lavean Reviews

Water (1985)

...of Houston Texas

[9/10 · 13 December 2001]

I thought this movie actually had some very funny and memorable lines...The characters are so stereotyped that they have all become characatures...from the French Commandos on the beach who when they are breaking out their emergency rations are having the menu read to them by a Sergent who informs them that it will be "accompanied by an unpretentious St Emillion which will amuse even the most cynical palate"...the American Colonel who can't see the target for the Limbo dancers...when the guerilla mets the oil man he calls him a "Yankee capitalist imperialist...of Houston Texas", says the oil man extending his hand.

It was produced by George Harrison and has Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and a lot of other name musicians involved in the soundtrack.

It has a nice way to spend an hour and a half. No it has no deep hidden meaning nor will it change your life or make a social statement...but then I watch movies as a bit of escapism...this is one I sought out to own and when it comes out on DVD will buy it in that format as well.

Danton (1983)

The Terror

[10/10 · 13 December 2001]

This is one of the best movies on the French Revolution ever produced. Being a person well versed in the the period I was amazed at the level of detail. The costumes are spot on. Even the detailed little day to day items such as ink wells, serving plates etc are all perfect. As an American living in France who has access to the sites in the movie through his membership in various historical associations such as the Napoleonic Alliance I can not over state how impressed I was with the visual accuracy of the film.

The dialogue where known is virtual quotations and the where not recorded is in character. I was extremely pleased with this movie and am disappointed that it is not out on DVD yet. This is how historical drama should be done. Must see....

Bankers Also Have Souls (1982)

Worth Seeing

[10/10 · 13 December 2001]

I disagree with the review that called this a lame sex farce...I first became aware of this movie while watching Siskel and Ebert who referred to it as one of their favorite foreign films of the year. I thought it was a light hearted, typical French Comedy. I think the reviewer fails to understand that the typical French Comedy is either based on mistaken identity, or a mistiming problem or a combination of both.

The French seem to have honed this genre to a fine art. Take for example the Dinner de Cons which does both, timing problems and mistaken identity. There are a few exceptions such as Ripoux, or My New Partner but this is pretty much what to expect from a French Comedy.

In the Gift, the first mistaken identity is the woman on the train. The hero who is retiring from the bank is given an expensive call girl for the weekend to accompany him on his last business trip to Venice...he does not know she is a professional and he believes she is attracted to him...thereafter there are series of timing errors and other mistaken identifications which leads to his wife coming to Venice, his son, his boss, etc. while he is hob knobing with shieks and tycoons...

No one is hurt, everyone comes out ahead and it is a fun movie...I saw in the recommendation of Siskel and Ebert and wasn't sorry.

Damn the Defiant! (1962)

Wooden World

[10/10 · 13 December 2001]

This movie is an excellent exploration of the effect that a divided command structure has on the workings of a ship. The characters are well cast and fully developed. We are taken into the workings of the ship and see more idyllic view of life in the wooden world that we saw in the Gregory Peck, Hornblower.

The plot line is good and for people like me who love wooden ships, the scenes of the ships and the naval battles are supurb. If one likes Hornblower or Maturin this is a movie you need to own. The transfer to DVD came out well (I also owned this one on a beta tape) and it is one of those core movies for the history buff.