King Kong (1933)

An over ambitious film maker, Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), takes a crew of sailors and a young woman, Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) to a dangerous uncharted island in order to make a movie. Whilst there they encounter a legendary prehistoric gorilla-Kong.

King Kong holds an important place in the history of film-making. It spawned a genre of 'monster movies', used spectacular visual effects and earned actress Fay Wray a place in cinema immortality. It was the brain child of director, Merian C. Cooper, who had a life long fascination with gorillas. His initial ideas for the film centred around King Kong battling a giant lizard (an idea later reused in the dinosaur sequence).
Fay Wray had largely starred in bit parts until her casting in the 1928 film The Wedding March. When cast in King Kong she wore a blonde wig so her hair would contrast against the gorilla's dark fur.
The films visual effects were ground breaking for the time. They involved stop animation, matte paintings, miniatures and rear projection. Aside from Kong there were several dinosaurs used in the film. During the scene in which Kong fights the T-Rex Wray was forced to sit in a tree reacting to the stop motion images played before her over a twenty-two hour period.

During post-production some scenes of the film were cut including the infamous 'Spider Pit' sequence. The scene involved some of the sailors falling into a giant pit where they were eaten by various insects. Cooper stated the scene was cut as it slowed the pace of the film, but it has been suggested that the scene terrified viewers during preview screenings to the point that they ran out of the cinema!
King Kong was also the first American 'talkie' to have its own film score, rather than reused background music. Consequently films that followed began developing their own thematic music.
Advertised as a 'Beauty and the Beast' story Kong also highlighted racial tensions prevalent during the thirties. Some suggested that Kong's 'otherness' hinted at inter-racial romance. At its heart though is man's fear of the animal unknown, recent events today show how frightened people remain of jungle animals, gorilla's in particular.

Despite the actors occasional wooden acting, and incessant screaming, King Kong still holds up to this day. The black and white cinematography adds a foreboding tension and creepiness to many of the scenes and Kong remains a terrifying monster, his jerky movements and glinting smile, add a terror that is lost in movie monsters of today. It is the fact that technology was so new and untested at the time  that creates a terror that is still felt upon watching the film to this day.

King Kong's success was huge, it spawned several sequels, remakes and direct ripoffs,  yet it is the grainy black and white image of Kong fighting planes on top of The Empire State Building that remains the indelible image of King Kong.

4/5

Up the Junction (1968)

Polly (Suzy Kendall) is a young upperclass woman who moves from Chelsea to the working class  suburb of Battersea. She takes a job at a factory and befriends two of the girls there, sisters, Sylvie (Maureen Lipman) and Rube (Adrienne Posta). She also falls in love with Peter (Dennis Waterman). However whilst Polly disdains her wealthy heritage, Peter dreams of being rich.

Up the Junction was based on a collection of short stories by Nell Dunn and in 1965 was made into a 'Wednesday Play' by Ken Loach. Loach's television version caused great controversy at the time for its frank portrayal of abortions, sex and the lives of the working class. It was filmed in a documentary style and was episodic in nature.
Directed by Peter Collinson (The Italian Job) and with a soundtrack by Manfred Mann, the 1968 film followed a similar story line but failed to make such an impact as it predecessor. Still the film dealt with abortion and the often violent, gritty nature of the people who lived in Battersea. The films main subject however is class. Polly and Peter ultimately fail to understand each other because they both want what the other has. Polly's almost naive desire to live a 'normal' life is impossible for Peter to grasp. He has grown up with nothing and envies her wealth. Polly looks upon life in Battersea through rose tinted glasses, even after witnessing violence against her friends, abortion, death and the eventually imprisonment of Peter.

Despite it's gritty subject matter, Up the Junction, has some surprisingly tender moments, particularly between Polly and Peter. Even today Polly's desire for freedom away from the constrains of money is understandable. Kendall and Waterman give great performances. Kendall reminiscent of Julie Christie, she presents Polly as a gentle, caring, dreamer, whilst Waterman is frustrated and desperate to escape his Battersea life. It's fascinating to watch how their respective dreams and desires remain opposite to each other despite their love. Lipman and Posta also give good performances as the brassy sisters, Sylvie more sensitive than Rube, but both out to have a good time whatever the cost.
The film is a time capsule of an era about to end and it is a bittersweet portrayal of how not everyone was able to achieve their dreams despite promises of a better future.

4/5

Carrie Fisher

"Who do you think you would've turned out to be if you weren't an intergalactic princess?"

I'd be me

You know, Carrie

Just me

-Carrie Fisher

Since my awkward teenage years I have always wanted to be Princess Leia. She was the first film character I adored beyond reason, the first character I aspired to be. Leia was feisty, smart, witty, beautiful and could save herself. For generations of young women she was a role model, so different from the more traditional Princesses who were always waiting to be rescued. 

And Leia was brought to life by Carrie Fisher, Hollywood Royalty herself. Nineteen in the first Star Wars she too was feisty and intelligent, humorous, warm and honest, and I am incredibly sad to hear of her passing. 
Carrie's life was not always easy but she was a strong woman, a talented actresses, author and screenwriter, Carrie used her experiences to comfort and make people laugh. 
Following her own battles Carrie was passionate about mental health issues, and she strove tirelessly to end the stigma surrounding them. She wrote eight books and several screenplays. 

But thank you Carrie for being you, for showing us it didn't matter if you were a girl, didn't matter if you battled depression, didn't matter how you looked, you could still be a brave rebel Princess. 

Goodbye our Princess, you will be greatly missed & the Force will be with you always

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Five Branded Women (1960)

Five different women from a small Yugoslavian town in WW2 are humiliated and banished for having relations with a womanising German Officer. Forced to rely on themselves and their new found friendship the five women join the local partisan group and are forced to make decisions about life, love and death.

(An exploitive poster that really reflects nothing of the film!)

An American-Italian film, directed by Martin Ritt and featuring an all star, international cast including, Silvana Mangano, Jeanne Moreau, Vera Miles, Barbara Bel Geddes, Carla Gravina, and Van Heflin, Five Branded Women questions what war is about. Is it really a battle between good and evil or is it actually a battle between men and women? Is anyone really innocent during war time?
The film centres on five women, Jovanka (Mangano), Ljuba (Moreau), Daniza (Miles), Marja  (Bel Geddes) and Mira (Gravina).  The women are portrayed sympathetically despite their 'crime'. Each have a different reason for sleeping with the officer and these reasons further complicate the problems of occupation.
Daniza has one of the most haunting story lines, unlike the others she did not have a sexual relationship with the Nazi Officer, but is punished along with the rest. When she does fall in love, with Blanco, seemingly the 'right' choice, for he is on the 'right' side, she is shot because relationships are not allowed within the partisans. The double standard is obvious and confronting, and the strong willed Jovanka is vocal in her contempt. The German Officer's lust is no different to that of Blanco's and in both cases a woman suffers for a mans desire. The German Captain who is captured by Ljuba is shown to be both intellectual and kind, in stark contrast to the rough, violent partisans. Even Jovanka finds her personal beliefs threatened when she finds herself developing feelings for the partisan leader, Velko (Heflin). In each case what constitutes good and evil is questioned and threatened.

Perhaps ironically however the war also gives the women a certain amount of power. As the partisans are short on man power, the five outcasts are readily welcomed into their ranks, allowing them to fight alongside the men, something that would never have been allowed outside of war time. When their heads are shaved the women literally and metaphorically shed their femininity. The Nazi Officer on the other hand is mutilated and loses his masculinity. The film portrays, in a very literal way, an event that often took place during war time, the reversal of male and female roles.

(The haunting Jeanne Moreau in a publicity still for the film)

Shaving the heads of women believed to have had sexual relationships with Nazis was common practice, especially after the war ended. These women were subjected to horrific humiliation and abuse, and many of them had done no more than cook for a soldier in their home
There is no clear cut answer to the films questions, and the lines of good vs. evil are blurred, yet the film is a fascinating and often moving portrayal of female experience during a time of war.

4/5

Quick Flicks

Holiday (1938): Starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. This is quite an enjoyable screwball comedy although it isn't the greatest film in the world. It has some genuine laugh out loud moments and a strong supporting cast however I felt there was a lack of character development, especially with the character of Julie. 3.5/5

All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960): Starring Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. An interesting storyline but the script tends to become too melodramatic. Natalie gives her all, and is stunning, but I wish the script had allowed her to develop her character more. Despite its flaws the film would make an interesting study as Natalie's character suffers most of the blame during the film, whilst Wagner's (who was perhaps more at fault) is largely seen as an object of pity. 3.5/5

Signpost to Murder (1964): Starring Joanne Woodward and Stuart Whitman. An American film set in England, this film feels like a quintessential British murder mystery. Joanna is wonderful as a woman who is not all she seems. The atmosphere is eerie and the plot twist is both unexpected and chilling. 3.5/5

Winning (1969): Starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Wonderful performances from Paul and Joanne, (in fact I think this may be one of my favourite Paul roles!) The film is bittersweet, realistic and engrossing, don't be put off by the cars! And I loved Joanne's outfits and the quintessentially sixties theme. (The only flaw is that no one would cheat on Paul Newman with Robert Wagner!! Ha!) 4/5
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Django (1966)

Django (Franco Nero) a mysterious figure appears in a small town controlled by two warring factions. He says little and drags a coffin behind him. When he rescues a prostitute from being murdered he arouses the interests of both a sadistic Major and a group of outlaw Mexicans. Yet Django has his own reasons for being in town.

The films enigmatic hero speaks little yet carries a lot of emotional baggage from his past. Though Django is an avenging anti hero he is not invincible and both he and Maria (Loredana Nusciak) are somewhat robotic, it's been suggested that this is because both have been overexposed to violence. The film is bleak, the town is frigid and sinking in mud and the dark colours are contrasted dramatically by the red hoods of the majors men and the bright blood. The film makes extensive use of the 'imagery of death' including, blood, coffin's and crucifixes.

Sergio Corbucci's film remains one of the most influential Spaghetti Westerns of all time; it spawned several sequels, remakes, and a lot of films that simply used the name Django in the title to draw people in. Initially however the film was greatly criticised for its use of violence. Still it became one of the most famous and successful of the Spaghetti's, along with Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy.
Django remains a unique visual Western that plays upon more common tropes and creates its own, it critiques violence, greed and racist imagery and gave cinema a fascinating anti hero.

4/5
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Term of Trial (1962)

 Kindhearted, but alcoholic school teacher Graham Weir,  has a criminal record for refusing to fight in the war and consequently has been unable to move up in the world. His wife (Simone Signoret) resents their lack of money and is bitter about her life. He agrees to tutor one of his students, Shirley Taylor (Sarah Miles), despite his wife's misgivings about the girls intentions. After a school trip to Paris Shirley admits her love to Graham, but when she is rejected she accuses him of assault.

The film also stars Terence Stamp (!!) as the naughty Mitchell who terrorises everyone. Weir and Shirley develop a friendship, based on her infatuation for him, and his affection for her-as something of a substitute for the child he was unable to have. Sometimes his actions are somewhat cringe worthy in light of the audiences knowledge of Shirley's feelings. The film also subtly critiques the role of parents in their children's lives. Shirley is ashamed of her family, and Mitchell's father obviously encourages violence. Weir wants to make a difference in the children's lives, but his own unhappy life make him oblivious to what is really going on before his eyes.

Olivier's performance is understated yet tragic. He ardently believes in justice and truth yet is put down by everyone around him. Miles as Shirley is torn between childish and adult emotions. The ending of the film is surprising, and somewhat frustrating. After an impassioned speech for his innocence Weir succeeds in getting Shirley to admit her own guilt, however upon his return home he finds his wife about to leave him. She tells him he is a coward and in a desperate attempt to continue their relationship Weir lies. He tells her he did sleep with Shirley. Using this technique he does win her back, however it is a blatant contradiction of all he has said and done during the rest of the film. Despite his wife's cruelty towards him he sacrifices his own moral standards to keep her. It does make the audience question his strength-Perhaps he is as weak as his wife states?

3.5/5