USA

W.C. Fields headlines in this 1926 silent comedy classic, essentially a collection of some of Fields’ best routines stitched together with the thinnest of plots.

It’s the Old Army Game (1926)

Released: 11 Jul 1926 Rated: PASSED Runtime: 77 min
Director: A. Edward Sutherland Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Romance
Cast: W.C. Fields, Louise Brooks, Blanche Ring, William Gaxton Writers: J.P. McEvoy (play), W.C. Fields (play), William LeBaron (adaptation), Thomas J. Geraghty (scenario), J. Clarkson Miller (scenario), Ralph Spence (titles)

Plot: Druggist Elmer Prettywillie is sleeping. A woman rings the night bell only to buy a two-cent stamp. Then garbage collectors waken him. Next it’s firemen on a false alarm. And then a real fire.Read More »

Quote:
Performance footage and interviews combine to offer a hilarious look at controversial comedian Andy Kauffman’s surreal journey into the world of professional wrestling. He had kept Americans in stitches as a featured player on the hit television sitcom Taxi, but Kaufman would single-handedly destroy his small-screen career when he went on television to taunt Memphis-based professional wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler”, and challenged females to fight him in the ring. As Kaufman put every ounce of his energy into taunting Lawler, his abrasive form of comedic performance art alienated the fan-base that had so ardently supported him during his days as lovable, squeaky-voiced cabbie Latka Gravas on the series that propelled him to stardom. In this documentary, fans are offered a rare glimpse into the genius of a comic who was so effective at duping the audience that many assumed his diagnoses with terminal cancer was just another warped gag.Read More »

Quote:
“Inside Daisy Clover” is one of those films which divides movie buffs, beloved by some and detested by others. There’s no doubt that it’s an acquired taste, thanks largely to Wood’s bravely quirky, potentially audience-alienating performance in the title role – that of a 1930s teen starlet nurtured and then devoured by Hollywood’s monolithic studio system – one Swan Studios, run by a truly frightening Christopher Plummer (a role played the same year he did “The Sound of Music”).Read More »

In this adventure, four explorers search for a vast treasure in the Amazon jungle. One of the explorers is a woman who got involved after she traveled from California to marry her fiance whom she hasn’t seen in two years. Another man tries to convince her that her fiance has become an alcoholic idealist obsessed with finding gold in the jungle. Another takes her into the jungle to find her love. En route he falls in love with her. Later they learn that her fiance has been killed by the Jivaro headhunters. The other man, who went in before them is also attacked, but the woman’s guide saves his life. This film did not use stock footage. Much of it was actually filmed in the jungle to provide the backgrounds.Read More »

Quote:
In a small town, Roy Seeley and his girlfriend Mandy Pullman are camping by the lake. Out of the blue, they are attacked and Roy is murdered while Mandy is violently raped. Dr. Sam Cordell is impressed with the violence and realizes that Mandy has had the uterus ruptured. Then the librarian Carolyn Davies is also violently raped and murdered. Lieutenant Drivas believes that the women have been raped by a gang while Sam and Sheriff Hank Walden believe that only one man did. The snoopy reporter Laura Kincaid is always interfering with the investigation and Sam has a love affair with her. Meanwhile the young Tim Galen, who dates Sam’s daughter Jenny Cordell, discloses that he has premonitory visions of the deaths, but his grandmother Agatha Galen tries to convince him that he has nothing to do with the murders. But when Jenny learns about his dreams, she summons her father, Laura and they discover a supernatural secret about the Galen’s family.Read More »

Wealthy Sunny von Bülow lies brain-dead, husband Claus guilty of attempted murder; but he says he’s innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.

Letterboxd review by chavel ★★★★★
An aerial shot that opens is like no other, it starts overlooking over the exclusive Easton Bay and then turns upwards, with the shot swooping over estate after estate in ritzy Rhode Island for nearly a minute. In an overhead shot, these are the richest looking houses you’ve ever seen, property after property, perfectly, lushly landscaped.Read More »

Plot Synopsis by Sandra Brennan
In this musical comedy, an irresponsible young heir is betrothed to the singing daughter of a wealthy matron.

Unfortunately, the willful young is not even slightly interested in her “fiance,” preferring the attentions of another instead. Unfortunately, the other man has a big problem. Though he really loves the girl, he will lose his $3 million inheritance if he marries her before the age of 30. Complicating matters is the private detective assigned to keep him from getting to involved with women such as the heroine.Read More »

Two strangers share a sweepstakes ticket and then embark on an “imaginary” honeymoon with their “winnings”.Read More »

When he was a boy, Harry idolized Santa Claus, but one Christmas Eve, he witnessed something horrifying that forever shattered his innocent understanding of Santa. Now an adult, Harry wants to embody the pure Santa Claus he grew up loving. He works at a toy factory and keeps records of who’s been naughty and nice, but the spirit of Christmas isn’t what it used to be and he can’t take it. So, garbed in his red suit, Harry decides that the only thing he can do is to become Santa himself and make all of the naughty townspeople pay…in blood!Read More »