Filmically Perfect

John Huston's entry into the stable of post-war films about desperate losers is this grimy, tough-as-mails crime drama which would seem much more at home at Warner Bros. than the high-falutin' MGM studio. Nevertheless, it is a great work, enlivened by brilliant portrayals from Sterling Hayden, Sam Jaffe, Marc Lawrence (particularly wonderful as the swarthy "Cobby"), Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Louis Calhern and the blonde gal seen below--I wonder whatever became of her?

Between West Side Story and The Sound of Music, director Robert Wise created what is arguably one of the best ghost stories ever put to film. A horror film that emphasizes the scariest part of life--just being human.

Brian De Palma's ode to the problems of puberty. Sissy Spacek's career-making portrayal of the tortured Carrie White is one for the ages, going from pathetic, to blissful, to "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." And now, some thirty years hence, the film is also a time capsule of just how groovy the 1970's really were!

Take a measly $300,000, a simple story told in a beautifully simple, albeit scary, fashion and what do you get? One of the major cash cows of film history and a film that has a lot to answer for!! John Carpenter's little thrill show helped begin the teens-in-peril films (along with the much lesser Friday the 13th) and created a genre that has been copied, aped and ridiculed to death! As a bonus, stay tuned as the Film Guys and Niki talk about how YOU, our loyal listeners, can help out Filmically Perfect!

Let's do the Time Warp Again--and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again --and Again--and Again--and Again--and Again, etc.

Alfred Hitchcock had fallen upon hard times, successfully speaking, so he put every effort into making sure that THIS FILM was a hit. We think he succeeded and gave Robert Walker, so often cast as "the nice guy" arguably the best role of his career as the lovable sociopath Bruno Anthony. As an added attraction, watch oddly attractive Farley Granger get out-acted by a cigarette lighter!

A raucous comedy with meaning from the creator of “Beavis & Butthead?” What is the world coming to?! Mike judge hits oh so many nails on the head with this little gem that once you’ve seen it, you’ll never look at your cubicle the same again!

An Italian film that pays homage to all that the American West was--or at least the white man’s expansion via the railroad. Sergio Leone’s fourth and arguably finest foray into the wild west featuring perennial nice guy Henry Fonda as the baddest SOB on the screen, trading glances and bullets with some of the Cinema’s greatest faces--Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, and Claudia (sigh!) Cardinale.

Who woulda thunk it? John Waters, the “enfant terrible” of mondo trasho cinema gaining acceptability?! And to top it off a major Broadway musical and then a musical remake of one of his films? Will wonders never cease? Or is it a sign of the end times? Either way, the original 1988 Hairspray is still tacky, still fun, and still manages to put forward a good message about diversity.

Filmically Perfect takes a break from our onslaught of Perfect Movies to listen to the Voice of the People! Thanks to all those who called and apologies to those we didn’t get to talk to! We hope to do this on a more regular basis and will let you know well in advance!

Stepping away from the world of Perfect Movies, the Film Guys take a look at three motion pictures that altered the march of the movies forever. These three, The Great Train Robbery (1903), The Jazz Singer (1927), and Star Wars (1977) each gave the film biz a badly needed injection of life at a time when revenues were falling. If you have a film you feel changed the course of film, please drop us a line!

This movie has meant so much to so many and has affected entire generations throughout the world. Is there any better example of the power of film?

Watch JAWS and witness the birth of a phenomenon: THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE EVENT!! This annual ritual continues unabated to this day, although the quality of the films has become somewhat questionable as years have passed. Fortunately, the really great summer movies are still available and still just as much fun. If a theatre in your area is running JAWS on the big screen, run, don’t walk, to see one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest films.

We like to think of this as “American Graffiti: The Dark Side.” But seriously folks...As crass and silly as Animal House is, it KNOWS that it is crass and silly and therefore is able to get away with outrageous gags both plausible and implausible. This film is also responsible for some of our most deeply rooted icons in American Popular Culture. Two Examples: 1. “Double Secret Probation” 2. “To-ga! To-ga! To-ga!” Need we say more?

What began as a love letter to Berlin by an expatriate filmmaker come home grew into a lyrical albeit existential look into the hearts of men and angels. A unique production in many ways, from its basically unscripted shooting schedule to its very loose structure, Wings of Desire can be a hard film to get into, but ultimately rewarding for those who let it be. Followed several years later by Faraway...So Close!, which we’ll have to get back to you on. We dedicate this episode of filmically Perfect to Solveig Dommartin, the female lead in Wings of Desire, who passed away at the age of 45 on January 11, 2007.

Stephen King and George Romero combine forces to celebrate the wonderfully horrific EC Comics created by MAD Magazine creator William M. Gaines in the 1950’s, then taken down by Dr. Fredric Wertham’s infamous book, Seduction of the Innocent. A great cast romps through five spooky stories with such aplomb, how could it not be fun??

Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 masterpiece has withstood the test of time and is as fresh, funny, and ferocious as it was twenty years ago. Peter Weller’s balletic performance as the resurrected Officer Murphy takes its place alongside Boris Karloff’s Monster as one of the hunted and the haunted. Don’t worry about sequels 2 and 3--THIS Robocop is all you need!

After directing his debut feature, the deep and disturbing THX-1138, young Jedi George Lucas set his sights on his own past, cruising down the streets of his hometown. A groundbreaking film that most of the money people in Hollywood had no faith in, it was not only highly successful, but spawned a best selling soundtrack album and gave new life to many musical oldies. Can you believe that this same man was responsible for Howard the Duck?

Rob Reiner’s picturization of William Goldman’s delightful 1973 novel (screenplay also penned by Goldman) remains as fresh and fun as it was twenty years ago. Populated with quirky characters portrayed by quirky actors and sunsets right out of a Maxfield Parrish lithograph, this film truly has “something for everyone.” Inconceivable!!

While not his first American film, Shadow of a Doubt is arguably Hitchcock’s first “American” film--his first look at the darkness that lies just beneath the surface of an All-American city. And he begins populating his background with some of his wonderful eccentrics, in this case being Hume Cronyn and Henry Travers and their endless discussions about how to perfectly murder each other. And “Our Town”? Thornton Wilder both contributed to the screenplay as well as getting a special acknowledgment for his assistance.