Friday, January 27, 2023
The Koker Trilogy
- Commentary: Under construction.
The films in this trilogy are:
Where Is the Friend's House?
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Babak Ahmadpour Ahmad Ahmadpour Ahmed Ahmadpour Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh Khodabaksh Defai Teacher Iran Outari Mother Ayat Ansari Father Sadika Tohidi Persian Neighbour Biman Mouafi Ali, Neighbour Ali Jamali Grandfather's Friend
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1987
And Life Goes On
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Farhad Kheradmand Director Buba Bayour Puya Hossein Rezai Hossein Hocine Rifahi Hocine
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1992
Through the Olive Trees
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mohamad Ali Keshavarz Film Director Farhad Kheradmand Farhad Zarifeh Shiva Mrs. Shiva Hossein Rezai Hossein Tahereh Ladanian Tahereh Hocine Redai Hocine Zahra Nourouzi Kouly's Daughter Nosrat Bagheri Achiz(as Nasret Betri) Azim Aziz Nia Azim Ostadvali Babaei Teacher (as Astadouli Babani) N. Boursadiki Tahra Khodabakhsh Defaei Teacher (as Kheda Barech Defai)
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1994
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the trilogy.
All Films Directed by Abbas Kiarostami.
Labels: §6, Criterion5
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Paula
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Loretta Young Paula Rogers Kent Smith John Rogers Alexander Knox Dr. Clifford Frazer Tommy Rettig David Larson
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1952
Directed by Rudolph Maté.
Labels: §6, goflexB, women's-movie2
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Cradle Will Rock
- Commentary: Under construction.
Keep in mind, this movie could be said to have "a cast of thousands". That, of course, is an exaggeration: It only has a credited/uncredited actor cast (over at IMDb) of 140, or thereabouts. It is, as well, more than a movie. It is an attempt (some say successful, some not) at an historical and contemplative presentation of the fate of the depression era Federal Theater Project production The Cradle Will Rock. At any rate, in the table below I've included actors/roles that seem to me to be important in the play, those I recognize and those who play themselves. Take a deep breath. This could take awhile.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Hank Azaria Marc Blitzstein Rubén Blades Diego Rivera Joan Cusack Hazel Huffman John Cusack Nelson Rockefeller Cary Elwes John Houseman Philip Baker Hall Gray Mathers Cherry Jones Hallie Flanagan Angus Macfadyen Orson Welles Bill Murray Tommy Crickshaw Vanessa Redgrave Countess Constance La Grange Susan Sarandon Margherita Sarfatti Jamey Sheridan John Adair John Turturro Aldo Silvano Emily Watson Olive Stanton Bob Balaban Harry Hopkins Jack Black Sid Kyle Gass Larry Paul Giamatti Carlo Barnard Hughes Frank Marvel Barbara Sukowa Sophie Silvano Steven Tyler Lehman Engel John Carpenter Power - William Randolph Hearst Gretchen Mol Marion Davies Ned Bellamy Paul Edwards Lynn Cohen Silvano - Mama Dominic Chianese Silvano - Papa Gregg Edelman Blitzstein - Dream Larry Foreman Carrie Preston VTA - Administrator Karen Lynn Gorney Dancer (uncredited) Tim Robbins Voice On Film Reel (uncredited) Franklin D. Roosevelt Self (archive footage) Haile Selassie Self (in pith helmet)
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1999
Directed by Tim Robbins.
Labels: §6, goflexA, historical4, john-turturro, paul-giamatti, period7, political5, tim-robbins
A Carol for Another Christmas
- Commentary: Under construction.
Considering its inavailability for decades (it was originally broadcast in 1964 and then shelved for nearly 50 years, finally being revived by TCM in 2012), I consider myself lucky to have a copy of this movie. I have never seen it, but I checked it for version information. There are, apparently, two versions making the rounds. The original features Henry Mancini's music. The second removed Mancini's music and replaced it with recordings of children singing Christmas carols. The copy I own is of the original broadcast.
Aside from the review I've attached to the title of this post, I've linked, as well, to several reviews written about the movie, below. Each review, whether short or long, contains some interesting tidbit (or, in the case of the one linked to this post title, many tidbits) containing considerations of and facts about the production and impact of this film:
Bureau 42 Review
Emanuel Levy Review
Films Graded Review
TCM Article/Review
Spooky Isles Review
Most of the reviews contain a plot summary, some of which are quite detailed, so be forewarned, but, keep in mind, you already know this story, as it is a retelling of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Percy Rodriguez Charles Sterling Hayden Daniel Grudge Ben Gazzara Fred Barbara Ann Teer Ruby Steve Lawrence Ghost of Christmas Past Eva Marie Saint WAVE Lt. Gibson James Shigeta Doctor Pat Hingle Ghost of Christmas Present Robert Shaw Ghost of Christmas Future Peter Sellers Imperial Me Britt Ekland Mother Joe Santos Number 32
It is astonishing to note that every single one of the actors listed in the table above either was or became well involved in the entertainment industry, well known, if only by face recognition, and well loved. And, of course, it was written by Rod Serling, and, by the way, look who directed it. This was not meant to be, nor was it (even though it was disappeared for quite a while), a slouch of a production.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1964
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Labels: §6, apocalyptic, Christmas, goflexA, nuclear, pat-hingle, TV3
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
By Dawn's Early Light
- Commentary: Under construction.
This movie is about the idea-muddle within which a globally destructive nuclear war could happen.
Established film critics seemed reluctant to review this TV movie released by HBO, maybe because it is a TV movie, so I connected the title of this post to the Cinafilm write-up, which hosts anyone who wishes to review any particular movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Powers Boothe USAF Major Cassidy Rebecca De Mornay USAF Captain Moreau James Earl Jones USAF General "Alice" Martin Landau U. S. President Darren McGavin U. S. Sec. of Interior "Condor" Rip Torn Colonel Fargo Jeffrey DeMunn USN Admiral "Harpoon" Peter MacNicol USN LCDR Tom Sedgwick
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Jack Sholder.
Labels: §6, goflexA, nuclear, war3
The Mad King - Ben Glieb
- Commentary: Under construction.
Very little background information about this special. The link in the title above is to a video interview about the special that is actually longer, by about 20 minutes, than the special itself, and features, as one of the interviewees, Ben Glieb.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up about the comedian.
Release Date: 2022
Directed by Scott Montoya.
The Ages of Man
- Commentary: Under construction.
One actor spoken word recitation of Shakespeare quotations.
Actor: Sir John Gielgud.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1966
Directed by Paul Bogart.
Labels: §6, goflexA, john-gielgud, shakespeare









