Tokyo Joe / Stuart Heisler (1949). Humphrey Bogart’s independent production company, Santana Productions, released seven features during its lifetime of which “Tokyo Joe” was the second. All seven either lost money or underperformed at the box office, although two have survived as classics: the film noir masterwork “In A Lonely Place” and the cult favorite “Beat The Devil.”
Bogie plays Joe Barrett, who had lived in Tokyo before WWII. He returns during the American occupation after the war to try to rebuild the nightclub he had owned, the eponymous “Tokyo Joe.” He learns that his wife, Trina (Florence Marly), who he thought was dead, is alive and remarried. Joe makes up his mind that Trina is going to return to him and begins a campaign to convince her either by reminding her of their love or threatening violence until another revelation causes him to back off. In order to remain in Japan, Joe goes in with the local Yakuza head, Baron Kamura (Sessue Hayakawa), on a airplane freight hauling business. After a bit of a draggy start, the last 30-minutes are non-stop action and suspense. There is an open ending. Alexander Knox plays Trina’s new husband.
You might have noticed some similarities to “Casablanca”: Bogart plays a cynical nightclub owner who becomes a hero after his lost love comes back into his life. I am sure this is not accidental. Recommended for Bogartians but with the reservation that this is not prime Bogie.
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). A pretty good example of the B-alien invasion films of the 1950s. It was produced by Sam Katzman (he of the Katzman Quicky), a man who knew what audiences, especially younger audiences, wanted to see. This time Katzman uses a recognizable name (Hugh Marlowe) in the lead and brings on-board stop-motion genius Ray Harryhausen for special effects, and best-selling science fiction author Curt Siodmak to write the screenplay. B-science fiction stalwart Morris Ankrum plays, of course, an army general.
A UFO contacts Dr. Russell Marvin (Marlowe). Marvin is the director of Project Skyhook, a space program experimenting in launching satellites into orbit. Marvin is warned that an invasion of Earth is imminent and that if Earth surrenders, that would save everybody a lot of trouble. The forces of Earth (we only see the U.S.) decide to fight. Dr. Marvin leads the attempt to find a weakness in the aliens.
Watching this movie led me to discover an award that I was not aware of, but will explore further, viz., the Golden Reel Award, given since 1954 by the Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA for sound and music editing. For 2024, there are nominations in 22 competitive categories and two honorary categories, but in the beginning there was only one. “Earth vs. The Flying Saucers” won that single award, Best Sound Editing, in the fourth year that the prize was given. The sound editors were Frank Bayes and Ernest Reichert.
The Name Of The Rose / Jean-Jacques Annaud (1986). The first reviews in ’86 were mixed, tending bad. I saw it back then and didn’t understand that reaction because I liked it very much. Now, 37-years-later, I like it even more, maybe love it.
In the early 1300s, when the Inquisition was active in Italy, a remote monastery was experiencing a series of mysterious murders that the monks believed were the work of the devil. The Franciscan frier William of Baskerville (Sean Connery), along with his apprentice, Adso (Christian Slater), arrive to investigate. Baskerville is more a man of reason than faith so can make deductions based on facts and observations. Somehow the deaths are connected with a mysterious book that everyone is after (the Maltese Falcon of the middle ages) which could mean the death of faith and the church. As Baskerville’s investigation nears its end, an old enemy of his, the Inquisitor Bernado Gui (F. Murry Abraham) arrives to take charge. Most of the story is seen through the eyes of Adso who is puzzled by the strange monastery, most of all a labyrinth of rooms and staircases built into one of the monastery’s towers. The recreation of the filth, the mud, and the ignorance of the time is almost tangible.
Warning: the nature of the dangerous book is a spoiler that is not revealed until near the end but some of the articles I read about the movie and the novel it is based on blithely give it away. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this film.
Sat Sau Ji Wong (Contract Killer or Hitman) / Wei Tung (1998). The Hong Kong martial arts actioners from the 20th century are an acquired taste. I got the taste about a quarter of a century ago. In this one, Fu (Jet Li) has come to the city to make enough money to build his mother a mansion but is still flat broke. His friends are wanna-be hitmen so he goes along with them. When a rich elderly gangster is shot to death by a lone gunman known as the Killer of Killers, a Revenge Fund kicks in. This is a reward to anyone who kills the killer, sort of a revenge from beyond the grave. Con-man Ngok Lo (“Norman” in the English dub), played by Eric Tsang, wants to get Fu in the running for the reward, not knowing that the shy, reluctant Fu is a Wushu grand master. Thrills and comedy ensue. Unfortunately, as I indicated, I had to suffer through a dreadful dubbed version. )To me “dreadful dub” is redundant.)
FUN FACT: Wushu is a major Chinese martial art. It is an mix of several traditional Chinese fighting styles. Jet Li won a national competition at age 12-years. Second and third place finishers were men in their late 20s.
TRIVIA: Eric Tsang, often, as here, in comic roles, played the head of the criminal gang in the influential “Infernal Affairs” (2002), one of my favorite films. Jack Nicholson took the same role in Scorsese’s scene-for-scene, often shot-for-shot, Hollywood remake.
The Illusionist / Neil Burger (2006). This film and the other film about an illusionist, “The Prestige,” opened in theaters a month apart. Even though I preferred the Neil Burger by far, Christopher Nolan is much better known and anticipated so his opus greatly overshadowed my favorite.
When they were adolescents, Sophie, a young duchess, and Eduard, the son of a working family, fell in love but were forcibly separated by the custom in late 19th century Austria. 15 years later, Eduard (Edward Norton) has returned to Vienna after traveling the world learning the magic of many cultures. Calling himself “Eisenheim,” he becomes a theatrical sensation. One night Sophie (Jessica Biel) attends his show on the arm of her fiancé, Leopold the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), a cruel and abusive man. Leopold orders Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti), to shut down Eisenheim. Can the magician’s talent outwit the power of royalty? And on what side will Chief Uhl stand? This is a delightful puzzler. The cast is fine with Giamatti a standout.
Doctor Who-Classic SeriesJon Pertwee as the Third Doctor“The Three Doctors” Season 10, Episodes 1-4 (December 30, 1972- Jan 20, 1973)
Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor
“The Two Doctors” Season 22, Episodes 7-9 (February 16-March 2, 1985)
After last week’s 20th anniversary “The Five Doctors,” I caught up with the two other times Doctor’s met, bending the Time Laws.
The Third Doctor is joined by his predecessors, the First and Second Doctors (William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton) to once again save the universe in “The Three Doctors,” an episode celebrating the show’s 10th anniversary.
Then the Sixth Doctor combines forces with the Second (Troughton) to battle an unusual and dangerous foe. Excellent story and script. Sometimes violent and disturbing.
Miss Scarlet And The Duke“The Diamond Feather” Season 4, Episode 4 (January 28, 2024)
“The Calling” Season 4, Episode 5 (February 4, 2024)
“The Fugitive” Season 4, Episode 6 (February 11, 2024)
……………………………………….Season 4 Completed
Midsomer Murders“Who Killed Cock Robin?” Season 4, Episode 4 (September 9, 2001)
Endeavour“Game” Season 4, Episode 1 (August 20, 2017)
“Canticle” Season 4, Episode 2 (August 27, 2017)
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. But to be slightly less harsh, I'd label it as something for werewolf genre enthusiasts only. 
