Well if I had to do a top ten list of films which would be almost be an impossible task Welles would have two contenders, Citizen Kane which would certainly make the list and this one my favourite B movie of all time. Fortunately I own this on DVD and what a great movie it is.
The movie is laughably miscast with Charlton Heston appearing with a deep tan as a Mexican detective and Welles as an impossibly overweight and sweaty ill looking crooked Police chief. In spite of this or maybe because of it the film is a guilty pleasure.
The scene is set with one of the great opening tracking shots of all time following Heston walking with his new wife through a border town until a car explodes and sets the film in motion. Oh and sexy Janet Leigh is along for the ride as Heston's bride and she has to contend with greasy womanisers and lesbian bikers (yes really!).
Oh and must mention Mancini's early bongofied score a must have in any music collection.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
Runtime: 112
Language: English
The movie is laughably miscast with Charlton Heston appearing with a deep tan as a Mexican detective and Welles as an impossibly overweight and sweaty ill looking crooked Police chief. In spite of this or maybe because of it the film is a guilty pleasure.
The scene is set with one of the great opening tracking shots of all time following Heston walking with his new wife through a border town until a car explodes and sets the film in motion. Oh and sexy Janet Leigh is along for the ride as Heston's bride and she has to contend with greasy womanisers and lesbian bikers (yes really!).
Oh and must mention Mancini's early bongofied score a must have in any music collection.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
Runtime: 112
Language: English
I first saw this movie about 20 years ago and then relied on vague memories of its wonderfulness as I didn't really think I would ever see it again.
But now with the advent of the internet all these treasures are available to be viewed once again.
If not in my top ten films of all time its certainly a contender and like Cocteaus other masterpiece the Beauty and the Beast it features Jean Marais and it sucks you in to its fevered dream and fully realised fantasy world.
Loosely based on the Greek myth of Orpheus in the underworld its set in the then contemporary world of French poets and coffee houses.
For a film made in 1949 it seems remarkably modern from Marais and his bleached almost beachboy pompadour to the music and look of the pre beatniks in their smoky cafe's it could almost pass for a modern work. Except they don't make movies like this anymore and not that many ever. The only film that has this movie's other worldly feel like the director actually has an insight into the next world is Wings of Desire but as good as that movie is this is more fully realised and consistently interesting.
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10 (1,631 votes)
Runtime: 95 min
Language: French (subtitles included)
But now with the advent of the internet all these treasures are available to be viewed once again.
If not in my top ten films of all time its certainly a contender and like Cocteaus other masterpiece the Beauty and the Beast it features Jean Marais and it sucks you in to its fevered dream and fully realised fantasy world.
Loosely based on the Greek myth of Orpheus in the underworld its set in the then contemporary world of French poets and coffee houses.
For a film made in 1949 it seems remarkably modern from Marais and his bleached almost beachboy pompadour to the music and look of the pre beatniks in their smoky cafe's it could almost pass for a modern work. Except they don't make movies like this anymore and not that many ever. The only film that has this movie's other worldly feel like the director actually has an insight into the next world is Wings of Desire but as good as that movie is this is more fully realised and consistently interesting.
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10 (1,631 votes)
Runtime: 95 min
Language: French (subtitles included)
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