Besides calling this movie an action adventure, you could, above all things, call it entertainment. Everything about this movie is aimed toward entertaining its viewer, with plenty of splendid developments, fun characters and some nice action to enjoy.

It's amazing how simple this movie is with its main story and with its setup. It's all about a samurai that comes to a small town and sets two gangs up against each other. And really, that's it basically. Of course there are still plenty of other developments but the movie never becomes an overly complicated or one that's hard to follow, even though you probably still have some difficulties with it if you aren't very familiar yet with early Japanse cinema and Akira Kurosawa movies in particular.

You have to realize, that even though the movie is filled with all kinds of western cinematic influences, it's a movie set in a country with a very rich culture of its own, with also a rich history of film-making and a long history of storytelling in general. This means it's quite different from anything you are most likely normally accustomed to seeing. The movie might work out slow and confusing for some but luckily the vast majority of people won't have any difficulties getting grabbed by this movie and its way of storytelling, so don't feel too reluctant to try it!

The whole way the movie plays out is pretty neat and besides interesting. Even though it has a simple main premise, the movie in no way ever becomes a predictable one. It's mostly fun to see how the samurai sets two rivaling gangs up against each other, to make his job easy and you basically never know what is going to happen next or how the movie is going to end. And let me tell you, the end doesn't disappoint at all!

It's a well known fact Akira Kurosawa got influenced by early Hollywood westerns, which most definitely shows in this movie as well, perhaps more so than in any of his other movies. There is even a gunslinger in this and some of the shots, the townspeople and the way the town looks, with constant dust blowing through its streets, should all remind you of a good old fashioned western. It's therefore also kind of ironic how some of Kurosawa's later got remade as westerns in Hollywood, or in this particular case by Sergio Leone. Really, "Per un pugno di dollari" is absolutely and very obviously a remake of this movie, with its shots, characters, story and whatever more, though Leone had to deny it for the obvious legal reasons. But to be fair, this movie is also not entirely original of its own, since it was mostly based on a novel, that was never given any credit in this movie.

Once again, Toshirô Mifune plays the strong and charismatic lead and he is flawless! But it's also a movie in which its supporting cast is given a lot to do and at times they have to even carry the movie. This actually also adds to the Mifune character. Yes, he's smart and powerful but he's not a superhuman, or one that couldn't be harmed. The fact that the movie doesn't treat him like an action hero that does everything by himself, without any help from outsiders but keeps him more sort of restrained and more instead, which in return also adds to his mystique and the likability of his character, since he feels actually real human like.

Entertaining and wonderful in all of its glorious simplicity!

9/10

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Well, let me just say this ain't no "Ben-Hur". Sure, it's an epic but just not the best example of the genre, in my opinion.

Even though the movie features plenty of battles and is set at far off locations, in a land of kings and knights, made with plenty of money behind it, it never really feels like a large scale epic. It once more makes me all the more glad Anthony Mann got fired from "Spartacus". I can definitely appreciate Mann's directing style and like what he did for the western genre for instance but I'm just not a big fan of his 'epic' movies. Those movies are often too drama orientated, which is not a bad thing in itself but it's the sort of extremely exaggerated and drawn out drama. It's like watching a Shakespeare play done as a soap opera!

But having said that, there also are still plenty of qualities to its story. There is plenty going on in it and characters keep changing sides and attitudes, which helps to keep the movie lively and surprising. Also its main character helps to keep things interesting and he's a person who has a great sense of honor and loyalty, making him a likable hero and protagonist for the movie. It's not necessarily a movie with just black and white themes in it. It more often lets its story operate in a gray area, despite the fact all of the villains still often come across as mustache twirling villains.

And first a Mexican and now a Spaniard? That Charlton Heston was one versatile actor! Seriously, Heston is great and convincing as a Spanish hero. He of course doesn't look or sounds all that Spanish but then again, so does nobody else in this movie really. The movie was still mostly shot in Spain though, which definitely gives this movie an unique sort of atmosphere, different from the usual epic movie, set in ancient Rome for instance.

It really is a great looking movie, despite not being ever all that grand. It's still impressive looking with its settings, costumes and makeup effects, that help to age the characters convincingly throughout the movie. I did wish the movie was shot a bit better at times though. I don't know but looking back at it, it seemed to be lacking some good wide shots. It would had at least made some of the battle sequences more epic to watch. The movie probably also could had used some more warmth in it. The colors are pretty bleak looking at times, making this not always the most pleasant or inviting movie to look at.

It's definitely true this movie mostly came alive for more in its final 45 minutes or so. I won't claim the was being bad or boring before that point but it wasn't exactly being the most interesting or involving movie either. But as it neared its end, it wrapped things up pretty needly and it started to become apparent what the movie was building up to all that time.

Oh and yes, the musical score by Miklós Rózsa was great. He was of course an expert at doing this type of movies and it's something truly epic and uplifting to listen to, throughout this movie. It also earned him his last (two) Oscar nominations, which is quite surprising, knowing he didn't die until 1995 and continued composing for movies till 1989.

Really, this all in all remains a perfectly watchable genre movie, it just isn't one that's remotely on par with better and also better known genre example such as for instance "Ben-Hur", "Spartacus", "Lawrence of Arabia" or "The Ten Commandments", so please don't expect a movie like that.

7/10

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(Review originally written at 9 January 2008)

The previous Dr. Mabuse movies were mostly mystery thrillers but this movie is more of a crime thriller, also with some certain '60's funkiness added to it all. The movie is more starting to head into the 'James Bond' sort of direction with this entry, also by having some silly gadgets in it, used to murder people with. It also all means that the story is less believable and even a bit silly, compared to the previous Dr. Mabuse entries. In the movie it's also kept a mystery for long who Dr. Mabuse is and he's mostly featured in shadows and underneath masking clothes, though if you've seen the previous "Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse", which got released only just one year before this movie, you already know who Dr. Mabuse is and how he looks like, so it just seems a bit silly all and in some ways this movie is just basically more of the same, compared to the previous Dr. Mabuse entries, especially the last one "Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse". There unfortunately also are some unnecessary plot lines and characters. Or differently put; some characters and plot lines we just don't care about!

All of the action and especially the editing of it all looks by todays standards terribly outdated and clumsy. But who can really blame them. Action movies and action-style was basically still non-existent in 1961. Then again, the movie also isn't too action filled. The movie at least doesn't lay its emphasis on it and rather relies on its script and the thriller and mystery elements in it.

The overall style and atmosphere is great. It has a sort of dark, mysterious atmosphere, that is being enhanced by the fact that the movie was shot in black & white. Perhaps the only true thing that all of the Dr. Mabuse movies have in common (with the exception of "Dr. M schlägt zu" that was shot in color). Because lets face it, the Dr. Mabuse movies from the '20's, '30's and '60's are all quite different in style, approach and overall execution of it all, simply because of the different time periods the movies got made in. Also the character of Dr. Mabuse changed and the Mabuse in this movie does not operate the same as the one from the '20's and '30's. But that's OK all. It sort of gives each Dr. Mabuse movie its own identity and also makes sure that all of the movies are still filled with surprises. The character of Dr. Mabuse himself also doesn't get any weaker because of it.

The presence of the character of Dr. Mabuse of course really uplifts the movies and makes the movie much better than just any other average thriller from the same period. It's a great villainous, classic crime character, with lots of power over people.

Gert Fröbe is not as great in this movie as he was in "Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse" and it's of course also a bit weird and confusing that he this time plays a totally different character as he did in the previous entry "Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse" (same goes for some other actors within this movie, such as for instance Werner Peters). But of course that doesn't take away that he still gives away one fine performance. Wolfgang Preiss reprises his role from the previous Dr. Mabuse movie again and does a good job at it, though I was his role was bigger.

Not that great when compared to the previous 3 Dr. Mabuse movies but on its own this is simply a good and certainly enjoyable early crime thriller.

7/10

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(Review originally written at 8 December 2007)

How can you call this a movie? It hasn't even got a story.

Basically the movie is about Tor Johnson as a big, dumb, bald, once scientist (yeah, right)- now turned atomic monster (long live the atomic-age!), who is on a killing spree, even though he is perhaps only featured in about maybe one-third of the entire movie, at most.

The voice over (done by director Coleman Francis himself) is hilariously bad, due to the laughable dialogs that at times don't even seem to have anything to do what is happening on the screen. It's often hilarious because of its complete randomness. The entire movie itself was shot silent, with some later added sound and dialog, which provides some awkward and unusual moments in the movie. For instance you never see any of the characters talk on screen. This approach could had worked out if it had been done for artistic reason's but this was definitely not the case with this movie. At times I just couldn't believe how bad this movie was! Even more the amazing considering that this movie was made in the '60's and not the '50's, when Z-grade movies flourished. But this was 1961, the same year "El Cid", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "The Guns of Navarone", "West Side Story", "Judgment at Nuremberg" and "The Hustler" all got made.

It's a slow moving movie that obviously isn't helped by its sloppy editing and bad dialog. There also isn't an awful lot happening in the movie itself and it definitely could had used some more action in it. Even the beastly Tor doesn't get an awful lot to do. Characters are constantly being introduced extensively throughout the entire movie, only to be killed off or disappear out of the story a couple of minutes later again. I mean, the narrator basically tells their entire life-story when they are being firstly introduced! What's up with that...

This was the movie that killed Tor Johnson's movie career and he never made a movie after this one again. Well, it's not as if he had an impressive career in the first place but he was a popular seen actor in Z-grade science-fiction and monster movies. He of course is best know for his work in the Ed Wood movies such as "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and "Bride of the Monster". Besides Tor Johnson-, also other Ed Wood regular Conrad Brooks is in this movie, in a very small role.

Yes, the movie is definitely so bad that it becomes fun to watch. At times the movie became so bad that it really made me laugh out loud, such as the scene in which Tor chases the two boys with a stick. And well, it's only 54 minutes short so it doesn't take away too much time from your life that you'll never get back.

1/10

(Review originally written at 21 October 2006)

This has to be one of the most charming and likable romantic movies ever made till date, with a perfectly charming, mood-setting and recognizable Henry Mancini Oscar winning musical score and theme song, that perhaps is even better known than the actual movie itself.

The movie is perhaps more of a romantic comedy than an actual romantic movie. Its fun and humor is not in its comical situations but more in its little subtle fun moments and delightful quirky characters that are all each in their own way unique.

What makes really "Breakfast at Tiffany's" such a great genre movie, even for the non-fans of the genre (like myself), are it's charming and also unusual fun characters. Audrey Hepburn is charmingly delightful in her role and she is the main reason why this movie works so great as a charming one. The rest of the movie is filled with some delicious stereotypes that are so obviously caricatures that you can't take them serious. Best example of this is of course Mickey Rooney (under lots of- and silly looking make-up) in a crazy role as the always complaining Japanese upstairs neighbor. The characters are perhaps the main reason why this movie is such a charming one and a real pleasure to watch. It makes this movie also not as heavy as other genre movies, although there of course is still plenty of drama going on.

The story is solidly written and shows also some of the great and unique elements of love. The movie shows how great love is by just doing little things. The best example of this is Holly Golightly and Paul 'Fred' Varjak doing things together they never have done before. Simple things, such as going to a library, taking a walk together through the city in the morning or stealing a small item from a shop. It shows that it mostly are the simple things that make love such a great thing. It also shows that love is about wanting to help each other and making each others life better. The dialog is also very well written and is also really one of the reasons why this movie is so much better than the average genre movie. The Truman Capote touch, of who's book of the same title this movie is based, is certainly notable in this movie with its characters, dialog and situations.

Not everything however works fully out, especially the typical 'book-story-like' subplots and some other quirky unusual moments. But it's of course also due to the fact that some elements in this movie are by todays standards terribly outdated, that some things in this movie might come across as unusual and quirky.

If I had to name one reason why you should watch this movie I would say; Audrey Hepburn. She is such a delight to watch in this movie. She is absolutely beautiful, charming and yet at the same time naive looking. She gives the movie some real class. Often just her looks and facial gestures are enough to make a sequence work and they say more than a thousand words. This is the role she will always be remembered for and for a very good reason.

The entire movie is perfectly directed by Blake Edwards, before he got real fame as the director of the Pink Panter movies. He knows how to create the right mood and atmosphere for this movie and also creates a perfect balances between the comedy and romantic elements of the movie.

One of the most charming movies ever made. A real movie to fall in love with!

9/10

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(Review originally written at 11 July 2006)

Sometimes I really miss adventurous WW II movies being made. Movies such as "Where Eagles Dare", "Kelly's Heroes" and "The Eagle Has Landed". They were always carefully made with lots of eye for entertainment and had a star-filled cast, with wonderful actors. This movie is right up there with the very best and most entertaining adventurous WW II movies. The sentence; 'they don't make them like this anymore', certainly applies here.

The movie has a wonderful adventurous and heroic story about a small group of Allied soldiers who are send on a mission to destroy two enormous guns at a small Greek island, in order to make the evacuation by sea of 2000 fellow Allied soldiers at a nearby island succeed. Of course lots of things go wrong and lots of action occurs. They get into some serious situations but often also manage to get out of it, thanks to some often unlikely but always entertaining occurrence. Yes, the story is certainly one of the biggest reasons why this movie is a very great and especially memorable one. The story is based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, who of course knew how to write an entertaining, adventurous WW II story.

But probably the main reason why this movie is regarded as being an absolute classic, is due to the cast. There are some impressive and much respected names out of the business present in this movie. Gregory Peck was one of the best actors who ever lived and further more the movie has Anthony Quinn and David Niven in the most significant roles. Every actor in the movie plays an interesting character. The story is mainly set around the small group of 6 Allied soldiers whose mission it is to destroy the guns of Navarone. Every character is deliciously stereotypical and has his very own specialty. The characters suit in perfectly with the adventurous and entertaining story. The actors that portray them make their characters even more enjoyable and great to watch. Gregory Peck is a great leading man and he has some great chemistry with especially Anthony Quinn. David Niven plays the sort of comic relief and his character has got some of the best lines of the movie.

It's sort of too bad that the movie had two prominent female characters in it. Nothing wrong with female emancipation in war movies but the characters need to serve a significant purpose. The movie could had easily done without the female characters and to be honest it makes the movie perhaps drag a little on at points, due to some needless slow sequences. Basically this movie is one of those typical ultimate man movies, in which female characters should have no part in. It just didn't feel fitting. No offense ladies, I still love you!

The movie is long but the pace is high, thanks to the nimble editing and lots of action filled sequences that are present in the movie. It makes "The Guns of Navarone" a delightful 158 minutes that provides almost non-stop entertainment and action.

The movie has some great looking settings and the action sequences are well directed and brought to the screen. It gives the movie a sort of an epic feeling overall. The unforgettable musical score by Dimitri Tiomkin also certainly does add to the movie its epic and adventurous feeling.

One of the earliest- and also best and most entertaining WW II movies.

9/10

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