Saturday rolls around once again, and it's raining cats and dogs in Los Angeles ... no beach today. Two musicals and a Region 2 from Lee Broughton tonight.
Broadway Melody of 1940 is a slick b&w teaming of Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell, the kind that movie dreams are made of. The rest of the picture may be a blur, but nobody ever forgot their dance to Cole Porter's music, on a gigantic mirrored black floor.
Silk Stockings has the stars (Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse), Cole Porter's music and a great director in Rouben Mamoulian, so Savant asks, 'What happened?' This sideways remake of Ninotchka by way of a Broadway adaptation is one of MGM's most popular musicals, which is a complete mystery to this reviewer.
Lee Broughton has written about the UK Region 2 PAL release of Donnie Darko, a mind-bending surreal adventure into the darkest corners of the mind of an American teenager. Jake Gyllenhall leads a remarkable cast in this unheralded sleeper of 2001.
Savant is up to his ears in Westerns and war pictures, and having a great time. Back on Monday with more ree-vyoos. Thanks for everything, Glenn Erickson
Posted by DVD Savant at May 03, 2003 06:03 PM