Taking influence from Stabbone and McGraw, I have decided to add weekly mini movie reviews. In the past year, I have been checking my way through movie lists and watching a lot of “classic” films.
Ballad of a Soldier | DVDSet during World War II, this 1959 Russian film is an anti-war film that spends little time on the battlefield. It opens with the protagonist, a young soldier, destroying two German tanks. He gets rewarded with a leave to visit his mother. His journey home becomes the story of the film. He delivers errands for other soldiers, falls in love with a fellow traveler, and is able to spend a few minutes with his mother. The soldier from the frontline witnesses the effects on the people not directly fighting the war. It doesn’t sugarcoat war but it shows us the strong character of a young soldier.
The film is skillfully shot and mostly well acted. While other films that try to garner the same response may expand the length of the film, Ballad of a Soldier succinctly and accurately captures the viewer in its 88 minutes.
Wheels in Spin:
Yellow Submarine | DVDThe Beatles didn’t want to be involved in another movie after Help and Magical Mystery Tour. They were hoping this animated feature would complete their film contract with United Artists, but the studio disagreed. Yellow Submarine is nonsensical, like all of the Beatles movies up to this point, but doesn’t have the frenetic gratification of A Hard Day’s Night.
The Beatles did not provide their voices for the speaking parts. Beyond the music, they only appeared briefly at the end of the film. Beyond the use of their likeness, this is mainly a Beatles film in music only. But it has the best soundtrack of the Beatles films.
Yellow Submarine is enjoyable, but the film for Harry Nilsson’s The Point!, which includes narration by Ringo (in most versions) and similar animation, is a better movie.
Wheels in Spin:
Cat Ballou | DVD
Cat Ballou is a western-comedy with Jane Fonda in the title role. She hires a once famous gunfighter to protect her father’s ranch, but ends up having to take the law into her own hands.
Lee Marvin earned his Academy Award for the dual role of the drunken gunman Kid Shelleen and the silver-nosed adversary Tim Strawn. He could have won a supporting Oscar for the role of Kid Shelleen on its own, but the additional role of Tim Strawn solidified the lead actor award.
Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye as, respectively, The Sunrise Kid and Professor Sam the Shade impart storylines and character backgrounds with their ballads. The western minstrels were one of the most engaging aspects of the film.
On a side note, my last name is spelled Strachan but pronounced like Silvernose’s surname. Since my name is usually mispronounced, it was great that it was phonetically included in this film.
Wheels in Spin:
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