Well, dear readers, I am home, safe and sound after my whirlwind trip to New Jersey. I had a glorious night of sleep last night, which I desperately needed, having only gotten three hours of sleep the night before. Prior to my glorious night of sleep we had the most lively and sparkling chat right here at haineshisway.com, with a lively and sparkling roomful of lively and sparkling people. Today I have many things to catch up on, so let’s get right to the meat, or at least the chicken of these here notes.
Yesterday, I picked up some new DVDs that were waiting for me, and I watched a couple of them already. First I watched Mr. Cary Grant, Mr. Jim Hutton, and Miss Samantha Eggar in Walk, Don’t Run, a remake of The More the Merrier. It was made just prior to the swingin’ part of the swingin’ sixties, and is very sweet and very old fashioned. It’s not great, it’s sometimes forced, but I found it sweet and enjoyable, and you simply can’t beat that kind of star power. Grant, as always (in his final film role) is charming and handsome, Hutton was a great light comedian who is and was very underappreciated, and Eggar is thoroughly adorable and enchanting (and where is she today?). The transfer is delectable (some of it was shot on location in Tokyo during the ’64 Olympics), and the score by Quincy Jones (in his Mancini mode) is terrific. Then I watched Big Jake, with Mr. John Wayne and the ever and always lovely Maureen O’Hara. I always forget how much I enjoy Big Jake – it’s not ever thought of in the same league as the Duke’s greatest, yet it has a really good script by the Finks (who would write Dirty Harry right afterwards), a great score by Elmer Bernstein, competent direction by veteran George Sherman and beautiful photography (can’t remember who at the moment). In fact, the only thing that mars the film really are the totally amateurish performances of Duke’s son Patrick and Robert Mitchum’s son, Chris. But, to make up for them you have Richard Boone, John Doucette, Harry Carey, Jr., Hank Worden, and Jim Davis. There is a hilarious running gag that was lifted verbatim by John Carpenter for Escape from New York, and which has also been ripped off by others. The transfer is mostly breathtaking.
Finally, I watched The Swimmer, starring Mr. Burt Lancaster. I know it’s become hip to like this film, but ever since I saw it on television in the mid-seventies I have championed it. There’s just something about it – it’s totally a one-off unique film – there’s really never been another like it. It’s got a weird dreamlike quality to it, and part of that is due to the interference by the studio to Frank Perry’s work on the film. For example, in the long sequence with Janet Landgard (and where is she today?) there are close-ups of her throughout the scene which have nothing to do with the scene being shown and which were obviously all shot at one time. That and other editorial weirdnesses (all to shorten the film, I believe) end up giving the film a hallucinogenic quality. The scene with Janice Rule towards the end of the film is excellent but again, totally unlike anything else in the film because it looks and sounds totally different. That’s because it was shot by a different director (Sydney Pollack) and different cameraman – because Miss Rule replaced the original actress in the scene, Barbara Loden. But somehow, it’s all of a piece, and very evocative of Mr. John Cheever’s original story. Lancaster is great, as is the entire and large supporting cast (very strange casting choices throughout, including Marge Champion and Joan Rivers). The ending is devastating even though you know it’s coming. The transfer is excellent and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Quick, let’s all click on the Unseemly Button below before I write about more DVDs.
I’m still in that slightly groggy state (California) of having gotten a lot of sleep. So, please forgive any grammar and spelling errors for I simply do not have time to proof these here notes today.
For those were weren’t at the chat, or who were errant and truant during the weekend, there is lots for you to catch up on. I mentioned in the chat that the most popular celebrity in attendance at Chiller was Rowdy Roddy Piper. Can you imagine?
Well, dear readers, I must get these notes posted and get crackin’. I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must drive hither and thither and even yon in an effort to catch up. “Up” is very slippery these days and is difficult to catch, but I shall endeavor to do my best. Today’s topic of discussion: I mentioned Jim Hutton and Samantha Eggar as two of my favorite underappreciated actors from the past. Who are your favorites? Who would you champion to our merry troupe and which films would you recommend seeing them in? I’ll check back in a bit, so post away, my pretties and I’ll see you shortly or, at the very least, longly.