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Saturday 07/21/07

12:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
Zombies of Mora Tau (1957 USA): One thing you can say about Zombies of Mora Tau — it's almost always the last film listed in any reference book, unless said book also happens to include Zotz. It's another of director Edward L. Cahn's dreaded Columbia quickies, and features Gregg Palmer as Jeff, a contract diver hired by sleazy operator George Harrison (Joel Ashley) to recover some diamonds located in a sunken ship off the coast of Africa. Ah, but these diamonds are special — they're being guarded by the eponymous living dead creatures, who, draped in seaweed and barnacles, are not anxious to surrender their booty to the living! Also along for the adventure is love interest Mona (statuesque Allison Hayes from Attack of the 50 Foot Woman), wise scientist Dr. Eggert (the ubiquitous Morris Ankrum), and a cast of 11 very damp looking zombie extras, including wrestler Karl 'Killer' Davis. This appropriately slow moving chiller is followed at 1:30 AM by the equally leaden The Man Who Turned to Stone (also 1957), a truly petrifying affair starring Victor Jory as a mad scientist.

5:15 PM Sundance
Travellers and Magicians (2003 BHU-AUS): This is the first feature film shot in the tiny land-locked Asian nation of Bhutan, and the second from Bhutanese filmmaker and Buddhist holy man Khyentse Norbu, whose 1999 effort The Cup — about the impact of the World Cup on a remote Tibetan monastery — delighted art-house mavens the world over. This time, Norbu examines the lives of two seemingly dissimilar characters: a westernized bureaucrat (Tschewang Dendup) looking to relocate to the United States, and an itinerant monk (Sonam Kinga) he meets along the way. It's The Odd Couple on the Roof of the World, and the culture clash comes thick and fast, as our aspiring Yankee quickly loses patience with the old world ways of his traveling companion. It's good, gentle fun that has a simple yet sweet message at its core: perhaps the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence, after all.

6:00 PM Starz
The Illusionist (2006 USA): Last year saw two films tackle the subject of Victorian magic shows: this small-scale effort from writer director Neil Burger, and The Prestige, a bigger budgeted affair from Memento-man Christopher Nolan. Both had their strong points, but on balance, I found The Illusionist the much more satisfying film, grounded as it is in some identifiable reality. The film stars Edward Norton as Eisenheim, a mysterious sort who may or may not have supernatural powers that allow him to perform amazing feats of prestidigitation. Hailed throughout his native Austria, Eisenheim's act soon attracts the attention of the aristocracy — including egotistical Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) and his trophy fiancée Sophie (Jessica Biel), whose childhood relationship with the working class magician soon causes the Prince to fly into fits of apoplexy. The film is buoyed further by another outstanding performance by the great everyman of cinema, Paul Giamatti, as Inspector Uhl, who must do the bidding of the Crown Prince and put a stop to the resurgent romance. The Illusionist went on to be a surprising box office hit — it grossed almost $40 million on a $16.5 million budget — and earned an Academy Award nomination for Dick Pope's evocative Viennese cinematography. It also airs at 9:00 PM and throughout the month, though sadly only in pan and scan.

Sunday 07/22/07

7:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Only Two Can Play (1962 GB): Peter Sellers plays bored librarian John Lewis in this barbed Sidney Gilliatt comedy about life in the Welsh town of Aberdarcy. Lewis is married to plain-jane Jean (Virginia Maskell), and when blonde bombshell Liz (Mai Zetterling) walks into the library one day, he resolves to spice up his life by engaging her in an adulterous affair. Sadly for them, however, obstacles keep getting in the way of the affair's consummation, including Liz's town councillor husband Vernon (Raymond Huntley), a herd of cows, and an aborted theatrical performance. Meanwhile, Jean has taken up with earthy poet Probert (Richard Attenborough), proving true once again the old adage of the goose and the gander. Accent aside, Sellers delivers a more subtle performance than usual, and while it's not one of the knockabout comedies we generally associate with the actor, Only Two Can Play is still worth watching.

11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Cruel Story of Youth (1960 JAP): Even if the narrative were not engaging, this would be required viewing for Takashi Kawamata's gorgeous, color-saturated cinematography alone. Happily, Cruel Story of Youth is fascinating on both levels, rendering it essential viewing for anyone interested in world cinema. Directed by sensualist Nagisa Oshima, this tale of teenage love and lust in post-World War II Japan was no doubt considered shocking in its day. Fresh-faced high schooler Makoto (18-year-old Miyuki Kuwano) is searching for excitement, and starts hopping into the cars of older men with ulterior motives. After suffering abuse at the hands of one such middle-aged gent, she's rescued by university student Kiyoshi (Yusuke Kawazu), who promptly takes advantage of her himself. The two then decide to run their own scam, wherein Makoto exposes herself to danger and Kiyoshi rescues her and demands retribution from her attackers. Tragedy soon strikes, however, in the form of an unwanted pregnancy. Cruel Story of Youth will burn itself into your brain — I haven't seen it in over 25 years, and I can still remember certain images from it — and it makes its widescreen television premiere this evening. It's not available on DVD, so SET YOUR TIMER!

Monday 07/23/07

1:00 PM Showtime
The Bedroom Window (1987 USA): This one has ‘straight to Skinemax erotic thriller' written all over it, but it's a bit better than that. Directed by Curtis Hansen (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile), The Bedroom Window features Steve Guttenberg as Terry, an ambitious if slightly goofy businessman engaged in an affair with the boss's wife (Isabelle Huppert), Sylvia. After an evening of bumping uglies with Terry, Sylvia awakens in the middle of the night, hears suspicious noises outside, and witnesses an attack on a young woman (Elizabeth McGovern) by a creepy goon (Brad Greenquist). Should Sylvia tell Terry — and if she does, can he afford to reveal their relationship by going to the police? A lightweight amalgam of clichés from much better Hitchcock movies, The Bedroom Window is now primarily of interest to Hanson admirers or Huppert stalkers, who will be pleased to know she appears in the buff.

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