Wings of Desire (1987)

 'Wings of Desire' is a highly regarded Europen art film of the mid 1980's which is probably the reason you know the name Wim Wenders, that is if you know the name Wim Wenders. It is also the source material for the 1998 American film 'City of Angels'. ' Wings of Desire' has long been on my to watch list and I unexpectedly got a chance to see it last Thursday night for the podcast. Selected by my co-host 'Wings of Desire' was a revelation, a fantastic film that I waited too long to see.

Like its much infrior American remake 'Wings of Desire' is about an angel (Bruno Ganz) who falls in love with a human woman amd choses to become mortal to be with her. However this movie is much more then that, Ganz's translation to mortality not occurring until around 90 minutes into a 130 minute film.

Shot principly in black and white the film is an ode to the city and people of Berlin, where the film was set and shot late in the life of the Berlin Wall. Ganz and his fellow angels walk unseen through the gorgeously shot city. They can hear peoples thoughts and seek to help where they can, comforting the sick, seeking to dissuade by their touch the suicidal. Their ability to influence human kind is limited, they can not override agency, they can just hope to inspire. Mostly they watch, listen and record the thoughts and doings of their mortal counterparts.

This is a beautiful, reflective film with moments of humor, mostly provided by the actor Peter Falk playing a version of himself. It took around 15 minutes to get going for me but after that I was entranced. Seeing the American version does not quite prepare you for the singular accomplishment that is 'Wings of Desire', a film rightly regarded as one of the greats. ****

Mask (1985): Directors Cut

 Surprisingly understated film based on the true story of Rocky Dennis (Eric Stoltz) who suffered from the rare facially disfiguring disorder craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. Co staring Cher (as Rocky's mom) and Sam Elliot as her love interest, while Laura Dern (whose character is blind) is the object of Rocky's affection.

Film goes in some unexpected directions. Most of the Cher characters friends are bikers and she has drug problems, Rocky is arguably better adjusted. When Rocky expresses to his mother his concern about never making it with girls, she hires him a prostitute. I also liked how most people are really decent to Rocky, I thought the carlessness of others towards his feelings was gonna be a much bigger part of the story.  

 Peter Bogdonovich's return to film making after a four year hiatus following his fiance's murder. It was also Bogdonovich's first hit since the mid 1970's, making $48.2 million off a $7.5 million budget. Great soundtrack. ***1/2

The Taming of the Shrew (1967)

 Sumptious Franco Zeffirelli adaption of the Shakespeare comedy about domesticating a wife. Not exactly PC. The energy between married leads Elizabeth Taylor and Richrd Burton is electric. Has more easy watchabilty then the average Shakeapear film adaptation. ***

The Meanest Man in the World (1943)

 The old George M. Cohan play retooled as a Jack Benny vehical. Benny is a nice guy lawyer who tries to remake his image and over compensates. Prisicalla Lane plays the love interest. Movie is very short, about 57 minutes. Amussing lite comedy, but has racial humor that is rather dated. **1/2

55 Days at Peking (1963)

 Director Nicholas Ray's last studio film '55 Days at Peking' is the story of 900 foreign nationals (400 of them solders) from 10 nations traped for two score and 15 days inside a walled diplomatic compound at the Chinese capital during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. David Niven plays a British diplomat, Charlton Heston an American Major and Ava Gardner a Russian baronness.

Receving mixed reviews and making a break even $10 Million at the box office, it's handsomly mounted but bland. People dying in proximity to Gardner becomes something of a running gag. The scheme that Heston and Niven come up with to blow up the munitions depot is the funniest part of a movie that really shouldn't be this dull. Theme song performed by Andy Williams. **

The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)

 A series of brutal murders of women rock Summit County, Utah. and they may be the work of a werewolf. Film has a different approach to seemingly familiar territory, including the tone and they do some kind of odd editing. In an interesting choice the lead deputy isn't particularly likable, he's a recovering alcoholic with anger issues covering for his Sheriff father who should have long retired. The film was released by recently reconstituted Orion Pictures and has an 80's vibe though set in roughly the present day.**1/2

Hannie Caulder (1971)

 Raquel Welch is title character Hannie Caulder, she teams up with bounty hunter Robert Culp in pursuit of the men who killed her husband, raped her, and burnt down her home. Director Burt Kennedy, who had been making Westerns since the 50's, at times approaches the material as a kind of diet Sam Peckinpah, two members of The Wild Bunch (Ernest Borgnine and Strother Martin) are among the badies. But the tone is all over the place, it takes stabs at being the kind of womens revange picture that was becoming a thing in the 1970's, but then other impulses take over and the man who made 'Support Your Local Sherif' tries for comedy. After a surprisingly intense early rape scene, comic ogling of Ms. Welch feels particularly icky.

The movie is simply not very good, not well written, weak performances throughout, only servicably directed. It just feels wrong, with the budding romance between Welch and Culp being one of many examples. The parts that aren't bad mostly feel so so, Christopher Lee plays a gun smith who thinks of himself as an artist, and the promise of that conceit feels never fully realized. Fading British sex symbol Diana Dors late in film apperance is a simlar let down. It's like some good movies have been digested and this is the shit that came out the other end. *