Sabrina (1954)

Tahun-rilis: 1954

Produser: Billy Wilder

Sutradara: Billy Wilder

Sinematografer: Charles Lang

Music-composer: Frederick Hollander

Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Humprey Bogart, William Holden

Genre: Drama Romance

Duration: 113 min

I just watched Sabrina, directed by the famous Billy Wilder. It’s been a while since last time I saw Billy Wilder’s film, so right now I’m checking my list of all Wilder’s I’ve watched.......

Well, in my list I only got Ace in the Hole, starring Kirk Douglas, a movie that is hard to forget. But I think I’ve seen more than that.

In spite of that, I think the movie is very good. The stars are superb. The plot is awesome. The music is great.

The story tells about a love story of Sabrina, daughter of a driver of a very rich family, Larrabee, and  sons of the family. Sabrina, who always dream of David, one of the sons and become his princess, finally had her chance after she came back from France attending a cooking school. She matured and become so beautiful that David don’t even recognize her face. Their love affair goes on with obstacles here and there, especially since their social-background differences. But some accident occur that the story become hard to guess and interesting to follow.

David is played by William Holden. I’ve notice his face in a lot of movies that unfortunately I can’t remember except, of course, Bridge on River Kwai(and Sunset Boulevard). The other Larrabee is played by Humprey Bogart. Sabrina, the main character, is played by Audrey Hepburn. To be honest, this is the first time I saw her movie. I’ve seen her Tiffany’s poster many times, but I’ve never seen her acting except her small role on Spielberg’s Always, which is not on her best period anymore (even though she is still very good). One thing I can tell you about her performance, she’s not all beauty, her acting might be even better than her appearance. However, all the cast are awesome. So probably it is also mighty influenced by the director.

The music is superb. It’s strange I suddenly forgot how it sounds right now. I still remember it a while ago, though. But I still remember my impression. It is very good!(What?)

One thing that mainly makes me sad about this movie is because I have to watched the movie in part, and the last 20 minutes was not a very good watching experience for me for my bad headache, so I’m not sure about that part.

Overall, the movie is great. Totally recommended!

Bedtime Story (1964)

Title: Bedtime Story

Release-year: 1964

Producer: Stanley Shapiro

Director: Ralph Levy

Starring: Marlon Brando, David Niven, Shirley Jones)

Genre: Drama Comedy

Duration: 99 min

Sorry guys, it’s been some months now since last time I posted an article. It’s not that I’ve lost interest watching movies, for I’ve changed my discipline from film to animation and comic, but it’s just I’ve been so busy drawing, drawing, and drawing. Thus I haven’t watched any film either for months until yesterday. Bed Time Stories, starring Marlon Brando and David Niven.

The film has very good drama and comedy. Even my mother laughed at it. The story is really good, how these two guys, Marlon and David, try to oversmart each other with their tricks and scenarios, but eventually their tricks trapped themselves in a hard and delicate situation where they have to cover their fake identity while trying to get a women’s attention (Ms. Walker, played by Shirley Jones)

David Niven and Brando try to get Shirley Jones' attention

I also like the cartoonized way the director make the film. Especially Brando, the director, Ralph Levy, create a character that seem a little unrealistic, and at a dramatic moment he seem so exaggerated, making funny faces and weird gesture that people find on cartoon TV.

Brando's cartoonic acting

However, I must warn that the character, even though they are attractive, charismatic, interesting, and exciting, they both are not good people. They bet using human, they lie to get what they want, they do bad things all the time. I can’t remember they do any good deed during the film.

Overall, no doubt this is a very good film. I enjoy my time watching it.

Hallelujah! (1929)

Judul: Hallelujah!

Tahun-rilis: 1929

Produser: King Vidor

Sutradara: King Vidor

Sinematografer: Gordon Avil

Pemain: Daniel Haynes, Nina Mae McKinney

Genre: Drama

Durasi: 90 menit

Another King Vidor’s cinema. Kalau Orson Welles pernah menampilkan pertunjukkan teater yang semua pemainnya berkulit-hitam, King Vidor melakukan hal yang sama pada media yang berbeda, film.

Tentang seorang pria, Ezekiel, yang memiliki kelemahan pada wanita, sehingga digunakan setan untuk menggodanya melakukan dosa. Film bercerita tentang usaha Ezekiel untuk lepas dari godaan tersebut.

Ezekiel shows his lust

Temanya bagi saya pribadi sangat menarik. Casting dan karakterisasinya pun suprisingly sangat bagus. Hanya saja ada beberapa kekurangan dari ceritanya. Pertama, bagian awalnya terasa terlalu lamban. Tokoh antagonis, seorang wanita penggoda bernama Chick yang akan terus mencoba untuk menarik Ezekiel ke liang dosa dengan tipuan cinta, baru muncul sekitar 40 menit setelah film berlangsung. Selain itu, endingnya pun mengecewakan. Dalam film Ezekiel melakukan banyak pilihan yang salah. Namun pilihan tersebut serasa disingkirkan begitu saja demi memenuhi tuntutan happy-ending (film dibuat pada masa ketika film-noir belum booming).

Ezekiel easily seduced by Chick

Namun semua itu dibayar dobel dengan performa pemainnya yang outstanding. Pemeran Ezekiel dan Chick serasa sangat menonjol dibanding pemeran yang lain, sepertinya karena faktor fisik mereka. Ezekiel berbadan besar dan berwajah tampan. Sedangkan Chick berkulit coklat-muda sehingga menonjol dari yang lainnya, berbadan seksi, serta berwajah manis. Namun pemain yang lainnya pun memberikan penampilan yang luar-biasa. Yang juga unik adalah tak ada satupun pemain kulit-putih pada film (hanya seorang pria berpakaian putih, yang sepertinya mengesankan sebagai petinggi dari para kulit-hitam. Namun ia berdiri jauh sekali dari kamera sehingga kita hanya bisa menebak).

The man on white drass at the barn's door

Ada satu shot yang mengingatkan saya shot mabuk JR (Harvey Keitel) di Mean Streets-nya Scorsese, yaitu adegan ketika saudara Ezekiel, Spunk mencoba mencari Ezekiel di red-district area, di mana kamera statis menempel pada kereta-kuda  yang melaju yang dibawa Spunk, diiringi lagu pesta dansa yang satu nuansa dengan lagu yang mengiringi mabuknya JR.

Secara umum filmnya jauh dari membosankan. Cukup terkejut menyaksikan penampilan para pemain kulit-hitam dan heran mengapa nama mereka tak pernah terdengar gaungnya.

Let's Make Love (1960)

Judul: Let’s Make Love

Tahun-rilis: 1960

Produser: Jerry Wald

Sutradara: George Cukor

Penulis-skenario: Norman Krasna, Hal Kanter, Arthur Miller

Sinematografi: Daniel L. Fapp

Pemain: Yves Montand, Marilyn Monroe

Genre: Drama Musikal

Durasi: 119 menit

Sejujurnya saya sudah kurang tertarik membaca judulnya, Let’s Make Love. Apalagi bintangnya aktris boom-sex Marilyn Monroe, jadi pikiran saya sudah filmnya pastinya bakalan penuh adegan rayu-merayu dan akting cewek-lemot yang biasa ditampilkan Monroe (dan Mansfield). Namun alasan saya mendownload filmnya karena kesan yang bagus ketika menonton film George Cukor yang lalu (Holiday). Dan Cukor ternyata masih sangat menghibur dengan filmnya yang satu ini.

Bercerita tentang seorang generational-billionaire terkenal, Jean-Marc Clemont, yang mencoba mendapatkan seorang wanita pemain sandiwara, Amanda (Marilyn Monroe) dengan menyamar sebagai orang bernama Alexander Dumas karena Amanda tidak menyukai orang yang kaya-raya.

Jean Clemont work undercover as a coworker of Amanda to get close to her

Meskipun biasanya saya tidak menyukai tipikal akting Monroe, saya harus mengakui bahwa saya menyukai Monroe di film ini. Menurut saya pribadi Monroe-pun terlihat paling cantik di film  dibanding film Monroe lainnya yang pernah saya tonton (Some Like it Hot, Gentlemen Prefers Blonde). Kulitnya yang putih terlihat menggoda dan manis di film ini. Wajahnyapun lebih terlihat bersih karena make-up yang berkesan tipis di wajahnya.

Amanda on one of his dance-scene

Tapi mungkin juga saya menyukai dirinya di film ini karena karisma lawan mainnya yang menurut saya menunjukkan kemampuan akting yang sangat baik, Yves Montand, memerankan tokoh-utama pria, Jean-Marc Clement. 

Namun, karena filmnya juga bergenre musikal, ada banyak adegan menari dan bernyanyi yang dipimpin oleh Amanda. Saya kurang suka bagian itu karena pesannya yang tidak baik, sejalan dengan judulnya, Let’s Make Love, Ayo Kita Bercinta, atau let’s do free-sex.

Lepas dari itu, filmnya sangat menarik dan menghibur. Akting pemainnya top. Karakterisasi karakternya sukses menciptakan karakter yang menarik. Ceritanya pun sangat baik. Alhasil, filmnya pun menjadi sangat bagus.