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Friday, December 31, 2021

BORN TO RIDE (aka THE RECRUIT)

 
My Australian ex-rental big-box VHS video of Born To Ride (© Graham Baker/Incovent Productions/Jadran Films/Warner Bros – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

After waiting a VERY long time to add an official videocassette of this difficult-to-find biker movie (it's never been released on DVD) to my collection, I finally purchased an Australian ex-rental big box VHS video of it that plays perfectly on my UK VCR and TV. So on 21 August 2021 I watched Born To Ride at long last – and what an entertaining, humorous, and action-packed movie it was. It even has the Georgia Satellites performing the theme song, 'Let's Rock This Place', in the opening sequence (which can be viewed here). All in all, this was a movie well worth the wait!

Directed by Graham Baker, released by Warner Bros in 1991, and alternatively entitled The Recruit in some territories, Born To Ride follows the tried and trusted movie plot of the archetypal rebel who ultimately comes good when needed to, especially if, in no particular order, his country or a good-looking woman is involved. In this particular movie, set in the USA and Spain during the late 1930s/early 1940s, the rebel in question is one Grady Westfall (played by John Stamos), a seriously cocky, arrogant local American biker whose loutish antics find him facing a lengthy jail sentence – but then comes a most unexpected and quite literal 'get out jail' card, in the shape of US military man Colonel James E. Devers (Sandy McPeak), Commanding Officer of the 36th Division.

Devers's current focus is one specific army unit whose particular skill is riding horses, which they do extremely well. Unfortunately for them, and Devers, however, the powers that be now need them to become a crack motorbike squad instead, but their efforts to become as skilful on two wheels as on four legs are little short of woeful. Then, Devers, who had recently witnessed at first-hand how extremely adept and assured a motorbike rider Grady is (during the wild escapade that had landed him in jail), has an idea, and makes Grady a most interesting proposition. Stay in jail and rot, or be released into the army with the rank of Corporal and train up the unit's men until they have mastered the fine art of motorbike riding. Faced with such a classic Hobson's choice, Grady reluctantly agrees to the latter option.

Although his teaching methods are almost invariably unorthodox and sometimes highly questionable, frequently eliciting ire from Captain Jack Hassler (John Stockwell), who is the unit's commander and a stickler for following rules, Grady succeeds in helping them become at least adequate motorbike riders, and anticipates that continued training will enhance their skills further still. Just to complicate matters however, the (very) grudging respect that eventually comes his way from Devers and Hassler is threatened by Grady having taken a shine to Devers's daughter Beryl Ann (Teri Polo in her movie debut) – a shine that is readily reciprocated by her, but which is looked upon far less favourably not only by her disapproving Dad but also by Hassler, who had until now been Beryl Ann's official (albeit far less reciprocated) beau.

Hassler schemes to have Grady thrown out of the army, but instead it is the entire unit, Hassler and Grady included, that is thrown into disarray, when an official explanation from the State Department is finally made public as to why the unit had needed to become efficient bikers. They are to be dispatched in just two weeks' time on a perilous undercover mission to Spain, ruled by the fascist dictator General Franco, in the guise of professional motorbike racers. They will enter an official motorbike race in Bilbao, but during the race they will disappear, making their way on their bikes to an isolated castle instead, not too far away from Bilbao but concealed deep within the densely wooded countryside (where any plan involving parachutists would be doomed to failure, hence the motorbike ploy). There, nuclear scientist Dr Tate and his daughter Claire are being held captive. So the motorbike unit's job is to rescue them, and put them aboard a plane to take them back safely to the States.

 
John Stamos as Grady Westfall, very much the leader of the pack! (© Graham Baker/Incovent Productions/Jadran Films/Warner Bros – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

When Grady learns this, he is very concerned, because although the men are decent motorbike riders, he is far from certain that they are skilled enough yet to accomplish the highly dangerous task awaiting them, whose success is heavily dependent upon their riding abilities. Grady has gained great popularity among his trainees, they see him very much as a friend, as he does them, so much so that he feels unable to abandon them to a very uncertain fate. Instead, he volunteers to accompany them on their mission, much to Hassler's initial dismay, but he finally accepts the logic in Grady coming along – and derives great joy when he discovers that his seemingly fearless, faultless rival has a weakness after all – a phobia about flying, which is of course the mode of transport by which he and the unit will travel to Spain!

Nevertheless, albeit somewhat green about the gills (to use the local vernacular where I come from for feeling sick with fear), Grady survives his airborne journey alongside the men and Hassler to Spain, where they duly enter the race (in reality filmed not in Spain but instead in what is now Slovenia), then surreptitiously fall away as planned, and set forth on their bikes to the castle. After arriving, however, they not only locate Dr Tate and Claire, but also come face to face with a disturbing number of armed military guards whose sole intention is to blow Grady and co into smithereens!

Until now, Born To Run has veered on the side of humour, but from now on it becomes a full-bodied action movie all the way, in which Grady comes to recognize and appreciate that his unit may not be the world's best motorbike riders but they are indisputably highly-trained, highly-skilled fighting men, He must also accept that for once in his life he is not the centre of attraction, not the main man, that here he is part of a team, and one in which his inexperience regarding what is required means that he has to play a supporting role rather than the leading one that he has always assumed in the past. But is our hero man enough to do all of this? Of course he is! That's what heroes do, at least it is in the movies!

Stamos plays the initially egostistical but eventually reappraising rebel to perfection, with just enough sneer and strut to antagonize but not alienate, because for a rebel character to carry the audience with him rather than setting it against him he should be obdurate yet not obnoxious, taciturn and defensive at times but without becoming insufferably offensive. Moreover, Stamos certainly knows how to handle a motorbike, as I've read that he did many of Grady's riding stunts himself. Speaking of motorbikes: as a biker myself, I was particularly enamoured by the dazzling array of vintage Harley-Davidsons on display. We are highly unlikely ever to see thunderous, brawny beasts like these on today's highways, that's for sure.

For anyone who enjoys biker-themed movies and/or military/action films, in which the pace never slackens, but with just a little romance thrown in here and there to lighten the proceedings as and when needed, Born To Ride should certainly prove a popular viewing choice, provided of course that you can actually track this movie down in some format or another. Having said that, it can be purchased from YouTube as a download. Or, if you prefer to get a feel of what's in store first, before deciding whether or not to splash the cash, you can always click here to watch an exhilarating Born To Ride trailer.

To view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.

 
The full video box and sleeve of a European (Dutch?) VHS edition of Born To Ride (© Graham Baker/Incovent Productions/Jadran Films/Warner Bros – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

 

Friday, December 24, 2021

WHO KILLED THE CAT?

 
Publicity poster for Who Killed The Cat? (© Montgomery Tully/Eternal Films/Grand National Pictures – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

On 27 September 2021, I watched a very quirky but quintessentially British b/w movie entitled Who Killed The Cat?

Directed by Montgomery Tully, who also co-wrote its screenplay, and released by Grand National Pictures in 1966, Who Killed The Cat? is a somewhat dated, virtually forgotten curiosity nowadays, but was screened on the afternoon when I watched it by that wonderful retro-specialising UK TV channel Talking Pictures. This is a very popular, greatly-welcomed treasure trove for otherwise hard-to-find, rarely-seen cinematic offerings of a certain age, and I delight in discovering and viewing rarities there that I'd never even known about before.

The most notable stars of this particular example, which takes the form of a slightly odd but very genteel comedy/thriller, are Mervyn Johns, playing Henry Fawcett, the lead character Mary Trellington's jeweler uncle, while playing elite vicar's wife Mrs Sandford is the wonderful Joan Sanderson – still fondly remembered today as the haughty teacher Miss Ewell from 1970s school-based British TV sitcom Please Sir, and especially as the querulous, hard-of-hearing hotel guest Mrs Richards in Fawlty Towers.

The premise of Who Killed The Cat? is that Eleanor Trellington (Vanda Godsell), an evil kitten-poisoning landlady, is herself killed, but by whom? Any or all of her three eccentric spinster tenants – Janet Bowering (Mary Merrall), Lavinia Goldsworthy (Amy Dalby), and Ruth Prendergast (Ellen Pollock), one of whom (Lavinia) owned the kitten (named Tabitha) and all three of whom are about to be evicted by her – could be responsible, as they all have sufficient motive. So too could her young spirited step-daughter Mary Trellington, (Natasha Pyne) who hated her. Even Mary's jeweller uncle Henry, or Peter (Gregory Phillips), the put-upon youth working as Henry's assistant who has a crush on said step-daughter Mary, might be the anonymous assailant.

What's for sure is that Mrs Trellington's passing is certainly not mourned by any of them, but is there more to this mysterious murder than meets the eye? That's what Bruton (Conrad Phillips), the persistent local police inspector, is determined to find out.

Without giving too much away, I would strongly advise anyone watching this quaint but engrossing little movie (reminiscent at times of the classic Ealing comedies) to keep their eyes not only fully open but also sharply focused, because the vital clue to solving its whimsical whodunit and unveiling the culprit is hidden in plain sight. However, the viewer's attention is so skillfully directed away from the all-important clue that I confess to not spotting it myself, despite the fact that I rarely get fooled by sleight of hand storylines like this one.

Interestingly, Who Killed The Cat? was based upon a play entitled Tabitha that was co-written by none other than Arnold Ridley, best-remembered today as the elderly WW2 home guard recruit Private Godfrey in another classic British TV sitcom, Dad's Army. Yet one could be forgiven for wondering if it had been inspired by an Agatha Christie story instead, because despite being filmed and set in the 1960s, this movie has a very 1930s look and feel about it, and employs similar methods of subtle misdirection, featuring a veritable shoal of red herrings, to those so effectively employed by Christie in her writings.

All in all, Who Killed The Cat? is unassuming but thoroughly charming, and makes entertaining, inoffensive, relaxing viewing – just right for whiling away what would otherwise be a dreary, nondescript afternoon, like the one when I watched it.

And if you'd like to watch Who Killed The Cat? you can do so now whenever you wish, or at least for as long as it's available, because the entire movie can currently be viewed free of charge on YouTube, simply by clicking here. So why not do so, and see if you can deduce who did the dire deed?

To view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.

 

Thursday, December 23, 2021

FREE GUY

 
Publicity poster for Free Guy (© Shawn Levy/Berlanti Productions/21 Laps Entertainment/Maximum Effort/Lit Entertainment Group/TSG Entertainment/20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

After viewing various trailers for it in impotent impatience at not being able to view the movie itself, on 12 December 2021 I purchased its DVD and later that day finally watched Free Guy – the newish but covid-delayed sci-fi/fantasy comedy/action movie starring one of my favourite actors ever since first watching him in Deadpool (not to mention Deadpool 2, and Once Upon A Deadpool). Yes indeed, none other than the irrepressible and extremely funny Ryan Reynolds, at the top of his game, in every sense.

Directed and co-produced by Shawn Levy, with Reynolds as another of its co-producers, and finally released by 20th Century Studios and Walt Disney Studios in August 2021, Free Guy stars Reynolds as Blue Shirt Guy, initially an NPC (non-participating character) in an online multi-player video game called Free City. In best Groundhog Day fashion, Guy follows exactly the same storyline every time the game is played by anyone, as a blue shirt-wearing bank teller who falls to the ground when a gang of robbers bursts into the bank where he works.

However, and this time in best They Live fashion, after donning a pair of sunglasses normally worn only by the game's heroes and villains (the participating characters controlled by the online players), Guy can now see all the gaming cues and prompts that only the players see. This revelation in turn gives him self-awareness of what he is, and that his friends and this city in which they live are all part of that same video game, all mere simulations.

But with self-awareness comes self-dissatisfaction, as Guy now yearns to become his own person, in control of his own destiny, especially when he falls in love with Molotov Girl, a character who turns out to be the gaming avatar of Millie Rusk (both played by Jodie Comer). Millie and her computer geek friend Keys (Joe Keery) created another game, but one whose source code has been cunningly snaffled and hidden within the code of Free City by their ruthless rival, the egotistical megalomaniac Antwan Hovachelik (Taika Waititi, who also starred with Reynolds way back in the super-hero movie Green Lantern – click here to watch a very funny mini-interview in which this fact is inconveniently mentioned to Reynolds, whose dislike of Green Lantern is well documented).

Moreover, Antwan's love for Free City (based, incidentally, upon Grand Theft Auto III and IV's Liberty City) and the vast amount of money that he earns from it knows no bounds (indeed, it is exceeded only by his all-embracing love for himself!). So he is not going to concede to Millie's claims without one truly epic fight. But will Guy come to Millie's rescue and save the day for everyone? What do you think?!

As required for such a storyline, the CGI special effects in Free Guy are incredible, and I'm happy to say that Reynolds is full of Deadpoolesque wisecracks and quips. Amusingly, a Deadpool poster featuring him in this role actually appears briefly in one scene, and a Deadpool figurine appears in another! Also worth looking or listening out for are various characters played or voiced by the likes of Channing Tatum, Hugh Jackman, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Plus there is a truly hilarious scene where Guy is confronted by a character called Dude who has Guy's (i.e. Reynolds's) face but a body of Schwarzeneggerian proportions (supplied by real-life bodybuilder Aaron W. Reed). In increasingly frenzied attempts to defeat Dude, Guy employs all manner of iconic weapons against him, including a Star Wars light sabre, the Incredible Hulk's fists, and Captain America's shield (cue a brief cameo from Captain America star Chris Evans). There is also a sweet, poignant, but fitting twist right at the end of the movie, which I won't reveal, as it makes a perfect finale to what for me is a perfect film.

I should point out, incidentally, that Free Guy apparently contains all manner of gaming in-jokes and subtle gaming product links, as well as cameos by some YouTube gamer celebrities, that my computer and video gamer friends spotted instantly and greatly relished when they watched this movie. Conversely, I regret to confess that the presence of such inserts escaped me completely (until I read or was told about them afterwards), as I've never been into gaming. Hey ho, you win some, you lose some.

Not that not spotting them spoilt my enjoyment of this movie in even the slightest way. No indeed, for me Free Guy was a total delight, keeping me thoroughly entertained for the best part of 100 mins (excluding the lengthy end credits, which I laboriously sat through in case they contained any inserted additional scenes – they didn't). There are now plans for a sequel - can't wait!!

And if you'd like to venture into the cyberworld of Free City yourself, all that you need do is click here and here to watch a couple of sensational official Free Guy trailers on YouTube!

To view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.

 

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT

 
Publicity still for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (© Michael Cimino/The Malpaso Company/United Artists – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)

On 14 October 2021, I watched the road movie Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, a decidedly quirky but very enjoyable buddies/heist/comedy/action hybrid.

Directed and written by Michael Cimino (in his debut as a movie director), and released by United Artists in 1974, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot stars Clint Eastwood as bank robber Thunderbolt, on the run from two ex-collaborators – namely, the vengeful Red Leary (George Kennedy, in a particularly vicious role), and the more passive Eddie Goody (Geoffrey Lewis). However, he is rescued just in the nick of time by a youthful and somewhat goofy drifter named Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges, fittingly Oscar-nominated as Best Supporting Actor for this role, in which he excelled, out-performing even the seasoned Eastwood, at least imho).

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot soon bond as friends and become embroiled in various comedic situations, caused mostly by Lightfoot's zany attitude to life in general. Eventually, moreover, they make peace with a reluctant Leary and rather more enthusiastic Goody in order to commit a new heist, but things do not go to plan...at all.

BEWARE! SPOILER AHEAD:

I've often seen it in TV listings here in the UK, but until last October I'd only watched Thunderbolt and Lightfoot once before (about 35-40 years ago), although I did subsequently purchase the paperback novelization of it by Joe Millard, first published in 1974 to accompany the film's release, which was an enjoyable read. My reason for never having re-watched the film was the very likeable Lightfoot's truly tragic, undeserved denouement, which I hadn't been expecting at all when I'd originally viewed this movie, and which therefore left a lasting memory in my mind.

However, because I did now know how it ends and therefore what to expect, when I saw Thunderbolt and Lightfoot included in the UK TV listings again last October I decided to give this intriguing movie a very belated second viewing, and apart from the ending I was thoroughly captivated by it. I won’t say any more about the plot, because it has some very unusual – and humorous – twists and turns along the way, not least of all being what they employ to achieve their heist's outcome…

Even so, I must mention one classic clip, in which a thoroughly deranged redneck (played by Gary Busey) gives hitch-hiking T & L a lift, only to do his best to murder them via a variety of crazy means before opening his car's boot (trunk) to reveal inside a host of live white rabbits that promptly hop out in all directions. And if you don't believe me, click here to watch this surreal scene in all its wacky weirdness!

Yes indeed, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is certainly one of a kind, definitely offbeat but very entertaining, and well worth a watch, so be sure to click here to view an official (if somewhat less than picture-perfect quality) trailer for it on YouTube.

To view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.

 
Joe Millard's paperback novelization of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (© Joe Millard/Michael Cimino/Award Books/The Malpaso Company/United Artists – reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)