The Belle of Broadway

I watched a bad movie recently called Notorious but Nice.  It was great watching this ok movie because I didn't like seeing Betty Compson wasted in bad material.  She is a star here.  Betty Compson was an early talkie and silent actress.  I like her.  She had something.  In here an old actress decides to revive her career through using Compson to play her old DuBarry role.  The gimmick is that old woman just got terrific plastic surgery and looks this young.  Of course, people sense that something is wrong here but the play gets major success.  Old admirers come back to haunt her especially the one who destroyed her marriage.  It is only around an hour.  I enjoyed it.  

Darr

This was an interesting early Shah Rukh Khan movie.  He plays a stalker here.  The couple in the movie was pretty boring, to be honest.  Khan really helped this movie.  His charisma was already evident even when playing a psychotic character.  Khan usually plays the likable guy so I recommend this to his fans.  It shows his range more. 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

I haven't seen this in made than fifteen years and knew it was worth a rewatch.  This movie really has stunning sets and definitely has an atmosphere about it.  It's about a hypnotist and a sleepwalker and is easily one of the most influential silent films that were made.  The director has hardly any films available except for The Hands of Orlac which was also amazing.  It's a shame because you would think with a brilliant movie like this, companies would be willing to make his movies more available.  Sadly that is not the case.  

Maine Pyar Kiya

Whenever my sister and I watch a Salman Khan movie we always have a bet that he'll take off his shirt and he always does.  This is one of his earliest movies in the 80's.  It looks like the actress Bhagyashree didn't get the career he did although she is stunning.  Khan plays a rich boy who had to prove to Bhagyashree's father that he is worthy of providing for his daughter and not a scumbag like his dad.  It wasn't the best Indian movie I've seen but it was entertaining.  

Yan xi jiao The Three Sinners.

This was a Chinese musical done by the Shaw Brothers starring Li Hua Li.  A concubine is raped and her lover mistrusts her.  He believes the rapist and her were carrying on with an affair.  Halfway through the movie, I didn't like it.  I thought it was saying that rape is the same as an affair.  However, I was wrong. She does get her revenge in the end.  I found this strange material for a musical but I liked it nevertheless.  I got it off yesasia.com.  It seems like I'm the only one who likes these Asian musicals from the past as they are not available on amazon.com.  Not only that they are usually in different regions which is why I got an all-region player. 

The Great Gabbo

I watched this Erich von Stroheim movie and was not impressed.  At first, it began as a generic movie about a crazy ventriloquist who talks to his puppet.  I know that the plot has been done to death. (No one has done it as good as "The Twilight Zone.")  I wanted the film to continue in that direction though.  For some reason, it became an awkward musical.  I didn't care for this direction. Overall I don't recommend it.  

Au Revoir Les Enfants

I watched "Murmur of the Heart" and "Pretty Baby" when I was a teenager.  They seemed like they were made for shock value.  I guess that's why this is my favorite Louis Malle film.  It's autobiographical.  It's about a Jew hiding in a boarding school during World War II.  The bookish Jew and another boy become friends.  However, it is not meant to be.  Irene Jacob (from "Red") plays a piano teacher at the school.  I felt moved by this movie.  A lot of the time I disagree with the choices in the Criterion Collection but not this one.