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March 28, 2024, 11:36:03 AM
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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  Weekend viewings « previous next »
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Author Topic: Weekend viewings  (Read 897 times)
trekgeezer
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
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We're all just victims of circumstance


« on: July 31, 2005, 07:29:03 PM »

The Hot Rock (1972)  Directed by Peter Yates

John Dortmunder(Robert Redford) has just gotten released from prison and his brother -in-law Andrew Kelp (George Segal) talks him into another big heist. Dr. Amusa (Moses Gunn) is an ambassador from and African country which is in a dispute over a giant diamond called the Sahara Stone. He wants to hedge his bets that the UN will rule in his country's favor over ownership of the stone.

After some haggling over money John and Andrew are joined by Stan March (Ron Leibman), a man who can drive anything, and Alan Greenburg (Paul Sand), an explosives expert.  The heist goes wrong and Greenburg ends up swallowing the diamond right before getting arrested.

Greenburg goes to prison which brings his father (Zero Mostel) into the mix and things just get worse from there. The plot gets complicated and includes a prison break, a raid on a police precinct house, and a hypnotist.

I had never really heard of the film before and from what I read on IMDB, Robert Redford has blocked it from coming out on video.

It;s not a fall down laughing movie, but it is quite amusing throughout. It features some great NYC locations (even a helicopter scene where you can see the World Trade Center under construction).  I watched the movie on the Fox Movie Channel and would recommend as a good way to spend a couple of hours.


The High and the Mighty (1954) Directed by William Wellman

A seemlingly routine flight across the Pacific to San Francisco goes wrong when the plane looses a propellor on one of it's engines and then starts leaking fuel.


The crew consists of Dan Roman (John Wayne), the washed up copilot, John Sullivan (Robert Stack), the pilot who looses his nerve, Hobie Wheeler (William Campbell), the young hotshot second officer, and Lenny Wilby (Wally Brown) the hen pecked navigator.  

The passengers include Phil Harris, Paul Fix, and several others you'll recognize.

If you ever wondered where they got the plot for Airplane, here it is. No, it's not a comedy but anyone should see the similarities.

John Wayne produced the picture and wanted Spencer Tracy in the Roman part, but he turned it down so the Duke took it.  Seems the Wayne family owns this film and some others and have refused to let them come out on video until this year.


War of the Worlds (2005) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Tom Cruise tries to save himself and his kids from an alien invasion.

There are tons of reviews out there. All I have to say is Cruise was his character for once and all the other actors did a good job. Dakota Fanning actually acted like a regular kid . Tim Robbins does a turn as whack job (the curate part from the novel).

The effects were great and didn't take over the story. Spielberg managed to keep this a story about personal survival and what sheer panic can do to otherwise rational people.

I liked it.

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And you thought Trek isn't cool.
Yaddo 42
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
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Karma: 153
Posts: 1629


Where's that brick.......


« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2005, 10:27:07 AM »

"The Hot Rock" is one of those movies I almost have to watch anytime it turns up on TV. You're right that's it's not falling down funny, but I do seem to have a smile on my face the whole time I'm watching it. It has a subtle, mild wit to it that holds up for the whole film. The writing is smart but not showy, you believe these characters, they are smart enough to known what they know, but are still dumb, ignorrant, or stubborn in other areas. That's more like real people than movies. I love that the solution to each bungled caper, is another more elaborate and risky caper. Has lots of funny lines that depend on the delivery and context more than the lines themselves (I'm a criminal." "I learned this one while studying in Europe.") . The relationship between Zero Mostel and the younger Greenburg, is great. "I'm gonna tell Mama on you, Dad!"

Why would Redford hold this one up? Are you sure about that, I'd swear I've seen it in catlogs for sale, but I could be wrong. It's better than most of the stuff he's done recently. It shows him in a good light as an actor in light comedy. I'd rather sit through it than "Downhill Racer", "Legal Eagles", "Little Fauss and Big Halsey" or "This Property is Condemned".

I really should track down Westlake's books especially one with Dortmunder. I've seen tons of movies based on his stuff, but have read very little so far.
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blah blah stuff blah blah obscure pop culture reference blah blah clever turn of phrase blah blah bad pun blah blah bad link blah blah zzzz.....
trekgeezer
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 0
Posts: 4973


We're all just victims of circumstance


« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2005, 07:43:16 AM »

The movie has been released on DVD.  Someone who reviewed it at Amazon still says that Redford tried to keep them from releasing it on any kind of video.

I don't really understand that, it's not one his best outings, but  he has made much worse.

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And you thought Trek isn't cool.
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