1957 Review Blog
Paths of Glory
Grade: A 10/08/2009
You know you have a great movie when one of your only complaints is that it is far too short. PATHS OF GLORY is early Kubrick, and it is equal parts DR. STRANGELOVE and FULL METAL JACKET. It involves a French regiment in WWI who are sent on a suicidal mission. When many soldiers fall back because of its obvious futility, 3 are arrested and charged with "Cowardice in the face of the enemy". Their Colonel (Kirk Douglas) defends them at their court martial. This movie made me verbally angry, and Kubrick's classic cynicism at humanity's possibilities really shines through. This is a wonderful movie, but at under 90 minutes long, I felt like I got shortchanged. The battle seemed truncated and the court martial seemed rushed, but overall...it is fantastic stuff.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
Grade: A 10/08/2009
You know you have a great movie when one of your only complaints is that it is far too short. PATHS OF GLORY is early Kubrick, and it is equal parts DR. STRANGELOVE and FULL METAL JACKET. It involves a French regiment in WWI who are sent on a suicidal mission. When many soldiers fall back because of its obvious futility, 3 are arrested and charged with "Cowardice in the face of the enemy". Their Colonel (Kirk Douglas) defends them at their court martial. This movie made me verbally angry, and Kubrick's classic cynicism at humanity's possibilities really shines through. This is a wonderful movie, but at under 90 minutes long, I felt like I got shortchanged. The battle seemed truncated and the court martial seemed rushed, but overall...it is fantastic stuff.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
The Seventh Seal
Grade: B 02/03/2009
I now understand why Woody Allen is always talking about how he is inspired by Ingmar Bergman. THE SEVENTH SEAL is the first film I have seen of Bergman's, and it certainly has a kind of Woody Allen feel to it (of which I am VERY well versed). In Allen films, people sit around talking about life, death, and god...and comically absurd things happen to them. In THE SEVENTH SEAL, people sit around talking about Life, Death, and God...and dramatically intense things happen to them. Watching Max Von Sydow (did this guy ever NOT look 70 years old?) play Chess with Death is a pretty iconic image, and the setting of a plague torn Sweden post-crusades is quite a environment for people to start believing that the Apocalypse is nigh. Well done, if a bit uneven and rambling at times.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die
Grade: B 02/03/2009
I now understand why Woody Allen is always talking about how he is inspired by Ingmar Bergman. THE SEVENTH SEAL is the first film I have seen of Bergman's, and it certainly has a kind of Woody Allen feel to it (of which I am VERY well versed). In Allen films, people sit around talking about life, death, and god...and comically absurd things happen to them. In THE SEVENTH SEAL, people sit around talking about Life, Death, and God...and dramatically intense things happen to them. Watching Max Von Sydow (did this guy ever NOT look 70 years old?) play Chess with Death is a pretty iconic image, and the setting of a plague torn Sweden post-crusades is quite a environment for people to start believing that the Apocalypse is nigh. Well done, if a bit uneven and rambling at times.
1001 Movie to See Before You Die