http://filmjournal.net/derek Where they really make movies Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:40:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This is a very good movie, just a pity Fox don't restore it and put it properly on DVD, there are a lot of marks on the print though it certainly didn't spoil my enjoyment. This to me is the best of the early John Fords. Basically it tells the story ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/19/four-sons-1928/ Entertaining noir produced by RKO. Bobby Driscoll borrowed from Walt Disney plays a boy who is always making up stories to the extent that when he witnesses a murder nobody the police, his parents will believe him. His mother even tells him to apologise to the couple he witnessed committing ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/19/the-window-1949/ Larry Parks again played the World's Greatest Entertainer in this sequel to The Jolson Story (1946). The film covers Jolson's life roughly from 1939 (his divorce from Ruby Keeler (named Julie Benson in the movies) till 1947 (when he started a new starring radio series). Parks is once again fine as ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/17/jolson-sings-again-1949/ I used to love Bud and Lou as a child but their antics don't connect with me the same way now. I have the first set of the Best of Universal DVD series : 8 OK films though they are all really three times as long as they should be : Bud ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/05/the-best-of-abbott-and-costello/   Like all the great movies it is perfectly possible to sit down and watch Citizen Kane (1941) and enjoy it as simply a cracking piece of entertainment. Forget the film's reputation and what it is trying to say just get carried along by the storyline which to me is perfectly ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/05/citizen-kane-1941/   I generally like Scorsese's work but I'm not a big fan of Taxi Driver (1976). It is a very well made movie with an excellent score and great mounting tension. The acting is also excellent particularly De Niro but my main problem with it is that there is little positive to ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/03/taxi-driver-1976/   I'm not sure I would go as far as saying Revenge of the Sith is the best of the recent Star Wars trilogy. It is difficult to say, in some respects it was better than Episode I and II but these strengths at times turn into weaknesses. Basically after seeing ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/08/03/star-wars-episode-iii-revenge-of-the-sith-2005/   Wings (1927) certainly impresses with its action sequences both on the ground and particularly up in the air. They are among the finest in any war film I would say, the depiction of World War I is excellent and exciting. What would have made those dog fights even better would have ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/07/31/wings-1927/ Here are a few really good Roman epics and stately ancient Romans : Ben Hur (1925, 1959) both versions feature Ancient Rome quite strongly though Jack Hawkins in the remake can't be beaten as a stately Roman general who takes Judah Ben Hur under his wing after Heston saves his life. Sign ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/07/31/top-ancient-roman-movies/ MGM made three tributes to Broadway's greatest showman. The first and best was probably The Great Ziegfeld (1936) with a great performance from William Powell holding it together. A Best Picture winner in its day this film has its moments : the Pretty Girl Is Like Melody number is stupendous, also ... http://filmjournal.net/derek/2006/07/31/ziegfeld-on-film/