jrappold Reviews

In Country (1989)

Very true to Appalachia

[8/10 · 23 February 2002]

While many of the comments here have voiced distaste for Emily Lloyd's performance, I've found it , along with the Grandmother, to be very true to Appalachia...I taught many, many students who talked like Sam, and had her personality traits.

The people of Appalachia built this country by working the coal mines and steel mills, and in a very real sense never benefited in the wealth they helped create. In Country brings this out, by telling the story of of some of these people. During the Vietnam War, the press many times focused on either the heroic volunteer, or soldiers from our city ghettos, and left out the stories of the many men from rural areas who made sacrifices.

After having the film on Laserdisc for some time now, I recently saw it priced on DVD for $6.00. It IS an underrated film, and I challenge anyone not to choke up in the final scenes at the Vietnam War Memorial,

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

Competes well in a banner year for movies

[8/10 · 29 October 2001]

I've long thought that 1962 was just as big a year for quality movies as the the much more mentioned 1939. "To Kill A Mockingbird" The Manchurian Candidate", "Lolita", "Dr. No", and big epic films such as "How The West Was Won", Lawrence Of Arabia" and "Mutiny On The Bounty" (check the 1962 list on IMDB to see many more famous films from that year). Too bad the critics of the time (and to this day) have dismissed MOTB.

The first hour of this film is absolutely fantastic. Beautiful shots of the Bounty at see, a great storm sequence (still impressive), and above all, the developing conflict between Bligh and Christian. Trevor Howard is absolutely the best Bligh of the three major versions of this story. His ambition to be anointed a "gentleman" by completing his mission ahead of schedule (and the navigation of the Horn), is the driving force of this version, and what leads to his jealousy of Christian, already deemed a gentleman by his station in life and education.

The film drags a bit once the Bounty reaches Tahiti, but is buoyed by the spectacular cinematography. The last third of the film dealing with the mutiny and Bligh and Christian leading their men picks up the film again. As mentioned many times before here, Bronislau Kaper's score is one of the best for an epic and really propels the film (it needs a CD release).

This film needs to be on DVD and restored with all the loving care these large scale films deserve. Brando, Harris, and Seely are still alive and it would be great to hear their comments throughout the film. Additionally, I would like to see some of the extra footage that was added for the first TV broadcast, including the added ending with Brown as one of the last survivors on Pitcairn.

Definitely worth your time...but try to catch it widescreen with stereo (sigh...where is that DVD?).