Movie of the Week – Once Upon a Time in the West

This week’s movie: Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).

Frank, a ruthless assassin working for the railroad, murders Jill McBain’s husband and family with the ambition of taking her land and selling it for a fortune to the railroad. He wants Jill for himself. However, a stranger with a harmonica and Cheyenne, a notorious desperado, make an unlikely team hired by Jill to try and kill Frank.

The film is written and directed by Sergio Leone – the master of the spaghetti western. Leone made his reputation with the brilliant The Man with No Name Trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). However, Once Upon a Time in the West is probably his greatest achievement (his gangster film Once Upon a Time in America is great too). Leone worked with frequent collaborators composer Ennio Morricone (whose score is absolutely phenomenal and iconic), cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli, and art director Carlo Simi.

Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson star in the film, while Gabriele Ferzetti, Woody Strode, and Jack Elam feature in support.

In terms of westerns, there may not be a better film than Once Upon a Time in the West. For me, the genre’s best include this film as well as things like: The Big Country, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, A Fistful of Dollars, Unforgiven, Open Range (a personal favorite that is often overlooked), Deadwood, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and True Grit. The score alone makes this a worthwhile endeavor – or maybe its place among the 100 Best Films of the 20^th Century (number 24 on IMDb’s Top 250) – but really, it is a must-see for fans of westerns.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Movie of the Week – The Battle of Algiers

This week’s movie is The Battle of Algiers (1966).

The drama details the bloodiest uprising in modern history – the FNL revolts against the colonialist French government for a free Algeria. The film is written and directed by Italian filmmaker Gillo Pontecorvo (who also worked on the score). Pontecorvo’s background is mostly in documentary filmmaking, which accounts for the film’s very realist feel – as if all the action is be shown in a series of newsreels or footage shot on the day during the actual events (it seems so real that there is even a title card at the beginning telling viewers that none of the footage is newsreel or documentary). He worked with composer Ennio Morricone, creating wonderful and memorable musical accompaniment (here is a clip – which you may also recognize from Inglourious Basterds). Pontecorvo also worked with frequent collaborators cinematographer Marcello Gatti and production designer Sergio Canevari. The cast is mostly made up of unknown actors, but Jean Martin has a principal role. The Battle of Algiers has served as a major influence on how gritty war/political dramas have been filmed ever since, and many filmmakers. It is also politically relevant today – even being screened in the Pentagon for officers and civilian experts regarding Iraq (“How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas”). It is a must-see for fans of political dramas and war films. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Streaming

Movie of the Week – Days of Heaven

This week’s movie is Days of Heaven (1978).

The romance drama is about a transient laborer, Bill, and the woman he loves, Abby. Tired of always moving, he convinces Abby to marry a rich but dying farmer so that they can claim his fortune. Written and directed by Terrence Malick, the film is profound – Malick relying on images and mood to muster up feelings more so than a straight narrative. The film is beautifully shot by Nestor Almendros (probably among the 50 best shot films of all-time), photography mostly occurring during the ‘magic hour’, and features great production design from Jack Fisk. Ennio Morricone provides a fantastic, iconic and perfectly fitting score (here is a suite – there is a piece that always reminds me of the wonderful cinematography documentary Visions of Light). Richard Gere, Sam Shepard and Brooke Adams star and all give good performances. Like all of Malick’s work, the film is more of an experience for the viewer to behold and be immersed in than a story to follow. From a historic standpoint, the film does a good job portraying the drama and hardship of Great Depression-era life for many Americans. It is a must-see for both fans of Malick and moody visual experiences. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Streaming

Movie of the Week - The Mission

This week’s movie is The Mission (1986).

The drama is about 18^th century Spanish Jesuits who form a mission in a remote part of Brazil. When the Spanish give over control of the land to the Portuguese, who are pro-slavery, the Jesuits must protect the Indian tribe and their mission. The film is directed by Roland Joffe, who also made The Killing Fields and Fat Man and Little Boy – though his last few films have been disappointing. The film has a fantastic cast and crew. It features composer Ennio Morricone, who does some of his best work on this, cinematographer Chris Menges (one of the best) and production designer Stuart Craig (who went on to design all the Harry Potter films). Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro star (and are both excellent) and Ray McAnally, Aidan Quinn and Liam Neeson co-star. What makes the film great is the beautiful aesthetics and score plus the powerful performances. Joffe made the film to be more atmospheric than plot bound, much like the work of Terrence Malick. The result is a prevailing character piece. It is a must for cinema fans (it won the Cannes Golden Palm) and fans of great cinematography and Morricone. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com and to rent at Netflix.com

Movie of the Week - Frantic

This week’s movie is Frantic (1988).

The mystery is about Dr. Richard Walker and his wife who come to Paris, France, for a vacation/conference. They arrive at the hotel and Walker takes a shower after the long trip. When he emerges, he finds that his wife is gone, missing, disappeared. He begins to look for her and gets caught up in a world of intrigue, espionage, gangsters, drugs, and murder. The film is directed by one of the masters of crime and mystery filmmaking Roman Polanski (probably want to also check out his films Chinatown and The Pianist). Polanski has a stellar crew on the film with a score from legendary composer Ennio Morricone, cinematography by Polish D.P. Witold Sobocinski and production design by Pierre Guffroy. The film served as a breakthrough for French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who is alluring and mysterious and perfect for the role. The star, however, is Harrison Ford playing the type of role that he plays best – against all odds. His career is full of iconic characters and performances, and this is one of the really good ones. What makes the film great is how Polanski weaves elements of crime drama, mystery and thriller together to make a very entertaining film, which is both full of action and suspense (and it does not hurt that it has Paris as the backdrop). This is a must for fans of Polanski or Ford and those looking for a great mystery-thriller. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com and to rent from Netflix.com

Movie of the Week - The Untouchables

This week’s movie is The Untouchables (1987).

The crime drama is about federal treasury agent Elliot Ness as he sets out to take down Al Capone. The film has some truth to it, as Ness and Capone are based on real people, but is highly fictionalized for cinematic effect. Directed by Brian De Palma (aka Brian the Hack De Palma), the film features a number of memorable scenes – The Battleship Potemkin scene, the Canadian raid scene and pretty much any scene with Sean Connery and/or Robert De Niro (and personally I think this is De Palma’s best film). It stars Kevin Costner, who is a bit bright-eyed and wholesome but it works for the role, and features Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith, Patricia Clarkson, and a wonderful Billy Drago, along with Connery and De Niro, in supporting roles. Ennio Morricone provides a classic score that stays with you and Stephen H. Burum’s cinematography is good as well. What makes the film great is its stylized set pieces which are both aesthetically interesting and entertaining and exciting. Plus, there is Connery giving an Oscar winning performance and De Niro as Capone, who has some great monologues – the script was written by David Mamet. I love films about this era’s gangsters, and this is one of my favorites. It is a must see for fans of Conner, Costner and/or De Niro and for fans of classic 80s cinema. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com and to rent from Netflix.com