1. Mutiny on the Bounty (Circa 1962)
Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard appeared in this highly
romanticized version of a true story. The way it is told here makes
William Bligh seem like a sadistic madman. Bligh was, in actuality, humane
and unbelievably competent. If you were going to sail around the world in
the 1790's, this was the man you would want directing your ship. I believe
he got a bad rap in an earlier cinematic version of this saga. His
reputation seems to have been confused with that of the bad-news captain
of the Pandora, one Edward Edwards, who was dispatched by Great Britain to
run down the Bounty mutineers. The record is set straight, more or less,
in the next Hollywood remake called, "The Bounty", produced circa 1980. At
the time, I considered the 1962 edition to be the best movie I had ever
seen. I did not want to leave the theater. I just wanted the story to
continue. It is wonderful to think that the descendents of some of the
mutineers reside, to this date, on Pitcairn's Island.
2. The Bounty (Circa 1980)
Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins as Christian and Bligh,
respectively.
3. Steambath
If you can find it. I found the version with Bill Bixby
on DVD. If anyone can find the other cinematic version, which I believe
was originally made for TV, PLEASE drop me a line at the address
shown on the Home Page of this site.
4. Butley
Based on a play by Simon Gray. Alan Bates, Jessica
Tandy. Very amusing. Don't try this at home.
5. Mad Max
This movie is completely, and very wonderfully,
INSANE. I would recommend it to anyone who has lost a significant
other by unnatural means. The first time I saw it I thought, "What
is this trash? I'm just going to erase this (VHS). But
no. There's something going on here. I don't quite get
it. Let me take a look at this one more time." Since then I
have seen this movie over 140 times. I used to view it weekly,
ritualistically, as I was attempting to find some direction in life in the
years following my divorce. I cannot watch a movie 140 or more
times, usually not even 3 times, unless there is something extraordinary
about it. I don't know if I will convey my feelings when I say that,
simply, this movie does my primal scream.
6. Groundhog Day.
7. Blast From the Past
Just light romantic comedy, but marvelously well
done. I particularly enjoy the scene at the disco, where our
sheltered, apparently somewhat out-of-the-loop hero turns out to be a
suave, bilingual cross between Fred Astaire and John Travolta while Alicia
Silverstone's Eve shifts from puzzled to miffed to enraged, furious that
she had been played "...for a sap...." by Brendon Fraser's Adam. But
there had been no deception. I see this frequently in life.
All too often I meet a person with unrealistic preconceptions. Eve
was just having her eyes opened. Brilliant. See it on a decent
home theater system at least. You've just got to be there in that
club.
8. Cape Fear
Robert DeNiro at his very
finest.
10. Bedazzled (Circa 1970)
Special effects are not spectacular, but this original
take is hilarious. Much better than the
remake.
11. My Cousin Vinny
12. The Mask