It’s not as mad and fun as Paul Bartel’s previous ‘Death Race 2000’ (1975), and you often get the feeling PB is merely going through the gears, but you certainly know what you’re getting. There are (just) enough flourishes amidst the dirge to make up for what amounts to a rather tired and lazy race. The array of classic 70’s cars look great - well, at least for a bit – and the chase sequences often have an endearing scrappiness…
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire 2019
Slow-burn elegance from a brilliant director who manages to subvert the 'male gaze' - without any hint of preachiness - whilst delivering a compelling, fiery story of desire that frequently looks like it was rendered by an impressionist painter.
The central conceit (of the relationship between artist and subject) is a strong one, and Celine Schiamma throws in some fine flourishes and motifs along the way. Her sparse use of diagetic music is also done to startling effect.
My tardiness…
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Hitman the Cobra 1987
Well, you can’t argue with a title like that, can you?
Of course, it comes courtesy of Godfrey Ho (during his halcyon IFD years with former chum Joseph Lai) and alleged screenwriter Stephen Soul (who may exist, or may be just another Ho alias).
No ninjas in the title or film, which is obviously a drawback, but I was drawn to this one because of that snappy and ludicrous title (which is in dire need of a colon) and the…Translated from by -
Le Samouraï 1967
Ridiculously, eternally cool in just about every aspect. So flippin’ cool I had to put my jumper on halfway through watching it.
Jean-Pierre Melville directs with the nailed-on precision that is the trademark of his anti-hero assassin, getting rid of any ounce of fat from the story or dialogue. Alain Delon is the ideal avatar of his fatalistic vision; with those glacial, piercing eyes and cheekbones that could cut you to ribbons.
Melville and Delon made two more (decent) movies…Translated from by
