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Reviews
Linda (1973)
Ignore the photo above (if you can)
Saw this when it first aired. Faithful adaptation of a novella by John D. MacDonald (creator of Travis McGee), concerning a very clever and cold-blooded pair of murderers -- esp. Stella Stevens' character, the mastermind. The crime shocks you from the start, and what follows for the innocent party is even more startling. A nearly perfect frame nearly works, and the way things unravel is intelligent and watchable. There are fine performances all around from solid, reliable actors, esp. John McIntyre as a crusty lawyer and John Saxon as a man over his head, and Ed Nelson strikes the perfect balance between horrified astonishment and clear-thinking determination. One of the better made-for-TV works of the time. But the poster above, ostensibly from this film, must be from some other production with the same name; it has NOTHING to do with this one!
Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967)
OK music, BAADD movie!
This has to be one of the all-time dumbest movies ever made. The storyline and dialogue (somehow mingling 60's spy-stuff with horror with country-music stars) is completely brainless, and most of the musical numbers were crammed into the story with a broken crowbar. I'm embarrassed for Messrs. Chaney, Rathbone,and Carradine (who must have never been given full scripts, or been desperate for cash). And the non-acting doesn't even deserve THAT much respect. All that said, the ONLY redeeming quality this nonsense has is the "live" performances of the country stars of the time at the end. If that's where your tastes lie, scan forward through all the rest!
Performance: The Changeling (1993)
Fine modern version of a classic play
Thomas Middleton's oft-produced but rarely filmed play receives fine handling in this made-for-TV production. Elizabeth McGovern plays Beatrice-Joanna, one of the most remarkably cynical female characters in literature, and Bob Hoskins plays her lustful, manipulative servant DeFlores -- though the play raises questions about who is truly master here! Good-to-excellent performances by all the featured actors (particularly Ms. McGovern and Mr. Hoskins). Also a good chance to see Hugh Grant before major stardom swept over him.
The 1974 version with Hellen Mirren, Stanley Baker, and Brian Cox is also first-rate, but unavailable! Skip the '98 Marcus Thompson version!
I rate this one ***½ (out of four).
My Name Is Modesty: A Modesty Blaise Adventure (2004)
The best treatment so far!
Rented and watched this short (< 90 minutes) work. It's by far the best treatment Modesty has received on film -- and her creator, Peter O'Donnell, agrees, participating as a "Creative Consultant." The character, and we who love her, are handled with respect. Spiegel's direction is the best he's done to date, and the casting was very well done. Alexandra Staden is almost physically perfect as a match to the original Jim Holdaway illustrations of Modesty. A terrific find by whoever cast her! Raymond Cruz as a young Rafael Garcia was also excellent. I hope that Tarantino & co. will go on to make more in the series -- I'm especially interested to see whom they'd choose to be the incomparable Willie Garvin!