1933 Review Blog
Duck SOup
Grade: C+ 05/28/2010
This was my first foray into the Marx Brothers, and it took me almost 90% of this film to kind of appreciate what was being done. First of all...I never realized that Groucho's moustache was painted on. That made me laugh. However, this film was a nonsensical barrage of bad puns and double entendres. "We should have a standing army! Why? We will save on chairs" is probably the most clever pun in the film...so you can imagine how rapid fire, vaudvillian wordplay can get annoying. The famous "man in the mirror" bit is inspired, but I imagined it a bit more flawless. The final battle sequences are actually very funny...but when the film was over...I felt a bit underwhelmed. The Marx Brothers are comedic royalty in the history of cinema...but I much preferred the genius of Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL when I saw that a few weeks ago.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
Grade: C+ 05/28/2010
This was my first foray into the Marx Brothers, and it took me almost 90% of this film to kind of appreciate what was being done. First of all...I never realized that Groucho's moustache was painted on. That made me laugh. However, this film was a nonsensical barrage of bad puns and double entendres. "We should have a standing army! Why? We will save on chairs" is probably the most clever pun in the film...so you can imagine how rapid fire, vaudvillian wordplay can get annoying. The famous "man in the mirror" bit is inspired, but I imagined it a bit more flawless. The final battle sequences are actually very funny...but when the film was over...I felt a bit underwhelmed. The Marx Brothers are comedic royalty in the history of cinema...but I much preferred the genius of Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL when I saw that a few weeks ago.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
King Kong
Grade: A- 11/25/2008
I finally understand what Peter Jackson was trying to do with his KING KONG update in 2005 and why the 1933 version inspired him so much. This film is a marvel monster movie for being made so long ago. Also, the length is what makes it so successful. Jackson's opus was FAR too long, but now I realize how good Jack Black was as Carl Denham. Even though the stop-action animation was obviously not real, I was excited a bit more than during the 2005 version...which I was more impressed with by marveling at its realism. Just a great time to be had with this classic!!
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
Grade: A- 11/25/2008
I finally understand what Peter Jackson was trying to do with his KING KONG update in 2005 and why the 1933 version inspired him so much. This film is a marvel monster movie for being made so long ago. Also, the length is what makes it so successful. Jackson's opus was FAR too long, but now I realize how good Jack Black was as Carl Denham. Even though the stop-action animation was obviously not real, I was excited a bit more than during the 2005 version...which I was more impressed with by marveling at its realism. Just a great time to be had with this classic!!
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
She DOne Him Wrong
Grade: D 04/27/2012
Sometimes I really don't get these old classics. I kind of hated this film. It is only 60 min long so it feels like half a movie. All of the actors fall on eachothers cues and it always seems as if each actor is just waiting for the other actor to finish talking so they can say their line. It is NEVER natural. The entire film felt like a FAMILY GUY cutaway where they make fun of the attitudes, speech patterns, and accents of these old timey movies. And Mae West? Her character is pretty terrible. She is nothing more than a floozy whose loyalties lie to whomever seems to be in her presence. She isn't smart, manipulative, or even that sexy...just available to the closest man.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
Grade: D 04/27/2012
Sometimes I really don't get these old classics. I kind of hated this film. It is only 60 min long so it feels like half a movie. All of the actors fall on eachothers cues and it always seems as if each actor is just waiting for the other actor to finish talking so they can say their line. It is NEVER natural. The entire film felt like a FAMILY GUY cutaway where they make fun of the attitudes, speech patterns, and accents of these old timey movies. And Mae West? Her character is pretty terrible. She is nothing more than a floozy whose loyalties lie to whomever seems to be in her presence. She isn't smart, manipulative, or even that sexy...just available to the closest man.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die