AUGUST 1981, STOCKHOLM

The Postman Always Rings Twice / Postimies soittaa aina kahdesti. US 1981. D: Bob Rafelson. James M. Cain. Jack Nicholson, Jessica Lange. Sandrew. Well made but futile, no match to Visconti.
Korpinpolska / Korpens polska / The Raven Dance. FI/SE 1980. D: Markku Lehmuskallio. The nature cinematography felt especially exquisite seen abroad.
Don Giovanni / Don Giovanni. FR/IT/EN/DE 1979. D: Joseph Losey. W.A. Mozart. Fst / Sf. Maybe I was not in the mood for it. Was this just a copy of two visions: Bergman's Trollflöjten and Fellini's Casanova? But I'm grateful for the opportunity to experience Mozart's work for the first time.
Aktorzy prowincjonalni / Maaseututeatterin näyttelijät / Provincial Actors. PL 1979. D: Agnieszka Holland. Fst / Sf. A strong touch of critique of the power system, but no match to Wajda, Kieslowski, Zanussi.
Heaven's Gate / Portti ikuisuuteen. US 1981. D: Michael Cimino. Rigoletto. Short 150 min version. Magnificent imagery, but there is not enough depth in the characters except Kristoffersson.
Der amerikanische Freund / Amerikkalainen ystävä / The American Friend. DE 1977. D: Wim Wenders. Fst / Sf. Trains he can handle. Ganz is good. Hopper too conceited.
Wodzirej / Pyrkyri / Top Dog. PL 1978. D: Feliks Falk. Jerzy Stuhr. tv. Stuhr is great in another virulent critique of the Polish power structure.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty / Hurjimus. US 1947. D: Norman Z. McLeod. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo. tv. Kaye is not great, and McLeod is not a master, but there is a bonanza of satire of the culture industy. And endless jungle of juicy material.
Враги / Viholliset / Fienderna / Enemies. SU 1977. D: Rodion Nahapetov. Gorky. Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Yelena Solovey. tv. Surprisingly high quality drama adaptation. The end disappoints, it fails to bring the tensions to a satisfactory conclusion.
Le Jour se lève / Varjojen yö. FR 1939. D: Marcel Carné. Gabin, Jules Berry, Arletty. Fst / Sf. Brilliant. During one night Gabin relives his past in a house surrounded by the police.
Panny z Wilka / Kartanon neidot / The Young Ladies of Wilko. PL 1979. D: Andrzej Wajda. Fst / Sf. An ok small film story, better than Brzezina.
Hra v jablku / Omenaleikki. CZ 1976. D: Vera Chytilová. Fst / Sf. I prefer this to Sedmikrasky. Dagmar Blahova wonderful.
Young and Innocent / Nuori ja viaton. GB 1937. D: Alfred Hitchcock. Fst / Sf. Brit Hitch at his best.
Night After Night. US 1932. D: Archie Mayo. Fkl / Fst. George Raft good as the conceited gangster. Mae West's film debut, but women are in the background in this movie.
Cleopatra / Kleopatra. GB/US/CH 1963. D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Taylor, Burton, Harrison. Fkl / Fh. The 200 min version. Harrison great as Caesar, some fantastic scenes of spectacle, I was very disappointed with Taylor.
I'm No Angel / En ole enkeli. US 1933. D: Wesley Ruggles. Mae West, Cary Grant. Fkl / Fh. Mae West is an auteur. I love her stuff.
Goin' to Town / Glada änkas miljoner. US 1935. D: Alexander Hall. Fkl / Fst. Mae West in the Wild West.
The Edge of the City / Miehen mitta. US 1956. D: Martin Ritt. John Cassavetes, Sidney Poitier. tv. A sweat-dripping stockyard melodrama.