:: Sunday, February 01, 2004 ::

This past week I saw a couple of John Frankenheimer flicks which I Tivo'd from Turner Classic Movies. "Birdman of Alcatraz", which is probably thought of along with "The Manchurian Candidate" when the director's name is mentioned. And "The Young Savages" sort of like "West Side Story" without the dancing and music. "Savages" is from 1961, and "Birdman" from 1962. Both star Burt Lancaster. Both are excellent. I hadn't seen "Birdman" since I was a kid. "Savages" tells an inner city youth tale, from a book by Evan Hunter, who wrote the similarly themed "Blackboard Jungle". Burt gets to laugh in "Savages" Hahahahaha. But as lifetime prisoner and bird buff, he's mostly very serious. Frankenheimer started as a television director, and his "signature" shot would have to be where one character is in almost closeup near the front of the screen, and another or a group of others is behind, yet still in focus. He likes to frame from below eye level, with the camera looking "up" at it's subjects. He also filmed wild car chases, but there aren't any in either movie I just lensed. "Birdman' looks wonderful in letterbox, even though it is only 1:85 to 1 because of the framing. Burt's performance is mannered, and wonderfully bristly. He's a D.A. in "Savages" in which he chews a bit more scenery.

I also saw "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" with Spencer Tracy as James Doolitle, and starring Van Johnson, Robert Walker, Don Defore and Phyllis Thaxter. Robert Mitchum shows up as another pilot. Just as exciting as I remember. The "real" footage and the staged footage, in b&w WWII era films (this one from 1944, and propaganda all the way) are matched rather well. It has one of moviedom's most quoted lines. "Why are you so cute?" " Because I had to be" spoken by Phyllis and Van.

I never tire of seeing the old b&w films on my "silver screen". One of the main reasons why I keep ahold of the "square" bigscreen television is for the old square gems of the silver screen.

Oscar fever is now upon us. I've now read two articles in the LA Times about Andy Serkis since the noms. One mentioned that there had been some buzz in the Hollywood community about nominating him for best supporting actor (I'm giving the nod to Tim Robbins in his absence) and one was a plug for a book he wrote about the experience of "acting" Gollum. I can hardly wait for the first nominated performance that was done in the computer. That will legitamize the process.
:: Michael Nyiri 7:30 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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