Clue, the first movie based on a board game (of the same name), is one of my all time favorites. The film stars such actors as Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, and Michael McKean as some of its colorful characters. I can’t sum up the movie better than IMDb: “Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.” These guests include players from the game: Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green, Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock, and Ms. Scarlet. Characters mysteriously die (some more than once), and yet the guests much try to work together even though each one suspects the other of being the murderer in this hilarious flick. So who did commit all the murders?

Sadly comedies do not get the same respect as other genres, but in my opinion, Clue is one of the most brilliantly written films ever made. What with the multiple endings, absolutely hilarious dialogue, and perfectly comical performances, this is a great Halloween movie for scaredy cats like myself who cannot watch “real horror movies”.

Watch it this Halloween!

Favorite lines:

Cop: What’s going on around here? And why would you lock me in? And why are you receiving phone calls from J. Edgar Hoover?
Wadsworth: J. Edgar Hoover?
Cop: That’s right! The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation!
Colonel Mustard: Why is J. Edgar Hoover on your phone?
Wadsworth: I don’t know, he’s on everybody else’s, why shouldn’t he be on mine?

————

[Mr. Boddy has disappeared after being killed]
Mr. Green: He couldn’t have been dead.
Professor Plum: He was. At least I thought he was, but what difference does it make now?
Miss Scarlet: Makes quite a difference to him.

————

Wadsworth: Three murders?
Mr. Green: Six altogether.
Wadsworth: This is getting serious.

Why not start the month of Halloween off with a comedic-”scary” classic? In 1955′s Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, Freddie Franklin (Lou Costello) and Peter Patterson (Bud Abbott) become stranded in Cairo, Egypt. Upon overhearing about the valuable treasure of Princess Ara and how it can be found, the two set out to find the mummy, Klaris, whose medallion will help show them the way. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones who overheard this information. A business woman, Madame Rontru (Marie Windsor), and the followers of Klaris, who are led by Semu (Richard Deacon), are also competing to find the treasure, each for his or her own personal gain. In a hilarious turn of events, Freddie and Peter try to keep themselves after finding the medallion, whose owner, Klaris, has now been brought to life by Semu’s group.

I have always been a fan of Abbott and Costello, and although this film was their last with Universal Pictures, it was indeed one of the most enjoyable. The black and white adds to its charm and makes it easier to forgive an array of jokes that we hardly ever see in films today, but can still enjoy. Abbott and Costello are a classic favorite and will never fail to make us laugh, even if it has been more than fifty years. This was the first of the pair’s work that I had ever seen when I was younger, and was what made me watch all of their other productions as well. If you’ve never watched Abbott and Costello before, this is a good choice to begin with.

Check out the trailer below!

Keep Bantering!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity stars Fred MacMurray as an insurance salesman, Walter Neff, and Barbara Stanwyck as an unhappy housewife, Phyllis Dietrichson. Together, they come up with a plan to buy her husband insurance, without his knowledge, and then murder him to get the insurance money. Neff is very careful because his job has given him enough experience to know how to avoid getting the money in a suspicious manner. Their plan works to a certain degree, until Neff learns that Phyllis is not in love with him as much as he is with her. Complicating things even more, Mr. Dietrichson’s daughter, Lola, has now lost both of her parents (Phyllis is her stepmother). Neff, driven by guilt and a broken heart, heads over to his office to make a confession.

Double Indemnity is a classic American film noir, but did not win any of the Academy Awards it was nominated for (Best Sound, Best Actress, Best Music Score, Best Writing). It was, however, selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1992 by the U.S. Library of Congress, and ranked #38 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 best American films of the 20th century.

I highly recommend this film for anyone in love with the noir genre, or if you’ve never seen a film noir before, this would be a good one to start with. In film making today, voice over narration is avoided at all costs, and is usually an absolute “no-no,” but I’ll admit that I love the mood it creates. You can’t find that in many other places other than the film noir genre. Double Indemnity is indeed a thriller, but because of the narration, it goes at its own speed.

Keep Bantering!

George Roy Hill’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid follows the brainy Butch and the skilled Sundance on their last adventures as outlaws. After robbing the same train multiple times, they soon discover that their target has hired an unbeatable group of trackers that just won’t fall for any of their usual tricks. Tired of running, the two pals escape to Bolivia to continue their bank robbing until the trackers chase after them yet again. Together, Butch and Sundance make one last effort to outrun their enemies.

The best asset of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a true buddy film, is, of course, the friendship between Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film would be nothing without the constant humor provided by the main characters’ distinct and completely opposite personalities. Furthermore, the talents of Paul Newman and Robert Redford perfect this liaison, making it one of the best pairings in cinematic history.

The fact that the film can make you root for two people who steal and kill, and who are technically the actual “bad guys,” shows just how great a film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is. And if that’s not enough to convince one, let’s not forget all the Oscars this classic took home in 1970: Best Music Score, Best Writing Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Music Song (as well as nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Sound nominee).

You don’t have to be a fan of Westerns to enjoy this film, as it is not your typical Western—so don’t miss out!

Keep Bantering!

J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) buys a book entitled, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” on his way to work. Reading the first couple of pages, he steps into a building through a window (he’s a window washer), miraculously gets himself hired and moves up the ladder of success by doing exactly as the book says. And along the way, he meets the lovely secretary Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee), who pursues him as much as she can without really pursuing him (all girls will completely understand what I’m trying to say here). But you can only get so far when you have the many enemies Finch creates in all the competitors he beat on his quick rise to success. In fact, his main adversary is the boss’ nephew, Bud Frump, who calls his mother on the pretense of “going out for a smoke” every time something does not go his way.

Although the film was not popular with the awards, it earned a well deserved nomination for AFI’s Top 100 Laughs. The humor is perfect for those who love sarcasm, as every line is filled with it. There’s a bit of truth behind every point Finch’s literary guide has to make that connects to every audience member. Robert Morse, who is now known as Bertram Cooper on Mad Men (funnily enough), is perfect as the ambitious newbie who lucks into everything. Nevertheless, my personal favorite is Bud Frump (Anthony Teague), who will always make you laugh with every breakdown he has every time Finch does something right. And the music is very easy on the ears for first time listeners.

Whether or not you’ve seen the Broadway show, this is a classic you shouldn’t miss!

Favorite Line:

Bud Frump: “I beg your pardon, I do not go crying to my uncle! It just happens my mother is Mrs. Biggley’s sister. If I feel something’s wrong, I phone my mother. She phones Mrs. Biggley, and Mrs. Biggley phones Mr. Biggley. That’s the DEMOCRATIC way.”

Keep Bantering!

Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), an aspiring actress, finally gets the opportunity of a lifetime when Karen (Celeste Holm) introduces her to the actress Eve so dearly admires, Broadway star Margo Channing (Bette Davis). Eve also meets playwright Lloyd Richards and director Bill Simpson on that very night. From that moment on, ambitious Eve ever so sweetly uses her closeness to Margo to become a star herself, even if she has to bite a few of the hands that first fed her.

All About Eve was a huge winner at the Academy Awards, having garnered six of them: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (George Sanders), Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Writing, Screenplay (Joseph L. Mankiewicz).

Speaking of the writing, it is one of the best parts about the film. Full of wit and sophisticated humor, it’s a film that welcomes viewers to use their brains when watching. Bette Davis’ performance as a Broadway diva is absolutely amazing, and Anne Baxter is terrifyingly convincing as the sweet assistant who acts as if she would never dream of hurting anyone.

For those of you who have already enjoyed the film or are going to see it for the first time, here is one of my favorite lines by Margo: “Nice speech, Eve. But I wouldn’t worry too much about your heart. You can always put that award where your heart ought to be.”

Keep bantering!

For this patriotic day, I couldn’t think of a more American classic than Gone with the Wind. Adapted from the Margaret Mitchell novel of the same name, the film starred Vivien Leigh as the beautiful but self-absorbed Scarlett O’Hara, and Clark Gable as the roguish Rhett Butler. Young Scarlett is heartbroken when she learns that Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), the one she secretly loves, is going to marry the simple and sweet Melanie Hamilton. Try as she might, Scarlett can’t sway Ashley’s choice, even though he admits his attraction to her. When the war breaks out, Scarlett is faced with overcoming the troubles of the South in addition to trying to get things to go her way. Her run ins with Rhett show just how perfect a match they are for each other, but Scarlett refuses to believe that Ashley will never love her like he does Melanie. Although the film is built around the Civil War, it focuses on the tug of war between Scarlett, Ashley, and Rhett. And even after the film ends, we still always wonder-will Scarlett ever find what she’s really been searching for?

Gone with the Wind was the first film to win more than five Academy Awards, earning one for each of the following categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy, was the first African-American actress to win an Academy Award), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction. The awards speak for themselves, so I won’t write an essay about how amazing these aspects of the film are.

It’s not exactly a timeless classic in the sense that everything transcends to today’s conventions, but it’s still a classic worth transporting back to that era for all 233 minutes of the film. I will always love the interactions between Scarlett and Rhett. They really are perfect for one another and he’s the only man who acknowledges and accepts her for what she really is, as well as the only man who ever actually “challenges” her. People tend to have mixed feelings concerning Scarlett’s character, but I personally do not think she is a witch with a “b.” She only seems to behave the way she does because of how young she is. And when the going gets tough, I can’t help but admire her for doing what she must to keep her head above water. Although some may believe she toys with the feelings of men, I think it’s only a result of her yearning to be loved, the only trouble is, she doesn’t realize what love is until it’s probably too late. But, “after all, tomorrow is another day.”

Keep Bantering and have a happy Fourth of July!

One of the best movies to watch in the summertime is Grease, the 1978 film adaptation of the original broadway musical. Greaser Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and the beautiful and innocent Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) fall in love one summer but have to separate once the summer ends, as Sandy must return to Australia with her parents. Danny promises that this isn’t the end of their love, though. Due to changes in her family’s plans, however, Sandy does not go to Australia and ends up enrolling at Rydell High, the very school Danny attends. Neither are aware until their first meeting, where she sees the side of Danny she never saw during their romantic summer, a bad-boy-wannabe who makes fun of her so as to keep his “cool” image with his guy friends. It’s a roller coaster ride from that point on, where each attempts to please the other by trying to conform to each other’s cliques, as well as fitting in with everyone else.

The chemistry between Travolta and Newton-John cannot be found anywhere else. I personally love Travolta’s performance in the film. Everything about him is completely transformed into Zuko-every step in his walk, every strand of his greased hair, every expression on his face. And every character in the film is perfectly cast. I am one of those people who have watched the film so many times that I can probably quote the entire thing from beginning to end, but I think anyone who watches the film, even once, will find a favorite line or two that will stay with him or her forever. Not to mention, all of the songs are fantastic, from “Summer Nights” to “We Go Together.” The story of Grease is so classic that it technically, in my opinion, became the recent Disney channel hit, High School Musical, although we can safely say that they are both very similar “modern” adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. Not only does the film portray the popular theme of forbidden love, but it also has a lot to say about being true to yourself versus doing what it takes to fit in.

Fun fact-did you know that Jeff Conaway, who plays Zuko’s best friend, Kenickie, played Danny Zuko himself in the Broadway show before the film was made? Travolta was also in the Broadway cast, playing the role of T-bird, Doody.

Watch them both in the highest grossing film of 1978!

I have a soft spot for dark comedies and Harold and Maude manages to remain one of the best in spite of its age. The film stars Bud Cort as the young Harold, and Ruth Gordon as the lively, and much older, Maude. Harold, a wealthy teenager obsessed with death, spends his days attending funerals, meeting with his therapist, and staging fake suicides, among other things. One day, while at a funeral, he meets Maude, who is his exact opposite. She too attends funerals for pleasure, but spends the rest of her time doing much different things than what Harold would, for example, speeding off in other people’s cars. However, Harold’s mother wants him to grow up and do things boys his age should be doing, so he is forced to meet many different girls, as well as enroll in the army, but he finds his hobbies very useful for avoiding these things. It is only when he is with Maude that Harold seems to actually open up and be himself, and that we witness the growth of a loving relationship.

The comic timing in this film is just classic, for lack of a better word. At the very start of the film, Harold’s mother walks in at just the right time to witness his fake suicide attempt, and merely goes on with her business, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. The interaction between Harold and his mother is what I personally love the most about this film. Suicide simulation after suicide simulation, she continues to ignore everything with perfect timing. And I can’t ever forget the classic moment when Harold realizes how he can use this to his advantage, and he turns to face the camera and gives us the naughty smile that his mother cannot see.

Not to mention, the soundtrack by Cat Stevens that will remain stuck in your head for hours (but you won’t mind it), even after the film has finished. Best of all, though, it’s not just an entertaining film, but one with meaning. When I watch Harold go through everything in the film, there’s so much that contributes to his character and the story that I just want to think about and analyze (however I won’t bore you with any of them haha). The film has so many layers, and yet, it’s so simple. Every time I watch it, I gain something different from it. And that is why I would define Harold and Maude as a classic to remember.

If you haven’t already seen the film, please do!

“Well if you want to sing out, sing out. And if you want to be free, be free. ‘Cause there’s a million things to be, you know that there are…” Also, I wish I had a machine that generated the smell of snow…

In future Britain, after a number of brutal rapes and murders, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society’s crime problem… but not all goes to plan.

Those who have not seen “A Clockwork Orange” yet, you are in luck. On May 31^st of this year Warner Homer Video is releasing a special 40^th Anniversary 2-disc Edition on Blu-ray. Here are all of the special features below. Enjoy!

Disc 1:
- Feature Film
- Malcolm McDowell Looks Back: Malcolm McDowell reflects on his experience working with   Kubrick on one of the seminal films of the 1970s
- Turning like Clockwork: considers the film’s “ultra-violence” and its cultural impact
- Commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman
- Documentary Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange
- Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making A Clockwork Orange
- Theatrical trailer

Disc 2:
- Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (Directed by Jan Harlan, the brother of Kubrick’s widow, Christiane): Kubrick’s career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family.
- Lucky Malcolm! Documentary: about the life and career of actor Malcolm McDowell produced and directed by Jan Harlan and edited by Katia de Vidas.