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Reviews
We Were Soldiers (2002)
Close, but no cigar
I'm not disputing the factuality of what takes place in the film. For all I know, it could be word-for-word perfect in every scene. My criticism is aimed at the directing and cinematography, which stunk. This film was just a couple of clicks above a high-school play. Scenes which should have had tremendous impact on the viewer were just ... scenes.
It's telling that many of the positive reviews here were written by veterans, or contained comments from veterans. Those who actually experienced the Vietnam war, while able to recognize the accuracy of the film, are missing the simple fact that it was not a good film.
Badly-done Shakespeare may still be called "Shakespeare", but to be accurate, it also must be called "bad".
The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
Practically perfect
I'm a geezer now, as was Bert Munro during the period this film depicts, but when he was setting the records at Bonneville, I was a very young, and very broke, motorcycle racer. I even had the honor of meeting Bert briefly when he was in California.
But that's not what this review is about. It's about the absolutely amazing attention to detail in the film. Munro's bike, the shop, the tools, the cobbled-together machinery, the low-tech transportation, ... all dead on the money in authenticity. The entire film is like a string of old racing photographs, come to life.
Anyone interested in what really went on back then, before full-ride sponsorships and corporate super-events became the norm, should see this film. Even the audio is authentic. When Mickey Thompson's 4-engined, 32-cylinder "Challenger" rolls off on a land speed run, that's the actual sound of the original runs you hear in the background.
I have to admit that when a replica of Dr. Nathan Ostich's "Flying Caduceus" rolled by in one scene, I got a bit of a lump in my throat, remembering those who died in their attempts to "be the fastest". Despite the light-hearted goofiness shown in the film, never forget that these people were deadly serious about a seriously deadly sport. Land Speed Record racers were a special, if slightly odd, bunch. Even those of us who raced "normal" events were a bit in awe of the "LSR people."
As someone else mentioned, there are a few corny scenes early in the film that might make the purists wince a bit, but the payoff is worth it. Anyone who lived through those times will instantly recognize the slightly over-bearing track officials, and the (fortunately) loose attitudes towards rules-bending.
All in all, this film perfectly captures a time and an attitude that we will never see again. Racing is definitely safer now, but we're only having one-tenth of the fun and satisfaction Munro experienced, way back when.
Dont Look Back (1967)
On the Donovan/Dylan "thing"
In the review, CT writes; "Donovan is in the film for a bit, and when Dylan sings "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" there's noticeably (and presciently) less room applause for him than for Donovan who's just sung before, and who seems to have no idea what's going on."
Did CT miss the whole point of that bit in the film? At the time the film was shot, Donovan was being billed as "the new Dylan". So, the energy in that room was more than a bit negatively charged. Donovan appears more than a little out of his league, and Dylan does nothing to ease that feeling. When Donovan offers up a bit of musical bubble-gum, Dylan responds with a slamming piece of the real thing; "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue".
So, of course there was "less room applause", ... the people in that room had just watched Donovan being put firmly, and embarrassingly, in his place by the master.