Kaidan (Kwaidan) (Ghost Stories) (1964)
92%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Exquisitely designed and fastidiously ornate, Masaki Kobayashi’s ambitious anthology operates less as a frightening example of horror and more as a meditative tribute to Japanese folklore.
Kwaidan is a hauntingly beautiful film that will leave you feeling both enchanted and spooked. Director Masaki Kobayashi weaves together three eerie stories that are both classic fables and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The avant-garde flourishes and surrealistic splendor of the film’s settings are breathtakingly captured by the cameramen and art directors. The film moves slowly and deliberately, but it holds you in its grip so completely that you’ll find your pulse racing madly in rhythm with the images on the screen. If you’re a lover of the offbeat and eerie, Kwaidan is a must-watch.
Production Company(ies)
Daiei
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1964
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 29, 1964 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 10, 2000
Genre(s)
Horror/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Rentarô Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Tetsurô Tanba, Katsuo Nakamura, Keiko Kishi, Osamu Takizawa, directed by Masaki Kobayashi, written by Yoko Mizuki, horror, fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wanda Hale, William J Nazzaro, Kevin Thomas, Michael Billington, Joseph Gelmis, Clifford Terry, Brian Eggert, Chris Plante, Arlene Billinkoff, Jacob Siskind, R.H Gardner, Stanley Eichelbaum, produced by Shigeru Wakatsuki, MPAA rating, Japanese folklore, anthology, ghost story, penniless samurai, tragic results, stranded in a blizzard, saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, rescue at a cost, blind musician, forced to perform for an audience of ghosts, author, relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior’s reflection in his teacup
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Michiyo Aratama – First wife
Tetsurô Tanba – Warrior
Katsuo Nakamura – Hoichi
Keiko Kishi – Yuki
Osamu Takizawa – Narrator
Director(s)
Masaki Kobayashi
Writer(s)
Yoko Mizuki
Producer(s)
Shigeru Wakatsuki
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (4)
An artistic triumph for the director Masaki Kobayashi, his cameramen and his art directors.
September 20, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Wanda Hale
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Kwaidan is not for everyone. It is for the lover of the offbeat and eerie. It is a film you will not soon forget.
September 20, 2021
William J. Nazzaro
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
This awesome and enthralling Japanese [film] weaves a spell of enchantment with its weird stories, which unfold amidst settings of surrealistic splendor that have been photographed in the most breathtaking color since Gate of Hell.
September 20, 2021
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
All three stories are weird and wonderful, and under Kobayashi’s direction, the film casts its own exotic and highly colourful spell.
September 20, 2021
Michael Billington
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Judged purely as an expensive mood piece, the film could be considered a great success. The best thing about Kwaidan is its otherworldly, haunted atmosphere.
September 20, 2021
Joseph Gelmis
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
[Kwaidan] combines the fantastic color of Fellini’s Juliet of the Spirits with Poe-like burstings of Gothic horror.
September 20, 2021
Clifford Terry
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
A film of methodical pacing, theatricality, and avant-garde flourishes, which work in harmony to acknowledge that something lies beyond any grounded understanding of reality.
February 12, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
The stories themselves fall somewhere between classic fables and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. And the feeling? There’s nothing quite like it.
October 25, 2021
Chris Plante
Polygon
Director Masaki Kobayashi effectively makes use of color, concentrating on whites, greys and beiges to impart his eerie atmosphere.
September 20, 2021
Arlene Billinkoff
Winnipeg Free Press
Kwaidan moves slowly and deliberately and yet holds you so completely in its grip that you find your pulse racing madly in rhythm with the images that flood the screen.
September 20, 2021
Jacob Siskind
Montreal Gazette
A trilogy of Poe-like horror stories, it is, at the same time, one of the eeriest and most beautiful films ever made.
September 20, 2021
R.H. Gardner
Baltimore Sun
In the course of the film, Kobayashi treats us to an unrivaled visual experience.
September 20, 2021
Stanley Eichelbaum
San Francisco Examiner…
Plot
Kwaidan is an anthology of four Japanese folk tales, including a penniless samurai who marries for money, a man saved by the Snow Maiden, a blind musician forced to perform for ghosts, and an author who sees a warrior’s reflection in his teacup.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The blind musician Hoichi is played by Katsuo Nakamura.
Masaki-Kobayashi.jpg
Contempt
Contempt (1964)
90%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: NA
This powerful work of essential cinema joins “meta” with “physique,” casting Brigite Bardot and director Godard’s inspiration Fritz Lang.
Contempt is a film that’s like a fancy cheese plate – it’s not for everyone, but those who appreciate it will savor every bite. Sure, it’s a bit pretentious and self-referential, but that’s part of its charm. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to watch Brigitte Bardot be a total babe on screen? Plus, the cinematography is stunning and the themes of art versus commerce are still relevant today. So if you’re in the mood for a thought-provoking, visually stunning film, give Contempt a chance. Just maybe don’t invite your friend who only likes Marvel movies.
Production Company(ies)
Little Monster Films, Itinerant Films, Parkes MacDonald Image Nation
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Embassy Pictures, Strand Releasing
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Isle of Capri, Naples, Campania, Italy
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1964
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):French, English, German, Italian
-
Country of origin:France, Italy
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1963 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 16, 2010
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli, Giorgia Moll, Fritz Lang, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, written by Jean-Luc Godard, Alberto Moravia, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by William J Nazzaro, Michael Wilmington, Chris Peachment, Jonathan Romney, Geoffrey Macnab, Kate Muir, Sean Axmaker, A.S Hamrah, David Nusair, Tom Meek, Simon Kinnear, produced by Georges de Beauregard, Carlo Ponti, Joseph E Levine, MPAA rating, French (Canada), Criterion Collection, Embassy Pictures, Strand Releasing, mono sound mix, 35mm, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $920,253
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,977,669
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,969
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,088,077
US/Canada gross: $903,986
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,801,297
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,620
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,826
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $160,748
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,751
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $900,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $9,758,079
Production budget ranking: 1,685
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,254,726
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$5,035,136
ROI to date (est.): -34%
ROI ranking: 1,588
Jack Palance – Jeremy Prokosch
Michel Piccoli – Paul Javal
Giorgia Moll – Francesca Vanini
Fritz Lang – Fritz Lang
Raoul Coutard – Cameraman
Director(s)
Jean-Luc Godard
Writer(s)
Jean-Luc Godard, Alberto Moravia
Producer(s)
Georges de Beauregard, Carlo Ponti, Joseph E. Levine
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (59) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (5)
Contempt could not be termed good or poor. It seems a little remote, and unless you are interested in films, or want to view some beautiful scenes of tasteful sensuality, you can pass it by.
August 19, 2021
William J. Nazzaro
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
“Contempt” transports us back to another era: an early ’60s world in which the classicism of the past…is juxtaposed with the emptiness and ennui of modern culture.
February 4, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The film is about nothing but cinema itself, which gets a bit wearing, unless you are one of those people who like watching a movie in order to check off the references to other movies. Still, it’s a masterwork of some sort.
November 29, 2017
Chris Peachment
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Steeped in melancholy and a sense of mourning.
January 3, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Jonathan Romney
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The miracle here is that for all its use of irony and self-reflexive devices, Le Mepris still ends up with a considerable emotional punch.
January 1, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
This is one of the French new wave master’s seminal films, a satire on the making of a Hollywood-style movie that exploits Bardot’s femme fatale Camille with no less aplomb than Hollywood itself.
January 1, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
… [an] unlikely meeting between Godard’s anti-Hollywood sensibility and the showman aesthetic of (uncredited) producer Joseph E. Levine in an international co-production about the clash between art and commerce…
May 7, 2022
Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand
This veiled criticism of dubbed sound in Italian movies, along with Lang’s explanation of unity in Homer, mirrors the couple’s break.
January 26, 2021
A.S. Hamrah
n+1
Predictably underwhelming…
July 31, 2020 | Rating: 1.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Classic Godard, and a major cornerstone of the French New Wave.
May 29, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
Few films have achieved such elegance.
December 5, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Simon Kinnear
Total Film
Godard was the artist who tore cinema apart and rebuilt it to suit his own interests and ends.
January 14, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Martyn Conterio
CineVue…
Plot
Paul Javal is a writer who is hired to make a script for a new movie about Ulysses more commercial, which is to be directed by Fritz Lang and produced by Jeremy Prokosch. But because he let his wife Camille drive with Prokosch and he is late, she believes, he uses her as a sort of present for Prokosch to get get a better payment. So the relationship ends.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, and Fritz Lang playing himself.
Jean-Luc-Godard.jpg
From Russia With Love
From Russia With Love (1964)
91%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 6 nominations total
The second James Bond film, From Russia with Love is a razor-sharp, briskly-paced Cold War thriller that features several electrifying action scenes.
From Russia with Love is the perfect movie for anyone who wants to see Sean Connery in his prime, kicking butt and taking names. Sure, it’s a bit outdated and the plot can be a bit slow at times, but who cares when you have all the classic Bond elements like exotic locations, beautiful women, and thrilling action sequences? Plus, it’s always fun to see Bond use his gadgets and charm to get out of sticky situations. Overall, From Russia with Love is a must-watch for any Bond fan or anyone who just wants to enjoy a classic spy movie with a touch of humor.
Production Company(ies)
Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Production Orly Films,
Distributor
CBS/Fox, Warner Home Vídeo, MGM Distributing Corporation, United Artists, Criterion Collection
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Yerebatan Saray Sarniçi, Sultanahmet Square, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1964
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 58m
-
Language(s):English, Russian, Turkish, Romany
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 8, 1963 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2006
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya, Pedro Armendáriz, Bernard Lee, directed by Terence Young, written by Ian Fleming, Johanna Harwood, Richard Maibaum, action, Cold War, James Bond, SPECTRE, decoding device, Lektor, Istanbul, espionage, thriller, spy, adventure, electrifying action scenes, PG, Albert R Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, Sean Connery’s favorite Bond movie, John F Kennedy’s favorite Bond book, reviewed by Richard Roud, Derek Adams, Dominic Wells, Peter Bradshaw, Karl French, Variety Staff, Matt Brunson, Josh Larsen, Mike Massie, Kelechi Ehenulo, Jake Tropila, Dwight MacDonald, PG, box office success, budget, MGM Distributing Corporation, United Artists, Criterion Collection, James Bond 007
Worldwide gross: $24,808,792
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $268,984,620
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 549
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 29,333,110
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $2,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $21,684,621
Production budget ranking: 1,331
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $11,677,168
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $235,622,831
ROI to date (est.): 706%
ROI ranking: 176
Daniela Bianchi – Tatiana Romanov
Robert Shaw – Donald ‘Red’ Grant
Lotte Lenya – Rosa Klebb
Pedro Armendáriz – Kerim Bey (as Pedro Armendariz)
Bernard Lee – M
Director(s)
Terence Young
Writer(s)
Ian Fleming, Johanna Harwood, Richard Maibaum
Producer(s)
Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 6 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (61) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (2)
A highly immoral film in every imaginable way but it sure is fun…
September 29, 2021
Richard Roud
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
The film lacks the exotic, colourful flamboyance of the best of its successors. So shoot me.
April 24, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The stylish second Bond film From Russia With Love now looks as if it was shot yesterday.
April 24, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Dominic Wells
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
FRWL has character and dash, and even something of a conventional plot, all worth revisiting for this pin-sharp restoration.
April 24, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
The narrative is plodding, time has not been kind to set-pieces that were once so thrilling and now seem oddly perfunctory, and 007’s misogyny and casual slapping of several women is more than faintly repellent.
April 24, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Karl French
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
From Russia with Love is a preposterous, skillful slab of hardhitting, sexy hokum.
April 15, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Sean Connery’s favorite Bond movie is based on John F. Kennedy’s favorite Bond book, and who are we to argue with their tastes?
September 25, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
The second Bond film was already too self aware to remember to be itself.
July 30, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
The story moves too slowly, fattened up with activities that are inconsequential and not action oriented.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
From Russia with Love is just an exciting film from start to finish.
July 16, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Kelechi Ehenulo
Confessions From A Geek Mind
From Russia with Love is a complete and total success as both a Bond film and a spy film, loftily enjoying the best of both worlds as it further establishes an indomitable template for more adventures to come.
April 29, 2020
Jake Tropila
Film Inquiry
A comedown from Dr. No, whose brisk parody here slackens into a queasy compromise with the real thing that tries to have it both ways and so fails to have it either way.
August 13, 2019
Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine…
Plot
James Bond 007 is on the search for a Russian decoding machine, known as “Lektor”. Bond needs to find this machine, before the evil S.P.E.C.T.R.E. organization discovers it. While being romantically linked with Russian girl, Tatiana Romanova, Bond sneaks his way around Istanbul, while each S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Agent tries to pick him off, including the over powering Donald “Red” Grant and ex K.G.B. Agent Rosa Klebb, who knows all of the tricks in the book, and even possesses an incredible poison tipped shoe.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sean Connery stars as James Bond in From Russia with Love, the second installment of the iconic spy series.
Terence-Young.jpg
Mafioso
Mafioso (1964)
89%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Mafioso begins as an amusing farce and skillfully transforms into a portentous social drama
Mafioso is like a classic Italian dish that starts off light and fun, but then takes a dark and unexpected turn that leaves you feeling satisfied and a little bit scared. It’s Meet the Parents meets The Godfather, but with a vintage twist that makes it all the more delicious. This movie may be over 45 years old, but it’s still got plenty of flavor and packs a punch that will leave you wanting more. So grab some popcorn and a glass of Chianti, and get ready for a cinematic feast that will have you saying “Mamma mia!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some violence, racial slurs, drug use and brief nudity
Year of Release
1964
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2008
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Alberto Sordi, Norma Bengell, Gabriella Conti, Ugo Attanasio, Cinzia Bruno, Katiusca Piretti, directed by Alberto Lattuada, written by Rafael Azcona, Bruno Caruso, Marco Ferreri, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ben Kenigsberg, Chris Vognar, Marc Savlov, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Amy Biancolli, G Allen Johnson, Dennis Schwartz, Michele Kenner, Phil Villarreal, Chris Hewitt, Shawn Levy, Robert W Butler, producer Tonino Cervi, MPAA rating, Sicily, mobster, New York, family, social drama, farce, tonal shifts, masterpiece, black-and-white, gem, Italian, wiseguy, mafia, lifestyle, documentary, Michael Corleone, betrayal, light-hearted, deadly serious
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Norma Bengell – Marta
Gabriella Conti – Rosalia
Ugo Attanasio – Don Vincenzo
Cinzia Bruno – Donatella
Katiusca Piretti – Patrizia
Director(s)
Alberto Lattuada
Writer(s)
Rafael Azcona, Bruno Caruso, Marco Ferreri
Producer(s)
Tonino Cervi
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (2)
Director Lattuada was reportedly acclaimed for his oddball tonal shifts, which Mafioso offers in spades.
July 12, 2007 | Rating: 4/6
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The transitional gears never grind. They just keep clicking until you know you’re along for the entire ride.
May 11, 2007 | Rating: A-
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
The sort of masterpiece that will obliterate memories of lesser, later efforts in the ‘meeting the parents’ comedy lineage. Brilliant.
April 26, 2007 | Rating: 4/4
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The film ripens in an unanticipated way, nimbly shifting from near farce to something quite a bit darker.
April 26, 2007 | Rating: A-
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
Mafioso may be 45 years old, but it’s as bracingly relevant as anything else in theaters today. Even in the heat of a dry Sicilian summer, the film looks fresh as a lemon tree. And when you bite down hard, it’s just as bitter.
April 20, 2007 | Rating: 4/4
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
If you crossed Meet the Parents with The Godfather and filmed it 45 years ago in Italian, you might come close to Mafioso, a black-and-white gem from 1962 whose appearance in local theaters is inexplicable but most welcome.
April 13, 2007 | Rating: 4/4
G. Allen Johnson
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Brilliant neglected and underappreciated film about the Sicilian mafia.
December 15, 2008 | Rating: A
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
A gentle Italian comedy from 1962 that takes a sobering, chilling turn that would make Michael Corleone proud.
July 12, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Michele Kenner
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Director Alberto Lattuada’s seriocomic 1962 look at the Sicilian mob lifestyle broke the omerta, providing a look at the sordidly fascinating life of the wiseguy.
May 30, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
No wonder Mafioso vanished without a trace when it was released in 1962; the mordant mobster comedy was about 45 years ahead of its time.
May 24, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
Chris Hewitt
St. Paul Pioneer Press
It feels like a comedy, and then a dark drama, and then, no, wait . . . a semicomic documentary, right? The effect, carried brilliantly by Sordi, is delightful.
May 18, 2007 | Rating: A-
Shawn Levy
Oregonian
Some viewers may feel betrayed when the film’s light-hearted and gently mocking attitude suddenly turns deadly serious. I thought it was breathtaking.
May 18, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star…
Plot
This is the funny story about two warring Mafia gangs in New York City. The weaker gang uses a lion to blackmail the opposite gang’s “clients”. The police succeed in stopping one of the gangs, while the other remains without the boss.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Mafioso.
Alberto-Lattuada.jpg
The Day of Treffids 1963
The Day of Treffids (1963)
67%RT Audience Score: 51%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Day of the Triffids, a 1963 sci-fi thriller, has garnered mixed reviews from critics over the years. While some praise its deft pacing and vividly paranoid premise, others criticize its script inconsistencies and lengthy romantic interludes. However, as a highly intelligent and verbose critic, I must say that the film’s botanical dread and uneven but sometimes effective effects make it a good siege narrative. Though it may be short on awe-inspiring moments and lose some of the tension and terror from the acclaimed novel, it remains thought-provoking and scary at times. And let’s not forget the unintentional humor and customary moralizing, which add a touch of levity to this old-fashioned plot picture unhampered by artistic pretensions. All in all, The Day of the Triffids is above par for the course and worth a watch for fans of the genre.
The Day of the Triffids is a classic sci-fi thriller that will leave you feeling paranoid about plants for days. While some critics found it lacking in awe-inspiring moments and plagued by script inconsistencies, I found it to be a fun and suspenseful siege narrative with some effective special effects. Sure, it may be unintentionally funny at times and the romantic interludes can be a bit lengthy, but overall it’s a solid film of its genre. Just don’t watch it if you’re planning on doing any gardening anytime soon.
Production Company(ies)
Fruit Tree Enterprises, Inc.
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1963
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 33m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2002
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Sci-fi, Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore, George Pitcher, Bernard Gordon, Steve Sekely, Allied Artists Pictures Corporation, A Security Pictures Ltd Production, box office, budget, reviewed by Bosley Crowther, Dave Kehr, Variety Staff, David Parkinson, Nick Schager, Kim Newman, Jason Shawhan, Fernando F Croce, Dennis Schwartz, Emanuel Levy, TV Guide Staff, Thomas Delapa, MPAA rating, plantlike creatures, meteors, Triffids, military officer, survivors, scientist, extraterrestrials, England, safe haven, aspect ratio, scope, runtime, producer, writer, director, cast, crew, audience score, critic reviews, audience reviews, featured reviews, Fresh Kernels
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $174,937,943
Production budget ranking: 167
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $94,204,082
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Nicole Maurey – Christine Durrant
Janette Scott – Karen Goodwin
Kieron Moore – Tom Goodwin
Mervyn Johns – Mr. Coker
Janina Faye – Susan
Director – Steve Sekely
Producer – George Pitcher
Writer – Bernard Gordon
Director(s)
Steve Sekely
Writer(s)
Bernard Gordon
Producer(s)
George Pitcher
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (22) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (5)
As an old-fashioned plot picture unhampered by artistic pretensions, The Day of the Triffids is above par for the course.
June 27, 2019
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A sci-fi thriller (1963) that sticks in the mind, thanks to deft pacing and a vividly paranoid premise.
May 29, 2009
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Although riddled with script inconsistencies and irregularities, it is a more-than-adequate film of its genre.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Sometimes unintentionally funny, and it could have done without the customary moralising.
January 26, 2006
David Parkinson
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Decidedly short on awe-inspiring moments.
May 3, 2005 | Rating: C+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
The book is a deserved classic, but this film loses most of the tension and all of the terror in the transition.
May 13, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s a good siege narrative, with uneven but sometimes very effective effects.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Botanical dread
December 8, 2009
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
Unfaithful adaptation from the acclaimed 1951 science fiction novel by John Wyndham.
July 29, 2009 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
September 17, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Always interesting, but bogged down by lengthy romantic interludes, the film is thought-provoking and scary at times.
May 9, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
TV Guide Staff
TV Guide
November 4, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly…
Plot
After a meteor shower blinds much of the population, plant-like creatures known as Triffids emerge and begin to take over, and military officer Bill Masen tries to find a safe haven from the vicious vegetation while scientist Tom Goodwin seeks a way to defeat them in “The Day of the Triffids.”
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Janette Scott, who plays Karen Goodwin in the film, was also a popular British pop singer in the 1950s and 60s.
Steve-Sekely.jpg
Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
81%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a film that is both a testament to the comedic talent of its ensemble cast and a cautionary tale about the dangers of excess. Clocking in at three-and-a-half hours, the film is a marathon of slapstick, stunts, and one-liners that will leave you both exhausted and exhilarated. While some critics have dismissed it as bloated and unfunny, others have praised it as a classic of the genre. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, one thing is clear: this is a film that demands to be seen, if only to witness the sheer audacity of its creators. So buckle up, grab some popcorn, and get ready for a wild ride.
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is a classic comedy that will have you laughing until your sides hurt. Sure, it’s a bit long, but with so many talented actors and hilarious stunts, you won’t even notice the time flying by. Stanley Kramer may not be the king of comedy, but he definitely hit the jackpot with this one. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good laugh and a crazy adventure. Just make sure you have some popcorn and a drink handy, because you won’t want to leave your seat for the entire three-and-a-half hours!
Production Company(ies)
Merman, United Artists Releasing
Distributor
United Artists
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1963
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:2h 55m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 1963 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 2, 2004
Genre(s)
Comedy/Adventure
Keyword(s)
Loading…
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Edie Adams – Monica Crump
Milton Berle – J. Russell Finch
Jimmy Durante – Smiler Grogan
Jonathan Winters – Lennie Pike
Buddy Hackett – Benjy Benjamin
Director – Stanley Kramer
Producer – Stanley Kramer
Writers – Tania Rose, William Rose
Director(s)
Stanley Kramer
Writer(s)
Tania Rose, William Rose
Producer(s)
Stanley Kramer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (38) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (11)
Stanley Kramer strikes out again with this elephantine 1963 attempt at uproarious comedy.
November 7, 2007
Don Druker
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The comic competition is so keen that it is impossible to single out any one participant as outstanding.
November 7, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
So many excellent actors and stunt men do so much in this film that it is beyond my space allowance to begin to credit them.
May 9, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/5
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
April 18, 2003 | Rating: 5/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
It’s a comic’s field day. We haven’t seen such a salute to the gift of lunacy for decades.
August 8, 2022
Judith Crist
New York Herald Tribune
Despite the spectacular nature of the stunts in the first half, by the time the intermission and entr’acte come around, the visuals get even more complexly outrageous.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Three-and-a-half hours of tiresome proof that Stanley Kramer should stick to dramas and leave comedies to his competitors.
October 14, 2019
Clyde Gilmour
Maclean’s Magazine
Simply too much for the human eye and ear to respond to, let alone the funny bone.
August 13, 2019
Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is one of the best ensemble comedies and the star-studded film remains a classic to this day.
July 23, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
It’s an interesting example of the evacuated shell of a bad comedy being seized by seriousness and turned over to the service of a deadly Puritan theme.
March 12, 2018
Jonathan Miller
The New York Review of Books
For every inspired set-piece, there are one or two that don’t work, making this a frequently frustrating watch.
April 18, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
lives up to its intentions as an epic madcap farce, and it offers enough comic variation through the multiple characters and situations that it never feels overlong or monotonous
February 9, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk…
Plot
A group of motorists set out to find a fortune in stolen loot buried under the Big W, after reckless driver Smiler Grogan cryptically tells them about it before kicking the bucket, causing a massive traffic jam in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
Stanley-Kramer.jpg
The Great Escape
The Great Escape (1963)
96%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
3 wins & 11 nominations total
With its impeccably slow-building story and a cast for the ages, The Great Escape is an all-time action classic.
If you’re looking for a movie that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, The Great Escape is the one for you. This flick takes its sweet time building up the story, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. And let’s talk about the cast – it’s stacked! These guys are the real deal and they bring their A-game to every scene. It’s no wonder this movie is considered an all-time action classic. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
The Mirisch Company, Alpha
Distributor
Criterion Collection, United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Füssen, Bavaria, Germany
MPAA / Certificate
Approved
Year of Release
1963
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 52m
-
Language(s):English, German, French, Russian, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 4, 1963 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 4, 2003
Genre(s)
War/Drama
Keyword(s)
War, Drama, Allied soldiers, German POW camp, escape, Nazi forces, American Captain Virgil Hilts, British Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, slow-building story, cast for the ages, action classic, directed by John Sturges, produced by John Sturges and James Clavell, written by Paul Brickhill, James Clavell, W R Burnett, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, James Donald, Donald Pleasence, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jamie Ludwig, Anthony Lane, Nell Minow, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Derek Adams, Danielle Solzman, Brian Eggert, David Harris, Mike Massie, Matt Brunson, MPAA rating, Criterion Collection, United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc
Worldwide gross: $228,178
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,506,012
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,358
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 273,284
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
James Garner – Flight Lt. Hendley ‘The Scrounger’
Richard Attenborough – Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett ‘Big X’
Charles Bronson – Flight Lt. Danny Velinski ‘The Tunnel King’
James Donald – Group Capt. Ramsey ‘The SBO’
Donald Pleasence – Flight Lt. Colin Blythe ‘The Forger’
Director(s)
John Sturges
Writer(s)
Paul Brickhill, James Clavell, W. R. Burnett
Producer(s)
John Sturges, James Clavell
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
3 wins & 11 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (3)
For all its missteps, when it comes to escapism, intrigue, and indulgence, you could do a whole lot worse than The Great Escape. Just watch it with an open eye.
February 21, 2019
Jamie Ludwig
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
This is a Boys’ Own Tale, and, as boys, we wanted it, cleansed of horrors, for ourselves.
April 23, 2014
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
An exceptional story about teamwork.
December 28, 2010 | Rating: 5/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
Producer-director John Sturges has fashioned a motion picture that entertains, captivates, thrills and stirs.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Way too flabby at 168 minutes, but once this 1963 feature gets going it’s good, solid stuff.
March 1, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Worth seeing the last half hour, if nothing else, for one of the best stunt sequences in years: McQueen’s motor-cycle bid for freedom.
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Even though the filmmakers make changes to benefit an American audience, the memory of the 50 executed airmen will never be forgotten.
May 29, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
Somehow, The Great Escape manages to mourn the dead and uphold a unified sense of defiance in the same movement.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
There is something undeniably quaint about John Sturges’ sprawling 1963 World War II epic…
March 3, 2021
David Harris
Spectrum Culture
The courageous, booming march by Elmer Bernstein that opens the picture is instantly one of the most memorable and notable pieces of music in cinema history.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
McQueen’s thrilling motorcycle ride has long been the stuff of cinematic legend, but the movie is packed with countless memorable episodes of this caliber.
May 16, 2020 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
This is one of the all-time great war movies, a PoW adventure from director John Sturges that celebrates the indomitable spirit of the Allied forces even when their backs were to the wall.
April 23, 2014
Andrew Collins
Radio Times…
Plot
Based on a true story, a group of allied escape artist-type prisoners-of-war are all put in an “escape proof” camp. Their leader decides to try to take out several hundred all at once. The first half of the movie is played for comedy, as the prisoners mostly outwit their jailers to dig the escape tunnel. The second half is high adventure as they use planes, trains, and boats to get out of occupied Europe.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Steve McQueen’s motorcycle chase scene in The Great Escape is considered one of the greatest action sequences in cinema history.
John-Sturges.jpg
The Birds
The Birds (1963)
87%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 7 nominations total
Proving once again that build-up is the key to suspense, Alfred Hitchcock successfully turned birds into some of the most terrifying villains in horror history
The Birds” is a classic horror film that will have you squawking in terror. Hitchcock takes his time building suspense, but when the birds attack, it’s a feather-ruffling experience. The special effects are impressive, and the performances from the cast are nothing to squawk at either. Just be warned, you may never look at a bird the same way again after watching this film.
Production Company(ies)
Aamir Khan Productions, Jhamu Sughand Productions,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Bodega Bay, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1963
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1 (original & negative ratio, open matte)
-
Runtime:1h 59m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 1963 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 2, 2003
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, Jessica Tandy, Veronica Cartwright, Ethel Griffies, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by Evan Hunter, Daphne Du Maurier, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by James Powers, Alastair Sooke, Andrew Sarris, Richard Brody, J Hoberman, Kim Newman, Michael Calleri, MPAA rating PG-13, Universal Pictures, sound mix mono, aspect ratio flat (1.85:1), birds, San Francisco, pet store, love birds, romance, bird attacks, terror, suspense, horror, disaster film, special effects, gross-out horror, natural tragedies, human flaws, violence, claustrophobia, intense, suspenseful, chilling, eerie, disturbing, terrifying, suspenseful, thrilling, suspenseful, intense, dramatic, emotional, audacious, effective, classic, flawed, Hollywood thriller
Worldwide gross: $53,647
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $589,189
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,700
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 64,252
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Tippi Hedren – Melanie Daniels
Suzanne Pleshette – Annie Hayworth
Jessica Tandy – Lydia Brenner
Veronica Cartwright – Cathy Brenner
Ethel Griffies – Mrs. Bundy
Alfred Hitchcock – Producer
Alfred Hitchcock – Director
Evan Hunter – Writer
Daphne Du Maurier – Writer
Director(s)
Alfred Hitchcock
Writer(s)
Evan Hunter, Daphne Du Maurier
Producer(s)
Alfred Hitchcock
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 7 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (3)
Hitchcock prolongs his prelude to horror for more than half the film, playing with audience suspense with comedy and romance while he sets his stage. The horror when it comes is a hair-raiser …
March 28, 2017
James Powers
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
The true genius of the film, based on a 1952 short story by Daphne du Maurier, is the way Hitchcock makes the malevolent birds seem like manifestations of his characters’ mental unease.
September 29, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Alastair Sooke
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Drawing from the relatively invisible literary talents of Daphne DuMaurier and Evan Hunter, Alfred Hitchcock has fashioned a major work of cinematic art, and “cinematic” is the operative term here, not “literary” or “sociological.”
January 18, 2013
Andrew Sarris
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Few films depict so eerily yet so meticulously the metaphysical and historical sense of a world out of joint.
October 9, 2012
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Hitch’s much misappreciated follow-up to Psycho is arguably the greatest of all disaster films — a triumph of special effects, as well as the fountainhead of what has become known as gross-out horror.
October 9, 2012
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Genuinely disturbing thriller classic from the master of suspense.
September 21, 2007 | Rating: 5/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Suzanne Pleshette, as forlorn school teacher Annie Hayworth, shines. Jessica Tandy is perfect as Mitch’s brittle, suspicious mother.
November 11, 2020
Michael Calleri
Niagara Gazette
Riddled with alarming moments – primarily from wandering down dark hallways alone, but also from sitting in silence waiting for the next inevitable avian ambush.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Hitchcock at his best, wrapping up in his somewhat hokum narrative a clever essay on belated maturation and another of his wonderful cinematic discourses on time and space.
October 13, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
Hitchcock takes a long time to get his mood established, but the terror really chills the blood before the perplexing finale.
October 7, 2019
Clyde Gilmour
Maclean’s Magazine
The only characters in the film who aren’t birdbrains are the birds.
August 12, 2019
Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine
The picture pursues these false clues with excessive long-windedness and occasional fatuity. It is a tribute to Hitchcock’s mastery of his craft that, even so, he makes overpoweringly real the menace of the birds.
July 29, 2015
Moira Walsh
America Magazine…
Plot
Melanie Daniels is the modern rich socialite, part of the jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer Mitch Brenner sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother Lydia and younger sister Cathy. Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack. Soon, birds in the hundreds and thousands are attacking anyone they find out of doors. There is no explanation as to why this might be happening, and as the birds continue their vicious attacks, survival becomes the priority.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The performances of Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren are noted as standing out in The Birds.
Alfred-Hitchcock.jpg
Tom Jones
Tom Jones (1963)
74%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: Won 4 Oscars
20 wins & 20 nominations total
A frantic, irreverent adaptation of the novel, bolstered by Albert Finney’s courageous performance and arresting visuals
Tom Jones is like a wild ride through 18th century England, complete with bawdy humor and irreverent characters. It’s a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s what makes it so much fun to watch. Sure, it may feel a bit dated now, but that’s part of its charm. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good sex comedy that celebrates sex? Plus, Albert Finney’s performance as the titular character is absolutely stupendous. So if you’re in the mood for some joyous barbarity and a lot of laughs, give Tom Jones a watch. Just maybe don’t watch it with your grandma.
Production Company(ies)
Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Lopert Pictures Corp., Samuel Goldwyn Company, United Artists
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Castle Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1963
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:2h 9m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 1963 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 27, 2018
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Albert Finney, Susannah York, Hugh Griffith, Edith Evans, Joan Greenwood, Diane Cilento, David Warner, directed by Tony Richardson, written by John Osborne, produced by Tony Richardson, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by James Berardinelli, Kate Cameron, Ty Burr, Chris Willman, Tomatometer, MPAA rating, Lopert Pictures Corp., Samuel Goldwyn Company, United Artists, Suround, Squire Allworthy, Blifil, Sophie Western, Lady Bellaston, Molly Seagrim, mistaken identities, heroic swordfights, lusty women, eighteenth-century England, adventure comedy, colorful slapstick, dark humor, biting satire, John Addison, Ted Marshall, art direction, charismatic cast, memorable characters, romantic period comedy, adventure flick
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Susannah York – Sophie Western
Hugh Griffith – Squire Western
Edith Evans – Miss Western
Joan Greenwood – Lady Bellaston
Diane Cilento – Molly Seagrim
Director – Tony Richardson
Producer – Tony Richardson
Director(s)
Tony Richardson
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Tony Richardson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 4 Oscars
20 wins & 20 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Picture Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (8)
Tom Jones has a sense of playfulness and experimentation that one rarely finds in an upscale motion picture.
June 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
A fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek movie about an engaging foundling.
February 18, 2015
Kate Cameron
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
While Tom remains a lot of fun, he’s just not the irreverent Young Turk he seemed three decades ago.
January 14, 2014 | Rating: B
Ty Burr
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s a free-wheeling, fast-moving relic from a time when “bawdy” wasn’t bad and sex comedies still celebrated sex.
January 14, 2014
Chris Willman
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The film is a way-out, walleyed, wonderful exercise in cinema. It is also a social satire written in blood with a broadaxe. It is bawdy as the British were bawdy when a wench had to wear five petticoats to barricade her virtue.
February 20, 2009
TIME Staff
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
If Tom Jones now feels something of a product of its times, it still deserves credit for attempting something new.
February 20, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Count me out!
May 6, 2022 | Rating: 1/5
James Wegg
JWR
You can expect an absolutely breathtaking picture of joyous barbarity in eighteenth-century England.
January 25, 2022
Derek Morgan
The Reporter
Decades of art-house imitators and Benny Hill reruns may have removed some of the luster, but there’s still plenty to admire and enjoy in this bawdy British effort.
August 31, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Either authentic, disgusting, or both, this lighthearted, crude comedy of manners and classes soon devolves into a conundrum of misguided matchmakers.
August 27, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A formidable ensemble cast allows for Tom Jones to remain a picaresque time capsule of a flippant form and tone.
August 25, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
‘Tom Jones’ is a very pompous adventure comedy by Tony Richardson, but not even the stupendous performance from Albert Finney as the irreverent casanova can rescue its apparent narrative triviality. [Full review in Spanish]
August 8, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados…
Plot
In eighteenth-century England, “first cousins” Tom Jones and Master Blifil grew up together in privilege in the western countryside, but could not be more different in nature. Tom, the bastard son of one of Squire Allworthy’s servants Jenny Jones and the local barber Partridge, was raised by virtuous Allworthy as his own after he sent Jenny away. Tom is randy, chasing anything in a skirt, he’s having a sexual relationship on the sly with Molly Seagrim, the peasant daughter of Allworthy’s gamekeeper. Tom is nonetheless kind-hearted and good-natured, he who is willing to defend that and those in which he believes. Blifil, on the other hand, is dour, and although outwardly pious, is cold-hearted and vengeful. Despite his randiness, Tom eventually falls in love with Sophie Western, who has just returned to the area after a few years abroad. Despite Sophie’s love for Tom, Squire Western and his spinster sister would rather see Sophie marry Blifil rather than a bastard, who Western nonetheless liked before he knew that Tom liked Sophie. Based on half truths, Tom, out of circumstance, is forced to leave his home and strike out on his own in London. While Sophie sneaks away in search of Tom, and Squire Western and Miss Western go off in search of Sophie, Tom gets into one misadventure after another on his way to London, some involving his randiness, and some which will reveal certain aspects of his life previously unknown to him. Through it all, Sophie, deep down, is never far from his mind, even when his life is in danger.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a “lusty” performance by Diane Cilento as Molly Seagrim.
Tony-Richardson.jpg
8-12
8 1/2 (1963)
95%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Inventive, thought-provoking, and funny, 8 1/2 represents the arguable peak of Federico Fellini’s many towering feats of cinema.
If you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you think, laugh, and scratch your head all at the same time, then 8 1/2 is the one for you. This flick is like the Everest of Federico Fellini’s epic filmography – it’s the one that’ll leave you gasping for air at the top.
With its wild and wacky storyline, 8 1/2 is a true masterpiece of cinema. It’s got everything you could ever want in a movie – drama, romance, comedy, and even a little bit of weirdness thrown in for good measure.
But what really sets this flick apart is its inventiveness. Fellini was a true visionary, and he brought all of his creative genius to bear in 8 1/2. From the stunning visuals to the mind-bending plot twists, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
So if you’re in the mood for a movie that’s both thought-provoking and hilarious, then 8 1/2 is the one for you. Just be prepared to have your mind blown – this flick is a true work of art.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Kino Pictures, Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1963
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:2h 15m
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Language(s):
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Country of origin:Italy
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 25, 1963 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 4, 2001
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Madeleine Lebeau, Mario Pisu, directed by Federico Fellini, written by Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi, Fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Eric Rhode, James Powers, Ian Mantgani, Kate Muir, Peter Bradshaw, Derek Malcolm, Brian Eggert, Dennis Harvey, Allen Almachar, MPAA rating, produced by Angelo Rizzoli, Kino Pictures, Embassy Pictures, Guido Anselmi, Luisa Anselmi, Carla, French Actress, Mezzabotta, autobiographical, creative stasis, personal life, romantic, fantastical, childhood, dreams, memories, film-making, self-interrogation, surreal, neorealism, artist, self-doubt, ego, love story, Black & White, anti-comedy, anti-structural, powerful performances, effective storytelling, enthralling, rich in character, imagery, problem, author, story
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Claudia Cardinale – Claudia
Anouk Aimée – Luisa Anselmi (as Anouk Aimee)
Sandra Milo – Carla
Madeleine Lebeau – French Actress
Mario Pisu – Mezzabotta
Director(s)
Federico Fellini
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Angelo Rizzoli
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (1)
Though he can’t face up to the total case, we must be grateful to Fellini for having presented so much of it, and with such flair and exuberance.
February 11, 2020
Eric Rhode
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Fellini keeps a grasp on his difficult form, creating some penetrating, witty, tragic moments.
June 26, 2018
James Powers
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
A carnival of the soul.
May 1, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Ian Mantgani
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Marcello Mastroianni becomes an avatar for the great Italian director Federico Fellini in the surreal cinematic self-interrogation that takes place in 8 1/2.
April 30, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It exerts an irresistible pull.
April 30, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
8 1/2 is probably the most potent movie about film-making, within which fantasy and reality are mixed without obfuscation, and there’s a tough argument that belies Fellini’s usual felicitous flaccidity.
January 6, 2014
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
With every screening, you discover more layers and further understand the film’s purpose, and its filmmaker.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It remains dazzling and original, as ambitiously unfettered an exercise in navel- gazing as the movies have ever offered…
August 30, 2021
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
It successfully portrays the passions, contradictions, and pressures of being an artist.
May 21, 2021
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin
Overall 8 1/2 is a strange film but I like it and what it has to say about inspiration and film. It was a challenging to movie to watch and keep everything straight but I like movies that challenge me and make me ask questions.
March 24, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
No director has been as personal or vulnerable as Fellini is here– he taps into his past, his dreams, his quirks, faults and failures, to find the meaning in the madness of life.
January 10, 2021
Asher Luberto
L.A. Weekly
Made me prick up my eyes. After twenty minutes I began to suspect I might be in on a masterpiece, and after thirty I was sure of it.
August 13, 2019
Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine…
Plot
A troubled Italian filmmaker struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground, retreating into his thoughts which often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory, in Federico Fellini’s inventive and thought-provoking film, 8 1/2.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, and Anouk Aimée.
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