Dish of the Day
Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Today’s “Dish of the Day” has more brief reviews of mine that are inspired by posts in various film related Facebook chat rooms. This includes the Cinema Cafe group (all readers are encouraged to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/902349343110685). My thoughts on the following motion pictures typically form an extreme minority view, occasionally even the lone dissenting voice.
Fatal Attraction (1987)
This film begins promisingly with some intelligent and mature discourse and after the breakup, Close's Alex becoming a tragic, complex figure. The adulterous affair culminates in a brilliant scene where Alex sits alone flipping a light switch on and off. Then the filmmakers flip a switch of their own by turning their character/relationship study into some kind of horror/revenge motif with little rhyme or reason except to appeal to the masses. Even Freddy (from The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) has more of a discernible motive than Alex. Like the character, the film degenerates into arbitrary meaninglessness. See the same director’s Unfaithful instead.
Star 80 (1983)
Motion pictures based on true stories are more difficult to make insightful because any significance is usually inherent in the events themselves, persuading many storytellers to believe they have less creative license compared to a film based on a work of fiction. Writer-Director Bob Fosse is not up to the formidable task of interjecting any more understanding or relevance into his characters and their situations than what can be gleaned from a news report, reenactment or dozens of other like-minded stories of a dramatically substandard nature. See the film musical Bob Fosse appeared in (along with Gwen Verdon) and choreographed instead: Damn Yankees.
Today on TCM:
MGM's 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain was not adapted from a theatrical production, though the film was later turned into one, being first presented on stage in 1983. Its abundant creativity, innovation and driving energy place this film at the top of all cinematic musicals ever produced. Singin' in the Rain has been reviewed as a past Blu-ray selection here and will joyously dance its way onto TCM Thursday, February 2 at 6:30 pm PST.
TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on the above TCM related image. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.
All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.
Hope to see you tomorrow.
A.G.