Random 10: Random Films for Comment - Week 4

Dawn of the Dead (1978)!!!

I'm a big fan of this and love its brash trashing of horror conventions. It manages to stuff high and slapstick comedy, gross-out gore, drama, satire, action, romance (?!), and horror into one rambling package.

It is oft-quoted itself, but it seems to echo Spaghetti Westerns in its soundtrack and various visual references. There are two armies of enemies: the zombies and bikers, and the band of renegades must save the town (mall) from their onslaught.

Yes, the zombies and the blood are hard to believe, but so are people breaking out in song in the middle of conversation. I think this is one of the greatest movies of the 70's and all time.

bit of a sidetrack but trunk records have just released all the incidental music form dawn of the dead...including the wonderfully creepy 'figments park' recently used in shaun of the dead

Funny Face. Hepburn sings. And proves that she has quite a nice sweet voice, if not a barnstormer like Julie Andrews.

Mind you as May To December plots, or Ugly Duckling plots go, its an absolute dud. But Think Pink!!!!

* SPOILER *

The scene in The Champ where the kid goes nuts after his father's death...damn. Quite a performance from a 9 year old. Emotionally manipulative? Maybe, but sometimes I don't care about that.

Women on the Verge... I've seen only once, but I have to say that I think that it's a much overrated Almodovar compared to some of the stuff he did just before and after it. I know it's supposed to be the one that broke him in the States, so that's why it's so lauded there, but honestly I feel that both Law of Desire and Atame pwned this one. And better work from Banderas in those two as well.

Only other one I saw is The Pink Panther, which I remember loving quite a bit when I saw it. I was 12, though, so I can't really say much more about it. I don't know why I didn't follow up this series or Sellers for that matter, given that I thoroughly enjoyed both.

>4089. Swiss Family Robinson, 1960 (dir. Ken Annakin)

this was one of my two or three favorite movies growing up. vivid technicolor, elaborate treehouse sets, kids riding ostriches - i remember really wanting my family to get marooned somewhere this cool. if i recall correctly, the movie was also ridiculously racist - lots of cheering ensued as logs were dropped on streaming hordes of grotesque, southeast asian pirates. still, ridiculously appealing to an 8 year old (and i bet i'd probably dig it today).

yep, I grew up with a (beta!) copy of Swiss Family Robinson too. The treehouse was always so incredible.

I can't find Dawn of the Dead around, though I've been been hoping to see it for months.