"Johnny Guitar" - review

High Plains Camp in Glorious Color

While director Nicholas Ray is probably most well-known among film fans for the seminal tale of teen angst "Rebel Without A Cause" and many excellent Film Noirs, he is also acclaimed as one of several industry icons for his mastery of melodrama.  Ray's second take on the Western, "Johnny Guitar", is an excellent example of the kind of story that shoots for the rafters with soaring, energetic emotions as well as blistering barrages of bullets.  Joan Crawford is also no stranger to the exuberant exaggerations of camp, and she has always been highly regarded by such aficionados for her brooding and often explosive performances.  As lead actress in "Johnny Guitar", Joan makes the film both a hilarious and yet equally dramatic delight.

Crawford plays Vienna, a strong, independent and pistol-packin' Frontier woman who runs her own saloon and casino in a small, nameless town.  Vienna knows that the railroad will be coming through soon, and that the land she now occupies will make her wealthy when the trains start to regularly bring in more people, supplies and ever-increasing business.  However, a cabal of cutthroat locals doesn't want to share these riches, and they band together to force Vienna out, dragging the seemingly spineless sheriff along behind them like a frightened dog on a leash.  The head of this avaricious hydra is helmed by Mercedes McCambridge as the venomous firebrand Emma Small, whose obsessive hatred of Vienna teeters on the precipice of full-blown mania.

While Vienna consistently presents an unwavering and cool exterior despite to the increasing pressure put upon her to abandon her plans and get out in 24 hours, Emma is barely able to contain her deep and nearly deranged loathing for every single begrudged breath Vienna takes.  Mercedes McCambridge's erotically enraged performance is a sumptuous pleasure. It's not only a feast for lovers of camp, but also for its gay subtext as the intense rivalry between these two characters is widely interpreted as arising out of Emma's secret lesbian lust for Vienna.  Being firmly closeted, Emma abhors her private passions and since she also cannot express them, they transform into a white-hot fury that corrosively compels Emma to destroy Vienna in a vain attempt to purge her own Sapphic desires.

Vienna knew that Emma's malignant ardor will soon evoke a desperate and mortal assault, and so she sends for Johnny Guitar, a former lover and gunslinger, to protect her.  Sterling Hayden is perfect as the seemingly laconic Johnny, yet the turbulent history that he and Vienna share results in a love/hate relationship that vacillates wildly.  However, as Emma's irrational and emotional outbursts increase in ferocity, Vienna and Johnny finally unite to stand their ground.  The scenery is gorgeous, the writing is taught and biting, the performances are superb and the climatic battle is near-orgiastic in its final release of so many long-held and roiling tensions.

Was it good for you, Emma?

"The Andromeda Strain" - review

A little too cool, but wonderfully calculated

Michael Crichton is a name well-known in literary and film circles these days, but back in 1971, the adaptation into film of his first novel "The Andromeda Strain" attracted little fanfare.  It wasn't until the box office juggernaut of Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" in 1993 that Crichton truly became a household name.  However, despite the absence of modern visual effects, I prefer director Robert Wise's more measured approach to Crichton's work, and "The Andromeda Strain" is still a frighteningly relevant and prescient story.

The United States has secretly sent out a satellite to literally scoop something extraterrestrial from the vacuum of space and return it to the Earth for examination.  Naturally, the trouble starts when they are successful and the organism, upon accidental release from its capsule in a small desert town, threatens to destroy all human life.  However, such contingencies have been anticipated, and the procedures for dealing with such a deadly threat within a massive underground laboratory comprise the bulk of the story.

From the opening credits, the pacing is tense.  Director Robert Wise succinctly sets the stage, introduces the characters and constantly reminds us that the clock is loudly ticking.  When the scientists are gathered to deal with the organism, there is barely time for goodbyes.  They are called and must go immediately.  Time is critical to solving what could be an extinction level event and the assembled team is starting from scratch as they know absolutely nothing about their subject.

While the character development isn't the strongest, the film is still quite gripping via the detailed and layered scientific protocols that are deployed to try and determine what the Andromeda Strain is and how humankind can possibly survive it.  While the rigorous processes employed sometimes outweigh the emotional and psychological components, this is a part of what is demanded of the people who must calmly persevere if they are to prevent a potential apocalypse.

As with many films from several decades ago, "The Andromeda Strain" may feel dated in some ways, but it stands as a unique science fiction story because it relies mainly upon science for its drama instead of fiction.  Some may find the story tepid or the pacing too slow, but because it's a more realistic approach to a crisis situation, I find the film to be a very credible and enthralling story compared to the usual callow and CGI-splattered spectacles that the cinema usually offers.

"Coneheads" review

A funny, silly and yet beautifully heartfelt film

In my opinion, Saturday Night Live's run of theatrical efforts are quite variable in quality.  Most don't have a strong enough story to feasibly stretch a sketch into feature length, and the main characters are often not well-developed enough to be interesting, much less compelling.  However, "Coneheads" has been one of my favorite SNL films from the very first viewing, and the main reason for this is that the story and characters are superb.

The raucous sketches on SNL mostly revolved around contrasting the cultural differences between the coneheads and their often confounded human guests.  The film continues this trend, and on the surface, "Coneheads" appears to be a breezy comedy, but it also deftly interweaves deeply affecting themes about family and identity which are just as enduring and relevant almost thirty years later.

Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles and Beldar and Prymatt, but this time we are introduced to them before they have had their daughter.  Marooned on Earth before they can conquer the planet, Beldar and Prymatt must blend in amongst us lowly bluntskulls if they are to survive.  This fish-out-water scenario has many excellent comedic moments, but it also addresses the current and white-hot issue of immigration, especially when it comes to empathizing with people who will do anything to build a better life for themselves and their children.

In order to pass as human, Beldar needs documentation.  He's so good at electronic repair that his boss, wonderfully underplayed by Sinbad, hooks Beldar up with "a guy" so that Beldar can become Donald R. DiCicco.  However, immigration is aware of this, and Michael McKean as Gorman Seedling becomes Beldar's nemesis.

Aided by David Spade as Eli Turnbull, the perfect office toady and unctuous underling, Gorman Seedling doggedly pursues Beldar and Prymatt but is continually stymied by their narrow escapes.  However, Beldar and Prymatt's need for stability becomes paramount when Prymatt reveals that she is pregnant.

The Coneheads move to the suburbs.  Beldar finds a profitable career as a driving instructor, Prymatt becomes the perfect homemaker and their young daughter grows up.  Connie Conehead, born and raised on Earth, is a typical teenage girl aside from her prominent dome, and she soon finds romance with auto mechanic Ronnie, played by Chris Farley.  Their scenes together are adorable, and it's wonderful to see Chris Farley break free from his usual boorish, clumsy characters and play someone normal.  Even more appealing is that even though Ronnie is fat, he is still presented as an attractive and lovable person.

However, teenage romance has its troubles, and here is where Prymatt gets a chance to shine as she lovingly counsels her daughter, providing reassurance, encouragement and validation.  While many of these scenes are still humorous as they play out through the unique conehead style of dialogue, they still move the heart with their truth and kindness.  What a sublime combination to be moved to tears and laughter at the same time!  I love it when comedies make you smile for multiple reasons!

Beldar and Prymatt have their emotional struggles as well.  Beldar has a driving client who repeatedly tries to seduce him.  Beldar quickly rebuffs her, but Prymatt privately worries whether Beldar still loves her.  When Prymatt finally asks Beldar, his response is of course, VERY conehead in its dialogue, but again, the depth of feeling behind the seemingly stilted and silly words is very moving and Prymatt's fears are utterly banished.  While their communication style is different, it still perfectly expresses the affection, trust and love that is necessary makes any relationship last for many years.

The theme of family runs strong through the entire film, and it reaches its apex when the Coneheads are finally rescued and return to their home planet.  While Beldar is ecstatic at finally seeing Remulak again after many long years of waiting, Connie is now miserable because she misses her boyfriend and the only home she's ever known.  To Connie's dismay, Beldar appears to be ready to lead another conquest of Earth, but he ultimately makes a different choice because Beldar understands and respects his daughter's needs.

Having struck a deal with Gorman Seedling over his immigration status, Beldar decides to remain on Earth because he wants what is best for his daughter.  While this comes at the cost of cutting Beldar and Prymatt off from their culture entirely, they have lived on Earth so long that they have become comfortably adapted to their new home and so can happily wave to Connie and Ronnie heading out for the Senior Prom while they gaze at a fresh picture of the blushing young couple.

"Aaaah, memories!  We will enjoy them!"