From the Vault: Masterminds

There are certain movies that, good or bad, make their foothold in our cinematic consciousness. On the other hand certain movies, good or bad, can slip to the back of our consciousness. Each month I'll be taking a look back at a movie that since it was released has fallen through the cracks, been completely forgotten about, or just hasn't been watched in a while. This month:

Masterminds

I have a vague recollection of seeing a TV spot for this movie when I was at my grandparents’ house after school one day. No doubt it was marketed to my then demographic (13 year old boys) because it’s essentially a PG version of Die Hard. You know, for kids. I’ll admit I never saw this movie in theaters or on video when it was released so this doesn't technically count as a revisit, but this movie definitely falls into the “Does anyone remember that?/ Was that a movie?” category.

Masterminds was made just in time to catch the tail-end of the grunge period of the 90’s, so there is muted-colored clothing, long-haired boys, a best friend named K-Dog (a white suburban kid, naturally), and Ally McBeal suits for the hero’s working stepmother. Patrick Stewart, with a devilishly devilish moustache, stars as the villain, Bentley, who along with a crew of henchmen, takes over a school and holds the rich kids hostage so their rich parents will pay a big ransom. But the troublemaker Ozzie (Vincent Kartheiser, who grew up to be Pete Campbell in Mad Men) has hidden from the henchmen and sets about thwarting their evil plans through a series of traps and pranks that also double as great science fair ideas (...not really). In fact Ozzie’s methods of stopping the bad guys (turning on the sprinklers, turning up the boiler, rigging a Bunsen burner so that it burns the hand of the henchman chasing after him, are all far less dangerous then the traps Macaulay Culkin sets for the burglars in the Home Alone movies. Ozzie is also a hacker. Remember the 1990’s, when computer hackers could do anything just by tapping a couple keys on the computer? Even Ozzie’s father hacks into the villain’s computer system so easily he’s not even sure he’s just hacked.

There are two highlights of the movie, both involving Patrick Stewart, who seems to have had a lot of fun playing a ridiculously harmless bad guy. Moment #1 comes when the principal of the school tells Bentley (Stewart) she hopes “they fry him.” Bentley tells her, with villainous delight, “Oh, I'll be frying, Claire, under the hot tropical sun!” and does a little tropical island dance. Even the movie knows this a highlight since it replays this scene over the credits. The other great Patrick Stewart moment comes towards the end of the movie when Bentley knocks his partner in crime over the head, declares he’s been a “United” fan all along, rips off his shirt and suspenders revealing the soccer jersey he’s been wearing under his suit all day, and makes his getaway in a weaponized dune buggy. He doesn't escape though, he makes a wrong turn getting away through the sewer and ends up driving his dune buggy into a lake of sewage. Punishment enough. Ozzie saves his sister and lets the grown ups know who the real bad guys are, some business men… it’s not important.

Is this movie bad enough to be good? Not really. Would I recommend it? No, it’s not even available on DVD. But I need you to be aware that there exists a movie where Patrick Stewart holds a school hostage and does a tropical island dance. If you've got 90 minutes to kill and Masterminds comes on the HBO family channel, why not? I won’t tell.

You may know him from...

An actor’s image is so often synonymous with his most famous roles. When you think of Harrison Ford, you see Indiana Jones or Han Solo. Clark Gable is forever Rhett Butler. But just as often, you may love an actor’s performance in a movie that no one else remembers. For example, sometimes I forget that not everyone thinks of Anthony Perkins as the cute college boy from Tall Story; they’re more likely thinking of troubled, creepy Norman Bates from Psycho. So, if I admit I have a little crush on Tony…well, some people just won’t get it. But seriously, watch Tall Story (1960), a sweet romantic comedy about a co-ed (Jane Fonda) who is determined to marry her college sweetheart (Perkins), and you’ll see that he’s capable of being completely endearing. Perkins even brought glimpses of charm to his portrayal of Norman Bates, but people usually just remember the "stabbier" aspects of that character. Psycho came out the same year as Tall Story…but we all know which one ultimately cast the longer shadow. Tall Story is not currently available on DVD, but it occasionally airs on TCM. If you are interested in the kinder, gentler Tony, you should also check out his Oscar-nominated performance as a young Quaker in Friendly Persuasion (1956); this one is available on DVD.

Sterling Hayden’s most memorable roles are tough, macho characters like The Asphalt Jungle’s (1950) career criminal Dix Handley, insane Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper in Dr. Strangelove... (1964), and crooked police captain McCluskey in The Godfather (1972). But I first saw Hayden in The Star (1952) opposite Bette Davis. Here, his character – a former actor who works in a shipyard – is still masculine and tough; however, he’s also nurturing and kind. His down-to-earth presence offers a perfect contrast to Davis’s deluded and desperate “faded star.” The Star is available on DVD as part of the Bette Davis Collection, Vol. 1, alongside Davis classics Dark Victory, The Letter, Mr. Skeffington, and Now, Voyager.

Walter Matthau played his share of slobs, hucksters, and grumps, and brilliantly so, in comedies like The Odd Couple (1968) and The Bad News Bears (1976). But I think it was while watching A New Leaf (1971) when I began to appreciate Walter Matthau as a comedian. His character is spoiled, selfish, irresponsible, arrogant, and homicidal – in short, completely reprehensible. But Matthau is so hilarious, somehow I can’t hate him. Of course, I don’t want him to hurt sweet, hapless co-star Elaine May, either. (May also wrote and directed this film, proving herself to be a triple-threat filmmaker.) Unfortunately, A New Leaf is not available on video and as far as I know it hasn’t been shown on TCM either. (But you can vote on the TCM website for it to be released on DVD!)

Now that I've mentioned three actors, I feel the need to say that this applies to actresses, too! I guess I need to write a "You may know her from" list next...

Classic Movie Picks: July

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

7/2: "Wizard of Oz" Day

The official theme of tonight's programming is films starring Terry, the Cairn terrier who played Toto in The Wizard of Oz. So, starting at 7 p.m. you can see two Oz documentaries and three of Terry's best-known films.

7 PM - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990)

8 PM - The Wizard of Oz (1939), her finest role

10 PM - Memories of Oz (2001)

10:30 PM - Fury (1936), Terry plays Spencer Tracy's loyal dog, Rainbow

12:15 AM - George Washington Slept Here (1942), Terry's final film

However, making this a truly "Oz-some" day, starting at 6:30 a.m. TCM is showing films featuring Terry's Oz co-stars.

6:30 AM - The Show Off (1934) with Clara Bendick (Auntie Em)

8 AM - Stepping Out (1931) with ???

9:15 AM - Flying High (1931) with Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion)

10:45 AM - Success at Any Price (1934) with Frank Morgan (The Wizard)

12 PM - Gildersleeve on Broadway (1943) with Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch)

1:15 PM - Four Jacks and a Jill (1942) with Ray Bolger (Scarecrow)

2:30 PM - Mister Cinderella (1936) with Jack Haley (Tin Man)

4 PM - Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937) with Judy Garland (Dorothy)

5:30 PM - 13 Ghosts (1960) with Margaret Hamilton (The Wicked Witch of the West)

Stepping Out is the only film I couldn't attribute to an Oz cast member. Perhaps Charley Grapewin, who played Uncle Henry in Oz, will make an appearance?

7/8, 4 PM: The Unsuspected (1947)

Claude Rains stars as the producer of a radio crime series who commits "the perfect crime." I can't wait to see Rains dig in to this sinister role alongside a great supporting cast including Audrey Totter, Hurd Hatfield, and Constance Bennett.

7/13: Two films directed by Michael Ritchie

1 AM - Smile (1975)

3 AM - The Survivors (1983)

Michael Ritchie is not a widely known director, but he has quite a few gems in his filmography - The Candidate (1972), The Bad News Bears (1976), Fletch (1985). He has also directed several, ahem, non-classics - A Simple Wish (1997), Cops and Robbersons (1994), Fletch Lives (1989). I would definitely put Smile, a social satire set in the world of small-town beauty pageants, in the former category; and apparently actor Robert Wuhl would agree as it is one of his guest programmer picks tonight. But which category does The Survivors fall into? It stars Walter Matthau and Robin Williams as recently unemployed friends who witness a robbery and subsequently become the targets of a mob hit man (Jerry Reed). There is enough talent involved in this film that I'm intrigued to see if it's a hit or miss.

7/18, 8 PM: Beauty and the Beast (1946)

This surrealistic telling of the classic French fairytale is renowned for its haunting imagery and inventive special effects. In his Great Movies essay for Beauty and the Beast, Roger Ebert calls it "one of the most magical of all films."

BONUS PICKS: More beauties and beasts!

10 PM - King Kong (1933)

12 AM - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)

7/30, 5:30 AM: The Relaxed Wife (1957)

This short film explains how "the modern miracle of tranquilizers helps working men and their wives deal with life's little problems." TCM has several old educational or promotional shorts like this one scheduled in July; this one's description sounded the most hilariously anachronistic for a 2010 audience. Other titles: RFD Greenwich Village, a promotional short for corduroy clothing set in New York (7/2, 5:45 AM); The Golden Years, in which bowling is made respectable through modernization (7/23, 5:45 AM); The Trouble Maker, you can probably guess that this one's about a trouble-maker (7/16, 5:45 AM).

Next month: Summer Under the Stars!

Not-So-Fresh New Releases #2

My original intention for this blog was not for it to become a screed against the banalities of contemporary cinema. However, as an avid movie-goer I can't help but be irritated as yet another terrible movie (or two or three) gets released each weekend. I'm not the only one, though. Every recent article I've read about the current crop of new releases decries this summer as unusually lackluster. This weekend's release of Toy Story 3 may be a bright spot in the season, as indicated by positive advance reviews and Pixar's track record for excellent films. However, it is still Toy Story 3 and frankly, as much I as like Woody and Buzz, I'm more interested in seeing a new story with a new cast of characters.
With all the sequels, remakes, or near-remakes in theaters right now I'm tempted to just say, "watch the original," and be done with it. Take the new version of The Karate Kid. It has received some positive reviews, but they generally end with the caveat, "the original is better." My personal reason for skipping this movie is that it stars the annoying Jaden Smith, who single-handedly ruined the 2008 remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (yes, it was all his fault). So, save a few dollars and rent the 1984 original starring Ralph Macchio. Case closed, right? Well, I'm feeling a little more ambitious than that, so here are some more suggestions for what to watch instead of what's in theaters right now.

The Karate Kid - 70% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes
In addition to demonstrating some cool karate moves, The Karate Kid beautifully illustrates a friendship between a young person and an old person. Some other films which I would rate alongside Karate Kid in this category (though "old" is a relative term in some cases) are Captains Courageous (1937), About a Boy (2002), and Up (2009).

The A-Team - 50% freshness rating
In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that I saw The A-Team and I enjoyed it. That said, I will also concede that this film could be adequately summarized by a montage of explosions and gunfire intercut with scenes of the team throatily laughing at their own audacity. The A-Team employs one of my favorite film cliches - the rag-tag group on a mission. And the A-Team is indeed a rag-tag group: Hannibal is old, Murdock is crazy, B.A. is a born-again pacifist, and Face is actually Jim Carrey from The Mask. But if you prefer a film with coherent action sequences and a realistic relationship to physics, may I suggest one of these classic "gang of misfits" films: The Great Escape (1963) - Allied POWs, each with his own particular set of skills, must work together to escape a Nazi prison camp; The Dirty Dozen (1967) - military men again, this time they must work together to complete a daring mission; The Magnificent Seven (1960) - a diverse group of gunslingers bands together to protect a town from Mexican bandits.

Shrek Forever After - 54% freshness rating
The Shrek series, now on movie number four, began as a twist on the story of "beauty and the beast," except this time the beauty is secretly a beast, too. So, you could watch Disney's excellent Beauty and the Beast (1991), which manages to be heartwarming and funny without relying on pop culture references, the crutch of the Shrek series. Or, for an even more sophisticated alternative, you could rent Jean Cocteau's fantastic French version of the tale (1946). One Shrek character I do like is Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas. The Spanish accent combined with fancy swordsmanship and, of course, the boots, recalls none other than Mandy Pantinkin's Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride (1987). Princess Bride also has a "fractured fairytale" style somewhat similar to that of the Shrek movies. Just think of Andre the Giant as a much friendlier and more pleasant Shrek!

Killers - 13% freshness rating
In this action-comedy an unsuspecting wife (Katherine Heigl) discovers her husband (Ashton Kutcher) is actually a secret agent - and hijinks ensue! Many people have already pointed out the obvious similarities to True Lies (1994) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, I'm going to suggest two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, which fall into the suspense genre rather than action, but also contain husbands with secrets. In Suspicion (1941), a shy, plain woman (played by the beautiful Joan Fontaine) begins to suspect that her new husband (Cary Grant) is a killer, and that she may be his intended victim. In Rebecca (1940), a mousy, unassuming young bride (also played by the stunning Fontaine) moves into her husband's grand estate and begins to discover unsettling secrets about him and his first wife's death.

On other websites: R.I.P. Dennis Hopper

Last month, actor and filmmaker Dennis Hopper died at the age of 74. His career as an actor, writer, and director produced many memorable movie moments. If you are a fan, or are interested in learning more about his stamp on American film, you may want to check out the following podcasts and articles.

Weekly film podcast, Filmspotting paid tribute to Hopper in episode #304, which includes a discussion Hopper's directorial debut, Easy Rider. On the Filmspotting website you can also vote for your favorite Hopper performance: Apocolypse Now, Blue Velvet, Easy Rider, or Hoosiers. (Personally, I also like him as the villain in Waterworld.)

On June 1, Fresh Air replayed interviews with Dennis Hopper from 1990 and 1996, in which he talked about his childhood, modern art collection, filmmaking career, and often-rocky personal life.

And on the 40th anniversary of Easy Rider last November, Keith Phipps retraced the path of that film's heroes on an "Easy Rider Road Trip" for Slate.

Classic Movie Picks: June

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

6/10: 8 films starring Judy Garland
6:15 AM - Listen, Darling (1938)
7:30 AM - For Me and My Gal (1942)
9:15 AM - Girl Crazy (1943)
11 AM - Presenting Lily Mars (1943)
12:45 PM - The Clock (1945)
2:30 PM - The Pirate (1948)
4:15 PM - Summer Stock (1950)
6:15 PM - I Could Go On Singing (1963)
All morning and afternoon you can watch Judy Garland go from spunky girl singer to cinematic grande dame. My personal picks would be For Me and My Gal, her first film with Gene Kelly (and Kelly's first film, period) which tells the story of a song-and-dance team within a wartime setting, and The Clock, directed by Garland's first husband, Vincente Minelli. This film was made right after their wedding and through the story of a G.I. (Robert Vaughn) who falls in love during an all-too-short leave, Minelli gave his new bride a tour of "his" New York.

6/11: 100th Anniversary of Jacques Cousteau's Birth
For most people, even today thirteen years after his death, Cousteau is the best-known figure in marine science and conservation. He made over 120 television documentaries featuring his adventures under the sea and passion for preserving aquatic life, 18 of which TCM will air in a 20-hour marathon. Also on June 11, is the TCM premiere of the documentary Jacques Cousteau: The First 75 Years (1986) directed by John Soh.
On Friday nights throughout the month, TCM will pay tribute to Cousteau's passion with sea-themed films by other directors, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953), and The Deep (1977). Get the full list here!

6/19: Starring Jack Carson
8 PM - A Star is Born (1954)
11:15 PM - It's a Great Feeling (1949)
12:45 PM - Two Guys From Texas (1948)
2:15 AM - The Hard Way (1942)
4:15 AM - The Male Animal (1942)
Jack Carson is a familiar face to classic movie fans, often appearing when the script calls for a big-headed, blustery foil or friend to the lead character. His role as a former college football star who deliberately annoys English professor Henry Fonda in The Male Animal is the quintessential example of the Jack Carson character. This persona is again in full effect in It's a Great Feeling, which gives Jack the perfect role - "Jack Carson" - opposite frequent co-star Dennis Morgan (also as "himself") and a young Doris Day as an unknown ingenue. The 8 p.m. showing of A Star is Born is the TV premiere of the newly-restored print which was shown at the TCM Classic Movie Festival this April. It also stars Judy Garland, in one of her most acclaimed performances, and James Mason. I'd say definitely check out Star, Great Feeling, and Two Guys (again paired with Dennis Morgan); if you can stay up late that night, watch The Hard Way and The Male Animal. More info here!

6/28, 10 AM: Too Many Wives (1937)
6/29, 12 PM: Too Many Husbands (1940)
So which is a worse dilemma, too many wives or too many husbands? Perhaps the answer lies in these two films. In Wives, "an heiress and a dog-catcher go searching for a priceless stamp," which is good enough for me, but where do the wives fit in? (Look for Jack Carson in a small role!) In Husbands, "a woman decides to try life with two mates." I'm guessing it doesn't work out, but maybe this film shows that poly-amory can work for some people...

6/29, 8 PM: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)
If you are jonesing for new episodes Mad Men (would that be a "January Jones?"), I suggest getting your fix with this zany musical set in the business world of the 1960s starring Bert Cooper himself, Robert Morse.
BONUS PICK: 10:15 PM, Heart & Soul: The Life of and Music of Frank Loesser (2006)
Learn about the musical genius behind How to Succeed... and many other Broadway hits.

How I'll Spend My Summer Vacation

Each summer I am reminded of why I love living in Austin, Texas. It would seem impossible to love Austin in the summer since the heat and humidity are almost unbearable. However, it is the summertime when I love Austin because from late May to early September I can escape to the Paramount Theatre and enjoy the cooling effects of air conditioning and the restorative power of great cinema.
The Paramount's Summer Classic Film Series begins this weekend and I've already planned by schedule around it for the next 3 months. I know it's not the only revival theater out there (and I'm thankful for that!), but it is Austin's only movie palace. It is my theater. And since this is my blog, I've combed the schedule to highlight some of the special screenings this season.
These certainly aren't the only films I would recommend seeing, since all the scheduled films are good (except maybe Showgirls, but even that is debatable). So, if you are lucky enough to be in Austin in the summertime check the full list of screenings online.

June 23: Wings (1927) - This tale of daring WWI flyboys filmed near San Antonio was the first film to win the Best Picture Oscar. This special screening will feature a live performance of an original musical score by Austin composer Graham Reynolds.

June 26-27: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - If the recent Russell Crowe "re-imagining" of the Robin Hood legend didn't quite buckle your swash, may I recommend this glorious Technicolor gem starring Errol Flynn? And just try to resist entering the archery contest which will precede each screening.

July 6-7: All That Heaven Allows (1955) - Director Douglas Sirk is known as the master of the "women's picture," a distinction which often gets his films labeled as melodramatic cheese. But there is so much more to his films than Velveeta; they offer a critique of the petty moralities and conventions of 1950s America. Heaven tells the story of a rich widow (Jane Wyman) who becomes the original "cougar" when she is unexpectedly wooed by her much younger gardener (Rock Hudson), much to the disapproval of just about everyone else in town. This film will be shown in a double feature with Sirk's Imitation of Life (1959) starring Lana Turner.

July 24-25: Top Hat (1935) - When the Paramount began showing classic films in 1975, this Astaire and Rogers musical was the inaugural picture. In honor of this 35th anniversary screening all tickets will be sold at 1975 prices - 50 cents!

August 11-12: Odd Man Out (1947) and Brighton Rock (1947) - Two excellent, but rarely shown examples of British film noir. A remake of Brighton Rock is set to be released this year, so don't miss this opportunity to see the original on the big screen.

August 17-18: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) - Watching the absolutely beautiful Umbrellas on the big screen is a must for any classic film fan! But a double feature of French musicals starring Catherine Deneuve? Tres jolie!

August 24-25: Sunrise (1927) - A landmark film of the silent era, Sunrise was honored by the Academy for its "artistic quality of production." This screening of a restored print will include the original orchestral score.

For more viewing suggestions and profiles of some great films which I failed to mention here, read "The Greatest Stories Ever Told" by the staff at the Austin Chronicle.