Movie Review: Paris - When It Sizzles

Paris - When It Sizzles
Richard Quine Productions, George Axelrod Productions, USA, 1964.

Movie producer Alexander Meyerheim (Noël Coward) is waiting for movie script from Richard Benson (William Holden). Richard is more interested in boozing up and chasing skirts. He gets a new secretary Gabrielle Simpson (Audrey Hepburn) who is a stunning linguist. There are only two days to write the script for movie "The Girl Who Stole Eiffel Tower."

Alexander Meyerheim

Richard

Gabrielle

Richard tries to make up the story while flirting with Gabrielle. The characters in the scripted story look surprisingly similar to them. The possible plotlines switch between agent story to campy vampire story and to caper story. Gabrielle begins to fall in love with Richard but does the middle-aged cynical drunk want to change his habits? 

Campy Dracula

Oh, Paris.

The film is a remake of "La Fête à Henriette." It is light as a cotton candy. This one I saw a long time ago and I remembered it to be better. The shaggy dog film is not William Holden's or Audrey Hepburn's brightest moment although both are charismatic as always. It is stylish and chic but suffers from overblown events and gets carried away with its own cleverness. Much of the film is about the fictional B-grade agent/caper meta-story. The film has some good and pioneering satire on Hollywood cliches and formulas and it also laughs at the minimalistic New Wave- cinema. There are many inside jokes about Hollywood and stars from Marlene Dietrich to Tony Curtis visit in small roles.  

Marlene Dietrich

Maurice / Philippe (Tony Curtis)

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#44. Classic romantic movie)

Rating: Average

Starring: William Holden, Audrey Hepburn, Grégoire Aslan, Raymond Bussières, Christian Duvaleix, Michel Thomass, Dominique Boschero, Evi Marandi, Noël Coward, Tony Curtis, Marlene Dietrich, Mel Ferrer, Orestis Ganakis, Henri Garcin, Frank Sinatra

Director: Richard Quine

Movie Review: A Night at the Roxbury

A Night at the Roxbury
Paramount Pictures, SNL Studios, USA, 1998.

Brothers Steve Butabi (Will Ferrell) and Doug Butabi (Chris Kattan) have a life mission: to get in nightclub named Roxbury. The bouncer (Michael Clarke Duncan) never lets them in. The brothers also dream of starting their own nightclub. Their father (Dan Hedaya) has other plans and wants the boys to work in his fake flower shop. Also Steve should marry pushy Emily of the neighbouring lamp shop.

Steve and Doug

The bouncer

Kamehl Butabi

Richard Grieco collides with their van so they get a chance to get in Roxbury as Richard's guests. They try to introduce their ideas to nightclub entrepreneur Benny Zadir (Chazz Palminteri). Temporarily the boys get into jet set lifestyle as everyone thinks that they are Zadir's business partners. They also attract some gold diggers (Gigi Rice and Elisa Donovan)

Credit Vixen (Meredith Scott Lynn)

Emily

Vivica and Cambi (Gigi Rice and Elisa Donovan)

The movie is based on Saturday Night Live skit from the era that the show was still fun. The Roxbury Guys spawned Internet memes where Ferrell, Kattan and Jim Carrey bop their heads while listening Haddaway's "What is Love."

The story is based on one joke but it is enough as the 1990s style and the overall hilarity carries the film. The silly brothers are sympathetic losers trying to follow their dream. The 90s dance music brings a nostalgic feeling. The dialogue has funny one liners and silly pick-up lines. The plot is not important but more it is a goofy time-capsule of 90s dance club culture. Nice movie to watch with friends on Friday night for example.

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#7. Movie that has a party or festival)

Rating: Good

Starring: Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Raquel Gardner, Viveca Paulin, Paulette Braxton, Michael M. Horton, Richard Francese, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Clarke Duncan, Richard Grieco, Trish Ramish, Loni Anderson, Dan Hedaya, Gina Mari, Roy Jenkins, Meredith Scott Lynn, Kip King, Molly Shannon, Dwayne Hickman, Lochlyn Munro, Mary Ann Kellogg, Maree Cheatham, Kristen Dalton, Colin Quinn, Gigi Rice, Elisa Donovan, Deborah Kellner, Robin Krieger, Betty A. Bridges, Yoshio Be, Victor Kobayashi, Twink Caplan, Eva Mendes, Mark McKinney, Chad Bannon, Jim Wise, Patrick Ferrell, Dorian Spencer, Tina Weisinger, Christina Eliason, Rachel Galvin, Agata Gotova, Andrew Marks, L. Christian Mixon, Chazz Palminteri, Louis E. Rosas, Mary Ann Schmidt, Valentin Siroon

Directors: John Fortenberry, Amy Heckerling

Movie Review: The Gods Must Be Crazy

The Gods Must Be Crazy
CAT Films, Mimosa Films, Botswana, South Africa, 1980.

In Kalahari desert lives Bushman tribe, who are content people without notion of private property. Their living is carefree in contrast to busy people living in the city. One day Xi (N!xau) finds an empty Coca-Cola bottle thrown from an airplane. Maybe the gods gave them the bottle. The bottle is an useful tool and soon everyone wants to use it. It has a similar effect on the natives as the One Ring on the people of Middle Earth. As the bottle causes argument, Xi tries to get rid of it. It is more difficult than expected so Xi says he will travel to the Mount Doom end of the Earth to throw it away. 

Xi

Meanwhile in Barani there is a violent coup attempt. President (Ken Gampu) sends army to kill coup leader Sam Boga (Louw Verwey). The army and terrorists have their little war in the banana plantation. Although the terrorists are deadly assassins, they are also comically inept. Finally the terrorists cross the border and escape to Botswana.

Sam Boga

Kate Thompson (Sandra Prinsloo) is stressed with city life and she gets a calm job as teacher in a small village. Clumsy Scientist Andrew Steyn (Marius Weyers) drives to fetch her in his junk car. All kinds of funny events occur on the way. The car breaks and they are left in the middle of savanna. Xi meets them and thinks they are gods. He tries to give the bottle to them. Later Xi gets in trouble with law but Andrew and his mechanic Mpudi (Michael Thys) save him by offering Xi a job as an animal tracker and guide. The terrorist cause trouble and Xi, Andrew and Mpudi must save the kidnapped children. 

Andrew and preacher (Jamie Uys)

Mpudi

Kate

This is a funny comedy about cultural differences. Both Xi and Andrew and his friends cause hilarity trying to understand each other's weird habits. Narrator (Paddy O'Byrne) entertainingly tells how Xi sees the modern culture. Partially the movie is a documentary about the Bushmen, giving a bit too idealized picture of the Bushman way of life. But also Kate and Andrew have their misunderstandings. "When I meet women, my brain switches off, I turn into a complete idiot" explains Andrew (I feel you bro). The story feels episodic with some hit-or-miss jokes but the story has charm and the local actors and extras bring authenticity. The farcical slapstick action is often sped-up making it look like a Benny Hill- skit. Even the semi-serious terrorist side-plot is amusing with them slipping on bananas or having trouble with their bazooka. Watched in the proper mood, this is fun and also a bit satirical story.

Ironically real life bushman N!Xau had no concept of money but became aware of money's worth and demanded roughly $50000 for the sequel. The official two films got also three unofficial sequels made in Hong Kong.

Funny events occur when Andrew is on the wheel

Xi travels to the end of the Earth

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#33. Movie whose director is not from Europe or North America)

Rating: Good

Starring: Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo , N!xau, Louw Verwey, Michael Thys, Nic de Jager, Fanyana H. Sidumo, Joe Seakatsie, Brian O'Shaughnessy, Ken Gampu, Paddy O'Byrne, Graham Armitage, Vera Blacker, Katinka Heyns, Jamie Uys 

Director: Jamie Uys