Alan Parker’s Midnight Express is a powerful movie based on the real-life experiences of Billy Hayes and his brutal stay at a Turkish prison in the early 1970’s. This film paints a portrait on how awful life in prison can be especially as a foreigner. It doesn’t help that the Turkish guards are nasty brutes reveling in the fact that they can do whatever they want to their prisoners. Especially the head guard. Wow, what a sadistic man! I’ll tell you straight up that this film can be hard to watch sometimes because of the brutality of the prison scenes. They are very violent and the head guard’s favorite punishment is painfully beating the soles of the feet. This film is also a portrait on the corruption of the Turkish political and criminal system (Hayes was sentenced to over 30 years for attempting to smuggle hashish out of the country just to set an example). This film is also a wonderful portrait on the descent from normality to madness. Hayes is seen at first as a man fighting to be free, but we later see him as a shadow of himself, high on opium, with little chance of seeing the outside world again. There are many issues at play regarding themes, and Alan Parker does a magnificent job making them relevant. This could have been a simple prison escape movie, but this film was more than that by tackling very important themes relevant to the time period.

One thing that interested me is how the Turks are portrayed in the movie. It did not bother me as it bothered many others, but all Turkish people are viewed as corrupt. Whether they are the prison guards, lawyers, judges, prisoners, or just citizens-all of them are viewed as bad people. In reality, many Turks are great people. Maybe it was the time period of the film’s release, but it was clear that Parker and screenwriter Oliver Stone were either judgmental or ignorant. It’s a sad fact that I did not notice until a while after the viewing of this film but regardless, my viewpoints of the film do not change.

Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is an American college student in Turkey on vacation. But on October 6th, 1970, he is arrested for trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. He is originally given a light sentence, but the Turkish courts changed the sentence to over thirty years to make an example out of him. The prison environment is awful thanks to the sadistic torture from head guard Hamidou (Paul L. Smith.) For Hayes, there are only two options for release. He can wait for help from his family and friends back home and the American government or he can take the “Midnight Express” which stands for escaping the prison.

The performances are brilliant to say the least. The acting is the main reason why the film is so powerful. Brad Davis does very well as Billy Hayes. His performance gave me the chills because it showed what it was like to be dehumanized. He did end up saying some very powerful courtroom speeches before he got sent away to prison. Paul L. Smith absolutely crushes it as Hamidou. He is a brutal man, and Smith does a good job convincing us so. There are two other performances worthy of a mention. John Hurt as a British prisoner named Max who is the drug supplier and Randy Quaid as the free-spirited American prisoner named Jimmy Booth bent on escape. Hurt’s supporting turn stuck with me most of all. There is a disturbing scene where his cat is hung and killed by one of the Turkish prisoners and Hurt’s pain made his performance resounding and realistic. In fact, he was nominated for an Oscar because his performance was so good.

Controversies aside, Oliver Stone’s script and Alan Parker’s direction stood out to me. Stone would eventually become a great director himself, but he really developed himself as a screenwriter. Stone always had a passion for politics, so it’s no surprise he would tackle the subject of global justice corruption. He really captured the essence of prison life from the view of an outsider (in which Hayes was). Stone also sympathizes with Hayes. Hayes is known to be not too nice of a guy, but it did not really seem like it here. Alan Parker has a keen eye for politics as well. Not just this movie, but you’ll see in future movies. Parker’s style is to get you hooked right away, and boy did he do that here. The opening scene has Davis walking through the Turkish airport with his girlfriend……and drugs taped to his body. The sweat dripping down his face, the intimidating guards, what a way to open the movie!

I really, really liked Midnight Express. Nominated for six Oscars and winning two of them (for Stone’s screenplay and the wonderful score by Giorgio Moroder), Hollywood also really liked the movie. It did not come without its controversies, but this film really ended up being a tense watch from beginning to end. SPOILERS!!! For those who know the story, Hayes did manage to escape prison. But it was a pain-staking process for him. Life in Turkish prison is harsh and the film is very successful is showing that thanks to the brutal torture techniques from Hamidou. This story is about morality, violence, and sadism…..and yes you may be terrified.

My Grade: A

When done right, mystery movies can be very fun and engaging movies. One of the best mystery authors of the twentieth century was Agatha Christie, and many of her works were adapted to the big screen to varying levels of success. The biggest hit movie was 1974’s Murder on the Orient Express. Following in that film’s footsteps, Death on the Nile was released four years later with the same formula. The story is essentially the same, but with a different location and brand new set of characters. While the movie is fine, it is also somewhat forgettable. It has not been awhile since I seen this film and I usually remember my films, but I’m having a hard time trying to figure out what exactly happened. That being said, it is a decent watch. The scenery is fun to see and the costumes are cool to look at. The cast is filled to the brim with veteran British actors and they all deliver fine performances.

We are aboard the S.S Karnak as it travels down the great Nile River in Egypt. However, there are many people who want the rich heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) dead. Her riches are sought after by the elderly Mrs. Van Schulyer (Bette Davis), Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) is an author who has a libel lawsuit brought upon her, Salome’s daughter, Rosalie (Olivia Hussey) wants to keep her mother happy, Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy) has been stealing from her family, and an old friend Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow) is upset that her fiancé was stolen away from her. After Ridgeway is murdered, it’s up to the famed detective Hercules Poirot (Peter Ustinov) to figured out the culprit behind the murder.

As you can obviously tell, the film has a large cast full of brand names. So it’s no surprise that they all deliver good performances. No one delivers career-best performances, but this is not the kind of film that requires such performances. However, my standout performance goes to Peter Ustinov as the detective. If you read any of Christie’s stories, you will be able to tell that he captures the essence of what the character is supposed to be. It’s also cool to see an actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the movie. I’m talking about the legendary Bette Davis. She delivers another great performance, and it’s cool to note how she addressed the change of filmmaking since her heyday in the 30’s and 40’s. She called films travelogues in the 70’s and essentially they are. I would have love to work along the Nile River traveling through ancient history. All of the names mentioned above did great, but there are even more names in the movie with the likes of Jane Birkin, Maggie Smith, and Jack Warden in the movie.

So John Guillermin’s Death on the Nile is a fun mystery movie even if its a little forgettable. It is formulaic, but the performances are well worth the watch. Seeing Ustinov in action trying to crack the case is what makes this movie a fun watch. It’s hard to remember specific plot details, but that is what happens in a movie based on formula. But the film is successful in being mysterious, and that is really all that matters. I liked how the film was shot on location because we got to see exquisite scenery. Also, I really liked the costumes. Overall, this is a little fun mystery.

My Grade: B

Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. This movie is all about visual impact and this gorgeous, haunting piece of art will leave you in awe and you will wonder how on earth did this film come out in 1978. Terrence Malick, perhaps the most elusive human being on this planet, is known as a visual director and he proves it here with his second film. The story is very simple, but the story is not supposed to be at the forefront. Apparently after several days of shooting, Malick threw away the script and told the actors to wing it. Through a long and arduous editing process, Malick was able to come up with a coherent story.

Let’s talk about these visuals for a second. They are completely mesmerizing and it took people by surprise upon its release. I loved the use of natural lighting on set, which gave the film its unique colors. Malick wouldn’t allow the use of artificial light much to the dismay of many people who were not used to working this style. Much of the film was created during the hour just after sunset and just before it became dark. That is really impressive. Now many of the scenes are outdoors at a Texas prairie. Some of the best shots were just seeing the wheat swaying in the wind as night was falling. Two of cinema’s most impressive cinematographers worked on the movie: Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler. There was some controversy because Almendros had to leave the film after a long while due to prior commitments, but he was given the credit of the work despite Wexler being able to prove he shot more than half of the film. These visuals are complimented beautifully by the haunting score of Ennio Morricone, one of the greatest composers of all time. This combination of visuals and music created a unique form of art and something wondrous to behold.

The story is simple and relatively straightforward. The story did not become clear until the two years Malick spent in the editing room putting the film together. The film takes place right before the First World War. Bill (Richard Gere) and Abby (Brooke Adams) are a couple from Chicago. After Bill kills a man at his workplace, he and Abby pose as siblings as they escape down south to find a new life. Along with Billy’s little sister Linda (Linda Manz), they find employment on a Texas farm working the harvest. As they do the work, the farmer (Sam Shepard) has fallen in love with Abby. But Billy discovers the farmer is terminally ill and may only have one year left to live. Billy persuades Abby to marry the farmer so they can take advantage of the wealth after the farmer dies. But all may not go according to the plan.

Despite emphasis being placed on the visuals, I think the acting was fantastic. The actors here were mostly new to the business, but they would go on to have long careers. (Especially Richard Gere and Sam Shepard). Gere, Shepard, and Adams have fantastic chemistry with each other which is needed when there is a love triangle. I thought Linda Manz did a really fine job. The film is told from her point-of-view and she provides a haunting narration over the course of the movie. She is only a teenager, but she goes through experiences which causes her to be far more mature than her age.

Overall, Days of Heaven is a breath-taking masterpiece that allows the visuals to do its talking. This film was extremely rare for the time period it was created. With all the trouble that happened during production, it amazes me that this film is actually good. Malick had such a hard time with this film. In fact, he didn’t make another film until twenty years later. That is sad because he is a talented director, and he was able to push himself over the edge to create this film. I compare this film to nature. Nature is beautiful and there is gorgeous scenery in every location of this globe. Nature can be breath-taking and that is how I feel about this film.

My Grade: A

What do The Godfather, Jaws, and Animal House all have in common? The answer is that they are 1970’s classics that have influenced movies the way they are today. The Godfather inspired mafia films/television shows, Jaws began the advent of blockbusters, and Animal House began the R-rated comedies that are prominent in Hollywood today. Before Animal House, there were hardly any R-rated comedies. What this film showed was never showed on the big screen before. Lots of vomit projectiles, lots of sex, and just crazy raucous behavior. People have never seen anything like it but……most of them loved it. I, myself thought it was a very good film. There are many laughs to be had. What I found surprising that despite all the laughs, I could relate to this film because I am not too far removed from college and this film is about fraternity college life. This movie came from ideas out of a college magazine called National Lampoon, and they would eventually became a highly successful production company well into the 1980’s and 1990’s.

What did I like about the film? The script is one of the best written scripts in all of comedy. Harold Ramis excels at writing these kind of movies, and he truly created a funny and unique film. His screenplay hardly wavers and it keeps a consistent tone, although that ends up hurting the film just a tad. The cast is all wonderful. But the standout belongs to John Belushi. Belsushi was an Saturday Night Live favorite and he would become a big comedy movie star after this movie until his untimely death in 1982. But he was hilarious as the fat, obnoxious John Blutarsky. He loves being drunk and he loves starting food fights (one of the best scenes in the movie-that epic food fight!) Another standout was John Vernon as Dean Vernon Wormer. Wormer was an evil dean who did all he could to expel the Delta House fraternity. Donald Sutherland is also a scene-stealer. His performance as an early-60’s pothead English professor was spot-on. This movie features supporting turns from Tom Hulce, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Bruce McGill, among others. The film is also well-directed. John Landis is in his wheelhouse with this sort of film, so you can easily tell he knows what he is doing.

Are there any negatives? No, not really. My biggest complaint is actually the consistency of the film. It may be too……consistent. What I mean is that the more jokes there are, the more some may fall flat. There were some that fell flat at times. Maybe a little more than I would have hoped given this film is called a “classic.” But that is only a small nitpick. I really enjoyed the movie for what it was.

Animal House is movie that is mostly about a war between two fraternities at Faber College. The Delta House has a reputation of taking anyone, while the other fraternity is the home of white, rich men that no one likes except for Dean Wormer (John Vernon). Wormer and his frat boys plan to kick Delta Fraternity off campus before homecoming parade. But not if the Delta boys can help it.

There are just many classic scenes to behold. There is the epic food fight that was fun to watch. I wonder how much food was wasted during the shooting of the scene. Then there was the parade, which is the end of the movie. This is the parade where the Delta show us who the real fraternity is. If you like music, you’ll like the scene where they successfully incorporate the hit song, “Shout.” Finally if you want to make Dean Wormer mad, all you got to do is put a horse in his office. Overall, Animal House is a comedy to see. It inspired many comedies in years to come thanks to raucous and endearing screenplay.

My Grade: B+

Jaws. The movie that is often given the notion of starting the summer blockbuster season. It was a magnificent achievement that Steven Spielberg’s film became a critical and monetary success. It was a tense thriller that relied upon hiding the shark until the end and its three main leads in Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw. So naturally a sequel would have to be made. Understandably so, I scratch my head at the thought of a sequel. But it doesn’t matter because Jaws 2 does exist. I’ll say this. It’s the best sequel you could hope to make……but that is not saying much. The movie is sometimes enjoyable, but there are several critical mistakes in the movie.

But let’s start with the positives. The shark has returned, and it came back bigger and stronger than ever. The shark even has an evil-looking scar to it. I really liked the look of the shark. The performances weren’t too bad, either. Out of the original cast, only Scheider, Lorraine Gary, and Murray Hamilton returned. Scheider had problems on set, but he tried his best to give a convincing performance as Chief Martin Brody. Once again, he succeeds. After all, he is now the human heart of the franchise. Next, I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the film. The buildup and tension to the reappearance of the shark is as good as ever. You really know that the shark is there to kill. John Williams returned with another amazing score. He used the original themes to great extent, and he added darker, more complex music to enhance those themes. I don’t think this movie would work half as well without his powerful score.

Now, the negatives. I mentioned that I liked the look of the shark. I do not like how and when the shark fully emerged, which was practically right away. The whole point of the first Jaws was to keep the shark in the shadows, to build tension. Now tension was effective here, but it could have been way better if they followed the formula of the first film. So the first film was mainly a psychological thriller. While that is retained for the first half, the second half becomes a dumbed down slasher film. Essentially, the second half was the kids (including Brody’s son) versus the shark, and it played out like a worn-out teen horror flick. That is something I did not want to see. Finally, I missed the direction of Spielberg. He decided not to return, and Universal decided to attain the services of Jeannot Szwarc. He did an okay job, but he is no Steven Spielberg. You can tell there is a big difference in the directing style, and I’m not sure if I liked that change. I do miss what Shaw and Dreyfuss brought to the table, but Scheider managed to deliver a strong performance.

Now let’s talk some plot. This sequel takes place four years after the original horrors of Amity. One day, the town suddenly receives mysterious disappearances and boating accidents. Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) knows better than to call them accidents. He believes another killer shark has come to town. Just like before, he is ignored by the townsfolk and Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton). But once a group of teenagers, including Brody’s son, sets out to sea, Brody goes after them. Will he reach them before its too late?

So I had apprehensions for a long time watching this film because I fear it would not live up to the original classic. While it certainly does not, I won’t deny it’s a fun ride at times and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Let’s put it this way. Jaws 2 is a decidedly inferior sequel to the original, but can be called a masterpiece compared to the two pile of dung sequels that followed (and I refuse to see). There are elements of the film I dislike, but this is good escapist cinema…..if you don’t compare it to Jaws.

My Grade: C+/B-

1978’s Grease, in many eyes, is a classic film. It is adored by all ages, and it seemingly passes down from generation to generation with love. This is one of the first movies I remember that have a sense of nostalgia. This movie plays well with the baby boomers because it harkens back to the 1950’s, when love was swamped in innocence. This movie got the feel of the 1950’s correct, I have been told. The clothing, the background music, the charm, the acting, and the overall look of the movie. The actual songs are 1970’s rock’n’roll style, and they are wonderful songs. The tone of the movie is upbeat, fun, and innocent. It may be somewhat predictable, but the movie itself was made well.

There are a variety of reasons why I enjoy this movie. From the interpretation of the 1950’s lifestyle to the wonderful tunes to the themes of true love-all of it elevates this movie into ‘classic’ territory. However, I am irked by a few things though. Mainly the age of the cast. Don’t get me wrong, I think the performances are wonderful, but I despise when movies cast people in their late 20’s or early 30’s to play teenagers. Now some films can get away with it, but not Grease. You can tell that the people in the cast are not teenagers. Check out these ages at the time of movie release. John Travolta was 24, Olivia Newton-John was 30, and Stockard Channing was 34!!! But who am I to complain. This movie gave Travolta and Newton-John the career boost they needed.

As for the story, it’s nothing new. The story is one that has been told to death, but it is all about how a story is told that can make or break a movie. This love story was told with a passion thanks to the high-spirited screenplay from Bronte Woodard and the energizing direction from Randall Kleiser. This musical starts off at a California beach in 1959. Complete opposite personalities have fallen in love. Greaser Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and an Australian chick Sandy Olsson (Olivia-Newton John). After a summer romance expecting not to see each other again, both of them attend Rydell High unbeknownst to each other. They do their own things at first. Danny is a leader of a gang of greasers called the T-Birds and Sandy joins the Pink Ladies, led by the charming Rizzo (Stockard Channing). When they run in to each other for the first time, Sandy realizes Danny is a different man from the one she met at the beach. But will that stop her from getting back with Danny? Well, just watch the movie! 😉

Despite my concerns on the ages of the cast, I cannot deny how effective the performances are. In particular, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Travolta eventually became a major movie star, thanks to this movie. He knows how to sing and dance very well for an actor. It seems like he models his character off Elvis Presley. With the hairstyle and the black leather jacket, he seems to be Elvis-lite. He exerts fantastic chemistry with Olivia-Newton John. She also sang very well and her performance as the new girl in town is excellent. I liked the supporting cast very much. Stockard Channing did a solid job as the sex-happy leader of the Pink Ladies. Jeff Conaway as Danny’s right-hand man, Kenickie. There are some veteran cast members who did a fine job particularly Eve Arden as Principal McGee and Sid Caesar as Coach Calhoun.

I was most impressed with Grease. I remember seeing it as a little kid and enjoying the music. But as a young adult, it resonates with me because it reminds me of my high school days. The music is great and most of these songs will stick in your brain for a lifetime. Such numbers to keep an eye out for are “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” and “You’re The One That I Want.” The former song actually went on to be nominated for an Oscar. This film is all about song and dance. Two of my favorite sequences include the ballroom dance scene which was being filmed for national television and it features some slick dance moves. My other favorite scene is the ending dance sequence at the school’s carnival. Very fun! On the whole, this film is upbeat, sweet, and a film to remember.

My Grade: A-