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tmthorson
Reviews
Der letzte Zeuge (1998)
Wretched...
This may be the best thing going' as far as detective/crime series on German TV, but that doesn't make it good. Watched a few episodes, and was extremely lame. Almost got goosebumps it was so bad... Sheesh! And I'm a huge fan of Mr Mühe's - he can be a superb actor - but he is obviously dependent on the script he's given - and it's abysmal. Very bland German-TV fare. I have seen him in various full-length movies (The Lives of Others, and the 2007 Third Reich satire, Mein Führer-die wirklich wahrste Wahrheit über A. Hitler - English, My Führer - the truly true-est truth on Adolf Hitler) and he was movingly convincing. This TV show on the other hand was so chock full of flat one-liners, clichéd responses and smarmy music, seems a real waste of his talent. But I suppose it's like a day job - pays the rent - and then some.
Silver Streak (1976)
Great ride from LA ta' Shee-kaw-goh
This is a delectable trip back to the 70's. A witty plot, Pryor and Wilder bouncin' off each other - the first time, I do b'lieve. Love the train framework of the movie. And the soundtrack by the Master, Henry Mancini, is so sumptuous, 'specially the slow tune that recurs again and agin'. And Jill Clayburgh sure ain't hard on the eyes. Ned Beatty is a great bumblin' fed. agent - watch the early scene on the train, he tries (very clumsily) to come on to Clayburgh's character - and she breathes "Are you hot?" to him in feigned arousal... and then...! *G* And Wilder's such a master of understated comedic gesture. Plays the cultivated garden specialist/publisher convincingly (he prol'ly is a cultivated fella). I can watch this movie repeatedly (ask my girlfriend... *G*). And then there's the wondrous, 70's-era, long, drawn out strings of the train theme by Mr Mancini. Appears the first time as the train is pulling out at dusk, out of Los Angeles (check out Wilder's pronunciation thereof - old 'anglo-style': Lahss-ANG-gull'uss - I had a Great Aunt that said it like that). Enjoy the movie, folks. All Aboard!