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Lukaschik Gleb

Unfolding in cinema library: Adventure.


Movement to far or not so far lands for purpose which can be treasure, personal or it was due to circumstance and getting usually dangerous situations are films of adventure. I charmed by old ones. I avidly desired to discover them and I watched those which I saw before.

 

The Sea Hawk (1924)

 

Rafael Sabatini’s storylines are daft, contain silly love romance and possibility of sudden soap opera in relative disclosure between characters. But what else can get from pulp fiction? A script of movie The Sea Hawk revealed it’s nonsense in a short period in confusing commonsense behavior of characters while a first and a second aforementioned elements were already in demonstrating.

 

The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

 

A hero for which I worried. Magic in which I believed. The monsters which were dangerous and threatening. Douglas Fairbanks always brings and keeps a constant charming in his characters. Tremendously was to get a likeable film with him after misfortunes with The Mark of Zorro and Robin Hood. The Thief of Bagdad takes elements from defining folklore of Middle East a book One Thousand and One Nights and intertwine in own wonderful story. I like a characterizing part in that princes reach goal without own effort and use servants who die for their purposes whereas a protagonist does by himself. A flick has swell Asian villains and a main one was performed by Sojin Kamiyama who does astonishing hell by his personage. I more have in believe that yellow peril less influenced on Douglas Fairbanks due to likely using of historical events in Mongols capturing Baghdad as inspiration.

 

Captain Blood (1935)

 

I lovely adore cheerful and easygoing personages in flicks of these times. Decorations convince to believe for real and if something required to recreate in a big scale – it did so. If ten thousands of people needed for scene – that came to implementation. The constitution of bodies of actors are authentic. The twenties has imposing Douglas Fairbanks. The thirties brings in own individual way imposing Errol Flynn who badly wasn’t such nice in actuality. He plays in eponymous adaptation of famous Rafael Sabatini novel which has astonishing ship battle scenes in this taking breath away adventure.

 

The Sea Hawk (1940)

 

Another Errol Flynn’s valiant pirate who fights with Spanish Empire. Everybody extreme honorable to each other. Good personages take Spanish ship, do suave conversation with each other and deliver hostages to England. A queen speaks with Flynn’s character who was arrested with no reason and brought from prison for talk on accusation from Spanish representative on attack of their ship. Flynn retorts by saying on finding and releasing of English prisoners from there. Her majesty contradicts to herself by falling into hysteria by saying that England shouldn’t loot and assault Spanish ships in alongside reminding on war with Spain. Then she lovely speaks with Spanish ambassador and asks to deliver her good wishes to king of his country. There was over.

 

Watching known:

The Thief of Bagdad (1940). Douglas Fairbanks’ masterpiece The Thief of Bagdad (1924) inspired on remakes while this version gave more influence. And that in a game Prince of Persia (1989), it’s sequel Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame and cartoon Aladdin (1992). Same, as it was with 1924’s flick by taking of multiple elements from stories of One Thousand and One Nights but creating an own individual one. A spectacular technical work does magic true in this amazing adventure of John Justin’s hero and his circumstantial friend who was performed by impressive Indian-born athlete Sabu. Against both of them a villain by Conrad Veidt and he makes to sense a constant discomfort by his ice and merciless personality.

 

Arabian Nights (1942)

 

The Thief of Bagdad’s success inspired producer Walter Wagner on production of similar movie. Sabu was under contract of Universal which allowed to hire him. Arabian Nights uses characters from One Thousand and One Nights for own action. A film is low quality of staging and motifs of personages with no understanding whereas giving of humor in bad attempts. It has wonderful actors while Sabu’s talents of acrobatics and personality attracted but, certainly, couldn’t keep.

 

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1943)

 

A loose interpretation of known story of One Thousand and One Nights in which were taken some details but Edmund L. Hartling did writing of startling and excellent twisted script. It makes to become sad when occurs killing of a good character even it was shown on side. And adventure does with a great written score. This movie was supposed to save cast in Jon Hall, Maria Montez and Sabu performed together in Arabian Nights and White Savage (1943) and Cobra Woman (which will come later.) but the last joined Air Force for fight in World War II. He was substituted on Turhan Bey.

 

Cobra Woman (1944)

 

Joh Hall’s hero moves by boat to other island to save his almost bride Maria Montez’s character. If Sabu was hiding while no explanation of how chimpanzee did it. Danger comes but relaxed conversation. Sabu gets to know that his caught friend Jon Hall is going to be executed by island’s tribe and next is getting offer to eat with smile from that woman and he agrees. I couldn’t watch any longer.

 

Watching known:

Кащей Бессмертный (Kaschey the Immortal) (1945). I probably saw it twenty-five years ago or at least. I love it more in watching since big time. It has far-patriotism in little portion which doesn’t ruin magnificent plot has beautiful characters in Nikita Kozhemyaka and likeable Bulat Balagur and incredible occurring magic. You get excited with no matter where did Kozhemyaka got horse and armor.

 

Sinbad, the Sailor (1947)

 

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. executes in alike to his father. He is cheerful, but no acrobatic. I have love to stories around Sinbad even though they are not direct adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights. That one has overdramatizing acts of characters and they makes situations unrealistic. Sinbad threatens easily with no point to who doesn’t believe in his tale in beginning and that person changes his mind and hero takes his sword away without consequences. Nobody of filmmakers asked as when Sinbad turned a boat upside down and it left unknown of what was further with people on it. He and his partner occupies ship by seeing that crew was killed by water which they drink and determine that fact but this poison doesn’t influence on them.

 

The Black Rose (1950)

 

A historical mixture with typical for that period of cinema a line of love (and same with triangle in that here.). An adventure story which matured Tyrone Power and Jack Hawkins who both are characters of student age but it doesn’t matter. Orson Welles in role of real Mongol general Bayan of the Hundred Eyes is ludicrous by miscasting (another thing of time when white people performed non-Caucasian roles.), his squinting for make Asian look and his manners in playing which doesn’t fit for personage are presented in easygoing by making to think that his acts for entertaining public. Henry Oscar does constant and Gibb McLaughlin occasional old-fashioned acting. A story isn’t good itself. Power and Hawkins’ personages sneaking in a castle for own purposed whereas they could kill everybody on what have capability and hate to ruling people – and that would save them from doing journey to the East.

 

The Crimson Pirate (1952)

 

Burt Lancaster already presented as that he came on job when you see him in introduction and don’t sense an adventure spirit and match with rhythm from him. The Crimson Pirate couldn’t be serious when an English ship detects a vessel with a crew who got killed by scurvy as they assume because it’s trick actually. Few men decide to inspect but do that with coming of dark what doesn’t make point and I thought how long all pirates kept pretending. A film aimed to be as a light comedy as a soldier of English army sees somebody’s hand outside of his guard place and it’s calling him what will for pull him away and that splash will hear only one person of two hundred on a ship. A comedy didn’t give a piece of amusing me. A script wasn’t enriched. That detained baron agrees on deal with Lancaster though he could easily break it by getting freedom – there was supposed to be elaboration of motives for that personage as giving to him a vile nature in love to money and making deals even with criminals what a main hero finds out.

 

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

 

I’ve bought a big quantity of books of Jules Verne and I still didn’t read no one of them. However, I kinda familiar Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. But without that, I already saw that 1954 adaptation doesn’t following to original composition and I checked that place for recognize an obvious. A movie does standard Hollywood dashing where Kirk Douglas’s hero presents as ladies’ man by coming with two dames and humiliates a man who witnessed a “sea monster” and he justifiably gets hit by stilt to head and then demonstrates toughness of personage by having fight which ends by his arrest and revealing that he is a wanted person. I couldn’t watch more this offense. It has no of needful spirit. His character isn’t nasty in other implementations of novel. I found out the filmmakers changed engine of Nemo’s submarine by making atomic energy instead battery.

 

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

 

I more familiar with this Jules Verne’s book and I watched it on twenty minutes longer in comparison with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I do not see purpose of first six minutes where some journalist speaks on writer, his envision of future, showing and reasoning on footage of A Trip to the Moon, changing of the world and inserting of own opinion that it wasn’t far ago when planet perceived as flat. Whereas a film turns out as a hollow comedy. I can’t laugh on that a man greets French woman by saying “mademoiselle” with showing a not beautiful smile and he gets a slap by her. It’s discomfort for me because her behavior isn’t appropriate. David Niven is exactly for Phileas Fogg but I couldn’t do three hours only for him despite his presence brings pleasure. Performer of his valet Jean Passepartout is miscasting choice. It was same as Omar Sharif had role of Genghis Khan. An exposing Mexican Cantinflas has nothing in resemblance of Frenchman. He makes a mistake to which I surprised that filmmakers didn’t take in attention in responding to his master’s order in “si, sinor”. Turning him into comedian relief and ladies’ man were insults to the book. I reached cameo of Fernandel whose comedian talent I adore very much but I couldn’t see his unnatural and not savvy grimaces in reaction on asked direction.

 

La Tour, prends garde! (La Tour, watch out!) (1958)

 

Not so thinking were scriptwriters with storyline. Louis XV, who in war with Prussia, asks to stop shooting from cannons for watch performance without noise. His order executes and an opposite belligerent side decides to make same instead use opportunity. A troubadour personage in acting of Jean Marais did roasting on monarch of France who presents on that secondary-rate performance incognito. He reveals himself by taking off mask and expresses approval. However, a lead hero was arrested by local duke and was being punishing by soldiers while in that time French head attempts to seduce troupe’s actress but she refuses and they both came and watch from window on sufferings of protagonist. A female performer asks to stop but leader of France says that he has no power with that. Here I ended.

 

Watching known:

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958). I didn’t see it for decades. I was excited back then and time only made to be more mesmerized. I watched in one breath. From incredibly thrilling score of Bernard Herrmann to special effect wonders in which you believe by Ray Harryhausen. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad has what makes an adventure: a journey to unknown land, an intricate screenplay, variable fights and dangers and impressing in all meanings monsters.

 

Watching known:

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973). A second incredible movie on Sinbad the Sailor by Ray Harryhausen which was seen in same unstoppable pace. Gordon Hessler’s directing makes to experience an amazing adventure and he does to sense characters by astonishing approach. A cast is definition of ideal: John Phillip Law is impeccable for role and the most lovable performer and he presents the exact interpretation of hero’s personality as his reasoning on what he values, Caroline Munro is wonderful and enchanting in her lady with mystery, Tom Baker is grandiose in imposing playing of villain and all other secondary personages are excellent individually.

 

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

 

I forgave and saw explanations in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. I couldn’t in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, which is Alzheimer movie. Sinbad and his a crew member have a combat with monsters but he escapes, defeats all creatures and runs to his ship alone. A head of guard and two soldiers swim to a big boat on own small what ends bad for them because villains use size of their vessel for destroy approaching a little one. That leader asks for mercy but gets impaled by iron rod by a monster which rides a transport. No trace with two others after collision. That main of caliph’s protection sees a mastermind of wicked things which name he pronounces with obviousness. However, everybody, as it revealed early before, knows on that evil witch Zenobia and her deeds but nobody jails that woman and she is free in doing insidious things. Chosen Patrick Wayne on Sinbad does occasional inconvenience in performance. A baboon who actually is throne pretender prince Kassim behaves as primate by seeing unknown men despite he was a human initially.

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