Red River

A great sweeping western, with many intertwined themes: the encroachment of civilisation, a classic struggle for supremacy between a young and an older man, a character who starts off as a hero and ends up the villain as he fails to adapt and recognise his own failings. The grand, sweeping themes are match by the scenery and the action, as John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, take 9,000 cattle on the first epic drive along the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Missouri. The film suffers none of the squeamishness of later westerns. Here men are men, Indians are vermin to be gunned down mercilessly and women play only a very minor part. This is one of Wayne’s more complex roles and he must have found it a challenge playing against the understated Clift, but he rises magnificently to the occasion and it is one of his best films.

Peeping Tom

This was my second viewing of Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom, a 1960 English psychological horror film, starring Karl Boehm as the deeply disturbed young serial killer. I must admit that, like Powell’s Red Shoes (see below) this one also does very little for me. It was loathed on first release, being far too frightening and confrontational for the audiences of the day. It has long since lost its capacity to frighten and shock, which is of course more a comment on how we have become hardened to violence and terror, rather than a comment on the film. However, I’m afraid that without real tension the film is somewhat watery. It has admittedly a very clever premise i.e. that in watching something happen the voyeur is perhaps as guilty as the actual perpetrator of an act. It raises all sorts of interesting questions around the blurring of the line between viewer, actors and film makers. It portrays the role of the film director in an interesting and indeed somewhat sinister way. Trouble is that it is not very gripping and at the same time somewhat depressing, so, all in, not much fun to watch.

The Red Shoes

People will tell you that you don’t have to appreciate ballet to enjoy watching The Red Shoes. These are people who love the ballet and are on the scout for new recruits to their passion. If the movie is meant to work as a serious piece of drama it fails miserably. The characters, particularly the ridiculous Lermontov, a camp old queen with delusions of grandeur. Any real ballet star would beat the crap out of him. Most (all) of the characters are paper-thin caricatures. The most unintentionally amusing is Ivan played by the Australian, Sir Robert Helpmann, who must surely be the gayest man who ever lived. If you do not enjoy ballet you should stay well clear of this movie. In fact, I’d go further and say that even if you love Ballet you should approach it with caution. It may put you off for life.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

I know many people will never forget the first time they saw Raiders. I know I never will. It was, believe it or not, at the drive-in. A mate and I had gone, not knowing or particularly caring much, about what movie was showing. It was just something we did on a Friday evening in the suburbs where I grew up. It was the year in which we graduated high-school. Raiders has the best opening sequence of any movie. I don’t think it can be surpassed. Within the first five minutes we were transfixed and in breathless rapture. All of our young male adventure fantasies had sprung to life, gloriously real and with kick-ass attitude. We were completely transported to another reality from which we would only reluctantly return, already longing for a sequel. I have often said that Raiders is my favourite film of all time. In fact I dither between it and Paris, Texas, depending on my mood. I have also, particularly after watching the trilogy again with my kids, begun to think that the Temple of Doom may in fact be even better. But, of course, Raiders will always be the original. Mad magazine’s parody of the film dubbed it “Raiders of a Lost Art”, a reference to the art of making real, and really good, adventure movies. An art revived and surpassed by this series.

The Kite Runner

I was a bit reluctant to watch this. The Middle East has been so effective in recent years at making its problems, the world’s problems. I am utterly weary of the whole thing and don’t really want to know any more. But I am glad I did watch The Kite Runner. It is an exceptionally well made film from Marc Forster based on the book by Khaled Hosseini. Forster is an astounding film maker and has also brought us Monster’s Ball and Finding Neverland. Here he is working with a very compelling and absorbing story. The cast are all excellent, the two young boys, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada and Zekiria Ebrahimi, deserving special mention. The action is mostly set in Kabul, Afghanistan , both before and during the rule of the vile Taliban. It packs an enormous emotional punch.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

No point beating about the bush here. I have been a committed Indy fan for more than twenty years and I’m not going to stop now. It has been a long time since I have been as excited about a new release as this one. I don’t care what anyone says, I don’t see how anyone can be disappointed with Kingdom. Cold War conspiracies, rock’n’roll, giant snakes, Cate Blanchett as an evil Russian femme fatale, sword fights on jeeps racing through the jungle, a nuclear explosion, alien autopsies, quick sand, flying saucers, exploding heads and monkeys (lots). What more can a growing boy ask for? At the end of the amazing climatic sequence my five year old piped up: “Now, that really freaked me out!”. Indeed. The most fun you can legally have while sitting still in the dark.