Although he made a small cameo appearance in The Muppet Movie (1979), the idea of putting Richard Pryor in a family film with a bunch of kids seems like a misdirected venture from the beginning. The fact that he famously set himself on fire during a drug-induced psychosis during the production probably proved this. When [...]
This was a film that seemed to be on TV almost every weekend when I was a kid, and it was strange to watch it again now. At the time, I had no idea who Joan Crawford was. In the intervening years I became a fan of old movies, and of Crawford. I watched the [...]
Wow! I have a new favorite movie, which is not something that happens very often these days. Pennies From Heaven is not my all-time favorite, which would have to be Vertigo, but it is definitely up in the top 20. Although I am a big fan of British TV series, I have not gotten around [...]
I have been returning to a lot of John Waters films this years, and since Polyester is one of my favorites, I thought why not watch it again. Divine has long been one of my favorite actors, and this is definitely the most varied role she took, having to go from a good Christian housewife, [...]
Every now and then I am struck with a case of cinematic childhood regression, and I have to rewatch movies I liked as a kid. It happened earlier this year when I revisited Super Fuzz and They Call Me Bruce? after more than 20 years. Part of this is from a psychological interest in exploring [...]
After watching Terry Gilliam’s Tideland for the second time yesterday, and still feeling somewhat ambivalent about it, I wanted to go back and revisit one of his films which I have always enjoyed. Time Bandits was my favorite film when I was a kid, and I caught it every time it was on TV, which [...]
Year in Film: 1981
Bustin’ Loose
Although he made a small cameo appearance in The Muppet Movie (1979), the idea of putting Richard Pryor in a family film with a bunch of kids seems like a misdirected venture from the beginning. The fact that he famously set himself on fire during a drug-induced psychosis during the production probably proved this. When [...]
Mommie Dearest
This was a film that seemed to be on TV almost every weekend when I was a kid, and it was strange to watch it again now. At the time, I had no idea who Joan Crawford was. In the intervening years I became a fan of old movies, and of Crawford. I watched the [...]
Pennies From Heaven
Wow! I have a new favorite movie, which is not something that happens very often these days. Pennies From Heaven is not my all-time favorite, which would have to be Vertigo, but it is definitely up in the top 20. Although I am a big fan of British TV series, I have not gotten around [...]
Polyester
I have been returning to a lot of John Waters films this years, and since Polyester is one of my favorites, I thought why not watch it again. Divine has long been one of my favorite actors, and this is definitely the most varied role she took, having to go from a good Christian housewife, [...]
The Great Muppet Caper
Every now and then I am struck with a case of cinematic childhood regression, and I have to rewatch movies I liked as a kid. It happened earlier this year when I revisited Super Fuzz and They Call Me Bruce? after more than 20 years. Part of this is from a psychological interest in exploring [...]
Time Bandits
After watching Terry Gilliam’s Tideland for the second time yesterday, and still feeling somewhat ambivalent about it, I wanted to go back and revisit one of his films which I have always enjoyed. Time Bandits was my favorite film when I was a kid, and I caught it every time it was on TV, which [...]