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To Kill A MockingbirdON THE VIDEO SHELF
Section F
Okay, if you’ve seen this...you know it’s a classic. If you haven’t, then you should go right now and get it. This is one of the all time classic films that every one knows the name of but a lot of younger viewers haven’t seen.
You have to see the best performance from Gregory Peck in an understated role as the lawyer...his daughter Scout, and the first role for Robert Duval.
It is based on the novel from Harper Lee and tells a tale of a young girl and her brother growing up in the south while their father defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. The trial scenes are short but show the injustice of the time. The kids explore growing up in the midst of this trial and reach out to try and understand the unusual and the terrifying elements that plague them.
Peck is masterful, the writing is top notch. This is one of the great classics and should be required watching for all audiences. It won’t blow you away but it will show you the power of a well-done movie. Mephisto/Hanussen/Colonel Redl
These are actually three different films that were made as a part of a trilogy by director Istvan Szabo and starring Klaus Maria Brandauer. They were made during the span of the 1980’s and dealt with men obtaining power during and preceding the epic wars in Europe.
The films are not related to each other at all so there is no real order to see them and they are not dependent on each other whatsoever to watch. We have grouped them together as if you like one, you will undoubtedly like the others.
The first one is Mephisto in which Brandauer plays an actor in 1930’s Germany who will do anything to further himself. He sees the rising Nazi party as a tool and nothing more and will use them to get where he wants.
The second is probably the weakest although it is based on a true story. It tells the story of Colonel Redl, a spy who becomes a victim of the spy game. It is a great look at the pitfalls in the world of espionage.
Hanussen is also based on a true person although rather loosely. It covers the story of a veteran of World War I caught up in the escalating Nazi party. Hanussen, through an accident, feels he has received the powers of fortune telling and it immediately catapults him into the Nazi’s good graces. The tale reaches into the realms of ambition and power.
All three movies are somewhat slow paced for today’s audiences but they deliver powerful stories for those who love the unfolding of drama. Each is well worth viewing and again, they should be considered completely independent of each other. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Forget about the awkward and silly title, this is one great film. Paul Muni plays a convict who escapes, makes good of himself, only to be taken back in chains. At first glance, may seem to be something like Les Miserables without the back drop of the French Revolution, but the fact is that this is based on a true story.
The film gained acclaim not only for the story, but for being one of the first films to show the harsh life that awaited prisoners. It also gives a good look at the Depression era and how it affected the normal populace.
Trust us, you’ll want to get past the title of this movie and check it out. Witness for the Prosecution
An all star cast in this murder trial that features Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, and Tyrone Power. A man is accused of murder and his own wife agrees to testify against him. Laughton plays the wily barrister who must fend off an over protective nurse as he struggles with a case in which the pieces just don’t fit right.
Showcasing the stuffy and pompous British courtrooms, this legal thriller manages to pull the viewer in while the case races for its climatic close.
This film was remade in the early 1990’s and was not to bad, but by all means, you have to try and get ahold of this all time classic version. Incredible Shrinking Man
A late 1950’s film that features the saga of a man undergoing radical changes. After passing through a radioactive fog, he finds himself shrinking a bit each and every day. Dealing with not only the physical changes but the emotional challenges that overwhelm him, this is a tragic story of a man facing the unknown destiny of continuing growing smaller.
It has some great special effects for the time such as when the man goes up against a spider (a giant spider to him), a cat, and although sounding humorous but actually painfully desolate, when he is forced to move into a doll house.
The movie approaches some philosophical levels, after all, the question remains how small will he actually become? Our lead character gives a narration through out the film which adds to the chilliness of the movie. This is not an adventurous tale as some might expect, it goes far deeper than that and makes this film one of the best science fiction movies ever made. Heart of Darkness: A Filmaker’s Apocalypse
So, you want to know why all these movies cost so much and seem to take forever to film? This is a great look at what goes on in making movies as we watch Francis Ford Coppola develop and film Apocalypse Now. The scary thing is that this is what Coppola allowed to be released and we get the feeling that if we could see the real story, it would be even more fascinating....and frustrating.
Here you can see the mix of Hollywood...egos, money, and artistic visions...all plunged into a whirlpool of chaos and excessiveness. Best to have seen the movie first, which you should anyhow as it is an artistic masterpiece.
How much did they pay Marlon Brando?!!!??!