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richjamesduncan
Reviews
The Queen (2006)
Celebrities? Oh dear........
This is one terrific movie. This movie provides some thoughtful and respectful insight into the woman behind the monarch. Great writing, directing and acting by all concerned. There are some delicious bits of humor as well.......the scene where Blair meets with Her Majesty for the first time as prime minister and she reminds him that she has had 10 prime ministers, the first being Winston Churchill (the most subtle bitch slapping you will ever see). My favorite moment comes when the royals are informed that Diana's funeral will be attended by a smattering of celebrities and the Queen Mother remarks "celebrities?.........oh dear".......oh dear indeed.
The Sound of Music (1965)
Julie on the mountain......
.........with that soaring coloratura in a breathtaking opening sequence........the dour Christopher Plummer and the obnoxious children can be overlooked due to Andrews, the music and the scenery.....was there ever a better rendition of MY FAVORITE THINGS? Hokey and contrived for sure but Andrews shines......look for Heather Menzies (Mrs. Robert Urich)and Angela Cartwright among the children and an elegant Eleanor Parker (who looks stunning in that red dress)in a minor role. The Rogers and Hammerstein score is enchanting with LONELY GOATHERD and I HAVE CONFIDENCE as standouts. Andrews and Peggy Wood (Mother Abbess) garnered Oscar nominations and the film won Best Picture.
Lady in a Cage (1964)
"First You, then the old woman....then the pig".......
......as uttered by James Caan to Jeff Corey, Olivia de Havilland and Ann Sothern respectively in this most lurid and hilarious of 60's melodramas. Imagine getting to say that line to the those three venerable actors in your film debut! See and hear Olivia dart her eyes and sing "Alouette" (for real) as a disabled woman trapped in a giant birdcage......err......private elevator.......see her recoil in horror (oh Miss Melanie!) in response to Caan belching at her and making lewd remarks about her breasts.......see Ann Sothern ham her way through the movie as an alcoholic floozy........this movie is a hoot! Whatever possessed de Havilland, Corey and Sothern to appear in this? Surely they all knew better........even so it is a deliciously bad movie
Trog (1970)
"get me my hypo-gun!"
and then shoot me with it...this is an absolute howler!! See Joan face down the troglodyte with her "hypo-gun"!!! See Joan's wardrobe of pink, white and tan lab coats!! See Joan bully the troglodyte into submission!......The sad end to a glorious career for sure,but let there be no doubt, it's still the one and only Joan.....kicking troglodyte ass no less. Heck, if I had a murderous troglodyte on the loose, I'd call Joan.............Crawford is quite game with her role as the scientist(?) and maintains a straight face throughout....no matter if she is tossing rubber lizards to the troglodyte or crawling around in the dark calling out to the TROG! This is a gloriously bad movie. MOMMIE DEAREST was no crueler than this.