Reviews

I saw this movie when it was issued in France and several times since, but I never enjoyed the sound of it so much. To my opinion, it's the best movie about jazz together with YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN, described in JAZZ MAGAZINE, 1957 About a decade ago, I learned the awful pretended story of Glenn Miller's death over the Channel. I discussed it with members of the band after a show in Paris; they dismissed it, of course, and I think it must me forgotten, leaving intact the souvenir felt yesterday all over the movie and its fantastic sound. I think I never watched the sequence with Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa and Cozy Cole. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

The above tune, one of Jimmie Lunceford's first, has nothing to do with BLUES IN THE NIGHT, but I think it fits perfectly the film. I am a jazz and movie buff, and maybe the first whom managed to write an essay on both, in 1957. My preference was that Michael Curtiz's YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN was the best example of how to make a film about jazz.Recently, I grasped a conversation between two French critics on TV, describing Anatole Litvak's 1941 film as the one who shows how these typical American arts may cooperate. I also discovered David Meeker's JAZZ IN THE MOVIES, listing more than 2000 titles. Then I ordered BLUES IN THE NIGHT from Amazon, and I received a real gem. The previous 19 comments were fully positive, and Jimmie Lunceford appeared almost immediately with Jack Carson blowing a trumpet with his band. Followed a very good combination of film noir and swing. T'AIN'T WHAT...etc., is EXACTLY what I feel about the job done by the Warner Brothers, Tolya Litvak, Betty Field, Lloyd Nolan and all the film celebrities who made long and fruitful careers after WWII. The only thing I wish to stress is that the Amazon DVD contains also the actual trailer of the movie and last but not least, a full rendition of the famous JAMMIN'THE BLUES, certainly the best jazz movie of all times. Now that you have read my divagations, hurry up and grab a copy of BLUES IN THE NIGHT, while they last.harry carasso, Paris

According to my memory, Artie Shaw was pleased to give Ms. Berman a break when accepting to build with her a two-hours rendition of his long life but regretfully short carrier (he hanged up his clarinet in 1954, and I missed his New Year appearance at the Toronto Colonial Tavern). I know a jazz fan from Ottawa who spends frequently winter vacations in former Shaw's property at Begur, Spain. The pity with Artie Shaw is that he always wanted to be an intellectual, as he puts it in THE TROUBLE WITH Cinderella: while playing with his band in a crowded dancing auditorium, with dancers disturbing him to the point of almost swallowing his instrument, one of them fell into the orchestra pit and Artie Shaw quipped: "there goes another Booth, John Wilkes Booth!"!not realizing that in the audience, there were hardly two couples who realized that he was referring to Lincoln's assassin, who also fell in the orchestra pit while trying to escape from the fatal theater. After his death, I wrote an obituary in a French magazine, from which I am copying the end: " The souvenir of Artie Shaw, uncrowned king of the clarinet, is still remaining among all the generations of his long life (94 years),thanks to his immortal success (spelled by him $ucce$$):Begin the Beguine,Frenesi and Lady Be Good, described by an Italian jazz critic "here we are breathing pure Basian atmosphere, with full lungs". Harry Carasso, Paris, France

If you are only a Visitor, and not an accepted Immigrant with a Green Card, you cannot work in the United States, even if you are Canadian. I used to live in Toronto in the McCarthy years, and knew a British girl born in Hong-Kong, who was waiting for her Chinese quota for admission in order to enter the United States and marry her fiancé. Bullock could not have been an executive editor for three years without a Green Card. I thought the Walt Disney people knew better. Otherwise, the movie is funny, well acted and quite palatable to anybody who doesn't care for "Jus Solii". Born in Bucharest and having applied for American Immigration Visa in 1947, I got it only in 1964, when I was already happily settled here.Harry Carasso, Paris, France

First, I would like to point out that I had always dreamed of living in the USA, but The Lady Of My Life hated the idea, although accepting the Big Country for more than 20 visits (business and leisure). However, from this infatuation I developed a strong interest in the two Fine Arts America is proud of: Jazz and Cinema. And America marked the 20th century with them. I even wrote one of the first studies on the subject (JAZZ ET CINEMA), published in 1956 by JAZZ MAGAZINE. In that study, I wrongly suggested YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN as the best movie about jazz musicians ever done (after further thought, the credit goes, for me, to JAMMIN' THE BLUES). And also being the first movie really treating the subject, for which I was also wrong: that credit goes to Anatole Litvak's BLUES IN THE NIGHT, 1941, discovered last year and featuring Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra. Maybe not for the quality: after a Nth vision, yesterday on TCM, together with Minnelli's DESIGNING WOMAN (a Bacall Festival, what a double feature!) I still consider YMWAH as the best. It has everything a jazz buff needs: It is based on Bix Beiderbecke's life (also brought to the screen by the Italian Pupi Avati, filmed on locations but totally missed); it features three big stars, still alive and well; it is literally inhabited by jazz; the trumpet solos are played by Harry James, who also signed in as musical adviser; it brings on the screen, as mentioned by David Meeker's JAZZ IN THE MOVIES a certain number of jazz stars of the time, including Jack Jenney, Willie "the Lion" Smith, Corky Corcoran (longtime a member of Harry James' outfits)and Nick Fatool, who drummed also for Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw; I didn't notice Louis Armstrong and Zutty Singleton, as mentioned in IMDb's credits... Let's not forget that Harry James, considered as an intruder by some experts signing their own comments, was Down Beat's Number One in I944, over Louis Armstrong, and contributed to many Hollywood issues, including Hollywood HOTEL, SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES, BATHING BEAUTIES, BENNY GOODMAN STORY and LADIES' MAN. The observation made by some of the IMDb comments, concerning the uncomfortable situation of the Blacks in the early 50ies is very interesting, compared to the results reached since. During my last visit in the States (2006), I was flabbergasted by two things in my relation with Black individuals: I could not understand their accent (but they perfectly understood mine) and 2. At least those I spoked with looked well integrated, comfortable in their jobs and liking it. If I had to assembly now a capsule illustrated study on JAZZ AND CINEMA. I would start it with the Benny Goodman Motorcade beginning Hollywood HOTEL and end it with the last number of Bob Fosse's DVD by Ann Reyking and Ben Vereen: SING, SING, SING (with a Swing).Harry Carasso, Paris, France

I simply can't understand how a moviegoer like me missed this gem when it was first shown here - and won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Festival. Especially being already convinced that Pietro Germi was one of the most talented directors of the Italian after war films. He made a screen adaptation of one of the greatest literary hits of the sixties, Carlo Emilio Gadda's QUER PASTICCIACCIO BRUTTO DI VIA MERULANA, a perfect combination of Italian language and Roman dialect. Concerning SIGNORE E SIGNORI, the cast is not all-stars, but extremely equal in its aspects, none is tops but none is dull either. Special rewards for the well known Franco Fabrizi, for exquisite Beba Loncar and the almost introducing Virna Lisi, who became famous for a long time. The atmosphere of this little Italian town was splendidly illustrated. I used to stay in Treviso when traveling to Venice, the City of the Doges being too expensive for me and Treviso, also nicely cut by its canaletti, was only at a half hour by train from the famous but hardly available Lagoon City. A huge Bravo! also for the remasterization, absolutely perfect. Warmly recommended to everybody who wants to have a big laugh and in the same time measure how mean some people were just half a century ago. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

For the attention of Chuck Davis and Emefy: I saw PHANTOM LADY many years ago, when I was not yet a jazz buff. There is an exhibition going until end of June in Paris's brand new MUSEE DU QUAI BRANLY, named LE SIECLE DU JAZZ, not to be missed, with as a special entertainment NINE excerpts from jazz movies, including PHANTOM LADY's famous drums sequence. I've seen Gene Krupa - and Elisha Cook Jr - in almost all their film appearances, and I can confirm the following: 1.Elisha Cook Jr was DUBBED in the movie. That was some progress, since in most of his other appearances he was KILLED (mainly in Howard Hawks's THE BIG SLEEP). 2. Krupa probably dubbed Cook in PL. I could recognize his style, since he had already graduated from the tom-tom used (and abused) at the beginning of his career - namely in 1937's Hollywood HOTEL's SING, SING, SING sequence - and eventually got everything that was possible from what we call in French "la caisse claire". 3. The sequence from PL, at least as shown in the Museum,is not censored.harry carasso, Paris, France

So many "critics" said so many ineptness, that I am tempted to restrict my appreciation merely to the "summary". I enormously enjoyed "Australia", I highly appreciated the references to "Over the Rainbow", "Begin the Beguine" (and even an almost inaudible "Tuxedo Junction"). I was supposed to emigrate to Australia in 1950 but hesitated, fearing that big continent was to big and too far away for me. I don't regret it, but WOW, what a surprise to discover the "immensity". The movie remembered me of another Fletcher (Christian, the head of the Bounty Mutiny), who should have better end up in Australia than in Pitcairn... Now that you have your ten lines, I hope you'll accept this contribution from harry carasso, Paris, France.

For people who were already moviegoers during WW2, this movie is a gem, because it is impossible to forget the extraordinary performances given by Osvaldo Valenti during his brief career. I well remember one of his deliveries in LA CENA DELLE BEFFE (1), perhaps his best movie. It is understandable that Tullio Giordana nourished his project for more than 25 years, and it is impossible not to be touched by Luigi Zingaretti's interpretation of Richard III.("A kingdom for a horse!") It is a long movie (2 1/2 hours) and at least the first half is excellent, because of the description of the atmosphere during the unfortunate war fought by Mussolini "to please his master". It is a pity that Monica Bellucci doesn't meet the expectations, especially when one remembers the high number of "divas" from Cinecittà who entertained us in the Forties. With American movies gone, and French movies scarce, the "white telephones" from the Italian comedies were a good replacement, and the "whale movies" like CORONA DI FERRO (Blasetti)were very impressive.Unfortunately,after the first half, SANGUE PAZZO doesn't keep its pace. As stressed up by another comment , almost all the climaxes are cut short by flashbacks, to the point of confusion, if not frustration. However, the beginning and the end - a couple of youngsters taking possession of one of the devilish couple's movies -is an excellent idea. Marco Tullio Giordana is better with TV series than historic movies, but I am hardly waiting for his next production.Harry Carasso, Paris, France (1) "In the water, there was a small red fish who was staring, staring, like a tear of blood...").

It took Mt. Folman four years to remember what happened to him two decades ago, when Israel made an agreement with a Christian Lebanese leader to get rid of the Palestinians, who were harassing both the Israelis and the Lebanese. He choosed animation, which was not easy, but certainly gave him complete freedom of work, and sometimes he overdid it. However, the result would be OK if we were living on a peaceful planet, where everybody loves Israel and what it did to turn a desert into a fertile and prosperous country. Unfortunately, Israel has much more enemies than friends. And the accomplished work brought forward by Mr. Folman has much more chance of winning additional enemies than give a clear picture of events who disturbed him profoundly at their time, and now may disturb a lot more people who do not have a clear view of the situation existing in 1982 (and persisting). There is an old saying, that you should turn your tongue 25 times in your mouth before uttering whatever you have to say - and whichever you put it. If you do not, you are in for more trouble than satisfaction.While the Israelis did not "murder" their prisoners, they did not do anything to keep the phalangists out of Sabra and Chatila. The event was largely exposed in the papers, the responsible people were blamed and everybody felt relieved to forget the whole matter. Now, Mr Forman, in order to find peace for his mind, has built this interesting but very dangerous movie. The scarce audience in my theater did not comment in any way, but the movie has been released in not less than 20 cinemas (in Paris alone). It was shown - and praised - at the last Cannes Festival, it deserves it, artistically, but I found it very dangerous, in the present circumstances. harry carasso, Paris, France

Strange enough, all the previous comments merely described the beginning and left the details over. I feel a necessity to confirm that this is a family work, since Marina Vlady was also Robert Hossein's wife, and the - excellent - jazz music was written by te director's father, André. Under these circumstances, no wonder it was a really good thriller, seen when issued and immediately identified with the music. The suspense was flawless, and maintained throughout until the end. Robert Hossein, at the time one of the best European players, managed to impose himself also as a top screen and stage director. He's still putting up great stage shows, with a preference for religious subjects.harry carasso, Paris, France

This movie is available here since April 23rd, people are queuing to see it and nevertheless, nobody shows up with a comment. LA VISITE DE LA FANFARE, also an Israeli film deserving to be called "a shake-hands tentative with a neighbor country" was nice, but the characters did not look Egyptian to me (and I've seen quite a lot of Egyptians in my life).LEMON TREE is perhaps a true story, although I don't believe it. It is however one of the most valuable attempts to show the unsolvable problem existing between two nations who have been fighting for more than 60 years to find a solution of cohabitation. The situation: an Israeli prominent figure (Minister of Defense, not less) has built himself a house next to a field of lemon trees owned by a Palestinian widow. The Army (I hate the word Tsahal, doesn't sound congenial to me) has no other solution than to erase the whole field, otherwise a Kamikaze fighter may find a base for throwing dangerous warfare. The case is brought to the Supreme Court of Israel, which comes to a solution supposed to satisfy everybody and constitute a large step towards a better understanding. Go and see this movie, and tell me if the "verdict"

is not another rendition of the famous King Solomon judgement. You won't regret it, because the movie is excellent. I'll tell you no more. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

In my old Balkan country, we used to have a wise saying warning against bothering with a huge sack to collect fruit from a famous fruit tree. This applies almost perfectly to the last Peter Greenway's Anglo-Polish-Dutch super production, around the creation of NIGHT WATCH, one of the most famous paintings in the world. Assassination attempts were performed against this masterpiece, resulting in its sheltering behind a thick glass in the Rijk Museum, and the same shelter may be used against this strange assembly of four-letter words, (predominant in modern movies), naked bodies sometimes sculptural, sometimes dull, and a certain research in the lighting; after almost 150 minutes of sometimes boring, sometimes nonsensical dialogues, the viewer hits home with the impression that his money was stolen. Only two movie theaters adventured to expose this failure (in my eyes, but the audience was heavy and very receptive), at my 4 pm show, in the exclusive artistic district of Saint-Germain des Près.A real waste of talent and efforts. I am not ready to view another Peter Greenway movie.Harry Carasso, Paris, France

Certainly not a boring movie, it lacks almost all the elements necessary to keep you scotched to your seat. Day-Lewis - he's really everywhere nowadays - may be great, but sometimes he really looks like "the man you would like to hate". I think the trouble comes from Upton Sinclair's novel, he was not a genius and almost drowned Eisenstein'sattempts to film in the America of the early-thirties.I wish I could name this one at least the best movie of the starting year, but I'll rather give my preference to SLEUTH (Kenneth Branagh's version). Regarding the leading interpreters of this year's, my preference goes to the trio Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts-Philip Seymour Hoffman.Harry Carasso,Paris, France

It was really impossible to check among the 1334 comments (and growing),to find out if CLOVERFIELD brought back the fantastic Howard Philips Lovecraft(1890-1937), perhaps the most inventive sci-fi writers of all times. In his imagination, the Earth used to be inhabited by giants called The Ancients (Les Anciens) who lived in the bottom of the Atlantic, mainly in the vicinity of the imaginary city of Arkham (or Providence). They may have also inhabited the Atlantide, the sunkcontinent.Sometimes, these creatures land on the coast, in person or impersonated, and do a lot of damage. They have strange names, such as Cthulhu or Shub-Niggurath, divinities such as Azatoth, or historic figures like Abdul Alhazred, the mad Arab who wrote the cursed book of Necronomicon. The unknown giant character that beheads the statue of Liberty, or shake off the bridges of New York in CLOVERFIELD will probably be identified in the sequel presently under filming. Until then, get your goodselves a copy of The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward, Lovecraft's masterpiece.Harry Carasso, Paris, France.

Ms Lvowski is well known only to her friends, who wrote apologetic reviews of her last movie in LE MONDE or NOUVEL OBS, but may be hardly located somewhere between Lubitsch and Minnelli.However, she had a rather good script, six fantastic actors and even a cartoonist who designed for her some funny cartoons, including an assassination of Hitler - nothing less. The trouble with this movie is that it is a mixture of good acting and hasty editing, probably due to the fact that money was scarce and after paying the main cast, there was little left for a careful editing. There are some sequences which are funny, all the actors are doing their best, with special notations for Azema and Marielle, but some sequences - such as the delivery of Ms. Bruni-Tedeschi (an awful name to spell for ordinary French people)'s baby, are beyond the limits of the widest patience. The reviewer of PARISCOPE who qualified this film as "light as a Fred Astaire movie" and Bulle Ogier's Alzheimer as "infantile" should be condemned for imbecility. Ms Lvovsky is to appear in a next-to-come movie. I am not anxious to see it.harry carasso, Paris, France

Almost a good thriller, but badly spoiled by the excessive musical score, which eventually jeopardizes the understanding of the plot, especially in the second part of the movie. But I completely disagree with the "assassine" review given by otherwise the best French movie monthly, CAHIERS DU CINEMA. The reviewer wrote "only the prisoners in Guantànamo still ignore that Olivier Marchal, the movie's director, used to be a cop" The French movie reviewers,who generally tend to become directors,systematically smear the successful new authors. The best example is Claude Lelouch, and Olivier Marchal should be careful with his next movies.harry carasso, Paris, France.

I am not exactly a fan of Robert Hossein, whose ambitions eventually proved too high for his real skill, but I admit that this brief "film noir", fit for a dull August TV afternoon, is very well done, with special compliments for the musio, composed by RH's father, André. The only thing I regret is that the generique doesn't give any name of the jazz musicians playing backstage, with high compliments for the drummer. It is also with a certain nostalgia that I recognized the late Robert Dalban - and Jean Lefebvre - at their debuts.The lovely and remarkable Marie-France Pisier is still active - both sides of the screen - and hasn't much changed after 43 years. harry carasso, Paris, France

Maybe I was wrong to see first THE GIRL ON THE RED VELVET SWING, reissued in Paris on the very day Chabrol presented his last movie.

The true story of Evelyn Nesbit, magnificently filmed by Richard Fleischer in 1955 with Ray Milland, Joan Collins and Farley Granger, is rewritten by Chabrol and Cécile Maistre without the slightest credit for TGRVS, unfortunately unavailable either on DVD or VHS. Chabrol is a very talented director, with a long and successful career, based essentially on cruel criticism of his own class (the French Bourgeoisie), which provided him with everything necessary to achieve a long career, certainly not without merit. The man, some time ago reputed for drawing his stories while playing Gottlieb electric pool with his friends, has certainly great talent in directing the best available actors.

Unfortunately, in spite of combined efforts, the script is a mere copy of TGRVS,moved into modern France's literary and cynical wealthy world.But the "bourgeois", everywhere, are typical masochists.The actors are good, especially François Berléand performing the Ray Milland role, but Benoit Magimel's is a mere caricature of the part played by Farley Granger in 1955.

There is a general lack of inspiration governing the cinema of today; exceptions like INTERVIEW, by and with Steve Buscemi,plus Sienna Miller, although reminding vaguely Mankiewicz's SLEUTH, but propped by strong professionalism, are much more attractive than this pale copy of Fleischer's chef d'oeuvre.

It seems that Evelyn Nesbit has also inspired E.Doctorow and Milos Forman, for RAGTIME. I hope somebody would bring it back on our screens, or on TV, while Chabrol's imitation is still on. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

So Tarantino wanted to make a revival of the 70s movies, in 2007. He reminds me of a movie named 1984 (almost halfway from 1970 to 2007, based on the famous book by George Orwell), in which the main character says I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. I can understand how Tarantino managed to accomplish such a well-done movie. I cannot understand why he made it.I enjoyed all his previous movies, even KILL BILL, for the wonderful second hour of the second part. I gather the movie is a flop in America, while Cannes Festival swallowed it quite nicely. There are so much snobs in Cannes, the kind of "tout est dans le non-dit" (it's all inside the untold). No wonder Tarantino looked so satisfied during his appearances there. Hope he does better next time, because his style is fresh in all the good and bad terms of the word. harrycarasso,Paris, France

I do not regret to have rushed to see this movie without proper documentation, because I spent 119 minutes of pure joy, spoiled by an inexplainable ending (solved since).It is of course a testament, but I am only five years younger than Alain Resnais and I prefer to spend them without too much questions asked, about death mostly. It is of course a transcription of an English stage-play, but AR did not choose it blindly, he must be on the same wave length (or shortcut) with Alan Ayckburn. Perfect script, perfect direction, perfect players, making my disappointment even bigger. Besides, the religious devotion of Sabine Azema is far from obvious, and Isabelle Carré looks more like André Dussolier's daughter than sister. The assistance laughed a lot, like I did, and came out smiling, (not me). However, and definitely, the best movie of the year, closely followed by PRADA. harry carasso, Paris

Mr Fieschi was a good screenwriter for famous French directors, such as Claude Sautet. When he decided to go behind the movie camera, he picked up a not well known short story by Georges Simenon and some well known good actors, such as Mylene Demongeot, Ludivine Sagnier and mainly Nathalie Baye,who gives here one of her best performances. Located in the beautiful capital of the French Festivals (Cannes), with two Croatian actors who are quite good, the story is going rather smoothly for the first hour, until the whole story goes apart, because too many changes have been brought to the subject in order to give it a touch of modernism. And the tragic but incomprehensible ending made me awfully regret the money spent to see this movie, palatable only to the fans of Ms. Baye But who am I to give such a drastic comment? Just one of those who adores American movies and contributes via the heavy taxation to provide fresh money for amateur movie makers.. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

The Italians are masters in the art of mixing to perfection laughs and tears. It is a pity to see the recipe gone, together with the great actors and directors; CINEMA DELL'ARTE has joined COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE in Ancien History. That was one more reason for my rushing to see this unknown pearl, re-masterized-but-not-too-much, probably intentionally, because this gives the movie an added patine which is quite pleasant to watch. The actors are wonderful, especially the late Alberto Sordi and Lea Massari, who kept acting in Italian and French movies until recently.I found the same pleasure as in Ettore Scola's C'ERAVAMO TANTO AMATI, 1974, to find many Italian actors and directors playing as themselves. Stars of the pre-war (Antonio Centa and Claudio Gora) are available too. IL SORPASSO was ending also at the gates of Viareggio, but Risi gave almost a real part to this Art Deco city in UNA VITA DIFFICILE. I am a fan of it since 1997, but in the movie it looked like a real paradise of the Sixties, when there was a nightlife in the Pinete (pinewoods, now abandoned to the bambini and the bikers, but still a daytime popular attraction). Some of the nightclubs kept their names, but turned into family restaurants and moved to the city's fancy promenade, unfortunately separated from the sea by the beach establishments.It was my "added entertainment", in a rare delight.If it shows around, don't miss it. harry carasso, Paris, France

This horror has drawn much too many comments than it deserves, so I'll add only a few words. First,the director being the son of the well known Alexander Arcady, (Le Coup de Sirocco, Le Grand Pardon, etc) a "Pied Noir" (i.e. formerly a French from North Africa), he was able to film most of it in Morocco, where the desert is more colorful and sinister than New Mexico's (I've traveled to both). Second, the assistance was made (I may as well type "mad") mostly of teenagers, who knew what they wanted and came to see it. Third, when the so-called "goods" kill the so-called villains, the assistance burst into frantic applause, forgetting that those villains were merely victims of the "civilization" which tested nuclear experiments in the nineties. I must confess than the movie is cinematographically well done, but absolutely senseless. And I haven't the slightest intention to see the 1977 version. harry carasso, Paris, France