Month: February 2017

#18) In the Street (1948)

OR “Showtime Near the Apollo”

Filmed by Helen Levitt, Janice Loeb, and James Agee

Class of 2006

Here’s the whole thing

The Plot: Discreetly filmed with 16mm cameras, “In the Street” showcases brief moments on the streets of mid-40s Spanish Harlem. Children play in the streets while adults sit on the stoops and yell at them. All set to the piano accompaniment of Arthur Kleiner.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it a “lyrical, slice-of-life documentary” and cites “In the Street” as one of many post-war children’s documentaries that juxtapose the human condition with their less than ideal living situations.

But Does It Really?: Sure. I appreciate any documentary that is just reportage. At no point does anyone tell you what to think of what you’re seeing. You the viewer can draw your own conclusions. The film succeeds in highlighting what it calls “a theater and a battleground”. A unique collaboration between three people who, as far as I know, had never made a movie prior to this.

Everybody Gets One: Helen Levitt was known primarily for her street photography in her native New York. Some have called this film an extension of her photography. James Agee would go on the write the screenplays for fellow NFR entries “The African Queen” and “The Night of the Hunter”, as well as the celebrated novel “A Death in the Family”. Unfortunately, virtually nothing is known about Janice Loeb.

Wow, That’s Dated: Cigarettes are only 17 cents! Also very dated is the concept of kids playing outside, what with their Pokemon Go-Go and their Instant SnapGrams and their ahhhhh forget it.

Seriously, Oscars?: Sadly, no nomination for Documentary Short Subject. Instead they gave the award that year to some army film.

Other notes

• The kids in this movie would be in their mid-to-late 70s if they were still alive today.
• I’m pretty sure this is the same street where Sonny beat up Carlo in “The Godfather”.
• What is with tying a bag of flour to a stick and then beating each other up with it? Was that a thing back then?
• In one shot there’s several flyers for people running for Justice of the Municipal Court. I caught only one name; Davila. Does anyone know anything about this election or who these guys were?
• Obviously filmed during Halloween, a few of the kids are dressed with white hoods on their heads. Please tell me they’re supposed to be ghosts.
• My favorite shot in the movie is when the children discover the camera and start standing in front of each other to be on film. Kids have not changed much since then.

Legacy/Further Viewing

• Levitt, Loeb, and Agee would all collaborate again on the similarly themed documentary “The Quiet One”.

#17) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

OR “My SoCal-ed Life”

Directed by Amy Heckerling

Written by Cameron Crowe. Based on his book.

Class of 2005

Here’s the Trailer. It’s awesome, totally awesome.

UPDATE: This is my original write-up for “Fast Times”. You can read the revised and updated version here.

The Plot: A year in the life of the student body of Southern California’s Ridgemont High School. Among those chronicled are blossoming sophomore Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her mentoring senior Linda (Phoebe Cates), cool kid Damone (Robert Romanus), his protégé “Rat” (Brian Backer), Stacy’s older brother Brad (Judge Reinhold) and stoner extraordinaire Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn).

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it “[a]mong the best teen comedies” and cites Penn’s performance.

But Does It Really?: Perhaps I am dead inside, or just not a member of this particular cult, but I did not drink the “Fast Times” Kool-Aid. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a well-made, funny slice-of-life teen movie, and I liked it fine. It just never fired on all cylinders for me. It works for me as an ‘80s time capsule, not just for its culture, but also for the “before they were famous” performances by pretty much everyone (more on that later). And yes, Sean Penn as the ultimate surfer dude is a highlight, especially after seeing all the dramatic work he has done since this film. To those who are disappointed in me not embracing this cult classic, all I can say is “Get off my case, motherfucker!”

Shout Outs: During the film’s infamous pool scene, Ramone hums a bit of the “Jaws” theme.

Everybody Gets One: First off, shout out to casting director Don Phillips, because pretty much everyone in this film went on to bigger and better things. In addition to Penn, “Fast Times” features two more future Best Actor Oscar winners (Nicolas Cage and Forest Whitaker) and one future Best Supporting Actress nominee (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Plus this film includes early performances by Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Eric Stoltz and Anthony Edwards. Phillips would go on to cast another high-school cult film; 1993’s “Dazed and Confused”.

Wow, That’s Dated: From the first frame and the first note of “We Got the Beat”, this film is pure ‘80s. From comparing a heart-throb to Richard Gere, to scanning credit cards by hand, to solving a Rubik’s Cube, this film – like so many from this decade – is a reflection of its time.

Seriously, Oscars?: In a year that included “Gandhi”, “The Verdict” and “Das Boot”, there was no room for a film in which Jennifer Jason Leigh fellates a carrot. “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” did earn one nomination from the Writers Guild in the now defunct category “Best Adapted Comedy”. It lost to “Victor/Victoria”, and you could not get two more drastically different comedies in the same category.

Other notes

• A word on Nicolas Cage; if you blink you’ll miss him because he’s really not in this movie. He has no lines that I noticed and his only defining character moment is putting an “I Am A Homo” sign on someone’s back. Oh and apparently during filming he wouldn’t shut up about his famous uncle.
• Did Judge Reinhold always look 40?
• This film brings up the excellent point that Disco sucks.
• Shout-out to Ray Walston as Mr. Hand. Walston was delighted at this film’s success because it meant that people would stop calling him “Martian”. We will see him again on this Registry.
• Due to its iconic stature I am required to mention that this film has a scene where Phoebe Cates takes her top off near a pool. Now move along you pervs.
• I am convinced that none of these kids have parents. The woman who says goodnight to Stacy at the beginning is just a friendly prowler as far as I’m concerned.
• After hooking up with Damone, Stacy discusses it with Linda while slicing a large pepperoni. Real subtle.
• That woman laughing at Brad’s Captain Hook outfit should not cast the first stone. What the hell is that thing?
• At one point Linda complains that their town “can’t even get cable”, which is fine because have you tried watching this film on TV?
• For some reason, comedian Taylor Negron (who plays the pizza delivery guy) is credited as himself. Huh?

Legacy

• Every teen comedy since 1982.
• The short-lived 1986 CBS TV series. When will we learn not to sanitize raunchy comedies for network television?

• Amy Heckerling’s ‘90s spiritual sequel “Clueless”.

• Cameron Crowe’s decision that what he really wants to do is direct.
• I wouldn’t be surprised if Spicoli’s brief take on Thomas Jefferson led to “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”.

• Mock Trial with J. Reinhold.

• This is the film that put Vans on the map, so “Fast Times” is technically responsible for “Damn, Daniel”.

Listen to This: Amazingly, despite having one of filmdom’s best soundtracks, no artist from this film is in the National Recording Registry yet. For shame.

#16) The Blue Bird (1918)

OR “French-Belgium Expressionism – Now For Kids!”

Directed by Maurice Tourneur

Written by Charles Maigne. Based on the play by Maurice Maeterlinck.

Class of 2004

View the film here; restoration courtesy of “Saving the Silents”, with support from the NEA and the NPS. Please support them while we still have them!

The Plot: The film is a fairy tale about two children named Tyltyl & Mytyl (Robin Macdougall & Tula Belle) who are instructed by the good fairy Berylune (Lillian Cook) to find the “Blue Bird of Happiness”. They are aided on their journey by the souls of such things as light, water, milk, and their pet cat and dog. And then things just keep getting weirder from there.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it “one of the most aesthetically pleasing films” and praises the film’s message of the simple joys of everyday life. An essay by Professor Kavesh Askari delves a bit more into the Symbolism of the piece.

But Does It Really?: For what it is, I liked it. I found the whole thing to be a very simple, charming fairy tale. Maybe not the most beautiful film ever made – as some claim – but quite enjoyable and visually appealing nonetheless. It is a rare silent film with a budget, and that helps to showcase the more fantastical elements. A very sweet film with a good message (though maybe a few too many Christian overtones for my taste).

Everybody Gets One: I’ll give a shout-out to the kids; Robin Macdougall and Tula Belle. Neither one of them really continued acting (this is Macdougall’s sole film appearance), but they both lived to be 89 and 86, respectively. They’re not the Barrymores, but I thought they were both very good.

Other notes

• This was released as a Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Picture. A few years later, the studio would move from New Jersey to Hollywood and change its name to Paramount Pictures.
• Did the Widow Berlingot have her daughter when she was 70?
• Speaking of, for no reason I can think of, Berlingot is played by a man in drag. Edward Elkas is definitely no Louie Anderson.
• The print I saw had what appeared to be glue marks on the film for a good chunk of a reel. For a moment it looked like the kids were going to be beamed up “Star Trek” style.
• A tip of my hat to the special effects team. This film uses every trick of the trade – process shots, film reversal, stop-motion – and it all really works.
• I love that the dog calls his child masters “my little deities”.
• This film uses color tinting to differentiate the dream sequences from the real world. This predates similar usage from “The Wizard of Oz” by a full 21 years!
• And then the kids go to a graveyard and visit their deceased grandparents and siblings! This film got real morbid real quick.
• If those ladies represent the Joy of Pure Thoughts, then I like how this film thinks.
• Ummm…so the light bulb was invented in Heaven? Looks like Edison and Tesla were both thieves. Also, the film purposefully never states what time period it is, but light bulbs had been around for about 40 years at this point. Did we need to be sold on them?
• Just in case you missed the film’s message, they REALLY hit you over the head with it at the end.

Legacy

• While this film (and the play) didn’t invent the phrase “bluebird of happiness” it kept the phrase going until the 1934 song solidified things.

• “The Blue Bird” has been adapted into film a few times over the years, including Shirley Temple’s first flop and a bizarre ‘70s vehicle for Elizabeth Taylor.

• And Mr. Bluebird (possibly of happiness) appears in a certain Disney film that I suspect is not making it on the Registry anytime soon.

“Second Screening” is devoted to watching alternate versions of NFR entries and determining which version is most worthy of preservation. Our first film is the 1942 re-release of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Gold Rush”. You can read my thoughts on the original 1925 version here.

What’s Different?: The 1942 version of “The Gold Rush” is notable for the inclusion of an original score and narration by Chaplin himself. In addition, Chaplin speeds up the frame-rate (from 16 fps to 24 fps) and slightly re-edits the film, eliminating most of the footage that doesn’t pertain to the Tramp. This deemphasizes a lot of the additional characters, particularly Georgia, and the film is no longer the “dramatic comedy” it was originally subtitled as.

Does It Help?: All of that said, the aforementioned cuts do not hurt the film. The faster pacing makes the comedy much funnier, and it now makes sense to me why most film buffs consider this one of the funniest films ever made. At no point did I notice any particular scene that got cut. It was only after reading about the changes that I remembered those scenes were ever there. The narration gets in and out without ever feeling in the way, and the soundtrack and effects help accentuate the story.

The Verdict: The 1942 re-release wins by a landslide. I still don’t think “The Gold Rush” is Chaplin’s finest work, but this version makes the case for it much stronger. If you’ve never seen the film before, start with the 1942 version. If you really like it and want to see more, move on to the original 1925 version.

#15) Matrimony’s Speed Limit (1913)

OR “Love Uses the Carpool Lane”

Directed by Alice Guy

Class of 2003

View the whole thing here, courtesy of a Dailymotion channel that has done its homework.

This is my original write-up for “Matrimony’s Speed Limit”, but trust me, read this revised, expanded version instead. You’ll thank me later.

The Plot: Fraunie (Fraunie Fraunholz) loses his money in the stock market. His wealthy girlfriend Marian (Marian Swayne) wants them to marry and offers to support him financially for a time. He refuses (this being the teens and all), so Marian concocts a plan; she sends him a fake telegram saying he will inherit his late aunt’s fortune if he marries by noon that day. With 12 minutes to go, hilarity has no choice but to ensue.

Why It Matters: The NFR cites the work of pioneering female director Alice Guy and includes an essay by University of Minnesota professor Margaret Hennefeld.

But Does It Really?: Okay, so the answer is yes and no. While female directors weren’t rare back in American film’s infancy, they sure are now and we need to celebrate them when we can. Plus, this is one of a handful of Alice Guy’s over 300 films that has survived. This is what I call a “Belloq film”; not very substantial in its day, but because it has survived it has increased in value. All of that aside, the film has not aged well. It’s very static and, perhaps its greatest sin, not very funny. But I’ll give it a pass because it brought me around to Alice Guy, who is an awesome unsung hero of early film.

Everybody Gets One: But in all seriousness, please take some time to learn more about Alice Guy. She is a badass in the history of film. The Women Film Pioneers Project is a good starting point, and provides a wealth of other great sources of information.

Wow, That’s Dated: There’s the usual stuff; stock ticker tape, telegrams as the fastest communication, etc. And then there’s the Wow. While frantically searching for a woman to marry, Fraunie comes across a woman with a white veil over her face. He proposes, she lifts her veil and…gasp! She’s black! And he runs off in horror. My note for this scene simply read, “WHAT?” Alice Guy gets a lot of credit for being among the first to include interracial casting in her films, but in this case it’s tainted by a cheap joke on racial relations. Definitely cringe-worthy watching it today.

Other notes

• Boy, I know it’s a movie and everything, but Fraunie’s wearing a LOT of makeup.
• The Justice of the Peace Marian grabs looks like a cross between older Bela Lugosi and Alec Guinness in “Scrooge”.
• How close/far away is Marian’s house to Fraunie’s office? It takes Fraunie five seconds to run over to her, but it takes Marian the whole movie to drive to him. Did M.C. Escher design their town?
• Also, I’m pretty sure they filmed all of Marian’s driving scenes on the same stretch of road.
• Ah, back when drivers were just supposed to comply with a pedestrian’s suicide. Simpler times.

Legacy

• The NFR’s essay on the film cites “Matrimony’s Speed Limit” as the inspiration for such similarly plotted films as Buster Keaton’s “Seven Chances” and the Chris O’Donnell rom-com “The Bachelor”. Yeah, I forgot about that movie too.