THE DANMAN CAN

I've never read the book(s), though I'd like to someday, but I've come to appreciate the film, in all its strangeness and despite its flaws, more and more with each viewing.

I know it's a "classic", but I've always found it a bit clunky, boring, and cheesy. It's just as melodramatic as anything by Kurosawa   (whom I don't necessarily love every film by), Kobayashi , and other legendary Japanese directors, but with inferior technique, ham-fisted, heavy-handed "message movie" dialogue (delivered poorly often times), and distractingly dated effects. I recognize its cultural impact, but I can't pretend to think it's an excellent film because it's expected of me. Also, I'm just not really into kaiju ,  KING KONG being an exception (and it doesn't technically count), which, in my opinion has better effects and was released 21 years before GOJIRA .

What a frustrating film. So much about it is good or has/had potential. Parts of the score are excellent. But its schizophrenic nature, occasional poor sound mixing and dodgy FX work against it. I'm still giving it *** because it was well-made overall. But they hype surrounding this film is a bit much and not entirely deserved in my opinion.

The Strange Color Of Your Body's Tears  (2013) may well have beaten out The Grand Budapest Hotel  (2014) as my favorite film of the year. I need a second viewing of both though. Even stranger, gorier (some scenes were incredibly intense and uncomfortable) and more Lynch ian than Amer  (2009) (my review here ). Amazingly, I think Amer   actually makes more sense. I can't pretend to have followed the "plot" (which involves a man looking for his missing wife, among lots of other bizarre shit) exactly, but as long as you can buy into art for art's sake, you will love this film. Need I say visually stunning? And just look at the gorgeous poster (which I'm dying to get a print of)!

GREMLINS 2  is to GREMLINS as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 is to THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE  and in this case, in my opinion, a better sequel to its original.

Focus On Film   Episode 15  is up! Download the MP3  HERE . In this episode: June 2014 Criterion Collection  Titles Announcement Best/Worst Of The Month  – AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL (1972), ME AND ORSON WELLES (2008), KING OF THE HILL (1993), BUFFALO '66  (1998) "Criterion Most Wanted" "Focus On Film Theme"  & other music:  Daniel Sardella

Without doubt, some of the best car chase sequences I've ever seen, amidst a cool, calm, and collected slow burner.