4 out of 5. Patrice Leconte's RIDICULE takes
this period piece game of wit and words and turns it into something
quite intriguing. From the unforgettable opening shot to the satisfying
conclusion you will delight in the rise
of or poor French lord who rises to tear down the aristocrats. Might I
say too, the woman in the diving bell is a honey...ahem. Anyway, if you
like costume dramas and dig films like Amadeus you might like this.
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3 out of 5. Mario Bava is known for horror but
DANGER DIABOLIK is a very cool flick. I don't know what to say, the
color the production design, the soundtrack (Ennio Morricone) is all
super-spy and even superhero. It's based
on an Italian comic by two sisters. The lead, John Phillip Law is a
great match for Marisa Mell...beautiful people doing extraordinary
things. If you like James Bond and a little Euro-camp to wash it down
with you will dig this groovy spectacle.
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5 out of 5. BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN by Sergei
Eisenstein was incredibly ahead of its time. It has such a contemporary
feel to it I really thought it was filmed in the 40s, until I looked
again at the release date. The message
of course has its propaganda roots but the story is still universal.
Eisenstein on images and Shostakovich on music is as close as you can
get to a near perfect marriage...right up there with Hitchcock and
Hermann. The imagery and cutting is really unique and beautiful, even
reminiscent of Bergman at times in the languid interstitial shots that
submerge the scene in symbolism. Anyone who enjoys silent movies will be
blown away by this epic. Anyone who liked Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the
Terrible shouldn't miss this either. Even if you don't like silent
films...this will surprise you.
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4 out of 5. Pietro Germi's DIVORCE-ITALIAN STYLE
is a lot of fun! Marcello Mastroianni clearly enjoyed the role of the
Sicilian Baron smitten with his cousin but to get rid of his overly
loving wife made for an excellent
obstacle. You find yourself rooting for the rapscallion. Germi's Seduced
and Abandoned was a much harsher approach to comedy and I'm glad to see
this has the smoothness of a great tiramisu. If you like screwball
comedies played sincerely with real style and pouring over with Italian
flavor then you'll dig the hell outta this.
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