Lupin The Third: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland










Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: Director Hayao Miyazaki's movie debut stands as one of the most fun action films ever made.

There is so much to recommend about this movie. The characters are very engaging. Lupin III may be more noble here than he is in other installments featuring the character, but he is still so fun to watch. He does have his moments where he shows his jerkier side (such as a flashback to him being younger and the opening scene), and he is very funny and a joy to watch in these moments. When he is nobler though he does not fully become a different character and still is full of energy. Even when he is noble there is still a slight side of the master criminal in there. The leading lady is a nice adaption to the Lupin world, and it is easy to see why she brings out a different side of our main character. Beyond just the characters though this movie also brings to life a whole new setting completely made for this movie. This setting is pure Miyazaki-san at his best, and definitely looks forward to such movies as Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. The place looks absolutely gorgeous, but it is always at service to the story. This movie also has a lot of great action and humor. The humor is laugh out loud funny as you can easily tell if you see this in a theater with an audience. The action is some of the best I have ever seen animation or live action. The pure excitement in these scenes is completely gripping and hard to resist. There are also a few slower moments too that add greatly to the atmosphere and make the movie all the more fascinating to watch.

For pure fun you simply cannot beat this movie.

-Michael J. Ruhland   

Old Town Music Hall: Laurel and Hardy Festival (Sept. 2017)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland
















Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: Yep I saw another Laurel and Hardy film festival at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, California. It was just as much fun this time as any other time I have seen one. Seriously if any of my fellow Laurel and Hardy lovers are ever in the area definitely see one of these shows you will not regret it.

Before the films even began we were treated to great fun. First a very talented young man named Edward Torres (sorry if I got the name wrong or misspelled it but I believe this was his name) treated us to a fantastic rendition of Fats Waller's classic song Ain't Misbehaving on The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ (which dates back to 1921). Followed by this the extremely talented Bill Field played a medley of classic songs on this organ. Then we had a sing along (with words appearing on the screen) as he played with such classics as Ol' Susana, When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbing Along, Give Me A Little Kiss and My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.

Since our first two films were silent they were accompanied live by Bill Field playing the Wurlitzer. Now if you have never seen a silent film with live musical accompaniment you are missing out. It is such a completely different experience than watching them on TV and it really makes the films come to life. Our first silent was the delightful Their Purple Moment (1928). Though this film was early in their teaming, here the characters and humor are clearly defined and with this there are plenty of laughs to be found. The next short was Leave 'Em Laughing (1928). While this may not have been as refined as the short before hand, there are still some good laughs to be found here, and Ollie getting his tooth pulled is a comic highlight and classic Laurel and Hardy at their best.

After a brief intermission we got a trio of sound shorts. First off was Men O' War (1929), which ranks among the duo's funniest sound shorts. This film is full of laughs and it only gets funnier when watching it with an audience. This short is by far a must see for all Laurel and Hardy fans. Next came Scram (1932). Now this short really shows how watching a film with an audience in a theater can completely change a movie. I always thought this short was funny, but it always felt a bit slow to me. However seeing it with an audience it no longer feels slow at all and has every right to be called a Laurel and Hardy classic. Last but certainty not least was County Hospital (1932), this one is rightful considered a masterpiece by many Laurel and Hardy fans. And why not? The laughs just keep coming in this short and of course it has one of the best lines to quote "Hard boiled eggs and nuts...mmmm".

-Michael J. Ruhland    

Show Boat (1936)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland















Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: High quality entertainment of the highest order possible.

This movie has it all fantastic musical numbers, great characters, good laughs and a compelling story. Each of these work absolutely perfectly here and there are definitely scenes you will never forget. Of course this film's most famous scene is the Old Man River song. There is no way to overpraise this scene. Paul Robeson's voice is amazing, John J. Mescall's cinematography is compelling, the song itself is really powerful, the brief fantasy like background are extremely well done and the juxtapositions with the cotton workers makes the scene work all the better. Personally I can't see how anyone could fail to be moved by this scene. The rest of this movie is really darn good too. Irene Dunne and Alan Jones have fantastic chemistry together and you completely believe their romance. Helen Morgan and Hattie McDaniel steal ever seen that they are in. James Whale's (best remembered for directing Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein) direction is of the highest quality. Other standout scenes besides Old Man River include the captain's summary of the scene that couldn't be performed in the stage play, Magnolia's performance in the night club on New Years Eve, Julie singing her favorite song for Magnolia, Queenie and Joe, and so much more. Most of all though this movie doesn't have a moment that doesn't work and when it is over you will be surprised it was near two hours because you were so entertained. If you have any interest what so ever in Hollywood films of the 1930's you need to see this movie. To say they don't make them like this anymore would be a vast understatement. This is just pure entertainment that could only come from the golden age of Hollywood.

By the way I saw this movie in the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, California. This place is an absolute must go for anyone like me who loves movies from the 1920's 30's and 40's and is one of my favorite places to see movies. If you are ever in the era don't miss it.

-Michael J. Ruhland.       

Dirty Work (1933)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: Extremely funny Laurel and Hardy short.

This short film is very simple, but that is just where so much of its humor comes from. This is just down and dirty (often literally in this film) slapstick at its best. The jokes we have seen before but Laurel and Hardy bring so much to them that so many other comedians couldn't. These characters are so likable and different from any other comedy characters that it doesn't matter who else has done these jokes. As absurd as this comedy is the characters make us believe every second of it.

Many of the jokes involve Stan and Ollie cleaning a chimney. This is what the two comedians are best at doing, making such a simple task look so complicated and milking it for every joke possible. Like many of the best slapstick comedies this film gives us the jokes we were completely excepting and then when we think the joke is done, we get another payoff. This is done so perfectly and flawlessly that you really are surprised when the joke continues and it makes you laugh even louder. The timing is also done perfectly here as it gives you just enough time to think that joke is over and then wham. Speaking of timing you never realize just how well timed these films are until you see them with an audience. Just when the audience stops laughing at one joke the film gives them just enough time to breathe and then wham another joke. The audience's laughter never interrupts a joke. Also adding to the comedy is some very funny lines given to actor Samuel Adams that he delivers perfectly (SOMEwhere - an ELECTRIC CHAIR is WAITING!).


Ollie may have nothing to say, but I can't praise this film enough.

-Michael J. Ruhland

    

The Freshman (1925)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland.



















Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: Incredible film, silent comedy doesn't come any better than this.

Harold Lloyd liked to say he made two types of pictures, gag films, and character films. While both are easily defined as comedies and all full of gags, the difference is in what propels the story. In a gag film the story is propelled by the gags. In a character film the story is propelled by the characters and so are the gags. The Freshman is tied for Harold's best character film with The Kid Brother. Everything is done near perfectly here. There is no possible way you could not grow to love this character. Harold Lamb feels s real in a way many other silent comedy characters don't. We see how devoted this guy is and how much he truly believes that he can do, Because of this we want this character to wind up on top we fully wish for it. It is often brought up that a scene in The Max Brother's A Night At the Opera in which the villain attacks Harpo with a bullwhip makes us like Harpo and hate the villain. This is done to a much more extreme extant here as we see poor Harold suffer ridicule after ridicule. However it is never done to an extant that makes it feel silly or overdone. This always feels real, because Harold Lamb is so real to us.

However with all this going on the film still manages to be very funny. The dance scene, the tackle scene and the climatic football game are all amazing comedic set pieces that I can't see how anyone couldn't laugh at. In fact the football game was so funny that in the feature film Horsefeathers, the Marx Brothers repeated some of the gags and it was still really funny there. Similarly the Three Stooges would repeat some of the dance scenes jokes, and they were still really funny there too. These scenes are so perfectly thought out as one small mishap leads to a bigger one and a bigger one and a bigger one, and they each get bigger and bigger laughs. These scenes by the way are funny enough when you watch the film on DVD by yourself or with a small group, however watching them with a decent size audience these scenes come off as even funnier (and that is quite amazing). Also really funny is this movie are some intertitles by Thomas J. Gray. Some of these include " The Dean of the College - he was so dignified he never married for fear his wife would call him by his first name." and "Tate University - A large football stadium, with a college attached." These got huge laughs at the theater I saw it at (Old Town Music Hall) and I can't see how they would ever fail on that regard.

I've said this before but I can't say it enough. To see silent films with live musical accompaniment (especially with a musician as talented as organ player Bill Fields, who played along with the movie here) and a great audience, can make the film seem like a whole new experience. I have seen this movie countless times on DVD and TCM, but watching it here the way it was meant to be watched made it feel like a whole different movie to me and an even better one (which is saying a lot with how much I enjoyed this film in the first place).

-Michael J. Ruhland
 

Old Town Music Hall: Laurel and Hardy Festival

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: This weekend the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, California there was a Laurel and Hardy film festival. The place does this multiple times each year. However this time was even more special because it was hosted by historian Randy Skrevedt, who shared many great stories about the making of these films. For instance he talked about how Antia Garvin's very short appearance in The Battle of the Century was simply a favor she did for Stan and she was never actually paid for it, but she would state that that seemed to be all people knew her for. He also told a story about how Laughing Gravy (a dog in the film of the same name) was actually a female and how despite how Charlie Hall despite playing a character who hated the dog, in real life ended up adopting one of her puppies.  

Like most shows at the Old Town Music Hall, this begin with some organ playing by a very talented musician named Bill Field. We then had a sing along as Bill Field played such classic songs as Mairsy Dotes and Dosey Dotes, Oh Suzanna and My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean. This was all of course great fun.

Next we got our first two films (after introductions by Randy), these were two silent classics, You're Darn Tooting and The Battle of the Century (which includes the funniest pie fight in the history of movies). While these classic shorts were playing Bill Field accompanied them on his organ. If you have not seen silent films with live music, you have not really seen them. This creates a completely new experience much different than watching them on TV or YouTube. The films themselves were extremely funny.

After an intermission we got our sound portion of the festival. This started with the classic Laughing Gravy, a downright hilarious film. Then came two of Laurel and Hardy's greatest films, Helpmates and The Music Box.

Every short shown here I have thought funny enough watching by myself on DVD, but they are much funnier watching them with an audience. Just the fact that you are enjoying these films on the same level as everybody else there and sharing a laugh with them, just makes the shorts all the funnier. You also realize just how perfectly timed they are, because just as soon as the audience stops laughing at one joke the next one happens.

They do these festivals multiple times each year, if you love Laurel and Hardy like I do, you need to go.

-Michael J. Ruhland  

North By Northwest (1959)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland















Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Review: This ranks as one of Alfred Hitchcock's most fun films.

This film offers every type of entertainment possible including comedy, drama, suspense, action and romance and does every one of them beautifully. The climax on Mount Rushmore and the crop duster scene are just as exciting today as they ever where and will honestly never date. Similarly the humor is downright laugh out loud funny. Much of this humor comes from the dialogue and Cary Grants amazing delivery of it. Lines like "Now you listen to me, I'm an advertising man, not a red herring. I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself slightly killed" as well as the whole police station and actuation scenes will simply never not be funny. Cary Grant may be too old for the part, but he is so darn good in it that you probably won't care and neither do I. He and Eva Marie Saint have fantastic chemistry making their scenes together all the better. Despite all the great dialogue Alfred Hitchcock's great visual style shows through out the movie. The whole film is beautiful to look at and always maintains visual interest even in the most dialogue heavy scenes.

On top of all this finally seeing this film in a theater made it feel like a whole new experience to me. The atmosphere of being in a movie theater and being part of a movie audience made this an incredible experience. I have seen this film on TV many times and loved it but seeing it in this setting made me love it even more.

-Michael J. Ruhland