fitz Lang is quite amazing.
Powell & Pressburger's A CANTERBURY TALE
I admit to being somewhat of an Anglophile, so I was prepared to like A Canterbury Tale as delivered by the crisply produced Criterion DVD.
Fred Wilcox's “FORBIDDEN PLANET”
When I was a kid, this movie scared me, especially the Id Monster’s attack on the starship’s sleeping crew.
Fritz Lang’s METROPOLIS (Kino edition)
This 1927 film contains two of the most spectacular transformational scenes ever committed to film: 1. The giant machine’s transformation into “Moloch” 2. The robot’s transformation into the false Maria
Wim Wenders' WINGS OF DESIRE
This is a personal movie. By that I mean that how you react to it is very much dependent on your personality and your outlook on life, plus your willingness to let a story unfold that has less linear direction and story than more declarative, plot-driven films.
Carnival of Souls
This black and white gem from the early Kennedy administration era is a window into the past.
George Pal's “WAR OF THE WORLDS”
George Pal’s 1953 WAR OF THE WORLDS is now available on a special edition DVD. How does this 50 year old movie hold up? Let’s get the obvious out of the way: