A Reel Opinion: STAR WARS for All.

STAR WARS fandom has been sadly divided over the last five years; not so much over the quality of product, but for the growing role of women in the franchise. Earlier this week, conservative podcast host Ben Shapiro went all cave-man when he complained about STAR WARS having too many women heroes; calling the franchise a “a little boy’s property” and being tainted by SJW’s (social justice warriors). 

Shapiro’s me-Tarzan-you-Jane attitude reflects that of a vocal minority in STAR WARS fandom that has had their knickers in a twist over the presence of women who aren’t damsels in distress. When Disney re-launched STAR WARS in 2015, new Jedi hero Rey (Daisy Ridley) was introduced, and the spin-off film ROGUE ONE (2016), brought us Jyn (Felicity Jones). These new central characters brought a freshness to STAR WARS and immediately inspired a new generation of women, and young girls…to embrace STAR WARS, and in a bigger picture, women’s role in cinema. 

While Rey, Jyn, and other supporting female characters have mostly been embraced by fans, that vocal minority, with “men” like Shapiro as their mouthpiece, have made their insecurities known. Over the last few years, STAR WARS cast members such as Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran have been driven off social media due to vicious attacks. It’s an epidemic of over-sensitive “bros” who just can’t handle girls in their treehouse. It’s ironic, as they are usually the first ones to attack others for being easily triggered. They see the growing presence of women in STAR WARS and in other action films as an attack on “guy stuff”, when the only risk to modern manliness are those hyper-panicked bros who lose their minds when a woman shows up in their movies. 

Shapiro and his cave-men are certainly entitled to their opinions, but they are forgetting what STAR WARS was all about in the first place. Since day one, the STAR WARS galaxy has been populated by diverse characters working together; humans, men, women, aliens, and robots working side-by-side towards common goals. This blogger was there in 1977 when it all started, and I recall that while every boy was a Luke, every girl was a Princess Leia. And Leia, as wonderfully played by the late, great Carrie Fisher…was never a total damsel in distress. She fired guns, spat insults at the villains, commanded the Rebel Alliance, and always maintained the beacon of hope for the galaxy. What Leia did in 1977 paved the way for Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) in the Prequel Trilogy (1999-2005), and eventually Rey and Jyn. 

This problem of the bros rebelling against characters that don’t look like themselves is not limited to STAR WARS or to women. This same gaggle of apes have staged the same attacks against Marvel characters Captain Marvel and Black Panther. They can call it too much social justice, but ask them what’s wrong with social justice for all and they’ll cower from the question for fear of their bigotry being exposed. There was a time when geeks used to celebrate the marginalized, as their favorite sci-fi properties STAR WARS, STAR TREK, and superheroes were always ahead of the curve. Today it’s sadly attacked for no good reason. When STAR WARS was first released over 40 years ago, it wasn’t meant just for white males; if it did, it would not have the presence that it has had in every household in the world for the last four decades. Over the years this Blogger has taken great joy in seeing his little sister, niece, and fiancée be inspired by STAR WARS, and that is a joy Shapiro and his apes will never take part in…because they don’t deserve to. 

A Reel Retro Review: THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

In 1998, the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks-led romantic comedy YOU’VE GOT MAIL was a hit with audiences and critics that had everyone talking. Unbeknownst to most audiences was that the film had its roots in a 1937 Hungarian play called Parfumerie by Miklos Laszio. That play was adapted for the screen in 1940 as THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER starring a few Hollywood legends…

Two employees at a store in Budapest; Alfred (James Stewart), and Klara (Margaret Sullavan), can not stand to be around each other…not realizing they are falling in love as anonymous correspondents through letters. 

Directed by German director Ernst Lubitsch, THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER spends most of its time around Alfred and Klara…as they battle each other in the workplace while not knowing that they are each other’s pen-pals. There is an early playfulness between the two that eventually turns hostile, and the passion that they both have for their pen-pals makes the feud all the more fun. Things get even more complicated when the shop-owner (Frank Morgan, fresh off his role as the Wonderful Wizard), has a personal tragedy that puts Alfred in charge of the shop. Alfred’s new role allows him to figure out that Klara is his pen-pal, which gives him a new mission; see her in a different light. 

Director Ernst Lubitsch keeps the pacing brisk and the atmosphere light, and the film is a breeze at 99 minutes. The story takes place around Christmastime which actually makes the film the potential to land on holiday watch-lists in December. The dialogue is sharp as a razor, very funny, and the war of words between Alfred and Klara a blast to listen to. Set in 1940, this is a world before WWII, and it still has the innocence of mankind at work. Despite having a cast full of American actors, the place-setting of Budapest is a bit strange, but never derails the film. 

James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan are like firecrackers in their little battles, but both act with a sincerity that makes us root for them to get together. Frank Morgan feels like he just stepped out of Oz (he kinda did), but it’s quite interesting to see him and his mustache in a different setting. 

It wouldn’t be a spoiler to say that Alfred and Klara get together at the end, for a story like this of course deserves a happy ending. THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is ground-zero for the Ryan/Hanks hit that would come nearly 60 years later, and is one of the best examples of romantic comedy. 

Bottom Line: See it 

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Reel Facts: YOU’VE GOT MAIL uses much dialogue from the 1940 film, especially in the first date scene, and a bookstore is featured named The Shop Around the Corner. The film also spawned a remake in 1949, named IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME starring Judy Garland. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Sci-Fi Films of the Millennium - 2000-2019

It has now been 20 years since the Y2K Monster never came down from space to destroy us, which is a good thing…because the last two decades have provided us with some most-excellent films from a film-geek’s favorite genre: science fiction. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Sci-Fi Films of the Millennium, 2000-2019. 

The millennium started with science fiction films up front. George Lucas brought in two new STAR WARS films in 2002 and 2005, and Bryan Singer’s X-MEN in 2000 launched the current era of superheroes…who are always saturated in sci-fi. While X-MEN got it going, Marvel Studios took it to new heights when their time-travelling epic AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019), became the box office champion. Time travel has always provided great sci-fi stories, and Rian Johnson twisted our minds around with LOOPER in 2012. But the genre was not limited to far-out concepts, as we were treated to realistic space-travel and exploration films such as THE MARTIAN (2015), MOON (2009), and GRAVITY (2013). Even animation giant Pixar got into the fun with their robot adventure WALL-E in 2008. 

For the past two decades, sci-fi films have won Oscars, broken box office records, and have been elevated to legit cinema even in the eyes of the stuffiest film critics. The best sci-fi films are the ones that use their far-out concepts of technology, other worlds, and an Earth of the future to tell stories of humanity…because no matter how high the concept, humanity is what we all seek. 

So let’s start seeking…

10. AVATAR (2009)

James Cameron’s off-world epic about humans attempting to colonize another planet for her resources was a multi-Oscar and Golden Globe nominee and winner, and kicked off a new interest in sci-fi films that has revitalized the genre for the past decade of the millennium. An old story in new skin, its high concept paired with simple story-telling clicked with audiences so well that it took the all-time box office title and held on to it for a decade. 

9. DISTRICT 9 (2009)

Themes of humanity, xenophobia, and segregation come into play in Neill Blomkamp’s alien-arrival film which in broad strokes serves as a metaphor for South African apartheid. A landmark in visual effects, DISTRICT 9 was also an Oscar nominee; using a real-life human-rights situation to open up conversations about how we treat those who are different. 

8. ARRIVAL (2016)

Aliens have arrived on Earth and it’s up to a linguist teacher (Amy Adams), to decipher messages from the non-speaking visitors. Denis Villeneuve directed this mind-bender with much of its purpose shrouded in mystery…capped off with a whopper of a twist which changes everything we had just seen…right down to the title. Underneath that it uses the presence of the visitors to motivate humans all across the country to put aside differences and come together; a message more relevant today than it was four years ago. 

7. HER (2013)

Spike Jonze took home an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in this little tale about a lonely man (Joaquin Phoenix), who falls in love with his computer’s operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Just like any good sci-fi film should do, HER takes the path that humans are on in today’s time and takes it to its next logical steps; steps that can only go in one direction when humans and machines spend too much time together. 

6. INCEPTION (2010)

Christopher Nolan directs this multi-layered thriller where professional thieves invade the dream-space of others to either steal information or plant ideas. It’s an old-fashioned heist film in reverse, but it has a lot more going on; it’s a philosophical look at how ideas are generated and brought to life…coupled with broken families and redemption. A box office hit and a winner of four of its eight Oscar nominations.

5. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

There has been a healthy debate over the last four decades if STAR WARS should be considered sci-fi, fantasy, or both. For the purposes of this blog, let’s simplify it; if it has spaceships, it’s sci-fi. J.J. Abrams directs this re-launch of the STAR WARS franchise that continued the stories started by creator George Lucas. THE FORCE AWAKENS was true to its title in story and in culture; by introducing new heroes to a new generation and bringing back old favorites for one last adventure…STAR WARS was awakened for several more decades to come. Its classic structure makes it easily accessible, quotable, and endlessly rewatchable. 

4. CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)

Mankind has lost the ability to reproduce in Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian statement on not only humanity but of life itself. Clive Owen plays the reluctant hero tasked with delivering the last pregnant women on Earth to safety, while avoiding assassination attempts by a militant group and a society that is crumbling to pieces. Similar to HER, CHILDREN OF MEN takes humanity’s modern-day path and shows us where we could be headed. One of the many purposes of sci-fi is to sober us up, and Cuaron does so in breathtaking strokes. 

3. BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017)

Denis Villeneuve brings a second film into this list with a decades-later sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic, BLADE RUNNER. Rightly set 30 years after the events of the first film, Villeneuve makes a perfect sequel in taking the original film and expanding on the storylines and themes. Packed with mystery and a visual stunner, 2049 is jaw-dropping and thought-provoking…with the meaning of human life just one of many themes at work. 

2. EX MACHINA (2014)

Artificial intelligence is put under the microscope in this psychological thriller by Alex Garland. Oscar Isaac plays the tech-wizard who creates Ava (Alicia Vikander); the world’s first intelligent humanoid robot…who is put to the test in a game of wits by a hapless programmer (Domhnall Gleeson). Mesmerizing in its execution, EX MACHINA not only boasts some of the best CGI ever done to bring Ava to life, but also brings in perfect twists to reveal hidden character motivations and secrets. Nothing is quite what it seems and its mystery has audiences wondering who is the real human and who is the machine. 

1. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)

Tom Hardy steps into the role of Max and Charlize Theron brings the character of Furiosa to life in this Oscar-winning sonic and visual blast. George Miller’s high-octane, decades-later sequel to his own MAD MAX franchise that he launched in 1979 is in a post-apocalyptic world where blood and water are scarce commodities, and human beings themselves have become even more precious…especially those who are able to give birth in a statement on the human race. A message scrawled on a wall that says “we are not things” has a weight that gives the film an emotional heft and is relevant to today’s real world. And on top of the sub-text is some of the best action cinema has ever seen in a mind-blowing chase across the desert done with old-school, practical effects that makes for a thrill a minute. No matter how high the thrills or how out-there some of this future world’s characters may be…FURY ROAD never loses sight of the importance of humanity. And that’s what great sci-fi does. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST SCI-FI FILMS OF THE MILLENNIUM

1. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
2. EX MACHINA
3. BLADE RUNNER 2049
4. CHILDREN OF MEN
5. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
6. INCEPTION
7. HER
8. ARRIVAL
9. DISTRICT 9
10. AVATAR 

A Reel Retro Review: THE LONG NIGHT (1947)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

The genre of film noir has been around for so long (it started in the 1940’s), that many of us often struggle to put a solid definition on it. For most of us, as long as it’s black-and-white, uses lights and shadows, and has an element of mystery…it classifies. The genre was at its peak in the 1940’s and 50’s, and one of the many films lost in the shuffle of time is THE LONG NIGHT; a mystery starring three future Hollywood legends. 

Maximillian the Great (Vincent Price), a magician, is apparently murdered on the top floor of an apartment building by Joe Adams (Henry Fonda). As Joe barricades himself in his room and the police surround him, a standoff that lasts the night begins…

THE LONG NIGHT starts off with a literal bang, with the body of Maximillian tumbling down the stairs after a gunshot. The mystery of the film isn’t so much who-dun-it, but why-dun-it. After it becomes clear that Joe was the one who pulled the trigger, the film moves into an extended flashback that runs up to the murder. A love triangle is revealed, with Maximillian and Joe competing for the affections of Jo Ann (Barbara Bel Geddes). It’s a battle of wits, with the successful rich magician considering himself above and better than Joe, who is just a humble factory worker wanting to get by. 

Directed by Anatole Litvak, THE LONG NIGHT not only plays with mystery but with a subtext of life after war. Joe is a WWII veteran, and is one of many characters in the film who came home from war not really knowing what to do with themselves. It’s a look at small-town American life in a period of transition, which plays a heavy factor in Joe going down a dark and bloody path. Litvak films a great looking movie, with all the shadowy characteristics of film noir present at all times. Pacing is brisk and the dialogue between Maximillian and Joe sharp as a razor as the two men battle each other. 

Acting is excellent. The film is a treat to see future legends Henry Fonda and Vincent Price share the screen. Both are young men here and they are well before the years earned them that legend status. Barbara Bel Geddes is in her first film role here, and is a joy to watch. 

True to most film noir, THE LONG NIGHT is a tragedy, and serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen in any town in America. Human frailty is the real lesson, and makes this a fine example of an old genre. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it. 

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Reel Facts: THE LONG NIGHT is a remake of the French film LE JOUR SE LEVE (1939), and was a financial failure at the box office. The film was the big screen debut for Barbara Bel Geddes, who went on to a career that would span five decades. She would win Tony Awards on Broadway, star in Alfred Hitchcock’s VERTIGO (1958), and would win several Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for her long-standing role in television’s DALLAS (1978-1990). 

A Reel 20: X-MEN

“Mutation. It is the key to our evolution.”

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of Bryan Singer’s X-MEN. 

Based upon Marvel Comics’ famed property of super-powered mutants, and often regarded as the film that launched our current era of superhero films, X-MEN began its mutation to cinema as far back as 1984, when Orion Pictures held an option on the rights. Development stalled when Orion hit financial problems, and by 1989 creator Stan Lee was in talks with director James Cameron (TERMINATOR), to get the project going again. The project went through several versions and personnel, and a 1996 script was close to going before cameras; a version that focused on the heroes with no plans for the villains until the second film. 

Over the next few years, directors such as Brett Ratner (RUSH HOUR), Robert Rodriguez (FROM DUSK TILL DAWN), and Paul W.S. Anderson (MORTAL KOMBAT), were considered. The job would eventually go to Bryan Singer, who had just turned in a hit with the action mystery film THE USUAL SUSPECTS. Singer brought in new writers, and a final script which added villains and added layers of depth with civil rights issues, was green-lighted. 

Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR), was first considered for the role of the self-healing, clawed hero Wolverine. Crowe turned it down, and recommended the role to his friend, then-unknown Hugh Jackman. The rest of the cast, which could be considered to be an ensemble by today’s standards, included Patrick Stewart as Prof. Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Halle Berry as Storm, Famke Janssen as Dr. Jean Grey, James Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Msytique, Tyler Maine as Sabertooth, Ray Park of THE PHANTOM MENACE fame as Toad, and Anna Paquin as Rogue. Filming began in September 1999 and wrapped in March of 2000. Michael Kamen would provide the score. 

X-MEN would have its premier on Ellis Island on July 12, 2000 (which was also the site of the climactic battle in the film), prior to its wide release a couple of days later. Reviews were positive, and a healthy box office take would make it the eighth-highest grossing film of the year. It would be nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, and would win several at the Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film. 

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With so many superhero offerings from Marvel and DC Comics these days, it’s hard to remember a time when cinemas avoided costumed heroes like the plague. In the 1990’s, the industry was reeling after two consecutive disastrous BATMAN films, and no one wanted anything to do with comic book properties. All that changed in 2000 with X-MEN, which not only provided solid entertainment, but by introducing civil rights issues into the mix, gave the film an important, adult-layer which makes it very relevant today. It wasn’t just about good-guys vs. bad-guys, but society vs. those who are different. It paved the way for what Marvel would do with their massive Cinematic Universe years later, and even DC took a page out that book with their attempt at connected films. The true legacy of X-MEN is that it reignited an interest in superhero films, an interest that continues to this day. It also brought instant fame to Hugh Jackman, who, along with Patrick Stewart…would reprise their characters over the next 17 years. Prior to 2000, fans had been waiting a long time to see their favorite superheroes on the big screen done right, and with X-MEN their prayers were answered. 

“Let’s just say God works too slowly.”

A Reel Retro Review: THE BAT (1959)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

When it comes to the late great horror icon Vincent Price, most of us immediately recall his roles in THE FLY (1958), HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959), or HOUSE OF WAX (1953). With over 100 films to his credit, he was quite the prolific actor and worked well into his eighties. With so many films, much of his smaller, less iconic roles tend to be overlooked, with one of them coming in the 1959 horror/mystery film THE BAT. 

Mystery author Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes Moorhead), and her maid Lizzie (Lenita Lane), rent a summer home in a town that is being terrorized by a murderer known as “the Bat”; a man with no face who kills women at night with steel claws. 

Based the 1908 novel The Circular Staircase and an eventual stage adaptation, THE BAT is a film that was ahead of its time, and forgoes the usual damsel-in-distress being chased by a ghoul by introducing a complex, yet easy-to-follow mystery. The owner of the Summer home is a banker (Harvey Stevens), who has embezzled a million dollars from his bank and allegedly hid it in the house. Hot on the trail of the money is Dr. Malcolm Wells (Price), and police Lt. Anderson (Gavin Gordon). With the banker vanishing, the race is on to find the hidden money in the house…with the Bat creeping around and slashing whoever gets in his way. 

It’s a clever mashup of mystery and horror, which has a simplicity to it but enough intricacies to make it a layered who-dun-it. There are plenty of surprises scattered about, with the identity of the Bat done with a well-executed shell-game; just when we think we know who the faceless man is, a well-timed twist pulls the rug out from us armchair cinematic sleuths. 

Written and directed by Crane Wilbur, THE BAT works very well as a horror film. The Bat himself is simply a man with a black mask in a dark suit and terrifying steel claws, but by hiding him in shadow and having him appear when we least expect it, the simplicity of the character is soon forgotten. Scenes where the Bat sneaks into the house and prowls around are done very well. Shot in glorious black-and-white, the usage of lights and shadows is perfect. 

Acting is very good. Vincent Price’s role is understated as he is not really the “lead”, but he carries the role of the good doctor with an aura of mystery that keeps us guessing. Agnes Moorhead is fantastic as she carries the film; she is strong-willed and tough, and puts her mystery-novelist skills to good use. 

With the ladies taking most of the screentime and Price nearly taking a back seat, THE BAT plays today as very progressive piece for 1959, which makes it very relevant today. It’s a treat to see Price in a smaller role, and the film itself has some sharp fangs with its excellent scares and twists. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

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Reel Facts: The 1959 film was the fourth version of the story, following the 1908 novel, the 1920 play, and a 1926 silent film.  Director Crane Wilbur was a writer and director of 67 films from the silent era and the sound era, and found lasting recognition as an actor after his role in the serial THE PERILS OF PAULINE (1914). THE BAT was originally released as a double feature, paired with the Hammer horror film THE MUMMY with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. 

A Reel Retro Review: SCENT OF MYSTERY (1960)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some classic, overlooked, and perhaps forgotten screen gems to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence.  

In the early part of this century, studios tried to create a new sensation with 3D films; either by re-releasing old classics in the format or making movies tailored to show off the effect. It was a gimmick that died quickly (thank the Maker), leaving many of the movies of that era languishing without that extra dimension. In the 1960’s, a similar gimmick was tried, called Smell-O-Vision…which was a system that released odor during the film so that audiences could smell what was happening in the movie. The first film to give it a try was SCENT OF MYSTERY in 1960. When viewing this film at home, the Smell-O-Vision is obviously not a factor, so the question is, how does the film work without the tricks? 

While on holiday in Spain, Oliver Larker (Denholm Elliott), is a mystery novelist who stumbles upon a plot to murder an American heiress. He enlists the help of a cabbie, Smiley (Peter Lorre), to locate the woman and save her life. 

Directed by Jack Cardiff from a screenplay by Gerald Kersh, SCENT OF MYSTERY begins with a simple enough plot; find the girl, save her life, catch the bad guys. Larker and his cabbie have very little to go on in the early goings as they only catch a glimpse of her  from afar. What comes next is a cross-country trip across Spain which serves as one-part mystery-solver and one-part tour guide. 

What should be a simple plot eventually gets unnecessarily complicated. The film moves into a mistaken-identity genre when Larker and Smiley spend half the film chasing a woman who isn’t really the heiress, and cross paths with a mysterious lawyer and sniper-assassin whose actions never make much sense. The reasons behind the need to kill the heiress are revealed in a convoluted mess, and even by the time the credits roll one would still be scratching their nose trying to make sense of it all. 

Scenes where the Smell-O-Vision would have kicked in are obvious; the presence of the sniper was hinted at by the smell of tobacco, a brawl in a bedroom spills perfume, and a cart full of wine barrels smashes and spills wine everywhere. The film seems to rely on the gimmick, as the rest of its execution is quite clumsy. Larker’s status as a mystery novelist never comes into play (he could have been a plumber), and even though he is established as a British gentleman who spends most of his days behind a typewriter, he suddenly switches to action-hero capable of fist fighting his way out of a jam or two. The jokes and gags are lame even for 1960 standards, with most of them coming from awkward, voice-over one-liners from Larker. 

Denholm Elliott carries the film and is in nearly every frame. He gives it his best, and at the very least gives the film a status as a curiosity piece for anyone who would like to see the work he did before he became the sidekick to Indiana Jones in the 1980’s. Peter Lorre as Smiley the cabbie is a hoot, and Beverly Bentley, as the mistaken-identity heiress, is also very good. 

The closing of the film features an un-credited cameo by Elizabeth Taylor as the real heiress, giving the film one of the few attempted twists that actually works. Every other surprise is hard to make sense of, and it’s clear that this is one of those films that relied too much on things outside of its own script and direction to succeed. SCENT OF MYSTERY kinda stinks. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

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Reel Facts: SCENT OF MYSTERY opened in three theatres in 1960 in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The Smell-O-Vision mechanism did not work well, and although the problems were eventually ironed-out, the film suffered from poor reviews and bad word-of-mouth and finished as a financial failure. Director Jack Cardiff was a cinematographer at heart, having been nominated by the Academy for Best Cinematography five times, winning in 1947 for BLACK NARCISSUS. 

Ennio Morricone: 1928 - 2020

Oscar-winning film composer Ennio Morricone has passed away at 91.

A composer, orchestrator, and conductor who composed over 400 scores for film and television in a career that spanned over 70 years…Ennio Morricone was born in Rome in 1928. His first music teacher was his father Mario, who taught him how to read music and play several different instruments. He entered the National Academy of St. Cecilia to take trumpet lessons before the age of 12. He studied the trumpet, composition, and choral music and completed a four-year program in just six months. 

After graduating in 1954, he started to write and arrange music for films as a ghost writer for well-known composers. His earliest scores credited to him were Italian comedy and costume films.  In 1964, his career took off when he was hired by former classmate Sergio Leone, and together they created a unique score for Leone’s “Spaghetti Western”,  A FISTFULL OF DOLLARS…starring Clint Eastwood. Because of budget restraints, Morricone used gunshots, cracking whips, whistles, and electric guitars to create a signature sound that he would be known for. He would compose for Leone’s two follow-ups in his Dollars Trilogy; FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (1965), and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966). He would go on to compose for Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968), and Leone’s last Western, A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE (1971). 

Morricone would compose for many films, with notables such as EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977), DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978), THE THING (1982), ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984), THE MISSION (1986), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987), CINEMA PARADISO (1988), CASUALTIES OF WAR (1989), BUGSY (1991), WOLF (1994), BULWORTH (1998), MALENA (2000), and MISSION TO MARS (2000). 

In 2015 he would win an Oscar for Quentin Tarantino’s Western THE HATEFUL EIGHT. This was after five previous nominations and an Honorary Award in 2007 that recognized his lifetime achievement. In 2005 four of his film scores were nominated by the American Film Institute for an honored place in the AFI’s Top 25 Best American Film Scores of All Time. In 2009 the Recording Academy inducted his score for THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Over his career he would win four Grammy’s, four ASCAP Awards, and six BAFTA Awards. 

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In 1983, the heavy metal group Metallica started running Morricone’s famous track, The Ecstasy of Gold as a prelude to their shows; a tradition that continues to this day. The track’s wonderful build-up sets the mood for their shows perfectly, and anyone who has been to their shows or viewed the live recordings would have to be soul-less to not get the chills. Morricone’s music was non-traditional at first, but its uniqueness became tradition and influenced not only future film composers but other musical acts as well (the Metallica track The Unforgiven was a direct homage). Over the years, his compositions for Sergio Leone’s trilogy of Westerns have earned even more respect, and at this point…his scores for those films have become synomonous with the cowboy and the Old West. Today he rides into the sunset, and we can’t help but to hear the crack of the whip as he does. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Films to Watch on the 4th of July

The Independence Day holiday is upon us; a time to celebrate what is widely considered to be the birth of America. This holiday is generally marked by cookouts, fireworks…and cinema. Through moving pictures, sounds, and music…the movies can capture that American spirit in a way that makes us proud of our country, and can bring back to life stories of the past that have forged the foundations of the land of the free. 

These movies can take on many shapes and forms. War pictures are a popular choice, as they tend to capitalize on American resilience against threats to democracy. Prime choices there may include the John Wayne-led THE LONGEST DAY (1962), Steven Spielberg’s tribute to the American solider in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998), Edward Zwick’s Civil War drama GLORY (1989), or the TOP GUN films. Alternate tales of American history are also a popular choice, like FORREST GUMP (1994). Family films are usually the go-to…with plenty of choices from classic Disney or modern Pixar. The best films to watch on the holiday weekend are the ones that the whole family can enjoy, capture the spirit of America, and offer something to learn. And that leads us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Films for the 4^th of July. 

So let’s unfurl that flag…

10. AN AMERICAN TAIL (1986)

Animation legend Don Bluth helmed this animated musical adventure about a family of mice making their way to America. The film follows the tail (ha), of Fieval…who is separated from his family and must make his way alone to unfamiliar places. A sweet and innocent introduction to the immigrant story, one of America’s pillars. 

9. NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)

Nic Cage leads the way in this treasure hunt that doesn't have a lot to do with patriotism, but is saturated in American lore. The film is packed with history-book settings and objects: The Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, Independence Hall...and much more. Not to mention Cage's patriotic character name of Benjamin Franklin Gates. 

8. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)

When Captain America made his comic-book debut in 1941, his cover art had the star-spangled man punching out Hitler…a cover that would rally the country together and make Cap an instant American icon. Prior to 2011, the character had appeared on the big and small screen before, but it was Joe Johnston’s pulpy take that would reboot his iconic status. Perfectly played by Chris Evans, THE FIRST AVENGER captures the essence of Steve Rogers, who lived and died through the American ideal. 

7. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

Before George Lucas created STAR WARS and Indiana Jones, he made this little film which captures the purest form of Americana. This coming-of-age classic, which stars Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, and Richard Dreyfuss…follows a group of teens on their last night of youth before heading off to college and adulthood. Set in pre-Vietnam 1960’s with classic rock n’ roll tracks and American muscle cars, GRAFFITI shows us the country as we wish to remember it, and wish it still was. 

6. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

A legend plays a legend here, with James Cagney playing composer George M. Cohan as he takes a trip to the White House to accept a special award; an event that triggers an extended flashback of his life. It’s a combination of patriotism and American history, and just as the title suggests…is packed with red-white-and-blue bravado. But deeper than that, its overall message of resiliency truly captures the spirit of its title.

 

5. THE PATRIOT (2000)

Mel Gibson plays an American colonist who gets caught up in the Revolutionary War when his family comes under fire. Directed by Roland Emmerich and backed by a wonderful John Williams score, THE PATRIOT may play it loose with history, but it’s beautiful cinematography, thrilling battle scenes, and emotional family drama makes it an entertaining watch. Its brutality may disqualify it as a family film, but it does have educational value. And in superhero-movie terms, this is the origin story of the American patriot. 

4. 1776 (1972)

Before Hamilton, there was 1776…which was also based on a Broadway production. This musical follows the Founding Fathers as they sing and dance their way to the founding of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Educational, entertaining, and a vital slice of U.S. history. Another film that played it loose with history, 1776 still gets the message across in a sweeping spectacle. 

3. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992)

There isn’t anything more American than baseball, and there isn’t anything more American than fighting for your rights. The late great Penny Marshall directed this gem, which is a fictionalized account of the real-life professional girls’ baseball league; formed to take the place of the Major Leagues when most their players went off to fight in WWII. The girls have their work cut out for them in proving they belong on the diamond, a fight that any American can relate to, and it also explores a country coming together at home during a time of war.  Tom Hanks and Geena Davis lead the ensemble cast that is as funny as it is emotional. 

2. JAWS (1975)

The original Summer blockbuster that made Steven Spielberg a household name in which a shark terrorizes a beach town. It doesn’t have any flag-waving or catchy patriotic tunes, but its time-setting of a 4^th of July weekend has made it a mandatory holiday viewing for more than one generation. But beyond that, it does capture the love we have for beaches and holiday weekends, and the presence of the shark threatens that…which makes the eventual sea-journey to destroy it and recapture our freedom all the more important. 

1. INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with a film that carries the name? Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi action film about a world-wide alien invasion was a blockbuster/sensation that everyone was talking about in 1996, and to this day it captures American patriotism perfectly; from rousing speeches, military might, and the will to keep fighting back no matter how dire things get…and David Arnold’s wonderful score sounds like it could have been composed by our Founding Fathers. Led by an ensemble cast which made alien-puncher Will Smith a movie star, ID4 promises fireworks…and delivers.

 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST FILMS TO WATCH ON THE 4TH OF JULY 

1. INDEPENDENCE DAY 
2. JAWS
3. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN 
4. 1776
5. THE PATRIOT
6. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 
7. AMERICAN GRAFFITI 
8. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER 
9. NATIONAL TREASURE 
10. AN AMERICAN TAIL