Eagerly anticipating this month ... (6-25)

Eagerly anticipating this month ... (6-25)
Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value (2025)
Showing posts with label Don Murray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Don Murray. Show all posts

7/09/2014

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) or, The Ape Uprising

♥♥

Exciting poster for J. Lee Thompson's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

QUICK REVIEW:

The Apes-saga continues here in its fourth film in the original five-film course as a somber tale of dystopia, - although the portrayed future today lies in the past, as the action takes place in 1991, - but this time the painted picture is simply too stupid:
A pest exterminates all dogs and cats the world over, and the apes become the new house pets/slaves, until the son of our Simian 'friends' Cornelius and Zira, Caesar, starts a violent uprising.
Maybe time has been rough on Conquest, or maybe the film was never very good. It is directed by J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear (1962)), who has several other, finer films to his name.
One might ponder, whether the Cold War might have contributed to the quite exceptionally dark 'them-and-us'-future, which is inflicted upon the audience here. The film isn't based on Pierre Boulle's original story, (it was subsequently novelized, however), so it is very possible that screenwriter Paul Dehn took inspiration from the times. Also interesting to note is that the film originally was even darker and more violent and bloody, but had a torture-indicating pre-title scene and several things throughout the movie cut out, as well as a new, softer ending designed for ratings-purposes. Perhaps the harsher vision had been a better film, perhaps not.
In any case, marketing for Conquest shows interesting, opportunistic, regional discrepancy in the way the movie was sold:

Red Apes (Communists) looking with hunger to take over the world with arms in an American poster for J. Lee Thompson's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Apes in chains, heroically daring revolt against fascist-like humans in a Spanish poster (probably for South America as well) for J. Lee Thompson's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Related review:

J. Lee Thompson: Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) or, The Final Ape!

 Watch the original trailer her

Budget: 1.7 mil. $
Box office. 9.7 mil. $
= Big hit

What do you think of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes?
And the other Apes movies?
Will you be going to a cinema soon to see the new Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?

5/03/2014

Bus Stop (1956) - Opposites attract in 50's celebration of old virtues with Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray

♥♥♥♥

Cowboy Don Murray 'catches' Marilyn Monroe in Joshua Logan's Bus Stop

QUICK REVIEW:

The most blue-eyed, overly simple country 'boy' from Montana is going on a trip to the rodeo, and his benefactor there guides his attention to the fact that women exist. He then - straight away! - finds his 'angel' in a saloon and (almost) kidnaps her as his betrothed.

Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray in Joshua Jackson's Bus Stop

Bus Stop is a very silly comedy of customs, wherein Marilyn Monroe (The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)) talks Southern American and ends up SPOILER fitting rather well with the cowboy, (played by Don Murray (Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)), who got Oscar-nominated for his performance), who is as guilelessly simple as she is blond.
Bus Stop is an old-fashioned tribute to marriage above everything else-type of romance and admittedly thick as syrup. - But charming.
Director Joshua Logan (Sayonara (1957)) ended his career following the infamous turkey musical with Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, Paint Your Wagon (1969).


Another poster, very typical of its times, for the conservative romcom that is Joshua Jackson's Bus Stop

Related review:

Marilyn Monroe: The Asphalt Jungle (1950) - Twentyfour carat heist noir


Watch the original trailer for the movie here

Budget: 2.2 mil. $
Box office. 7.27 mil. $
= Box office success

What do you think of Bus Stop?
Where does it rank, in your opinion, in the pantheon of Monroe's performances?

Eagerly anticipating this month ... (5-25)

Eagerly anticipating this month ... (5-25)
Kleber Mendonca Filho's The Secret Agent (2025)