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(Review originally written at 6 December 2006)

This is a pretty disjointed 'late' adventure movie, that offers little excitement or even joy.

If this is an adventure movie, then were is the fun and excitement of it all? The events presented in the movie really don't feel connected to each other. The movie has overall poor storytelling.

The approach of telling the entire story from the viewpoint of a child and his 'holy man' also doesn't work in this movie. He gets from the one event and 'adventure' in the other too rapidly but without much action or excitement. It makes the movie at times feel like a 3 hour drag, even though the movie is only 113 minutes short. Too much is happening, too many characters are introduced that are not given a prominent enough role in the movie. Perhaps with more prominent roles for adults and better character treatment, the movie would had been better, more fun and perhaps also more exciting.

Errol Flynn almost looked like a parody of his old self. He obviously gained weight, looked old in general and was drunk halve of the time as well, no doubt. Maybe if his character was written- and used more prominently in the movie, he would had been given opportunity to shine more, or at least make his character more interesting and likable in the movie. But real main character of the movie is a young Dean Stockwell as Kim(ball) O'Hara (So Errol Flynn fans beware!). He's really not bad, acting- or other wise but not quite good enough to carry the entire movie in his own. The movie makes the same mistakes as Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun".

For most part the movie really looks like it was shot on the back-lot of a sound-stage. Some sets are cheap but above all too fake looking with too often also too fake looking backgrounds. Later on in the movie the movie begins featuring some real and nice looking locations but it's too little and too late to save the movie its entire visual style and atmosphere. The costumes and make-up effects are also quite poor looking for most of the time.

It all in all made this movie a rather disappointing one. One would expect some more flair, excitement and better character treatment from an adventure movie staring Errol Flynn in it, even when it's a late one.

If you want to see a good old fashioned adventure movie, pick a late '30's or early '40's one instead.

5/10

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(Review originally written at 1 November 2006)

This is a rather simple but nevertheless enjoyable musical movie from the MGM studios, with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly for the last time together on screen.

The story is very simple and of course totally predictable from start till finish but than again, which movie in this genre isn't? At what this movie tries to achieve it does not fail. The movie tries to bring some bright, cheery, joyful entertainment and those who will allow themselves will surely have a good time watching this movie.

Despite the movie being fun and all, the movie could had been a much more better one. The movie has lots of missed opportunities, such as all the actors having to work on the farm. They could had put in some extra comedy elements in there to make the movie work better and more effective as a comedy. The movie now is still fairly enjoyable as a comedy but its comedy is mostly in its characters rather than in its situations.

It also is unfortunate to say that Garland isn't really at her best in this movie. Her weight changes are way too obvious in this movie. In the one sequence she is clearly more fat than in the other and vice versa, which works distracting in basically every single sequence she is in. Also her acting is still very old fashioned for 1950 standards. All of her fellow actors in this movie are much more accustomed to the 'newer' acting standards than Garland obviously was. Gene Kelly on the other hand is in his element and he shows some good dancing but to be frank his character isn't the best or most interesting one imaginable.

Yet it are the characters who mostly carry this movie. It still works out all thanks to it's wonderful created atmosphere and quick pace directing from Charles Walters, who made many other genre movies and was a choreographer as well.

The musical numbers, with the exception of one or two good ones, aren't much special to listen to but yet they're all made interesting by the well choreographed dances and timing of it all. There aren't more songs than needed in the movie which makes this movie also perfectly watchable for the non-fans of the genre, like myself.

The movie has a good fun atmosphere and is good and cheerful looking with nice sets and costumes. It makes the movie charming to watch, like almost every MGM musical is. It's the sort of movie you watch to help to make you forget all your sorrows for a short while.

7/10

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(Review originally written at 7 August 2006)

This is one real classic and great heist movie. It has all the typical genre elements present and a great, oh so important, dark and gritty atmosphere. This is crime/film-noir at its very best!

"The Asphalt Jungle" is a quite typical heist movie with all the formulaic characters and elements present in it. I however really like the approach of this movie on its story. It provides us a view in the dark violent criminal underworld of the '50's and it chooses to not really have a main character. Instead the story focuses on all of the major players that are involved in the heist; before, during and after. It makes every plot line and character just as engaging and interesting as the other. It makes "The Asphalt Jungle" a consistently powerful crime/film-noir that is filled with all the necessary elements, such as backstabbing characters and honor amongst thieves. Combine that with a perfectly dark and gritty atmosphere and the end result is one of the most consistent and engaging heist movies ever created, if not the best of all time.

The story is told really well. Instead of having only fast paced action sequences, the movie maintains a steady pace during its entire running time. It doesn't make one moment slow or the other fast, it instead is a very consistent movie that thanks to its steady pace doesn't ever have any boring or too slow moments, like often is the case with movies from the same period. Also the fact that it focuses on more than one storyline or character, makes the movie even more interesting to follow. Due to this, every event and character in the movie becomes just as interesting and engaging as the other. The formulaic screenplay is made really interesting and powerful thanks to John Huston his refreshing directing and take on the story. He makes the story look more exciting, tense and engaging than it was on paper. It makes the character introductions, the heist itself and its aftermath work all extremely well and the one just as powerful and interesting as the other. It's certainly one of the most consistently great movies I have ever seen.

Like you would expect from a genre movie like this, the atmosphere plays a very important role for the movie. This particular movie does have a great atmosphere. It's deliciously dark and gritty and has some great cinematography and use of light, done by Harold Rosson, who was one of the very best cinematographers of his period. The musical score by Miklós Rózsa is also wonderful, though its unfortunately not often enough present in the movie.

Film-noir's always are very straight-forward and have a certain feel of realism. The movie is not only realistic due to it's atmosphere but it's also mainly very realistic, due to its character treatment, dialog and well cast actors.

The acting in this movie is great. The actors in this movie are by no means some of the greatest that ever lived but they all suite their roles extremely well. Especially Sterling Hayden as Dix Handley is fantastic. Very raw and tough. Also really well cast were Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern and Jean Hagen. Marilyn Monroe is also really good in this movie. She doesn't play a very large role but her presence is big and impressive enough to leave a lasting impression.

Impressive, realistic, gritty heist movie in typical film-noir style brilliantly directed by John Huston. An absolute must-see for the fans of the genre.

10/10

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(Review originally written at 31 July 2006)

This is one of the earliest, if not earliest, widely known and acclaimed Akira Kurosawa masterpiece and is his best known work next to "Shichinin no samurai", "Kakushi-toride no san-akunin" and "Yojimbo". This is for a very good reason, for "Rashômon" is one of Kurosawa's best works. It's beautiful, multiple layered and thought provoking.

The movie is complex and multiple layered but the story itself is quite simple. Bascicly it's the same story, about how a Samurai got killed, only told from three and eventually four different perspectives. Each story is different and shows a different take on what really happened. In the end the movie leaves us guessing which story is the truth and it doesn't pick sides. Each story told from a character's perspective, is told by the characters to mainly make themselves look as honorable and good as possible. Therefor every story feels just as credible and not credible as the other. There is no truth, at least not an objective one in this movie. And there lies the complexity of the movie. This movie works as a reflecting one and shows us how men lie and deceit for their own good. It shows us the selflessness, we eventually all poses. It's a straight-forward and honest movie about the more ugly-side of mankind. This is what the movie is about and not about what the real truth in this case is.

Some of the stories show some similarities but also differ completely at the same time. It makes all of the stories interesting to watch. It's not like it gets boring or overdone after about two stories, every story is just as engaging and surprising as the other. Through the way of storytelling it becomes obvious that none of them are fully true and are told by the character them make themselves look as honorable and good as possible, like I already mentioned before. It makes you ponder why the character tell their story the way they do and what will be gained by them, rather than thinking about it who's story is the most credible one. It forces us to picture ourselves in the characters their minds. It makes "Rashômon" one of the most thought provoking and engaging movies out of history. You can always leave it up to Kurosawa to make a simple story multiple layered and thought provoking. This movie shows storytelling at its very best!

The movie is made with lots of style. Of course the directing is top-class but so is the interesting and refreshing cinematography and the musical score. It all helps to make the settings and sets look even more beautiful than they already were.

All of the actors also give a fine performance, especially Toshirô Mifune and Masayuki Mori, who also play the most important parts of the movie.

An one of a kind Kurosawa movie and masterpiece that shows storytelling at the most beautiful, complex and engaging way possible.

10/10

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