Film 37: Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Netflix Summary: When Jim Stark (James Dean) arrives in a new town with his troubled past firmly in tow, he quickly falls for the girl next door (Natalie Wood) and befriends the vulnerable Plato (Sal Mineo), forming a surrogate family fueled by alienation. From a deadly game of chicken to the spectacular climax at Los Angeles's Griffith Park Observatory, director Nicholas Ray's Oscar-nominated portrait of teen angst provided a jolt to 1950s America.





Film Viewing Due Date: 6/30

La Strada Review

girl by locker says: I wanted to like this movie a lot more than I did. It is a Fellini film, after all, and he is one of the masters of cinema. But I didn’t really, if I’m honest with myself. Maybe I was in a bad mood or too tired when I started watching it, but it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way and, at times, I was bored.

La Strada is a journey movie combined with a love story and aside from Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), the young girl Zampano (Anthony Quinn) buys from her mother to be his sidekick, none of the characters have any redeemable qualities. In fact, Gelsomina was the bright point of the movie for me – not because she was the one likable character but also because of her Chaplinesque performance that brought me back to the 1920’s of Cinema Cram. Masina did a great job with the role and really caught our hearts with her naiveté and innocence.

Anthony Quinn actually did a great job with his performance as well, but I had a hard time relating to his brutish behavior or feeling any emotion for him at the end when he realizes he loved Gelsomina. The final scene is Zampano sitting by the ocean, old, alone and drunk left to reflect on the choices of his life. It was a powerful image, and one of the reasons I see why people call Fellini a master. However, I couldn’t help but think that Zampano had choices and he screwed it all up. He ended up where he was because of his own actions and, movie or not, I have a hard time with that quality in people.

All that being said, I still give the movie 3/5 on Netflix, and I would like to see more Fellini movies. His movie was beautiful and artistic and would like to see more before I officially decide I’m not a fan of his work.

Juror #3 says: This is my second time watching La Strada. I'm glad I watched it again because I enjoyed it more this time. I'm a fan of the "European style" of film and appreciate the method of placing the camera in locations to observe rather than lead the audience or assist with telling the story. In doing so, each scene becomes a canvas and Fellini is masterful at painting gritty, bitter images. I thought Anthony Quinn (Zampano) did a terrific job portraying the hardened traveling strongman. Giulietta Masina (Gelsomina) had the puppy dog eyes that bring sorrow, but at times she annoyed me when apparently channeling her inner Charlie Chaplin. None-the-less, you feel for this quirky character - who I occassionaly wondered whether she was mentally handicapped. 

I was completely engaged in this film but two things turned me off: 1) I would have preferred to have seen what happened to Gelsomina as opposed to being told, and, 2) I didn't understand the ending exactly. I enjoy thoughtful and challenging films but I can't say I completely got this one. And if the ending signified an enlightenment for Zampano then I don't buy it. I originally rated the film 3/5 stars on Netflix and although I would raise it half a star if I could, I'll keep my rating as is. 3/5.

Film 36: La Strada (1954)

Netflix Summary: Federico Fellini's powerful rumination on love and hate, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The story follows the plight of gentle Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), who's sold by her mother to a bullying circus performer (Anthony Quinn), only to have a clown win her heart and ignite a doomed love triangle.

From Wikipedia: Bob Dylan cites La Strada as an influence for the song "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Kris Kristofferson has said that La Strada was an inspiration for the song "Me and Bobby McGee", which is heard in the road movie Two-Lane Blacktop.

Film Viewing Due Date: 6/14

From Here to Eternity Review

Juror#3 says: It's funny, a common complaint from screenwriters today is that Hollywood is only interested in adapting books, not producing original screenplays. As if it's something new. Clearly, it's not. From Here to Eternity is yet another literary adaptation chosen for our film study, and it didn't disappoint. The film follows a handful of soldiers stationed at Pearl Harbor in the time leading up to the infamous attack. The soldiers are all dealing with essential internal issues like purpose, and of course love. In the end, the role of perception is seen as being a human security blanket, or survival tactic. Frank Sinatra won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and he was really good but in my opinion Montgomery Clift and Burt Lancaster put on the real acting clinic. The directing is fantastic, with strategic camera placements leading the audience along the way. The dialogue is exceptional and I have added the book to my summer reading list to see how close to the original writing the adaptation stayed. There were some great lines like when Prewitt says, "Nobody ever lies about being lonely." or the following exchange between Alma and Prewitt:

Alma: Sit down and get comfortable. I'll make you a martini and see what's to cook for dinner.
Prewitt: Hey, this is like being married, ain't it?
Alma: It's better.

I'm not going to talk about the famous beach scene because I think it's a shame that this movie is remembered for that particular scene - there is so much great stuff in this movie! I rate it 5/5 stars.

girl by locker says: With the movie billed as having one of the steamiest love scenes in cinematic history, I was looking forward to see this rolling around in the surf between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. I know I probably shouldn’t have expected more, in particular since we are in the 1950’s and movies were not yet as sexually graphic as they are now. However, I did expect a bit more than a 3-second romp and I certainly didn’t expect the leads to get into a fight about Kerr’s promiscuity with other soldiers. I read that Lancaster was “testing her sincerity and feelings” but it still kind of irritated me. It was a steamy love scene but can’t say that it is one of the steamiest – Blue Valentine can give it a run for its money.

Overall, I have to say I really liked the movie and would give it 4/5 on Netflix. It was an interesting look at life pre-Pearl Harbor and while watching I would compare it to our generation’s attack on US soil – 9/11. It must have been particularly exciting for an audience to watch while in the theater being that they were more versed with times in which the Japanese actually attacked and knowing it was about to happen. I knew the date but not the times so wasn’t sure if bombs were about to drop or if that would happen later. Burt Lancaster was solid in his role as First Sergeant and Frank Sinatra was most definitely worthy of his Oscar. Without a doubt, From Here to Eternity is a classic film and worthy of watching for anyone interested in history or film.

Film 35: From Here to Eternity

Netflix Summary: This gripping adaptation of James Jones's novel about Army life in Hawaii in the idyllic days just before Dec. 7, 1941, boasts one of the hottest love scenes in screen history: Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling around in the sandy surf. All told, the film won eight Oscars, including awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed) and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra).

From Wikipedia: Legend has it that Frank Sinatra got the role in the movie because of his alleged Mafia connections, and that this was the basis for a similar subplot in The Godfather.

The film won eight Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fred Zinnemann),Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Sinatra) and Best Supporting Actress (Reed).

Film Viewing Due Date: 5/23/11

Forbidden Games Review

girl by locker says: It has been a while since I have seen a movie this good. From the first scene in which we see Parisians fleeing their city across a bridge being attacked by Nazis, to the final, gut-wrenching scene where we see Paulette yelling in the crowded train station for Michel, I was hooked. The plot is simple - a young girl is orphaned while her family flees from Paris and is taken in by a peasant family. The girl, Paulette, befriends the young boy in the family, Michel and as a way to cope with death and the horrors around them, they fall into a fantasyland and begin creating a cemetery for dead animals and bugs they find. I read a review that stated the movie is a masterpiece because it does not compromise on two things: "the horrors of war and the innocence of childhood" and I couldn't agree more. Rene Clement, the director, does not shy away from the despair and awfulness that is war nor does he he fall into a trap of overly sweet dialogue with Paulette and Michel. He also does an amazing job working with the two child actors. This movie, hands down, is a must see. I give it 5 out of 5 stars on Netflix, and I would give it more if I could. A brilliant look at how death and war could be perceived by children.

Juror #3 says: I'm glad we chose to watch Forbidden Games, it's our first international film as a part of our film study. I enjoyed seeing the roots of what has made French Cinema my style of choice. For instance - patience with the story, reoccurring musical themes, and thoughtful cinematography. One of the glaring differences between the American films we have watched up to this point and Forbidden Games is the framing of a scene. Where as the American films like to center the focus of a scene, Forbidden Games off-sets the focus of the scene thereby creating the feeling of a story within a larger world.
Overall I thought the movie was really well directed, with a fantastic plot line. But it seemed to lack a compelling secondary throughline which would have helped make the film a bit more engaging and impactful in the end. Overall I rate the movie 3/5 stars and applaud the classic French production style.

Film 34: Forbidden Games

Netflix Summary: Director René Clément's bittersweet drama depicts the ravages of war on its youngest victims. After being orphaned when a Nazi strafing kills her parents and her dog, 5-year-old Paulette (Brigitte Fossey) is taken in by farm boy Michel Dolles (Georges Poujouly) and his family. While his parents are busy feuding with their neighbors, the youngsters cope with the death surrounding them by creating a cemetery for animals killed in the fighting.


Forbidden Games won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1952.





Film Viewing Due Date: 4/28