Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I just started a new job and am still adjusting to my new schedule that includes less time for sleep and, more regrettably, blogging. I should get in to a more frequent blogging schedule as I adjust. Or not, in which case it'll be more like 3 days a week, which still isn't too bad. Anyways It's Oscar Season and you know what that means...it means I'm going to talk about movies that came out almost 50 years ago. First off both of these films are streaming, for free, on Hulu, which is how I saw them.
Charade (1963)
Directed by
Stanley Donen
Written by
Peter Stone
Starring
Cary Grant
Audrey Hepburn
and
Walter Matthau
James Coburn
This is what I love about old movies, no matter the situation every character has a witting comment to make at precisely the right time. It's incredibly unrealistic of course which is why you don't see it in movies as much anymore, but it's damn entertaining. It's almost impossible not to like a character when they always have a snappy comeback. Keep in mind this isn't really a comedy, even though it has some very funny parts, it's a mystery thriller. Basic setup is as follows: Hepburn is on vacation planning to divorce her husband, during the vacation she flirts with Cary Grant who happens to be there. When she returns home to Paris she discovers her house destroyed and her husband dead. It turns out her husband was part of a group that stole $250,000 from the US government but then he betrayed his fellows and kept the money for himself, escaping to Paris. Now his confederates want the money back and are after Hepburn to get it for them, this is all news to her and she has no clue where the money is. Re-enter Grant as her benevolent savior who's not what he claims. The plot twists and turns, a few people are killed, lies are discovered, and throughout it all romance blooms between the reluctant Grant and the aggressive Hepburn. The mystery is all well and good but the real head scratcher here is the relationship between Grant and Hepburn. Putting aside the obvious age difference and the inexplicable reluctance for Grant to get him some of that, Hepburn discovers lie after lie that Grant has feed her and she still keeps trusting him. A woman's libber would have a field day ripping this movie up. Hepburn comes across as mostly weak and helpless, and so blindly in love with Grant that she's willing to forgive anything with little more then a shrug. I know their are people who keep going back to a partner with a history of lying but Grant gives her like 5 different identities and after each one she's mad for like 10 seconds before completely forgetting about it and trying to fuck him. Apparently if you're Cary Grant you can pretty much do and say whatever you want and you'll still get layed. In short, Cary Grant's a good gig if you can get it. If you can get past that particular hang up it's an enjoyable movie with some good performances, a decent mystery, and some cleaver dialog.
Zatoichi (1962)
Directed by
Kenji Misumi
Written by
Minoru Inuzuka
Kan Shimosawa
Starring
Shintarô Katsu
Though this is the first Zatoichi film it's actually the third that I've seen. Like all the others this film follows Zatoichi, the wandering blind swordsman, as he gets himself involved in some local Yakuza trouble. The film is very post war Japanese, meaning it's deliberately paced and anti-war/anti-violence despite being about a dude that kills people as for living. The pacing of Asian films is something that I've become accustom to but it's worth pointing out that the first action sequence doesn't occur until an hour into the movie so if you're just looking for balls out sword fights this may not be the film for you. The film instead focuses on the characters and the time and place. The film is a slow boil, building the atmosphere, along the people and the situation unfold slowly, all the while knowing that blood will be spilled and people will die. As I mentioned before post WW2 flicks from Japan tend to be anti-war and this one is no different, Zatoichi is ever reluctant to draw his sword, preaching against the Yakuza lifestyle to the would be love interest of the film. Even the conclusion, which features a large action sequence in which many people are killed, is presented in such a way that it seems more sad and pathetic then glorious and exciting. It also shows that that people with disabilities are far from useless, and shouldn't be judged on that alone. Zatoichi may be blind but he's the best swordsman, gambler, and masseur around. I kind of love that the never explain why he's so badass it's just like, hey blind people grab a sword and start practicing, man up and you could be this cool too. So yeah, good morals and shit. While not a great film it's a good start to an epic franchise and introduces the world to a fantastic character that is around to this day almost 50 years later.
-egs
Without Zatoichi there is no Toph.
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