Classic Cinema Roundup: A Journey to the Past

Today I will be discussing several films from classic Hollywood. I have always loved these older movies and while I did not enjoy each one I saw so far this year I still wanted to share my opinions of them as they deserve discussion so as to avoid being lost in time, lets begin.

The Bad Seed (1956)

Sometimes a bite is better than the whole meal. Having previously seen and thoroughly enjoying the last half of the film I figured it was worth watching it in its entirety. While Patty McCormack is phenomenal the movie dragged its feet and pulled punches. Looking back on the film now I have less of a memory of it than the first time I saw it where I only watched half of it. That is to say that this really isn't worth your time, while the story of a maniacal little girl and her increasingly deviant behaviour captured in a film from this era is interesting the movie itself is not, which is a shame. I must say that the remake in 2018 that aired on Lifetime starring Rob Lowe and Mckenna Grace was much more enjoyable and took the source material and improved upon it.

Valley of the Dolls (1967)

While Josh Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies introduced the film and proclaimed it to be a “Trashterpiece” I beg to differ. While I can appreciate movies so bad that they are good I found this film to be the opposite of entertaining. Rather, what one finds in watching this is a non existent plot that is strung on for an hour that is then followed by an abrupt and wholly unexplained tonal shift which made the entire endeavor excruciating. Barbara Perkins ,Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate star is this dumpster fire and none are given anything worthwhile to do. There is nothing worth seeing in this movie aside from those curious about Sharon Tate I suppose, she is a much more intelligent and interesting figure than this movie would make you think.

Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)

Elizabeth Taylor is always a joy to watch and she is stunning in this film though the plot of it is less than compelling. A meandering Tennessee Williams play with such long winded and bombastic dialogue slowed the plot to a brutal pace but the chaotic conclusion made up for it somewhat. Katherine Hepburn, who I often dislike, was actually exceptional here though her constant over pronunciation of her words still bothers me to no end to listen to. Montgomery Clift is also in this but is nothing more than a plot device that bounces between talking to Taylor and Hepburn who works as a vehicle to move the plot from scene to scene while being given no definition by the screenplay. This is an okay film, but it is nothing exceptional aside from the outlandish climax that will stick with the viewer long after seeing l it.

Vertigo (1956)

I decided to revisit a film I remembered watching while I was still in high school and had fond memories of. I still thoroughly enjoyed the surrealist cinematography, plot twists, and locations they filmed at here. However, after seeing it again I struggle to see how I enjoyed it so much the first time around. While I can appreciate some of the inventive filmmaking techniques and solid performances much of it came off as a corny and downright patriarchal. I can now understand why it was not a hit when it was first released. The movie goes to extraordinary lengths to pull the wool over James Stewart's eyes such that he does not see the big twist coming until it is painfully obvious which did not help the movie feel less predictable or dated.

The Time Machine (1960)

I have already discussed my love of this movie before on my blog but having rewatched it again I just wanted to reiterate how great this movie is.

I had so much fun rewatching this great Sci-fi adventure, Rod Taylor is phenomenal along with Alan Young. Really enjoy the 1960’s special effects and broad story stretched over varied time periods. This is such a fun movie with an incredible Star Trek esque plot, this one deserves to be seen!

This is a masterpiece!

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970)

Well, they certainly do not make movies like this anymore. The lack of discernible dialogue made the film calming to watch as you could just sit back and enjoy the visuals which included amazing practical effect dinosaurs, giant crabs, and huge waves.

The story was hard to follow at times since all the male characters looked alike due to the horrible wigs and fake beards they were all wearing. However, any movie that ends with the dinosaurs saving the main character gets a pass in my book.

Plus what other movie has this.

The movie had surprisingly good cinematography especially in the third act where there was some creative handheld shots which added effective tension to action sequences. Also, I really enjoy the matte painting aesthetic. Lastly, Victoria Vetri is striking in this film.

The Colour of Pomegranates (1969)

I tried to watch this but had to quit after an hour once the movie began to rely on acts of animal cruelty. The film started with impressive surrealist cinematography that became repetitive to the point of feeling vapid. The score of bells and chimes was also vexing. Avoid this film at all costs.

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Solid thriller though it does have several plot holes that are hard to ignore but are overcome by an amazing third act. Audrey Hepburn is great alongside Alan Arkin who is incredible here at playing the eccentric main villain. Really appreciated some of the creative ways Hepburn tried to out maneuver those seeking to break into her home to commit a robbery. The third act of this movie is incredible and still holds up in terms of creating tension and anxiety. This one is definitely worth a watch.

One last point about this one, I could not help but think that Alan Arkin's character bared a striking resemblance and thus may have been the inspiration for Doc Ock's look in Sami Rami's Spider Man 2. Compare these two images below for yourself and see if they look similar to you.

The Nanny (1965)

This is an arlight Hammer film with Bette Davis hamming it up, pun intended. Enjoyed seeing Davis compete with the troublemaking little boy Joey, played by William Dix. There is nothing extraordinary here, decent plot which works to explain Davis character and actions. The underwhelming ending left me wanting in that while the rest of the movie is not bad by any stretch of the imagination the decent enough plot never built up to anything bigger making the whole film feel lacklustre.

Still, this is a good watch if just to hear Davis' sultry voice. The one scene in the film that made it worth it for me was watching Bette Davis manically deny handing over some desperately needed pills to a dying woman. That scene oozed What Ever Happened to Baby Jane energy. I just wish the rest of the movie was as entertaining.