Tuesday, May 21, 2019

From Here to Eternity Review











From Here to Eternity


Release Date: 15th October 1953 - Australia


Production Companies
Columbia Pictures (presents)
 
Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: War/Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 minutes


Budget: $2,500,000

Box Office Gross: $30,500,000 (US)


Plot Summary
In a barracks in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor, lone wolf and boxer champ "Prew" Prewitt refuses to fight and prefers to play the bugle. Captain Holmes subjects Prew to a series of punishments, while unbeknownst to Holmes, the gruff but fair Sgt. Warden is having a secret affair with the captain's abused wife.


Cast
Burt Lancaster - Sgt. Milton Warden
Montgomery Clift - Robert E. Lee Prewitt
Deborah Kerr - Karen Holmes
Donna Reed - Alma aka Lorene
Frank Sinatra - Angelo Maggio 
Philip Ober - Capt. Dana Holmes
Mickey Shaughnessy - Sgt. Leva
Harry Bellaver - Mazzioli
Ernest Borgnine - Sgt. 'Fatso' 
Judson
Jack Warden - Corp. Buckley
John Dennis - Sgt. Ike Galovitch
Merle Travis - Sal Anderson
Tim Ryan - Sgt. Pete Karelsen
Arthur Keegan - Treadwell
Barbara Morrison - Mrs Kipfer
Claude Akins - Sgt. 'Baldy' Dhom (Uncredited)
Don Dubbins - Pvt. Friday 
Clark - Bugler (Uncredited)
George Reeves - Sgt. 
Maylon Stark (Uncredited)
Jean Wiles - Annette - Club Receptionist (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Fred Zinnemann
Based Upon the Novel/Writer: Song
"Reenlistment Blues" - James Jones
Screenplay - Daniel Taradash
Producer - Buddy Adler
Technical Advisers - Kendall J. Fielder
and William Mullen
Art Director - Cary Odell
Gowns - Jean Louis
Set Decorator - Frank Tuttle
Director of Photography - Burnett Guffey
Film Editor - William A. Lyon
Supervising Sound Editor - John P. Livadary
(Uncredited)
Musical Director - Morris Stoloff
Background Music - George Duning


Awards

1954 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Buddy Adler (Won)
Best Supporting Actor - Frank Sinatra (Won)
Best Supporting Actress - Donna Reed (Won)
Best Director - Fred Zinnenman (Won)
Best Screenplay - Daniel Taradash (Won)
Best Cinematography, Black or White - Burnett Guffey (Won)
Best Sound - John P. Livadary (Won)
Best Film Editing - William A. Lyon (Won)
---------------------------
Best Actor - Montgomery Clift (Nominated)
Best Actor - Burt Lancaster (Nominated)
Best Actress - Deborah Kerr (Nominated)
Best Costume Design, Black or White - Jean Louis (Nominated)
Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy
Picture - Morris Stoloff and George Duning (Nominated)


Review
I wanted to see the movie for a long time because I had only seen bits of it. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is known as a movie classic because of its well-known passionate scene on the beach between the film's stars, Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. Part of the movie's appeal was it came out in 1953. The war experience was still fresh in people's minds, and audiences would have related to the film's content. Moviegoers have not been used to such intimate scenes in a feature. But this film is more than just romance. It tells the private lives of two men during World War II and before the Pearl Harbor attacks. The movie portrays the struggles people endure during wartime, including its effect on love lives. People could relate to the frustrations and loneliness experienced by the characters.

Lancaster, Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra are terrific in their performances as this film elevated their status as high-profile actors. I like how the romantic chemistry works between Lancaster and Kerr and Clift and Reed in intimate scenes that today may seem old-fashioned. 

As a modern viewer, I can't say I related to it very much. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY would still appeal to fans of black-and-white movies in the post-war era. I would give the film a 10 out of 10.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, May 6, 2019

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Re-Review











Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones


Release Date: 16th May 2002 - Australia


Production Companies
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 142 minutes


Budget: $115,000,000

Box Office Gross: $653,779,970 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After several assassination attempts have put Padmé Amidala, now the Senator of Naboo, in grave danger, the Jedi assigns Anakin Skywalker to protect her at all costs. Anakin develops a romance with Padmé, which the Jedi Code forbids.

Meanwhile, his master Obi-
Wan Kenobi is looking for
the assassin Jango Fett and
has found some clues that
lead to discovering a clone
army. A sinister plot from 
a group of Separatists with 
Count Dooku as their
leader would soon escalate
into a full-scale war with the Republic.


Cast
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan
Kenobi
Natalie Portman - Senator
Padme Amidala
Hayden Christensen - Anakin
Skywalker
Ian McDiarmid - Supreme
Chancellor Palpatine/Darth
Sidious
Christopher Lee - Count Dooku
Samuel L. Jackson - Mace
Windu
Temuera Morrison - Jango Fett
Frank Oz - Yoda (Voice)
Anthony Daniels - C-3PO/
Dannl Faytonni
Kenny Baker - R2-D2
Daniel Logan - Boba Fett
Leeanna Walsman - Zam
Wessell
Silas Carson - Nute Gunray/
Ki-Adi-Mundi
Ahmed Best - Jar Jar Binks
(Voice)/Achk Med-Beq
Jimmy Smits - Senator Bail
Organa
Pernilla August - Shmi
Skywalker
Jack Thompson - Cliegg Lars
Joel Edgerton - Owen Lars
Bonnie Piesse - Beru
Jay Laga'aia - Captain Typho
Andy Secombe - Watto (Voice)
Oliver Ford Davies - Sio Bibble
Ayesha Dharker - Queen
Jamillia
Anthony Phelan - Lama Su (Voice)
Rena Owen - Taun We (Voice)
Ron Falk - Dexter Jettster (Voice)
Rose Byrne - Dormé
Verónica Segura - Cordé
Alethea McGrath - Madame Jocasta Nu
Matt Doran - Elan Sleazebaggano
Matt Sloan - Plo Koon
Zachariah Jensen - Kit Fisto
Alex Knoll - J.K. Burtola
Phoebe Yiamkiati - Mari Amithest
Matt Rowan - Senator Orn Free Taa
David Bowers - Mas Amedda
Steven Boyle - Senator Ask Aak/
Passel Argente
Matt Sloan - Plo Koon
Marton Csokas - Poggle the Lesser
(Voice) (Uncredited)
Amy Allen - Aayla Secura/Mya Nalle/
Yma Nalle/Lela Mayn (Uncredited)
Orli Shashan - Shaak Ti (Uncredited)
Nalini Krishan - Barris Offee (Uncredited)
Mary Oyaya - Luminara Unduli
(Uncredited)
Lily Nyamwasa - Adi Gallas (Uncredited)
Tux Akindoyeni - Agen Kolar (Uncredited)
Susie Porter - Hermione Bagwa/WA-7
(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer/
Director - George Lucas
Character Creators: Aayla Secura -
John Ostrander and Jan Duursema (Uncredited)
Screenplay - Jonathan Hales
Script Supervisor - Jayne-Ann Tenggren
Producers - Rick McCallum and
Lorne Orleans (IMAX Version)
Casting Director - Robin Gurland
Production Designer - Gavin Bocquet
Concept Design Supervisors - Doug Chiang,
Ryan Church and Erik Tiemens
Supervising Art Director - Peter Russell
Art Directors - Ian Gracie, Phil Harvey,
Fred Hole, Jonathan Lee and Michelle McGahey
Supervising Construction Manager - David Bubb
Construction Manager - Greg Hajdu
Set Decorator - Peter Walpole
Assistant Set Decorator - Beverley Dunn
Property Master - Ty Teiger 
Costume Designer - Trisha Biggar
Makeup Supervisor - Lesley Vanderwalt
Creatures Supervisor - Jason Baird
Director of Photography - David Tattersall
Director of Photography: Additional Shooting
Crew - Giles Nuttgens
High Definition Camera Supervisor - Fred Meyers
Camera/Steadicam Operator - Brad Shield
Camera Operator - Calum McFarlane
Techno Crane Operator - Geoff Brown
Production Supervisor - Stephen Jones
Production Manager: Tunisia - Peter Heslop
Production Coordinators: Additional Shooting
Crew - Helen Gregory and Virginia Whitwell
First Assistant Director - James McTeigue
First Assistant Directors: Additional Shooting
Crew - Richard Hewitt and Richard Whelan
Second Second Assistant Director - Paul Sullivan
Stunt Coordinator/Sword Master - Nick Gillard
Special Effects Supervisor - David Young
Special Effects Supervisor: ILM - Geoff Heron
Special Effects Supervisor: Additional Shooting
Crew - Tom Harris
Creature Effects Supervisor: Additional Shooting
Crew - Nick Dudman
Droid Unit Supervisor/R2-D2 Operator -
Don Bies
Visual Effects Supervisors - Pablo Helman,
John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Ben Snow
Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Jill Brooks,
Gretchen Libby and Heather MacDonald
Visual Effects Executive Producer: ILM - Judith Weaver
Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Alex Jaeger
Visual Effects Conceptual Artists: ILM -
Christian Alzmann, Michael Brunsfield,
Warren Fu, Philip Metschan and Wilson J. Tang
Effects Directors of Photography: ILM -
Martin Rosenberg, Carl Miller and Pat Sweeney
Model Supervisor: ILM - Brian Gernand
Animation Director - Rob Coleman
Animation Supervisors: ILM - Chris Armstrong
and Hal T. Hickel
Technical Animation Supervisor: ILM - James Tooley
Pre-Visualisation/Effects Supervisors -
Daniel D. Gregoire and David Dozoretz
Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM -
Kevin Barnhill, Dan B. Goldman, Samir Hoon,
David Meny, Robert Marinic, Curt I. Miyashiro,
Patrick T. Myers and Henry Preston
Motion Capture Supervisor: ILM - Jeffrey B. Light
Digital Modelling Supervisors: ILM -
Geoff Campbell and Russell Paul
3D Matchmove Supervisor: ILM - Jason H. Snell
Viewpaint Supervisor: ILM - Jean Bolte
Digital Matte Sequence Supervisors: ILM -
Jonathan Harb, Paul Huston and Yusei Uesugi
Digital Compositing Supervisors: ILM -
Jeff Doran, Dorne Huebler and
Marshall Richard Krasser
Editor/Sound Designer/Supervising
Sound Editor - Ben Burtt
Assistant Editors - Todd Busch,
Cheryl Nardi and Joseph Jett Sally
Location Assistant Editor - Jason Ballantine
Technical Supervisor - Michael Blanchard
Supervising Sound Editor - Matthew Wood
Apprentice Sound Editor - David Acord
Sound Effects Editors - Teresa Eckton
and Bruce Lacey
Sound Fu - Christopher Scarabosio
Sound Recordist - Paul 'Salty' Brincat
Foley Artists - Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance
Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Kline,
Gary Rydstrom and Michael Semanick
Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Gary A. Rizzo
Music - John Williams
Supervising Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg
Scoring Engineer - Shawn Murphy


Awards

2003 Academy Awards
Best Visual Effects - Rob Coleman,
Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow (Nominated)


Review
When I originally reviewed ATTACK OF THE CLONES in 2011. I considered it a significant improvement from The Phantom Menace. However, this improvement was problematic because Menace was the lowest common denominator of the series. ATTACK OF THE CLONES was still not the best Star Wars movie ever, despite being slightly adjusted with better visuals. And Jar Jar gets downgraded to a minor character. Looking back at the film, it could have been better than the other Star Wars movies because it was below my expectations. Perhaps George Lucas was busy focusing on the visual style and action sequences.

The film's plot highlights the lack of energy that I would've liked to have experienced. It contains the poorly written dialogue in which Lucas and Jonathan Hale collaborated. Given what previously occurred in Menace, Star Wars fans might have preferred a different directionI would have wanted it if someone more experienced had co-written the script with dialogue changes, including the line "I don't like sand," to make it less cringe-worthy.

Even the romantic subplot feels awkward. The relationship between Anakin and Padme should have had better execution in the film. It could have been a consequence of acting, writing and direction. Nevertheless, there is still a batch of moments, like the speeder chase, the Battle of Geonosis and the lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku.

Hayden Christensen is still not as terrific as Anakin Skywalker. Given the script and direction, his performance was okay but gets melodramatic. Ewan McGregor continues his performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Christopher Lee was good at portraying Count Dooku, but his character was less menacing than Darth Maul.

This franchise's reputation is still in tatters, as the film ATTACK OF THE CLONES did not help. However, it's not the movie Star Wars fans would have wanted. It would take another three years before Revenge of the Sith premiered to a mostly positive reception. Still, I recommend that you see CLONES.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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Saturday, May 4, 2019

In Memory of Peter Mayhew (1944-2019)











Peter Mayhew (1944-2019)

Dearest Star Wars fans, we are very saddened to hear about the death of English actor Peter Mayhew on 30 April 2019, at age 74, following a heart attack. Mayhew's passing was confirmed through his Twitter account by his family. He is best known for playing Chewbacca in our favourite franchise, a beloved character, and who can imagine Han Solo without his hairy companion?

Before George Lucas' science-fiction film series, Peter worked as an orderly in a hospital in London when producer Charles H. Schneer discovered him. Schneer cast him in Ray Harryhausen's "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger". The following year, Peter got selected by aspiring filmmaker George Lucas as the 200-year-old Wookie in what is to be the start of the best science-fiction franchise ever. He subsequently appeared in "The Empire Strikes Back", "Return of the Jedi", "Revenge of the Sith", and "The Force Awakens", the latter being the last time he played Chewie.

He starred as Chewie in several guest appearances in shows like "Donny & Marie", "The Muppet Show", and "Glee", as well as numerous Star Wars-related projects like an appearance in "The Clone Wars". Mayhew played Chewbacca in "The Star Wars Holiday Special" which was pretty bad, according to the reviews. Outside being his Star Wars character, Mayhew had different roles in films and TV shows, including "Terror" and "Dark Towers".

His family, friends and loyal fans will sorely miss him.

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