Ingmar Bergman Parodies

Since I've become a bigger Ingmar Bergman fan, I've acquired more of his DVDs. Last week I watched a Criterion boxed set of three films from the 60's called The Faith Trilogy. These films were short but heavy going and I need to rewatch them. Bergman has his own style and there are several parodies out there. Here are two of the best mocking his traits: isolation, alienation, traits of one character split into two persons or two characters becoming as one, looming closeups, shadowed faces, disjointed dialogue, solemn music.....
The first one is from SCTV which I remember seeing when originally aired. I wasn't heavily into Bergman then but I got the jokes. The premise is a TV Horror program host showing a Bergman film without his knowledge. This one is mostly based on The Silence from the boxed set. Check out the gibberish Swedish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-wsbKfFhLw

The second is from French & Saunders, a famous pair of English comediennes. Yes that's Jennifer Saunders before she created & starred in Absolutely Fabulous. The coastal scenes and the cloaked character of Death are from The Seventh Seal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XrAH9Z_Bjk

'The Hangover'

From left, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Bradley Cooper as buddies in Las Vegas for a bachelor party in The Hangover. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-hangover/35061/main

This movie has been playing for a few weeks and is a big hit. Some reviewers thought the crude humor was infantile and the jokes wore out before the ending but audiences didn't care. The plot is simple: Three friends take their buddy to Las Vegas two days before his wedding. They wake up hung over and have no recollection of the previous night. Their hotel suite is trashed and one discovers a tiger inside their bathroom. Worst of all, the groom-to-be is missing. Their hunt begins with the events of the night soon revealed to their shock. Besides the uptight dentist learning he married a stripper, they need money to get their missing friend released from an Asian gangster who claims they stole his money. During their drunken spree, it seems they stole the tiger from boxer Mike Tyson who wants it returned. As if all this isn't enough, they get arrested for using a police car and become unwilling subjects of a taser demonstration.
There's other mishaps along the way that will keep you laughing. The humor is on the raunchy side but this is an 'R' rated movie that pushes the limits. I don't like movies that fail to deliver their intent. I want horror films to be scary.... 'Chick flicks' to make you weep.... and comedies to make you laugh your butt off. Some films never fulfill their premise and peter out before the end. Not so here.
The Hangover is consistently funny and the feeling of camaraderie among the four guys is the thread that holds the story together when the jokes wear thin. There's enough jokes to offend everyone and the able cast lead by a scruffy Bradley Cooper who's finally getting leads is up to the script's demands. And wait until you hear Tyson sing!

'Yoo Hoo Mrs. Goldberg' Review

Gertrude Berg with some of the 12,000 scripts she wrote. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/yoo-hoo-mrs-goldberg/37562/video/yoo-hoo-mrs-goldberg-trailer-no-1/29027423001

The trailer explains it all. Unless you're older than me or a nostalgia buff, you won't know who was Molly Goldberg. She was a radio character created by Gertrude Berg (1898-1966), a popular actress who made the transition to television. She's mostly forgotten but this new documentary will satisfy your curiosity and teach you a lot about those years. Yesterday we took Mom to see it and it brought back many memories for her. Me & the Mrs enjoyed it as much her.
You can call Berg a superstar of her era. She also wrote her scripts and branched out into other areas. She won an Emmy and Broadway's Tony award as well as endorsing products with her name on them. This overweight workaholic died too young at 68 and her TV shows are rarely revived except for clips in other docs. Yoo Hoo Mrs, Goldberg includes reminiscences from family, co-workers, and friends. Amid her huge successes there are dark personal moments revealed as well as for those co-workers who suffered during the Blacklisting era. She used her clout to help others, sometimes without success as in the tragic case of co-star Phillip Loeb.
If you have any older relatives or friends, take them to see it and I guarantee you will enjoy it too. It's entertaining and informative as it also covers Jewish culture and its influence on America.

'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' Review

Michael Gambon as Professor Dumbledore & Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince/27063/video/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince/19948761001

For some unknown reason, I never got into the Harry Potter books although my wife bought all of them. I do love fantasy books and films but why this franchise eludes me is something I still don't understand. I listened to the Audio Book of the first one and have seen all the film versions. If you ask me to explain the plot of each one, they all are blurred together in my mind. Perhaps I'm not the best judge in comparing the books to the movies so I rely on the Mrs and my cousin since they have devoured every written word and accompanied me to the theaters where I get their thoughts when leaving the theater.
As movies each one gets better with the special effects and we meet new guest actors among the regulars. As long as you know the basic threads that connect each story, it doesn't matter if you read the books since subplots are dropped or simplified. Each movie is pretty much self-contained and not hard to follow. This is the sixth Potter film with two remaining to conclude the cycle.
As a movie I pretty much enjoyed even if it seemed a bit longish at 159 minutes. Potter fans won't complain since there's everything they expect in these movies. Potter and the rest of the young cast have aged and the story doesn't hide it as they face the challenges of puberty and puppy love. The Hogwarts Academy staff performs their usual roles with the welcome addition of Jim Broadbent, one of England's finest character actors who I wrote about in When Was The Last Time You Saw Your Father? He's still a bit of a rascal here and pivotal to the plot.
Alan Rickman commands every scene with his imposing vocal delivery and Michael Gambon has more to do with every film since he took over the role of head wizard from Richard Harris who died after the completing the second film. I really think Gambon is better although I'm a diehard Harris fan. Harris admitted turning down the role until his granddaughter, a rabid book fan, chastised him for it.
This film is making oodles of $$$ because it gives the fans what they want and never panders to them. Readers of the books should be happy too. Those unfamiliar with the books or movies should enjoy it as a big budgeted fantasy populated with the best of Britain's actor's. You'll learn at the film's conclusion who is the Half Blood Prince.,

DVD Alert: 'The Hidden Fortress'

The trailer explains it all: http://videodetective.com/TitleDetails.aspx?publishedid=00001982

We will be seeing The Hidden Fortress on the big screen in Portsmouth NH at the end of the month. Meanwhile bless those 40% off Borders coupons. Criterion makes two editions of this movie. The costlier one has no worthwhile extras or a commentary. The cheaper one has only the movie and is all I needed, found, and purchased. Lately Borders has not been restocking DVDS and CDs so it's been slim pickings. Rumor has it that Borders will be closing so we'll wait & see... How the store had this one in stock surprised me. I still want to see the film on the big screen with an appreciative audience but I watched the DVD last night. Too much temptation...
The trailer's meager details and fuzzy quality gives you a hint of the plot but don't judge the movie by it. The DVD's visual and aural quality is as superb as you expect from Criterion. I've written about Akira Kurosawa's films here and this medieval epic was a big hit in 1958. George Lucas freely cites this film as the inspiration for Star Wars. Toshiro Mifune, Japan's most famous action star (and a damn good actor too) and Kurosawa's most frequent collaborator, leads an exiled princess and two squabbling peasants (comic relief) to reclaim her throne and fortune from a warring clan. You can easily figure out who is who in both films. My wife thought the music inspired John Williams score for Lucas' film. Forgetting all that, you will enjoy The Hidden Fortress on its own terms.
There's plenty of action and scenery presented in stunning widescreen black & white photography. Too bad it wasn't filmed in color but that's a minor quibble. Over two hours long with episodic escapes, you'll wish it was longer. Kurosawa was a visual master who pulls you into the story where you feel like you're standing aside the characters... I'm sure it will be more impressive on the big screen.

'Public Enemies' Review

Johnny Depp & Marion Cotillard in Public Enemies. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/public-enemies/32262/main

The preview for Public Enemies lured me into the theater as well as knowing it was directed by Michael Mann of TV's Miami Vice fame. He also knows how to make good crime movies with energetic action scenes like in Heat and Manhunter. I didn't care much for his movie version of Miami Vice. It had a few good moments but if you changed the title and the characters' names, you wouldn't know its source.
Mann's new opus about John Dillinger and other gangsters of the early 1930's pursued by the FBI is a treat for the eyes since it was filmed in high def where you can see every pore and follicle on faces. The photography, sets, and costumes make it breathe and truly appreciated on the big screen. Every face looks authentic down to the extras in crowd scenes. Johnny Depp as Dillinger brings another great performance to his busy career. I really think he is the best actor of his generation; some think it's Sean Penn so let's call it a tie although Depp takes more risks with oddball roles. Dillinger is not one of them but here you never take your eyes off him. Christian Bale has the less showy part but very good in a steely, quiet way; when he talks he gets right to the point and shoots the same way. These two contrasting performances work well and in their one scene together. Marion Cotillard, who deserved her Oscar or any award as Edith Piaf, is fine as Depp's love interest; she deserves better parts than this one but it's good to see her in anything. We didn't recognize Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover so that's a feather in his cap. Anytime an actor is buried in his role is a plus. Rent Stage Beauty with his portrayal of a Shakespearean actor to see how good he is.
Public Enemies's trailer is fast-paced unlike the movie which seems longish. The bank heists and prison & jail escapes are excitingly edited to grab your attention and not let go. For all the historical-looking accuracy, there should have been more info about Dillinger such as why he was considered a folk hero protected by local authorities. The fleeting references to that era's history that get buried in the visuals. Again this movie is a case of style over substance and a representative example of Mann's visual style. The mood is dark & dour even for a story taking place during the Depression except for Depp's quips. Compare this one to The Untouchables with Kevin Coster and Sean Connery and you'll see what I mean. Overall it's worth seeing for the visuals and the cast.

'Cheri' Review

Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Friend as ill-fated lovers in Cheri. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/cheri/36723/main

There's lots of talk in the media about cougars, a term for older women cavorting with younger men. Usually we see the opposite in real life and in movies where the age gap sometimes seems unrealistic with the greying man mismatched with his nubile co-star. After Entrapment with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones came out, Mad TV did a nasty but hilarious parody of a love scene from their movie. Try to catch a rerun of this sketch where during their kiss, his false teeth fall into her mouth, and other funny stuff.

In Cheri, based on novel written in 1920 by the French writer Colette of Gigi fame, here we see the relationship between a rich, retired courtesan played by a glamorous Michelle Pfeiffer and her friend's spoiled, bored son, Rupert Friend, whose nickname is a term of endearment and the film's title. What starts as an arrangement between Pfeiffer and Friend's calculating mother played by Kathy Bates to break the nineteen-year old handsome boy of his decadent habits turns into a hidden affair. Here the disparity in age works as it follows social conventions of the times. When Mom arranges a marriage for Friend to a wealthy friend's daughter, everything goes wrong. This darker side to the plot is not revealed in the trailer.
The film's French pre-WWI atmosphere is a treat for the eyes as every detail in decor and costuming seems right and enhanced by the skilled camerawork. The story moves slowly for us to observe characters' actions and thoughts revealed on their faces. The dialogue is witty and reminded me of Oscar Wilde's clever one-liners. The production values and script offer stiff competition to the actors who are up to the task including those in the smallest parts. Pfeiffer gets better all the time as an actress (She's 51, sexier than ever, and ages better than a bottle of fine wine.) and brings out the most of her cool, controlling character whose facade cracks at the end during her final closeup, the film's ending. Friend's smoldering, sullen intensity is a good contrast to her and the other characters who follow society's rules. He lets his selfish emotions get the better of him and only Pfeiffer can rein him in.

Cheri is directed by Steven Frears who worked with Pfeiffer on 1988's witty Dangerous Liaisons, another costumer about an earlier French period where society's rules must be obeyed and those who don't follow them are ruined. Cheri is the lesser and shorter of these two movies but also worth your time if you don't expect a lot of action. Classy, well-crafted, and witty are the key words here.