The Poseidon Adventure

Here it is. New Year's Eve, 2009. I am getting ready for the big celebration. No, not the clock striking midnight. My big celebration is watching the greatest New Year's Eve movie ever. The big moment in The Poseidon Adventure occurs just as the crew and passengers are celebrating the arrival of the new year. The S.S. Poseidon is overturned by a giant rogue wave just after the stroke of midnight. Not only does it become a new year, but it becomes a new, upside-down world for the people on board. Rev. Scott, played by Gene Hackman, must lead the band of lonely survivors from the ballroom to the engine room in the hopes of escaping this disaster. Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens and Shelley Winters are among the group that attempts to "go up to the bottom" in an effort to escape. Winters received an academy award nomination for her work as the overweight, former swimming champ that saves the day. Who, if any of them, will survive?


This is the crowning achievement of the 1970's disaster movie movement. Irwin Allen, the king of disaster movies, produced and partially directed this film. Around my house it is called "cheesetastic!". The script and characters are exactly what you would expect. But once the ship overturns and the adventure begins I find myself rooted to the seat awaiting the next pitfall. The effects hold up quite well in our present world of cgi (computer generated images). Everything in The Poseidon Adventure is done with real people. The scene of the man falling through the glass ceiling is still a classic.

If you saw the film in a theater, especially back in 1972 when it was released, you may remember the entire audience leaning in their seats when the ship overturns. You know, of course, that leaning won't have any effect upon the movie, but your body just leans anyway. It is that kind of shared experience, which only movies provide, that is missing from sitting at home watching a DVD.


Filmed in 1972, directed by Ronald Neame, written by Stirling Silliphant, starring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Red Buttons, Pamela Sue Martin and Leslie Nielsen as "The Captain".

Does anyone remember the sequel 'Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'? Michael Caine and Sally Field? No. I didn't think so.

A Boy and His Dog

"A rather kinky tale of survival". That is the tagline from the trailers and ads for A Boy and His Dog. It is apropos. This is one weird flick. Most people dislike it, but, for some reason, I find it intriguing. Don Johnson plays Vic, a loner in Phoenix after World War IV. He is accompanied by Blood, a telepathic dog that helps him look for "females and food". Vic wants the females while Blood wants the food. I guess that is the difference between a boy and his dog? Along the way Vic meets Quilla, a beautiful young woman. She has been living underground since the war and is unaffected by the plagues and famine above ground. She entices, against Blood's wishes, Vic to visit her underground home. After some misadventures Vic escapes and returns to the surface. Will Blood be waiting?

The ending of A Boy and His Dog has been the subject of much discussion over the years. It is quite a surprise. I find it fantastic. Pay close attention to the last minute. Do you approve?

This is based upon a Hugo award winning novella by Harlan Ellison. I sat next to him at the world premiere of A Boy and His Dog in 1975. There he proclaimed his admiration for the film and support of the script. After the film did not do well he changed his tune. He denounced the small changes made by the filmmakers and wanted his name removed from the movie. Now, as the film maintains its cult status, he again appreciates the film. Oh well, if you know Harlan Ellison that comes as no surprise.

This film is low-budget, odd, dark and humorous. I enjoy it. Do you?

Trivia: Blood, the dog, is also the dog 'Tiger' from tv's 'The Brady Bunch'. From wholesome family television to a sarcastic telepath. Pretty good acting range for a dog.

Filmed in 1975, directed by L.Q. Jones, written by L.Q. Jones from a Harlan Ellison novella, starring Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards and Alvy Moore.

Amazing Journey:The Story of The Who

Amazing Journey is an amazing documentary about The Who. As frequent readers know, The Who is my favorite band. Just read my previous blog about 'Quadrophenia'. This documentary covers the band from their days in school through over 40 years of concerts. The film is rich with music history and includes lots of never-seen-before footage. There are also interviews with rock icons who were/are heavily influenced by The Who. Sting, The Edge and Eddie Vedder are featured discussing the influence The Who had upon their music and lives.




The film footage is fantastic. I have seen almost everything ever done by or about The Who and this documentary contains tons of original moments. The interviews with musicians, family members and the band's managers are revealing. Amazing Journey:The Story of The Who is great.

Long Live The Who!



Filmed over 40+ years, directed by Murray Lerner and Paul Crowder, starring Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, John Entwistle and Roger Daltry.

The Caine Mutiny

"The strawberries. I had them with the strawberries."

Before this film could be released the U.S. Navy required a disclaimer be placed at the opening of the film. The Navy wanted to be sure that every viewer understood that The Caine Mutiny is fiction and not based upon an actual mutiny. The Navy originally withheld any cooperation because of this concern. But the popularity of the book upon which the film is based, along with the fact that Humphrey Bogart would star, eventually changed the Navy Brass's minds.

Humphrey Bogart stars as Captain Queeg. He is the Captain of a U.S. Naval vessel during World War II. His senior officers, portrayed by Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray and Robert Francis, come to believe that Queeg is incapable of commanding a ship under the pressure of war. After some bizarre behavior by Captain Queeg they decide to relieve him of command. Two of them are tried for mutiny and are defended by Jose Ferrer. The courtroom sequences would later be produced as a Broadway play, but on screen we get to see the entire story.

Bogart is fantastic. In his last great performance he plays Queeg with aplomb. Some of Bogart's mannerisms and quirks are still used by actors and comics today. Bogart's willingness to play someone so unpopular is refreshing. Many of today's leading actors should consider this performance. Also excellent is Fred MacMurray. He plays the slimy Lieutenant Keefer. Keefer is a writer outside of the navy and is the driving force in convincing the rest of the officers that Queeg must go. But in the moment of truth he fails to support his fellow officers. Under appreciated Jose Ferrer carries the courtroom portion of The Caine Mutiny. He rarely fails to deliver top-notch work. This is no exception. His dedication to defend the mutineers makes the second act fantastic.

The novel, written by Herman Wouk, won the Pulitzer prize. The film was nominated for 7 academy awards. The Caine Mutiny, deservedly, has great credentials. Enjoy this fine film!

Filmed in 1954, directed by Edward Dmytryk, written by Stanley Roberts, starring Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray and Jose Ferrer.

Big Wednesday

This film is a cult classic. Like all cult films you either "get it", and therefore love it, or you don't. In the case of Big Wednesday I get it. This is director John Milius's homage to the zen of surfing and the beach lifestyle. He grew up on the beach and in the water. It shows. He understands the 'us vs. them' mentality of surfers and the mystical experience of sitting on your board. If you love surfing or the beach the scenery in this movie will make it worth while. If you think that spending 3 hours sitting on a surfboard, just waiting for the perfect wave, is a waste of time then you should skip this movie.

This film starts in the early 60's and covers more than a decade. Jan Michael-Vincent, William Katt and Gary Busey star as 3 close friends who spend their days surfing. They are as close as any friends can be. They watch out for each other, spot surf for each other and provide support, comfort and solace as only great friends can. The film covers more than a decade of their lives as they move in and out of the surf. Eventually all 3 must face the fact that they can't stay surfers and must grow up. As the character 'Bear' (Sam Melville) says "nobody surfs forever". We share their love for the ocean and observe the guys as they move from the beach to adulthood.

Milius actually made 5 half-movies and combined them. There is a fantastic surf move, a poignant coming of age story, a very weak high school farce film, a funny draft-dodging sequence and a decent buddy flick all combined in Big Wednesday. The surf sequences are worth the price of admission. Gloriously filmed by surf auteur Greg MacGillivray, the scenes in and around the surf are spectacular. It truly helps that all 3 stars could surf. You could see it was them, and not some ridiculous double, on the boards. Also, look for surfing great Gerry Lopez. He shreads. The rest of the movie is hit or miss. Outside of the water the film covers social issues facing America during this time period. Vietnam, race riots, the draft and a changing society are all featured. Some are handled much better than others.

But above all this is a surf movie. If you love the surf you will love Big Wednesday.

Filmed in 1978, directed by John Milius, written by John Milius and Dennis Aaberg, starring Jan Michael-Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey, Lee Purcell, Gerry Lopez and Patti D'Arbanville.

The Missing Gift?

These are some links to great movies. Just in case you did not get them for Christmas! Everyone deserves a fun movie.

Funniest film of 2009.


I love this show.


My favorite Christmas movie.


I was worried when J.J. Abrams signed to make this film. Now I am glad he did!


My favorite film.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Bullitt

Before Denzel won his Oscar for 'Training Day', before Seagal and Van Damme, even before Clint Eastwood as 'Dirty Harry' there was Bullitt. This is the film that invented a genre. The idea of the rogue cop, an officer that ignores his superiors and just hunts down the bad guys, did not exist in big movies before Bullitt. The King of Cool, aka Steve McQueen, portrays Frank Bullitt a San Francisco police officer. His assignment is to guard a high-profile witness. When the witness is attacked, while he is off-duty, Bullitt decides to pursue the assailants no matter where the case takes him.

Today, Bullitt is most-often referenced because of the car chase. It is a great car chase. But the film is more than the car chase sequence. It is a taut, story-driven action film about corruption, crime and the efforts of the police to battle against powerful foes. Det. Bullitt lives a simple life. He is focused on working to make San Francisco a little bit better. But sleazy politicians and the police bureaucracy keep getting in his way. If he is to accomplish anything, he must move beyond the normal rules of police work.

This film started, for better or worse, the rogue cop genre. Clint Eastwood, as Dirty Harry, became the King of rogue cops, but dozens of lesser films have copied, in whole or part, Bullitt. But Steve McQueen is still the best. From the Mustang to the clothes to the fast draw holster McQueen is the King of Cool. McQueen was at his height of popularity when this came out. It didn't seem possible, but he became a bigger star after Bullitt.

The Mustang and the city of San Francisco are major players in this movie. The amazing muscle car streaking through the scenic cityscape is fantastic. Throughout the film both the car and the city play important features in mood and tone. Director Peter Yates did a fantastic job of using McQueen, the car and the city as almost one actor. The combination made cinema history. Robert Vaughn does fine work as Walter Chalmers the sleazy politician pushing McQueen to solve this high-profile case. Also, look for Robert Duvall in one of his earlier appearances.

Filmed in 1968, directed by Peter Yates, written by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, starring Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bissett and Simon Oakland.