I love to categorize my movie watching. Whether it’s watching films by a certain director or grouping them by year, I enjoy movie themes. This usually doesn’t last long, as I grow tired of the current theme and move on to something new so we’ll see how long this current one lasts.
The current theme is classic movies I’ve never seen (or haven’t seen in a long time) including foreign language films, in alphabetical order. I figure maybe 2 or 3 movies for each letter. (X is going to be tough.)
To kick things off, over the weekend I watched one foreign and one American film that both start with the letter ‘A.’ I’m, going to try and keep these reviews brief, with a summary of the plot and my take on the film’s merits, including a Christian perspective.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Directed by Werner Herzog
1972
in German
Klaus Kinski plays a Spanish explorer, part of Pizarro’s expedition to Peru in the late 16th century, sent with other men and women up an Amazon tributary in search of El Dorado. The mission goes horribly wrong as both nature and hostile natives wreak havoc.
Herzog’s film is mesmerizing to look at with an almost dreamlike quality. Dialogue is often kept to a minimum which leaves the impression that most of the people are in stunned shock at the events happening around them. Kinski goes memorably, quietly insane (or perhaps he is insane to begin with) and in the film’s famous final shot ends up alone on a raft surrounded by hundreds of monkeys and rambling about getting rich from finding the cities of gold.
The biggest problem I had was the film’s portrayal of the Christian missionaries as ignorant with the stereotypical attitude of “Let’s convert the savages and kill them if they won’t listen.” (Never mind that the “noble savages” are cannibals and are out to kill them.)
Morality/Worldview: C
Filmmaking: A
The Apartment
Directed by Billy Wilder
1960
In this cynical comedy/drama, Jack Lemmon plays a low-level insurance employee who allows upper-level executives to use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. In doing so, he moves up the corporate ladder. Things go wrong when he falls in love with a fellow employee, an elevaotr operator played by Shirley MacLaine, who just happens to be the latest mistress of his boss.
I found the portrayal of adultery disturbing even though ultimately Lemmon realizes what he is doing is causing great harm. Of course, adultery ought to be disturbing and the second half of the movie shows how serious the consequences can be. The acting is terrific all around. I was especially impressed with Fred MacMurray’s role as the despicable executive who uses Lemmon to facilitate his affair. I normally associate MacMurray with comedic roles such as the many Disney films he did so it was a surprise to se him do such a good job at playing a villain.
Morality/Worldview B-
Filmmaking A
