This is my favorite time of year, second only to Christmas. Autumn has arrived, the weather is cooling down, and October becomes the month long celebration of scary movies called Shocktober. There are a lot of horror movies out there, but as a genre, horror is still looked down upon by some mainstream critics and moviegoers. It doesn’t help that, admittedly, there are so few quality horror movies made but, like comedy, it’s a very difficult and subjective genre. So, in the days leading up Halloween I’ll be posting some recommendations for scary movies to help you celebrate Shocktober.
Night 1: Silent Night, “Does this word not sound like the midnight call of the Bird
of Death?” Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror (1922)
It is not an exaggeration at all to state that German director F.W. Murnau’s silent film Nosferatu
is one of the most influential horror films of all time. It is one of the first
vampire films and one of the first film adaptations of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Murnau could not get permission
from Bram Stoker’s widow to adapt the novel for the screen so he changed some
plot points and the names of the characters. Count Dracula became Count Orlok
and the setting became Wisborg instead of England. Despite the changes, the
plot of the film will be instantly recognizable to anyone that’s read the novel
or seen any movie version of Dracula.
Nosferatu along with Murnau’s 1928 drama Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans cement his
status as one of the early master filmmakers.
Some of the most iconic images of horror cinema and the
silent era are found in this film. If you’ve never seen Nosferatu, or even if you don’t watch horror films, you would
recognize scenes or images of Max Schreck as the monstrous vampire, Count
Orlok. This vampiric count is unlike any other portrayal of Dracula that has
ever been put on screen. This vampire is not a seducer, lover, tragic figure,
or antihero. Orlok is the vampire as Monster. He is hideous and frightening in
appearance. There is no allure to this vampire. He is simply an unstoppable
force of evil. Orlok is oddly thin, stiff, pale and ghostly white, with
features only resembling those of a human. He wears an overcoat, not a cape,
buttoned tight, and moves slowly. His fluid movements resemble those of a
snake. There are too many memorable shots of Orlok to list but I’m sure you’d
recognize the shot of his monstrous silhouette moving up a flight of stairs
with his thin arm outstretched, knifelike fingers leading the way. In another
shot Orlok rises stiff as a board out of his coffin. Every time we see him is
eerie and chilling. Orlok is the most frightening vampire I’ve seen on film.
F.W. Murnau
wanted Nosferatu shot outside of the studio in real, existing locations because
he thought the film would be more frightening if it took place in the real, recognizable world. However, there are traces of German Expressionism, a visual style that rejected realism and sought to portray the world in a skewed and dreamlike way, in Nosferatu's eerie imagery and atmosphere. The night scenes are tinged in blue, which was
a common way for silent movies to signify a night scene, but it also adds to the
overall eerie tone of movie. The font of the intertitles is skewed slightly so even these add to the atmosphere of the film. The stop motion effects look dated but still effective. This movie uses atmosphere and eerie, unearthly imagery to engage and frighten the viewer. The scene of Orlok
loading up his carriage with coffins, then getting in one of the coffins, followed by the
lid moving on its own to seal him in, and then the carriage taking off on its own is
genuinely eerie and creepy to watch. The film is sped up so that Orlok moves
with an inhuman speed. There is no violence or gore in this movie, but there
are plenty of spooky and creepy scenes. If you are skittish of horror movies
but still want to watch something spooky this Shocktober, Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror is a great film to watch once the
sun goes down.
by Lani
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule 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.)
10/3, 8 PM - Jinnah (1998) TCM Star of the Month for October is British actor Christopher Lee, a fitting honor since Lee is well-known for his horror films. He played Dracula (10 times!), Frankenstein's monster, the Mummy, and a host of other weirdos; sometimes he was even the hero, but there was generally a lot of blood involved. During his long career, Lee's imposing physical presence and booming voice meant he was often cast as a the bad guy - in fact he played a villain in the Star Wars series, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and opposite James Bond! In tonight's film Lee takes center stage in a very different role portraying Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the modern nation of Pakistan. The casting of Lee was controversial; not, as you might think, because Lee was a white actor playing an Asian character, but because of his association with Count Dracula. However, audiences in Pakistan ultimately responded positively to Lee's portrayal and the film is broadcast every year on Pakistan's independence day. Unfortunately, it seems that the film never got a proper theatrical release anywhere, so audiences outside Pakistan haven't really had a chance to see it. Tonight's air date is the North American premiere. As a fan of Sir Christopher Lee, I look forward to seeing what he felt was his most important role. BONUS: 10/24, 4:30 AM - Dracula A.D. 1972(1972) My official pick may be an art house biopic, but I can't deny my love for Lee's weird horror movies - especially the ones with frequent partner/foil Peter Cushing. The two actors first appeared opposite each other as Dracula and Van Helsing in 1958's Horror of Dracula. Though Lee would play Dracula several more times over the next 14 years (ruining his reputation as a serious actor in the eyes of the entire nation of Pakistan in the process), this was Cushing's first appearance as Van Helsing since the '58 film. This time around the setting is contemporary "swinging" London where the Count has been resurrected and is hunting the descendants of his old nemesis.
10/11, 8 PM - Hollywood Canteen (1944) The Hollywood Canteen was a special nightclub for serviceman during WWII, where they could get a hot meal, dance with a pretty girl, and meet real film stars before shipping out. Actress Bette Davis was the driving force behind the Canteen, supervising its construction, recruiting fellow stars to volunteer there, and managing it with her agent Jules Stein. Two years after it opened, the Canteen got its own film - a romantic comedy about a young G.I. who falls for starlet Joan Leslie (playing herself). The story was really an excuse to pack the film with star cameos by Davis, Canteen co-founder John Garfield, Joan Crawford, and Jack Benny (and many more), and musical numbers from the Andrews Sisters and Roy Rogers. However, it's an interesting glimpse into how Hollywood contributed to the war effort. With its patriotic message and star power, the film was a big success at the box office and a portion of the profits went back to the Canteen. Davis was rightfully proud of the success of the Canteen and her contribution is recognized during tonight's programming theme of "Actresses Who Made a Difference," part of TCM's month-long spotlight series on Trailblazing Women. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the real Hollywood Canteen (good and bad), check out episode #27 of the You Must Remember This podcast, "Bette Davis and the Hollywood Canteen."
10/19: Presidents on Film 8 PM - Fail-Safe (1964) 10 PM - Advise & Consent (1962) 12:30 AM - Seven Days in May (1964) 2:45 AM - Gabriel Over the White House (1933) With Election Day looming, you may be suffering from presidential fatigue; however, I think it's the perfect time to watch these political films...if only to remind you to vote on November 8th! Each of tonight's films depicts a President under pressure: trying to fend off World War III in Fail-Safe, pushing through a controversial Cabinet nominee in Advise & Consent, as the target of a military coup perpetrated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seven Days in May, and (following a visit from archangel Gabriel) crusading against government corruption and organized crime in Gabriel Over the White House. Depending on the day, any of these scenarios seems unfortunately all too plausible.
10/28: Universal Horror 8 PM - Dracula (1931) 9:30 PM - The Mummy (1932) 11 PM - The Invisible Man (1933) 12:15 AM - The Wolf Man (1941) On Halloween night, TCM will feature several Hammer Studios horror films of the 50s and 60s starring Christopher Lee; however, tonight, you can see the Universal Studios horror films of the 30s which inspired those later films, even more so than any literary sources. The Universal films created the iconic looks of classic literary characters like Dracula, The Invisible Man, and Frankenstein's monster; while also adding new creatures to their rogues gallery like the Mummy and the Wolf Man. If you're in the mood for an atmospheric, spooky chiller - these films deliver. However, if you're in the mood for a laugh, there's plenty to giggle about here, too - from far-fetched plots to hammy acting. BONUS: 1:30 AM - The Black Cat (1934) This creepy, but stylish thriller was "inspired by" Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same title (and that's where the inspiration ended) and featured the first pairing of horror stars Karloff and Lugosi. The two actors are not playing supernatural monsters this time, but portray a sadistic cult leader and a man out for revenge. The film also features David Manners, the young hero who had previously faced off against both Lugosi in Dracula and Karloff in The Mummy.
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule 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.)
Cary Grant Deep Cuts 9/4, 8 PM - People Will Talk (1951) 9/11, 10 AM - Mr. Lucky (1943) Cary Grant is one of my favorite actors and I'm taking the opportunity this month to catch up with two of his lesser known films. In People Will Talk, Grant plays a doctor at a university medical school whose unconventional methods cause alarm among his more conservative colleagues. His problems at work come to a head when he falls in love with a patient, an unwed mother who attempts suicide (Jeanne Crain), while also facing charges of misconduct from his university's board. Because the film features topics like single motherhood, suicide, and abortion, it faced opposition from censors; however, the producers felt that Grant would give the film an air of moral uprightness which would override any disapproval of those taboo topics. Which is kind of ironic since many of Grant's early roles were cads and connivers (such as in Sylvia Scarlett and Topper),characters which he always seemed to relish more than the upstanding leading man types. In the wartime romance Mr. Lucky, Grant is far from morally upright as the scheming owner of a gambling ship. Though he is changed for the better when he falls for an altruistic heiress (Laraine Day) who is raising funds for war relief. So, I guess in the end he's not so bad after all.
Salute to Slapstick 9/7, 9:15 PM - A Dog's Life (1918) 9/14, 12:45 AM - The Inspector General (1949) 9/28, 1:15 AM - Strange Brew (1983) TCM has scheduled a month-long salute to slapstick comedy throughout film history. You can get the full schedule here, but I've selected three films spanning from the silent era to the 1980s, proving that some gags never stop being funny. In A Dog's Life, Charlie Chaplin, as his Little Tramp character, takes in a stray after saving it from a pack of attacking dogs. As in many of the Little Tramp stories, he also meets a pretty girl who is down on her luck and uses comedy to depict the struggle of poverty. Chaplin is said to have auditioned a dachshund, Pomeranian, poodle, Boston terrier, and bulldog before deciding that a mutt would best fit the part. The dog co-star "Mutt" was adopted by Chaplin and spent the rest of his life at the star's studio; so, this dog's life was a sweet one. Danny Kaye's vocal and physical dexterity are put through their paces in The Inspector General, in which Kaye stars as Georgi, an illiterate peasant mistakened for the titular agent of Emperor Napoleon sent to uncover corruption in a Hungarian village. The naive Georgi soon finds himself in over his head as villagers alternately beg for his help, offer bribes, and even plan his assassination. If you are a fan of Kaye, this is a must-see. In Strange Brew, a uniquely Canadian riff on Hamlet, brothers Bob and Doug Mackenzie (Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis) help a young woman reclaim control of her family brewery. Along the way, they must face off against an army of hockey goons, space age super lasers, and a shady brewmeister played by Max von Sydow. At the time, the Mackenzie Brothers were popular characters from the SCTV sketch comedy show and Moranis and Thomas's comedy album, Great White North. It's considered a classic of the so-stupid-it's-funny brand of comedy, while also being a decent interpretation of Shakespeare's play.
Midnight in the Disney Vault 9/8, 4:15 AM - Midnight Madness (1980) This month brings another trip into the Disney Vault hosted by film critic and Disney historian Leonard Maltin. The line-up contains 6 features and 2 shorts, including classic kid flick Treasure Island. You can see the full schedule here. I'm particularly interested in Midnight Madness, a live-action feature aimed at a slightly older audience than Disney's usual kiddie fare (rated PG!). The story follows teams of college students competing in an all-night scavenger hunt with Los Angeles as the game board. It's an "into the night" story meets wacky race in the tradition of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and The Great Race, and perhaps the first (and only) Disney film to include an extended sequence at the Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery. It was the first film for David Naughton (then famous for the "I'm a Pepper" Dr. Pepper ad campaign) as the Yellow Team Leader, as well as Michael J. Fox playing Naughton's younger brother. Also, look for Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee-Wee Herman, in a small part.
9/29, 8 AM - Adventure (1945) Adventure was promoted relentlessly with the outstanding tagline: "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" The line was referring to the fact that former "King of Hollywood" Clark Gable was returning to the screen after several years away due to the untimely death of his wife, Carole Lombard, followed by two years of WWII service in the Army Air Corps and a vow not to act until the war in Europe ended. His comeback vehicle was this dramatic romance (not a straightforward adventure story as the title might lead you to believe) about a hard-living merchant marine who finds true love with a straitlaced librarian. Cast as the librarian was Greer Garson, the current Queen of Hollywood. She had made a name for herself in several hits while Gable was away, including the wartime drama Mrs. Miniver, for which she won the Best Actress Academy Award. In an interesting bit of trivia, Garson's first film was 1939's Goodbye, Mr. Chips, opposite Robert Donat; he would notably go on to win that year's Best Actor Oscar, beating out Gable's iconic performance as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind. Donat gives a great performance as mild-mannered school teacher Mr. Chipping, which is elevated in large part by Garson's effervescent presence as his beloved Mrs. Chipping. The two stars of Adventure apparently did not get along - it was a classic clash of opposites, not unlike their characters in the film. However, they both agreed that they hated the tagline and ad campaign. According to one Gable biography, "Clark hated being called 'Gable,' hated being 'got' by Garson, and hated the repetition of the slogan." See for yourself if these opposites believably attract. 9/29: Gene Wilder Tribute 8 PM - Role Model: Gene Wilder (2008), with encore at 11:15 PM 9:15 PM - Young Frankenstein (1974) 12:30 AM - Start the Revolution Without Me (1970) 2:15 AM - The Frisco Kid (1979) 4:30 AM -Bonnie and Clyde (1967) TCM will celebrate the career of the late Gene Wilder with a primetime lineup including his first feature film, an iconic Mel Brooks comedy, and two underseen gems. They will also re-air a TCM original production from 2008, Role Model: Gene Wilder, in which Alec Baldwin interviews Wilder about his life and career. Wilder was a versatile actor who, though known for broad comedy, approached each role very seriously and tried to inject his performance with the unexpected - think of his famous entrance as Willie Wonka. He was a wonderful physical comedian and one of the great shouters in cinema history, expertly moving from calm to hysteria in explosive shifts. But he could also convey multitudes through silence, understanding the effect of a well-timed pause and aided by his big expressive eyes.At turns impish and mischievous, gentle and kind, and sometimes a little bit sexy (I can't be the only one who sees it), Wilder's onscreen personas often echoed the sweetness and kindness which were, by all accounts, at the heart of his own personality. In Wilder's first film, Bonnie and Clyde, he made an impression in a small role as a nervous undertaker. His star turn would come that same year in The Producers directed by Mel Brooks, a role which earned Wilder a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination. His collaboration with Brooks would continue over several films, including Young Frankenstein for which the two men would receive Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay. The role of Frederick Frankenstein (it's pronounced Frohn-ken-steen) gives Wilder a chance to showcase not only his comic timing, but a bit of range as the young doctor goes from reluctant heir to full-on mad scientist. The historical farce Start the Revolution Without Me gives Wilder a chance to flex his acting muscles in a dual role. In this story inspired by Shakespeare's TheComedy of Errors, Wilder and Donald Sutherland play two pairs of mismatched twins - that's one Gene and one Donald per set - on opposite sides of the French Revolution. When the twins start getting mistaken for one another, well...hilarity ensues. Another of Wilder's underseen comedies is The Frisco Kid, a "Jewish Western" in which he plays a rabbi who befriends an outlaw (Harrison Ford, fresh off Star Wars) on their way to San Francisco. It's a great role for Wilder, and though the film got mixed reviews at the time his performance was singled out for praise. And now please enjoy Gene Wilder demonstrating the art of the comedic pause in this clip from Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex...
by Lani Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule 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.) It is August, a.k.a. "Summer Under the Stars" time on TCM, and each day of the month is devoted to one actor or actress. For my movie picks this month, I'm feeling the girl-power and featuring four classic Hollywood era actresses whom I always enjoy watching. 8/2: Lucille Ball 8 PM - The Dark Corner (1946) 10 PM - Yours, Mine, and Ours (1968) Lucille Ball had an interesting career which took on many personas, from glamor-puss ingenue to everyone's favorite wife & mother to worldwide comedy icon. For her line-up today, I've picked out two films, made before and after she achieved stardom as a TV comedienne. In Dark Corner, an atmospheric noir directed by Henry Hathaway, Ball is given top billing as a secretary who sets out to clear her private eye boss (Mark Stevens) when he's framed for murder. At the time, Ball was an MGM contract player and unhappy with the roles assigned to her. She reportedly hated her experience on this film and clashed with Hathaway (though it doesn't show on screen). No surprise then that soon after she would search out opportunities on other platforms and she found success on radio with My Favorite Husband (1947-51) and then on television in her groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy (1951-57). The show made her a hugely popular star, and it still endures today -- I recently stumbled upon an episode airing on a major network in primetime!
Yours, Mine, and Ours finds Ball at a very different point in her career, in between her second and third successful sitcoms, and one of the biggest stars in America who developed her own projects. This family comedy about a widow and mother of 8 (Ball) who marries a widower (Henry Fonda) with 10 children of his own was United Artists' top grossing film for the year. I always enjoy this film and can't help but get sucked in whenever it comes on. I especially love the scene in which Fonda's children trick Ball into getting drunk at their first dinner together; it goes from hilarious to really heartbreaking as Ball's character knows she's not in control of her behavior, but cannot figure out why, and shows the range and ability of Ball the actress. BONUS: See Ball and Fonda in their first on screen pairing in 1942's The Big Street at 1 PM.
8/10: Hedy Lamarr 10 AM - H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) 12:15 PM - Crossroads (1942) Lamarr was one of the most beautiful, magnetic, and glamorous actresses ever to grace film screens, but she was often accused of having wooden acting style. She also had notoriously poor instincts for choosing projects, reportedly refusing roles inCasablanca, Gaslight, and Laura, and often ending up in less interesting pictures as an exotic "woman of mystery." These roles probably weren't well-written to begin with and typically only required her to, well, be glamorous...or in her words, "stand still and look stupid." However, the two films I've selected today earned Hedy some of her best notices and gave her more of an acting challenge than usual. In Crossroads, she shines as the resourceful young bride of William Powell's French diplomat afflicted with amnesia (or is he?) and blackmailed by criminals. And in H.M. Pulham, Esq., Lamarr is convincing as an independent and ambitious career-woman (though perhaps not quite as believable as a former Iowa farm girl), who reconnects in middle age with a former boyfriend (Robert Young). Both roles proved that Lamarr could deliver if given good material; and history has proved that she wasn't just a pretty face, as a frequency-hopping invention developed by Lamarr and composer George Antheil was a pre-cursor to the wireless technology we use today. 8/12: Janet Gaynor 2 PM - A Star is Born (1937) 4:15 PM - State Fair (1933) 8 PM - Lucky Star (1929) 10 PM - Street Angel (1928) I've come to regard Janet Gaynor's presence in a film as a signal of quality. Her film career spanned only a little over a decade, but in that time she worked with some of the best directors of the silent and sound eras, was one half of an indelible screen couple, created an iconic role in a classic Hollywood story, and won the first Best Actress Academy Award. I'm sure that I would enjoy all the movies scheduled today, but here are four I don't want to miss. Lucky Star and Street Angel both star Gaynor and Charles Farrell and were directed by Frank Borzage. Gaynor and Farrell made 12 movies together, but I think the silent films made with Borzage are a step above the rest. In Street Angel, Gaynor is a poor girl hiding from the police with a traveling circus who falls for an artist (Farrell). This was among the performances for which she was awarded the Oscar, along with Sunrise and 7th Heaven (back then they didn't have to pick just one role). In Lucky Star, made the following year, Gaynor is the sweetheart of wounded WWI vet Farrell, but the two are kept a part by her controlling mother. The plots in which love conquers all are not groundbreaking, but the films have an ethereal, romantic beauty. Lucky Star was filmed as both a talkie and a silent, but only the silent version has survived; so ironically, what was Gaynor and Farrell's first talkie is now their final silent film. Gaynor also found success when not teamed with Farrell. State Fair is a delightful story of a family -- father, mother, son, and daughter -- who each have their own adventure at the Iowa State Fair. The film was nominated for Best Picture and remade twice; however, this version is not available on DVD, so this is your rare chance to catch it! A Star is Born has also been remade twice (so far), but the 1937 original is my favorite version of this iconic Hollywood story of an up and coming actress (Gaynor) married to a director (Fredric March) whose career is in decline. Off screen, the two stars' situations were somewhat reversed. While March's greatest successes were yet to come, Gaynor would soon retire from acting.
8/19: Ruby Keeler 8 PM - 42nd Street (1933) 11:30 PM - Dames (1934) 4 AM - The Phynx (1970) Ruby Keeler said of herself, "I was all personality and no talent." Now she wasn't the greatest actress or singer, or even dancer; however, her sincerity and spirit certainly struck a chord with 1930s audiences -- who flocked to the musical extravaganzas starring Keeler as a working class kid trying to catch a break. Her film debut was in 42nd Street, the definitive backstage musical featuring virtuosic production numbers designed by Busby Berkeley. Much like her character, a chorus girl who must replace the show's leading lady, Keeler went out there a youngster, and came back a star (to paraphrase the film's most famous line). She was teamed again with her 42nd Street co-star Dick Powell in the equally entertaining and eye-popping Dames, another story of some plucky hoofers putting on a Broadway show featuring more number by Berkeley. The last movie of the night is a weird little film about a rock band of super secret agents sent to rescue numerous American celebrities kidnapped by the leader of communist Albania. Among the bizarre collection of of hostages are Keeler, Dorothy Lamour, Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Xavier Cugat, James Brown, Louis Hayward, Patsy Kelly, Pat O'Brien, the Bowery Boys, Butterfly McQueen, and Colonel Sanders. The film was deemed too awful for a theatrical release, which may have been a blessing as it was the final picture for many of the Golden Age stars, including Keeler. However, classic film film fans may enjoy this oddity.
Best Pictures #23: 1928-29 Academy Awards My Pick for Outstanding
Picture
No film
won more than one award at the 2nd Academy Awards for films released
between August 1st 1928 and July 31st 1929. The ceremony
was held on April 3rd, 1930. It was broadcast over the radio and every
Academy Awards ceremony to follow would be broadcast on either radio or
television. Like the rest of the film industry, it seems that the Academy
didn’t quite know what to do about talking pictures. According to 85 Years of Oscar by Robert Osborne by Robert Osborne, the official history of the Academy Awards, there was serious debate about having separate
categories for sound and silent movies. Ultimately there would not be separate categories and no nominations were publicly announced.
The films and persons listed as nominees for the 2nd Academy Awards
have been determined by historians using in house records.
It is
clear that the Academy still acknowledged the quality work being done in silent
films but they overwhelmingly favored the talkies with nominations and wins.
Many theaters at this time were still only equipped to show silent films, so
there was still a demand for silent movies. Many films at this time, The Broadway Melody included, had a
silent version made simultaneously as the sound version. Movie posters advertised “100%
ALL TALKING” and “HEAR WHAT YOU SEE!” to distinguish them from silent movies
with some bits of sound added in like The
Patriot and the previous year’s Unique and Artistic Picture winner, Sunrise. That demand however would drastically wane and by the time of the 3rd Academy Awards silent movies would be a thing of the past.
The
language of cinema would now contain an audio element, but this new tool would
take time to master. The technical sophistication
achieved by cinema thus far would be set back dramatically. Noisy cameras had
to be housed in giant immobile metal boxes so their sound wouldn’t be recorded
by the microphones. Those microphones had to be hidden in the set and actors
could not be too far away from that area of the set. Cinema would bounce back
and continue to grow and mature thematically and technically but not for a few years. It would be many years before the camera once again had the freedom
of movement as it did during the silent era. Just a year before the 2nd
Academy Awards there was no such thing as the “silent era,” there was only “the
movies.” Now, a distinct new era of cinema had begun.
For the
2nd Academy Awards there was only one Best Picture category, still called
Outstanding Picture. The selection board of judges, still made up of only 5
people, chose the MGM musical The
Broadway Melody for Outstanding Picture, and I once again agree with the
Academy. The musical is a type of movie that could not exist before the advent
of sound. Though the musical had by this time achieved a maturity on stage, it
would take years to mature on screen. The
Broadway Melody is a good start for the genre. I can’t give a full and
complete judgement of the nominees since The
Patriot is sadly lost, but of the films I was able to see the most entertaining and
enjoyable was The Broadway Melody,
though it is an uneven film.
The Broadway Melody is not without its share of flaws,
including a less than likable leading male character, flimsy character
motivations, and a mostly stationary camera. It feels a bit unfair to criticize
the immobile camera of early sound films given the technical limitations of
sound recording, but it is difficult not to compare the cinematography of these
early sound movies to the limitless movement of camera in the silent movies
from the previous year. That is still only a minor complaint for me. I’d rather
watch a still camera shot with entertaining content than visually interesting
but meaningless camerawork. This movie moved along at a steady pace since scenes did not drag on just for the sake of hearing
the actors speak as they did with In Old
Arizona. The Broadway Melody is
filled with great songs, written byNacio
Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, that have since become classics. However, my favorite thing
about The Broadway Melody is that with Hank, played wonderfully
well by Bessie Love, it has the most competent, interesting, and quasi-independent female character I’ve seen in any early Best Picture nominee thus far.
While watching
The Broadway Melody, you are aware
that you are watching the root of the movie musical. It has a simple story, but
this movie is really about the musical numbers. If its plot and set pieces seem
clichéd now, it is only because they have been repeated, reworked, and improved
in musical after musical. I would recommend ignoring the unfairly low score on RottenTomatoes.com and seeking this film out, especially if you are a fan of
musicals.
Each
month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule 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.)
7/7, 8 PM - All the President's Men (1976) This film is showing as part of a series on Thursday nights: America in the 70s - The Films that Defined a Decade. All the President's Men certainly fits the bill since it deals with the Watergate scandal, one of the defining events of the 70s which led to the first and only time in history that a sitting President resigned from office. The plot follows Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) as they look into the Watergate break-in and uncover the shocking details -- shocking not only because it went to the highest levels of the executive branch, but also because of the unbelievable stupidity and ineptitude of some of the players. Dramatic and suspenseful, but also surprisingly funny, I think it's pretty close to perfect. The film received Academy Awards for art direction, sound, screenplay, and supporting actor Jason Robards. What beat it out for best picture? Another decade-defining film: Rocky.
7/15: Starring Olivia de Havilland 8 PM - The Snake Pit (1948) 10 PM - The Heiress (1949) 12:15 AM - To Each His Own (1946) Olivia de Havilland, one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, is the Star of the Month for July in honor of her 100th birthday this year. As an ingenue in the 30s, her beauty was undeniable and she was paired with the equally attractive Errol Flynn in nine films. But she wanted to be more than a pretty love interest and desired to gain respect for her acting ability by taking on more challenging roles. Eventually de Havilland received five Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress twice, and three of those performances are featured tonight. In The Snake Pit, a "social issues" picture about the state of mental hospitals, Olivia plays a young woman who is institutionalized. With greasy hair and no makeup, this character is a far cry from her more glamorous roles, but she does a good job portraying someone whose sense of reality is at odds with the world around her. As the title character in The Heiress, Olivia is once again de-glamorized to play a plain, lonely woman who longs to escape from her overbearing father and falls for a handsome fortune-hunter (as played by Montgomery Clift one can hardly blame the girl). In To Each His Own, our leading lady finally gets to wear some lipstick to play an unwed mother who must give up her son, then encounters him later in life. The combination of her natural beauty, expressive face, and ethereal manner make de Havilland a wonderful screen presence. I'm looking forward to seeing many more of her films on Friday nights this month. Walter Matthau: Man of Action 7/16, 10 PM - Charley Varrick (1973) 7/21, 8 PM - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) Walter Matthau's most familiar roles tend to be in comedies as an irascible slob, seedy fast-talker, or grumpy old man. However, in his long and varied career Matthau was also an unlikely romantic lead several times, as well as the star of several crime/caper films in which he played both the heavy and the hero. As the title character in Charley Varrick, Matthau is an anti-hero, "the last of the independents." After his gang of small time bank robbers accidentally steals the mob's money, Matthau must use all his wits to outrun a mob hit man (played with hammy glee by Joe Don Baker) and get away clean. Though he won a Best Actor BAFTA (the British Academy Award equivalent) for this role, Matthau was very vocal about not liking the film because he thought it wasn't understandable. There are definitely some twists, but whether you can anticipate the plot or not, it is still a fun ride.
In Pelham, Matthau is on the right side of the law as a NYC transit police lieutenant up against Robert Shaw as the leader of a criminal gang who holds a subway train hostage. As the hilariously over-the-top poster tells us, the gang will kill a passenger a minute until they get the $1 million ransom -- but even if they get the money, how will they possibly get away? This one also has it's share of surprises and sets the bar for clever crime thrillers. These two picks are great examples of a type of crime film which had a bit of a renaissance in the mid-70s. These films featured intelligent criminals and, though violent, kept the action on a human scale. They are filled with the mundane locations of everyday life - subways, trailer parks, modest apartments - and everyone, from cop to criminal, looks like a regular guy off the street. Just contrast this with a film in the same genre from the 1980s, Die Hard (which is also great, by the way). Instead of the likes of Matthau, Robert Shaw, and Martin Balsam, you have the dapper Alan Rickman and his crew of body builders pulling off a heist in a fancy LA high-rise. It's still a good movie, but one with an entirely different aesthetic which favors spectacle over realism.
In the first scene of The
Broadway Melody, also known as The
Broadway Melody of 1929 (there would be two sequels), there is a bevy of
sounds for the ears: musicians tuning up various instruments, singers practicing,
chatter here and there. We are in a music publishing office in New York City
and eventually the din dies down so a young songwriter can sing his new song, “The
Broadway Melody.” This isn’t just a talkie, it is a musical, and there will be
a lot of the audience to hear. The
Broadway Melody was the first musical and first sound picture to win Best
Picture (then called Outstanding Picture). It is also the first movie to win only Best Picture. Reviews at the time
were generally favorable, but reviews by modern critics and online reviewers are
not as positive. As of 2016, The Broadway
Melody is the lowest rated Best Picture winner on the website RottenTomatoes.com with an average score of 35%. I think that rating is a bit unfair since modern viewers
can’t help but measure this movie by the decades of musicals that have been
made since. While The Broadway Melody
is undeniably dated, it is still not without some entertainment value.
The story is pretty basic for a backstage musical—a musical
about making a musical—and will no doubt seem familiar to fans of the genre.
Eddie Kearns (Charles King) has written a song, “The Broadway Melody,” for big
shot producer Francis Zanfield’s new review and he wants to get the Mahoney
sisters cast in the production. He’s dating one sister, Hank, but is in love
with the other, Queenie, who is dating rival producer Jock Warriner (a play on the
name of the Warner Bros. boss Jack Warner, just as Francis Zenfield is a
reference to real life producer Florenz Ziegfeld). As you might imagine, the
backstage lives of Eddie, Hank, and Queenie become complicated. Queenie, played by Anita Page, is
chosen to be the star of the show, but her dancing consists of little more than
just slightly moving her body around while standing in place on stage. Despite
this, everyone thinks Queenie is great and it seems that the movie wants us to
feel the same.
The story is thin but there is enough of it to fill out the film’s
runtime so no one scene feels too stretched. Bessie Love plays Hank, the older
and more business minded sister, and gives what is easily the best acting performance
of the movie. Love was under consideration for the Best Actress award that year. The other acting performances were not especially noteworthy but
are good enough to keep the movie entertaining. The characters themselves feel
basic and thin. Queenie’s main character trait is being beautiful and
desirable. Her other trait is that she doesn’t want to be thought of as a child
anymore by her sister. Eddie, like every other man in the movie, seems to be in
love with Queenie just because of her looks and, overall, does not come across
as a likable character. The girls’ Uncle Joe is a stock comic relief character
with a stutter like Porky Pig. Hank is by far The Broadway Melody’s most interesting character since her motivations
give Bessie Love more to work with allowing her to give Hank some sense of
personality and depth.
The Broadway Melody
has many scenes and plot points that would become tropes and clichés in backstage
musicals to follow. There are several scenes rehearsal scenes, most of which
are comedic. The Mahoney sisters perform their number for Zanfeild on their
first day on stage and, through no fault of their own, many, many things go
comically wrong. We see chorus girls exchange quips with the choreographer. A
stagehand literally throws the spotlight at an actor who asks for more light.
The sister act reaches a breaking point, and Mr. Warriner’s intentions
toward Queenie become more and more lascivious. What dates the film more than
its checklist of musical plot points, is its normal for the time but now out
dated values. The female characters in this movie all face the same dilemma: career
or marriage, not both.
The show being produced in The Broadway Melody is a revue so there are several different
themed songs, sets, and costumes. At times his movie feels like a play since most
of the action takes place in a series of rooms with people entering and
exiting. The camera moves very little, a problem with all early sound pictures,
but the costumes and songs keep the static shots from being dull. There are
enough peculiarities in The Broadway
Melody to make it a curio for musical fans and film buffs in general. The
song “Broadway Melody” is sung four times. The song “You Were Meant for Me” is
sung by Eddie to Queenie. He says he wrote it for her, his girlfriend’s sister,
making that song’s film debut unfortunately creepy. Most curious of all is the
use of title cards in place of exterior establishing shots. This is no doubt a
holdover from silent movies. This was MGM’s first musical, and for a studio
that would become synonymous with the genre, it was a good start. If you decided to check out The Broadway Melody, I recommend watching the DVD, readily available, which
includes in the special features Dogway Melody, a loose remake short of The
Broadway Melody but with dogs. It is quite entertaining to say the least.
Nominee: MGM
Producer: Irving Thalberg, Lawrence Weingarten, Harry Rapf
Director: Harry Beaumont
Screenplay: Story by Edmund Goulding, Dialogue by Norman
Houston and James Gleason, Continuity by Sarah Y. Mason
Cast: Charles King, Anita Page, Bessie Love
Release Date: February 1st, 1929
Total Nominations: 3, including Outstanding Picture
Win(s): Outstanding Picture
Other Nominations: Actress-Bessie Love, Director-Harry
Beaumont
