JayDee's Movie Musings

I'll admit that I'm not a boxing fan so not really knowledgeable about it but is that really the biggest fight in boxing history? At the time perhaps but surely now the biggest ever fights are considered to be the Rumble in the Jungle, the brutal Thrilla in Manilla, and perhaps the Tyson-Hollyfield fight because of the ear biting.

"More pictures"?!!! Is that a George W Bush recommendation or something?! "Well I like this review because it has more pictures."

Has Samantha Mathis been in anything else worthwhile?

And I'll need to track down Over the Edge someday.

Thanks Tyler.

Qute a coincidence that. At pretty much the exact same moment as you were posting in my review asking if you inspired my Pump Up the Volume viewing, I was posting in your reviews thread saying how you had indeed been part of the inspiration.

Sorry Sexy, really enjoyed it but not enough to make my Best of the 90s list. Maybe someday in the future but not close right now.

And thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Oh and for anyone who missed it and is interested there's a Mask of Zorro review hidden at the bottom of the previous page.

Broken Arrow, obviously, and Jack & Sarah are both much loved by me. She plays the older Amy in Little Women. Also, mum favourite The American President and The Music Of Chance. I liked How to Make an American Quilt, which also boasts the attraction of Winona Ryder, but I don't think Samantha Mathis is in it that much, from memory. She's really good in The Thing Called Love, but I found the film quite a snooze.



Yes. Yes, you do.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

Oh was she in Broken Arrow? Don't remember her, obviously been too long since I've watched it. Don't think I know Jack & Sarah. What do you mean the attraction of Winona Ryder? I thought I just saw you said somewhere she looked awful!

Oh and as I said in Godoggo's top films thread you may want to avoid my next upcoming review. Following a few films you like/love (Moulin Rouge, Speed, Pump Up the Volume) the next is indeed one you've described in the past as hideous!

He's talking about the blonde wig.

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Yes. The blonde was horrible. However, having gone and looked at some pics, not as bad as I thought at the time. Still, not good, though. Especially when you consider just how attractive Winona Ryder is.

Samantha Mathis is the park ranger in Broken Arrow.

Plot – When author Gordie Lachance reads about the death of a friend, he recounts a tale from his childhood. After discovering the possible location of a boy their age who is missing and presumed dead, a close knit group of young kids go on an adventure to try and find the body. The group includes the young Gordie (Wheaton), the group's leader Chris Chambers (Phoenix), the wild Teddy Duchamp (Feldman) and Vern Tessio (O'Connell). Along the way the boys run into a number of obstacles, not the least of which is another group of older boys led by the local bully 'Ace' Merrill (Sutherland).

I think Stand by Me is just a wonderful slice of nostalgia and a terrific coming-of-age flick. A film that beautifully captures the highs and lows of childhood friendships. Told in flashback it is presented in that lovely nostalgic, rose tinted tone that I always find quite endearing.

I think it really is one of the best ever kids films in terms of the performances of the child actors and how realistically they interact with each other. I think that anyone who was a young boy once will be able to recognise themselves in this quartet of characters. When we were kids this is who we were; we did some extremely dumb stuff, we talked about stuff in a crude manner and we seemed to fight with each other more often than not. The dialogue that they share feels so realistic and beautifully observed. And whenever I watch Stand by Me it always sparks little memories of my childhood; stupid discussions I had with my friends, idiotic stunts that we would pull and the fact that no day was complete without at least one fight or argument, which would then be forgotten about within minutes. Oh and that line that closes out the film about never having friends like those you had when you were twelve is such a fantastic line and so very, very true.

Film trivia – Keifer Sutherland later claimed in an interview that at one of the locations they filmed at, a Renaissance Fair was taking place and that many of the film's cast and crew attended and bought some cookies. Unfortunately, the cookies turned out to be pot cookies and two hours later, the crew found Jerry O'Connell high on cookies and crying in the park.

And I think the characters and their disparate problems mean that it will do likewise for many viewers. Many people will be able to see something in the characters or their lives that they can identify with. Gordie is an intelligent and creative kid who has a near non-existent relationship with his father and is dealing with the tragic death of his big brother whom he idolised. Chris Chambers is the leader of the group, a tough kid who also possesses a surprising level of intelligence and sensitivity. He is someone who cannot escape the shadow of his family however and is judged on their past indiscretions, restricting what he is able to do because of the way people see him. Teddy Duchamp is the wild child (which Feldman feels a perfect fit for) who is scarred both physically and mentally as a result of his unstable and abusive father. And lastly you've got Jerry O'Donnell as Vern Tessio; slightly overweight, slightly dim and the frequent butt of the group's jokes.

The kids are all excellent and huge kudos must go to Reiner for being able to mine such performances from such a young cast. They are all great but undoubtedly it is River Phoenix who truly shines above the rest, just highlighting what an immense young talent he was. While his Star Trek character of Wesley Crusher may be the bane of trekkies the world over, and the butt of many a joke, Will Wheaton is terrific as Gordie Lachance, bringing a real heart and sympathy to the character. And Corey Feldman is a lot of the fun as wild, out of control Teddy Duchamp. The four kids are great separately but its as a group that they really come to life, forming a very believable bond and rapport with each other. I can see so much in here that reminds me of moments and incidents from my childhood involving my old friends. All the hopes, dreams, dares, arguments, regrets and memories. Alongside Phoenix the other turn that really stands out is delivered by Keifer Sutherland who is excellent as the menacing and darkly charismatic hood, Ace, who runs the town of Castle Rock.

The film features some beautiful photography of America's country roads. And with the constant sunshine and the hazy nature events unfold in I always get reminded of those summer days that as a kid you felt would never end. And what an awesome soundtrack! One that just transports you right back to the 50s, full of bouncy, toe-tapping tunes like “Lollipop” and “Yakety Yak”. And it's all topped off by Ben E. King's “Stand by Me”, the title of which inspired the name of the film. It's a beautiful, heartfelt song which just works perfectly for the film.

Film trivia – In an attempt to keep in character while off-set, Keifer Sutherland would very often pick on the young quartet of Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell. And things didn't exactly get much better for the young actors when Phoenix, spurred on by the other boys, covered a car in mud without realising that it actually belonged to Sutherland; only realising later on when Sutherland confronted a scared Phoenix.

There is a lingering sense of sadness and wistfulness throughout the whole film, with the journey representing for the boys the stage of growing up and leaving behind their days of being little carefree kids. The tragic circumstances that would later befall River Phoenix just adds a further level of undeniable poignancy to proceedings. The moment where the fate of his character is revealed and Phoenix just fades away is one that I always find to be extremely moving; a touching finale that should be capable of putting a lump in the throat of anyone who sees it.

When people talk about the best screen translations of Stephen King's stories, the go-to answers typically include The Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile and The Shining. I think it would be a huge mistake however to overlook this one. Based on King's short story, “The Body”, the story was inspired by Stephen King's own childhood experiences, and as such you can really feel the passion and heart with which its told.

Conclusion - Well apparently this isn't exactly a favourite film for a number of people on here, but it certainly is for me. I consider it to just be one of those terrific touchstone films that just takes you back to a certain time in your life, and one that just really has a huge place in my heart. Funny, touching, exciting and terrifically acted I don't see this dropping out of my top 100 anytime soon.

Love Stand By Me.

Something nostalgic about it, even though you only met the characters once.

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Really loved this one at the time. I should watch to see how it holds up. Good review as per usual.

?

Almost everyone expected Foreman to destroy Ali. Ratings were lower than Fight of the Century, because Ali struggled to create hype for the fight, as he was viewed as a fairly big underdog.

Thrilla in Manilla was a great fight, but didn't draw bigger ratings than Fight of the Century. Lots of people thought Joe was washed up and Ali would win handily.

Tyson-Holyfield II did worse numbers than Tyson-Lewis.

I think the only matches that come close are Louis-Schmeling II and Hearns - Hagler.

I wasn't talking in terms of ratings at the time. I just mean in terms of their significance and how famous they've become. For example most people would have no clue who Louis, Schmeling, Hearns or Hagler are. But even my mum knows about Rumble in the Jungle and Tyson biting Hollyfield's ear etc.

Thanks sean. Although just for future reference I only accept compliments of 'great review' and better. You're still quite new though so will cut you some slack.

Just a little message for all my regular readers, as I know there are so many of you and my reviews mean so much to you.

My reviews output for the time being and the near future may be rather limited. Just at the moment I'm revisiting loads and loads of films as I try to work on my new favourite films list. I'm flying through at a rate that would be impossible to keep up with in reviews, and even some that I write something about I may save for the new list just to keep them a surprise.

There are a few reviews I'm doing a little work on just now however which may see the light of day. Though there's a good chance that any reviews I do churn out just now will be a bit shorter than the norm just due to time constraints.


Oh and I noticed that I recently passed 40 pages and was curious if I had the longest running reviews thread (in terms of posts) or not. Well the good news is that I am in the lofty position of 2nd. The bad news is that I am still 20 pages behind meatwadsprite's reviews thread.

Looking forward to your favourites list. Ime currently working on mine, it takes alot of time up so i can see where your coming from. I've got a list of 20+ films I want to watch before I start my new list.

Stand by Me was my first R rated film. Watched it with my dad when I was probably about 8 years old. I should really revisit it.

I like your reviews, especially the ones related to superheroes. That Lars movie did make me curious. It musta been one hell of a super tight-knit community to have the entire town play along with Lar's delusion.

Can't wait for your list of favourites

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Wow is that all? I've got a list of about 100, and that's after I cut it way down! Not saying I'll get to all of them before posting my list but want to get a good few of them.

Thanks mate.

Well you'll have to! Given the number of films I would like to revisit it's going to be a while. And that's not even including getting it all together in terms of photos and write-ups etc.

While you are waiting why not make up a top 100 list of your own!

Plot - Vietnam, 1969. A Green Beret Colonel, Walter Kurtz (Brando), has gone insane in the eyes of the United States army. So concerned are they by his actions that they delegate a Special Forces officer with a covert mission - to find and assassinate Kurtz. That officer is Captain Willard (Sheen). Sent up the Nung River on a US Navy patrol boat, Willard investigates Kurtz's military history and discovers he is one of the most decorated officers in the army, making him question his mission. As Willard and the crew descend deeper and deeper into the jungle they begin to fall prey to the insanity all around them.

Apocalypse Now is an occasionally splendid, but frequently flawed film in my eyes. I guess it's pretty much what you'd expect given the struggles that occurred during its infamous production. I just felt the film had more than an occasional air of pomposity and pretentiousness. This was achieved through a mixture of things; beats on the soundtrack, the continuous narration, the ponderous pace, some forced and overwrought moments such as when a soldier lies dead as a recorded message from his mother plays telling him to watch out for bullets. I just found it to have quite a grand sense of self-congratulation.

The boat that Willard and his fellow soldiers are aboard meanders very steadily along the river towards Kurtz; and it's a suitable representation of the film's pace as whole, just meandering along. It really is quite a curiously paced film. After some thrilling sparks of action early on, more often than not the film seems content to settle into a slow trudge towards its destination. I just felt the story lacked direction, which may sound strange given its straight-ahead linear nature, but the main crux of the story didn't greatly interest me, and I failed to really engage with any of the characters. I also felt that the film didn't really tie itself to the Vietnam war in a way. I want a war film to really place me in the war its tackling and the issues that went along with it. This felt like it could have taken place during any war.

Martin Sheen I think gives a very solid performance, but I feel that he is sabotaged from giving a truly great performance by the style of the film itself; he's sent up the river if you will. He is handed an almost continuous amount of narration to deliver, meaning that on screen he is left with little more to do than glare menacingly. Some of his fellow soldiers on the boat I felt were created with some hammy performances but were generally solid. The real star for me would have to be Robert Duvall, even in his limited role. He just absolutely pops off the screen when he appears as Bill Kilgore, the terrifyingly colourful Lieutenant Colonel with a penchant for surfing, and for napalm in the morning. Considering what, and who they find at the end of the river I was left wishing that the film had just dropped us off with Kilgore; I imagine it would have made for a much more interesting and entertaining experience.

So indeed quite a few flaws, but even then it was still going along rather well. The real nail in the film's coffin however in terms of my really liking it? It's third act. Drawn out and just flat out dull. After so much build-up to meeting this apparently monstrous god of a man, what do we get? A fat, bald guy who hides in the shadows and recites poetry. It fell tremendously short of what my mind had been creating. And it was most certainly not helped by Brando's hammy mugging. The film tries to sell the repugnance of Kurtz's character with his lair. I get they were going for horrific with all the bodies dotted around the temple like buildings, but for me personally it felt pretty gaudy and pulpy. I wondered whether Sheen had been on that damn river for so long that he had ended up arriving on the set of Conan the Barbarian or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I just found the whole thing to be a spectacularly underwhelming conclusion.

One place where I can have no criticism whatsoever however is in the film's visuals. The sheer scale of the canvas that Coppola told his tale on is epic, leading to some truly spectacular scenes and striking images. I can just picture Coppola's way of thinking at times - “why settle for just a few helicopters when we can have ten of them?”, “why have dozens of extras when I could have hundreds?” The ultimate culmination of this occurs during the tremendous Ride of the Valkyries sequence. Further heightening the visuals is some absolutely beautiful cinematography from Vittorio Storaro. The scenes with the boat floating down the river, the orange sun bouncing off the water with lush wilderness all around are gorgeous. And its the visuals which also prove the saving grace of that conclusion; the use of lighting is terrific, creating a cavernous setting that makes it feel like the characters are down in the very depths of hell itself. Even if the lack of lighting was merely a device to try and hide Brando's immense weight gain!

Conclusion - Overlong, self-indulgent and with a weak finale that leaves a sour taste in the mouth, I found this very far from the masterpiece that many people paint it as. In terms of numerous technical aspects (direction, editing, cinematography) however I do think that it is an exceptionally well-made film; it's just that I wasn't particularly taken with the film that ended up getting made. However some of the extraordinary visuals mean that I certainly wouldn't have a problem recommending people give it a try.

I agree with all your criticisms, but it's still a must-see. Yeah, i give it too but I think it's a broken-back masterpiece. I can see some people hating its schizophrenia. Some advocates try to say that Coppola made it intentionally the way he did to reflect what was happening in Vietnam. If you know the history of the film, that's poppycock. The film basically ruined him financially and to a lesser degree, artistically.

You didn't read anything into it? Watched the Redux version?