Movie Snapshots

The year is…1965

This edition (the first one) of Movie Snapshots focuses on 5 movies all released in the year 1965.  Every now and then, I plan on watching a variety of movies that were all released in the same year.  In order to get a good overview, I will watch a genuine classic, a foreign film, a turkey and a few random other movies.

The Sound of Music     ****

d. Robert Wise

What more can be said about this beloved classic?  Well, it’s still pretty long.  I actually fell asleep as the Von Trapp’s were escaping the Nazi’s, but then again, I’ve seen it before.  The songs are still memorable and the movie is still fun to watch.

The Collector               ***

d. William Wyler

Decent adaptation of John Fowles’ creepy novel about a man who kidnaps the woman of his dreams.  This must have been critically acclaimed when it first came out since it won acting awards at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for several Oscars.  Unfortunately, the film just covers the basics of the book’s plot and doesn’t go into much detail about what’s going on inside the character’s heads.  It’s still worth a look if you liked the book.

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold  ***

d. Martin Ritt

Spy movies were all the rage in the 60s but unlike the James Bond movies, this adaptation of a John LeCarre novel takes things very seriously.  As such, it’s not quite as entertaining.  Richard Burton is excellent as the cynical British agent who is forced to perform one last mission before he can retire and Claire Bloom is good as the woman he falls in love with.  The plot is kind of hard to follow and the ending is a downer. 

Red Beard                    **½

d. Akira Kurosawa

Rare misfire for acclaimed Japanese director Kurosawa.  This long (three hours) drama focuses on an arrogant young doctor who goes to work at a public clinic in rural Japan headed by a gruff but wise older doctor played by Toshiro Mifune.  The movie is episodic in nature and this is part of the problem.  Each segment tells the story of a particular patient but not all of them are engrossing.  Still, the widescreen cinematography is outstanding and when the movie works, Kurosawa proves that he is a master storyteller.  Only recommended for Kurosawa fans. 

Monster A Go-Go        *

(MST3K version ***½)

d. Bill Rebane

It’s hard to believe that in the same year moviegoers could treat themselves to The Sound of Music and Doctor Zhivago, this astoundingly awful movie might actually have been shown in a theater.  Thankfully, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version is hilarious as Joel and the bots make fun of the terrible sound mix (an actor makes the sound of a phone offscreen at one point) and barely there plot.