SOME STRANGELY NASTY MOVIE FANS

SOME STRANGELY NASTY MOVIE FANS

I know people can often have strong (often completely uneducated) opinions on things they like or dislike, but it seems that discussions on movies can get as heated as any political argument. I used to be appalled at the comments left on imdb.com (Internet Movie Date Base) on various movies before imdb wisely shut this section down. I mean, if someone disagreed with another's opinion of a movie, they would write the most hateful things, attacking them, their politics, their sexuality, even their mothers to a degree that made one wonder if these people were playing with a full deck. On Facebook, one guy left a comment on another guy's post, saying that he thought a movie that the first guy liked was over-rated, and the original poster replied "You're an idiot!" I mean, the guy who left the comment wasn't nasty, it was just his opinion, but the first guy was obviously on the maturity level of an eight-year-old. It's true -- we live in an Internet world where even the most childish, stupid, most uneducated person can have access to forums, and the result is unbridled nastiness. I believe people over-react in this way for several reasons. They are insecure, wondering if perhaps their opinion is not the "correct" one or unsure of how much they really know about movies (especially film history). They are, obviously, very immature, regardless of their actual age. And they have a weak sense of self. If you dare say that you don't like -- or conversely admire -- a film they love or don't care for, you are attacking them and they feel a need to strike back, like a child who feels insulted and has to immediately say something nasty or give another child a whack.

Sad, really. . 

NO TURN UNSTONED Diana Rigg

NO TURN UNSTONED: THE WORST EVER THEATRICAL REVIEWS. Compiled by Diana Rigg. Silman-James Press (reissue). Originally published by Doubleday in 1983.

"... And Mr. John Mills wanders about the stage at the St. James theatre looking like a bewildered carrot."

Actress Diana Rigg (best-known for TV's The Avengers] wrote to her fellow thespians in the UK and US, asking for them to send her their worst notices -- brave lady! Some didn't comply, some sent notices that were really backhanded compliments, and some sent truly terrible reviews [although in some cases Rigg ferreted out even worse ones, which probably didn't endear her to her colleagues]. The book doesn't just cover 20th century actors but goes back to the days of Sarah Bernhardt and even Shakespeare (as well as later productions of his plays), and it reveals that even the bard had his detractors, such as George Bernard Shaw, who himself had people who were not overly fond of his work. Reviews not only focus on performances, but on playwrights, productions, scenery, new trends, and the like. No Turn Unstoned may not be a laugh-out-loud type of book but it is revealing of how people viewed the theater during different periods of history, and enlightens us as to the critics' [often maladjusted] thinking as well. Although Rigg concentrates on the theater world, she does include reviews from movies if they were sent in by one of her colleagues. In addition to much theater work -- she includes a couple of her own bad reviews -- Rigg also starred in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Verdict: Erudite and stylish like the author herself. ***.

CLASSIC CLIFFHANGERS VOLUME ONE Hank Davis

CLASSIC CLIFFHANGERS VOLUME ONE 1914 - 1940. Hank Davis. Midnight Marquee; 2007.

This is a slender but entertaining series of essays on about fifty or so sound serials [and a couple of notable silents] written by someone who is both appreciative and knowledgeable of his subject. The newcomer to serials and even a few veterans can get some help from Davis in deciding which of the serials he covers are ones they want to invest some time and money in. He begins by scrutinizing the original silent and highly influential Perils of Pauline [covering the sound remake later in the book] then looks at The Master Mystery starring the legendary Houdini. Sound serials that he examines include such notable works as Dick Tracy, Daredevils of the Red Circle, The Spider's Web and King of the Royal Mounted as well as a few [in my opinion] stinkers such as The Galloping Ghost, The Return of Chandu, and Hawk of the Wilderness. Davis uncovers some interesting information about the serials that may be new to many readers, although his accusing one actor of being a pedophile based solely on some scenes in The Vanishing Legion is a little bizarre. Davis employs a conversational tone in the book that can be fun [and the book is often amusing] but some readers might find it a little trivializing and off-putting. Still, the book is very readable and pulls you along. Lots of illustrations, too. Volume 2, which I have not read, covers sound serials beginning with 1941 and onward. Introduction by Adrian Booth, better known as Lorna Gray of The Perils of Nyoka.

Verdict: Not essential reading maybe, but quite entertaining for serial buffs. ***.

REPUBLIC STUDIOS: BETWEEN POVERTY ROW AND THE MAJORS

REPUBLIC STUDIOS: BETWEEN POVERTY ROW AND THE MAJORS. Richard M. Hurst. Scarecrow Press. Updated 2007.

This book looks at Republic studios, which was most famous for cliffhanger serials and westerns, but also turned out the occasional "A" feature. It has chapters providing an overview of the studio and its work and influence; a look at sound serials of Republic's golden age; Republic's cowboy movies; their series films such as The Higgins Family and films starring hillbilly comedienne Judy Canova; etc. Although some chapters have been added, including an in-depth look at the Captain America serial, it is obvious that this was basically a dissertation, and indeed its academic tone is occasionally quite dry and pretentious, with the same themes stated over and over again. [The book does not appear to have been edited.] On the plus side, despite his prose style [or lack of same -- Hurst was a museum administrator for many years and not a professional writer] Hurst's enthusiasm for these films comes through, and the book is full of a lot of solid information although it certainly does not go into detail on all Republic films or even the famous ones. Still it has value as a reference book for those interested in the history and output of a famous "second-tier" Hollywood studio which issued some of the finest cliffhanger serials ever made. Other books that deal with Republic serials include The Great Movie Serials and In the Nick of Time.

Verdict: Some good stuff about the old serials. **1/2.

SECOND FEATURE: THE BEST OF THE 'B' FILMS

SECOND FEATURE: The Best of the 'B' Films. John Cocchi. Citadel Press;1991. 

A big over-sized paperback from Citadel Press, John Cocchi's Second Feature is a very entertaining look at some of the best -- and a few of the worst -- "B" movies ever made. While I faithfully look at the schedule for Turner Classic Movies (and even look at many of the movies), a lot of the pics in this volume escaped me; even film buffs will find a lot that is new to them in Second Feature. The book is dedicated to The Cooperative Film Society at Joe's Place (1967 - 1982) -- as well as to Joe Judice and Chris Steinbrunner - and an interesting aspect of the book is that Cocchi occasionally relates how members of the society reacted (both positively and negatively) to some of the films he writes about in his book. Second Feature is divided into sections by film genre, and lists many different films with a pithy write-up on each with background details. There are loads and loads of great photographs, many full-page. An obvious labor of love and lots of fun for B movie enthusiasts! 

Verdict: Great! ***1/2.