This isn't a review. I'm forced to watch this little stinker, so I'm going to live-blog the experience so you can all enjoy it with me. THIS POST CONTAINS SERIOUS SPOILERS. Although, to be honest, you'll probably see it all coming anyway. Cliche #1: old guy who can kick your ass Cliche #2: dragon in a cave Cliche #3: men=good, woman=bad (and mother and witch archetypes, but it's a genre *shrug*) Cliche #4: seventh son of a seventh son. This one might actually be a trope, but the world building gives no reason for its existence. Cliche #5: mother's amulet - clearly a Chekhov's Gun Cliche #6: witch who possesses unnatural/immortal beauty Cliche #7: old guy with practical priorities Oh my gosh. A Tavern labelled "Tavern"!? *sigh* Terry Pratchett's Mended Drum is the pinnacle of tavern-naming genius. Cliche #8: beautiful girl being burned as a witch (damsel in distress) Cliche #9: teasing the sexual tension (when Tom meets whatshernam...
I'm afraid that Franco Zeffirelli isn't quite the "faithful custodian of the classics" the sleeve claimed. The liberties he took with the plot appalled me, not because they altered in any significant way the flow of the story, but because condensing the love story into a couple of hours merely cheapens the experience. Jane's tormented youth becomes a few moments of discomfort, and her helpless wandering transforms into a short carriage ride after which she faints for no apparent reason. I must say that the acting in the film is very fine. The spoken french rolled glibly from Charlotte Gainsbourg's tongue, and the passions evoked by the director in all the main characters fit the story very well. I have been used to seeing the housekeeper as a brusque and enigmatic arbiter, but she became a caring and somewhat lonely older woman in the honed talents of Joan Plowright. Only a brief camera moment saved her from accusations of coldness, though. This version o...
Although not a particularly romantic or away-sweeping role, Bullitt brought out the best of Steve McQueen, which, if you ask me, is his ability to play put-upon and still seem sexy. Although his girlfriend dumps him for the stupidest reason I've ever heard, he still comes off a winner, especially through the harrowing car-chases, in which McQueen typically does a significant chunk of his own driving stunts. Knowing he eventually died of his cavalier recklessness does nothing to mitigate the fear, sensibly enough. Robert Vaughn surprised me, playing a character despicable, if not truly evil. I had been used to seeing him from U.N.C.L.E. and even as a schmuck, I still think he's cute. I wouldn't date him, though. The plot of this film rolls evenly, mostly set pieces for moments of adventure. The full story could be summed up in just a few words. The filming and script are typical minimalist, and neither indulges in feeling or sentiment. Even the sense of relief when t...
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