The Projectors

Dogfight (1991)

Week four of January’s theme of “5 DIRECTORS” is very heartfelt because we’re analyzing Nancy Savoca’s first three feature films in this week’s sub-theme that we’ve dubbed “NANCY SAVOCA’S ITALIAN HEARTS TRILOGY”. Criminally underrated in their time but film fans are re-evaluating Savoca’s movies today thanks to re-releases by Criterion and Kino-Lorber and are finding that their vibrant tenderness is holding up very nicely. Today we discuss the second of her films that, once again, showcases what a devastating loss to the film world it was when River Phoenix tragically passed away those many years ago. We’re discussing the 1991 60s romance “DOGFIGHT” starring River Phoenix & Lily Taylor. Some young Marines are to be shipped to far eastern lands from 1963 San Francisco but first they must play a game by seeing who can bring the ugliest girl to a party to win a prize. Lance Corporal Eddie Birdlace plays along but feels rather bad because plain and quiet Rose Fenny probably doesn’t deserve this treatment much less anybody else. She’s rightfully pissed when she figures out the game but Eddie wants to make it up to her and that night he discovers a young woman who is more sure of what she wants than he may ever be. It’s a night to remember. Beyond that he just has to survive going to places his government has no place sending him. Another tender piece from Savoca so hear us tell of it. 
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True Love (1989)

We’re onto week four of January’s theme of “5 DIRECTORS” and we hit up another underrated filmmaker who has been getting more of her flowers in hindsight with some key film re-releases in the last few years but her first film we’re discussing did manage to beat our “Sex, Lies and Videotape” that year at Sundance. Today we’re discussing the first film of what we’re dubbing “NANCY SAVOCA’S ITALIAN HEARTS TRILOGY” (we’re really wanting that to take off) with her 1989 film “TRUE LOVE” starring Annabella Sciorra & Ron Eldard. Peeking into the lives of an engaged Italian couple in the Bronx almost feels like a violation considering how sincere and vivid even the briefest of lives that we encounter come off. Love isn’t easy though. Love can’t even guarantee happiness. You don’t doubt the connection but will this relationship truly work? A masterclass in representing rich characters on a low budget, watching “True Love” practically feels like being at an Italian wedding. You know I’d be acting a fool making moves on that cabbie lady. That dude isn’t good enough for her. This also happens to be Savoca’s biggest box office with $1.3 million on a $750k budget. Impressive but the true details of her work are still criminally under appreciated. Hear us tell of this tale of young love and also we say goodbye to one of our heroes, David Lynch.
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Remembering David Lynch

Thanks for everything, David.
(Note: This discussion is also a part of our upcoming "True Love" episode that drops January 20th)

Bigger Than Life (1956)

January’s theme is “5 DIRECTORS” in which we analyze films by a different director each week and we end Nicholas Ray week with a technical marvel that deals with something that isn’t often focused upon during the Hayes code. Addiction. James Mason produced and starred in this story based off of a true to life article from the New York Times in which a man is diagnosed with a fatal condition. Fortunately there’s a new miracle drug called Cortisone that can keep him alive so long as he doesn’t abuse it. Spoiler: He abuses it. Hide the bibles when dad’s on the junk. You don’t want to go where the psychosis takes him. We end “Nicholas Ray 1952 to 1956” with the film “BIGGER THAN LIFE” starring James Mason, Barbara Rush and Walter Matthau. Don’t think addiction is just in the purview of the streets. It can affect school teachers with transatlantic accents as well. Such a unique film for its time and crafted in such a way that you can’t imagine it handled in anybody else’s hands. Of course we found a link. Right here: https://archive.org/details/bigger-than-life-1956-nicholas-ray
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Hot Blood (1956)

It’s a loaded week of Nicholas Ray spanning the years 1952 to 1956. He actually made 6 films total at this time so we had to narrow out the fourth one between this deep cut film and a James Cagney western. We already discussed two genre bending Nicholas Ray Westerns this week so we turn our attention to what is easily the deepest cut film we will discuss all month. We couldn’t even find a trailer for it but this Gypsy romance goes its own way. We’re discussing Ray’s 1956 quasi-musical “HOT BLOOD” from 1956 starring Jane Russell, Cornel Wilde and Luther Adler. Gypsy King Marco has a secret, he’s dying, and he wants his little brother to walk away from the goucho/gorger ways and take his place as Gypsy King by marrying another gypsy. In comes Ann, played by Jane Russell who double crosses the gaucho living Stephano by making him think she won’t go through with the marriage, and then she does. Can these gypsy newlyweds contend with their fate or will Stephano’s stubbornness stand in the way of what his brother wants for him? Very deep cut but we found a link if you want to watch it: https://archive.org/details/hot-blood-1956-720p-movies
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Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

The third week of January is devoted to Nicholas Ray movies from 1952 to 1956 and we’ve arrived at what is easily his most iconic and infamous movie and it might have been like other Nicholas Ray movies, acclaimed and retroactively appreciated on a cult film level, but in less than a month of it’s release it’s lead perished in a fatal car crash. Fates collide to make Nicholas Ray’s 1955 film “REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE” a cornerstone in 50s cinema and would rocket the image of James Dean into the greater cultural zeitgeist of Americana. A much more tragic film when you consider the losses of co-stars Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo that would occur much later. James Dean was essential cool for an entire generation that probably was a lot more like Buzz Gunderson than most were ever like James Dean’s character of Jim Stark. The kids are not alright in 1955. They’re driving off of cliffs because what the hell else is there to do? Hear us discuss one of the most iconic films we’re reviewing all month. 
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Johnny Guitar (1954)

For January’s weekly director examinations we’re on week three with a loaded line up of Nicholas Ray Films spanning five years. Today it’s another standout western that stood out for being baffling to audiences when it initially released but history has grown kind to Ray’s 1954 film “JOHNNY GUITAR” for how unique it feels in any era. Joan Crawford owns the screen as Vienna, a hard nosed woman who just opened a casino saloon to nobody, but very soon the train tracks will be laid and she will live her life. She’s not the only woman in control. Her biggest rival is Mercedes McCambridge’s “Emma” a psychotic cattle baron who feels so burned by a past love’s history with Vienna that she’s willing to kill her for it and she’s got the law and the rest of the town behind her. In comes Johnny Guitar as played by Sterling Hayden. A mystery man hired by Vienna to entertain the saloon. Of course, they got history. She needs a body guard and he’s a secret gunfighter. She doesn’t want it to be this way but some people are gonna die. Will it be her? Will she lose everything? Can all the girl boss swag in the world save her? Joan Crawford lights it up in this film but Mercedes McCambridge more than holds her own and it’s convenient to us, the viewer, that they absolutely hated each other in real life. A worthy western melodrama that is worth seeing once. Hear us talk of it. Here’s a link to the film that we found: https://archive.org/details/johnny.-guitar.-1954.1080p.-blu-ray.x-264.-aac-yts.-mx
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The Lusty Men (1952)

We’re examining 5 DIRECTORS for January and for the third week we’re loaded up with our theme “NICHOLAS RAY 1952 to 1956”. Ray released 6 movies in that time period and we’re covering five of them. We start it off with a unique contemporary western starring Robert Mitchum ( a 100% Certified Official DAWG© ) and Susan Hayward who has us going like that wolf in the old cartoons. We’re discussing “THE LUSTY MEN” from 1952, Nicholas Ray’s very informative rodeo film that is rather spicy by classic Hayes Code standards. Rodeo man Jeff (Mitchum) is injured out of the game and comes home to where he grew up. There he meets Wes (Arthur Kennedy) and his wife Louise (Hayward). Wes knows about Jeff’s reputation and he’s got the rodeo fever much to his wife’s chagrin. Jeff coaches Wes but one competition isn’t enough and the three find themselves traveling the rodeo circuit where there’s glory to be had as well as groupies and plenty of sexual tension with other men’s wives. It’s pretty much that Garth Brooks song but sadder at the end, though not sad in the way we thought it was going to be at first. It should be noted that this movie was directed a few scenes by someone else while Nicholas Ray was sick. Probably boozing. Or maybe he tried to ride a bronco. Anyway, here's a link we found to the flick: https://archive.org/details/the.-lusty.-men.-1952.1080p.-webrip.x-264
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Mikey & Nicky (1976)

Each week in January is devoted to a different director at certain stages in their career but this discussion marks the end of Elaine May week as we have now discussed every film that Elaine May directed. This movie represents a much more dramatic direction but in typical Elaine May fashion, the humor is often in the tragic details. We have a very unique mob movie here starring two fellows that were prime in this era, Peter Falk and John Cassettes. They are the titular characters “MIKEY AND NICKY”, respectively in this film from 1976. Nicky robbed his gangster boss so now there’s a hit on him. His best friend, Mikey, from childhood is there for him, as usual. But Mikey might have some animosity he can’t shake because he’s in on the hit. A rich character acting showcase with some of the best in the biz for the era. This is also a precursor to “Ishtar” in regards to studio conflicts and budget increases that caused the industry to essentially sabotage Elaine May from directing ever again. May had plenty more to do in regards to acting and writing but you can’t help but wonder what more she could have done from the directors chair. It’s a headache business and sometimes being bros can have it’s own headaches as well. Elaine May’s next and final film wouldn’t come out until over a decade later. Here’s a link to a quality cut of the movie: https://archive.org/details/mikey-and-nicky-1976
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The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

We’re examining the rest of Elaine May’s directed films this week and we’re into some deep cut quality comedies. Today’s discussion is darkly humorous in the sense that much of the humor Is centered around the self absorbed and deceitful nature of Lenny Cantor who sees greener grass everywhere he goes, especially after he’s gotten what he thinks he wants. Charles Grodin’s “Lenny” wants sex and he will get married to get it but when the dog catches the car it tends to not want much more to do with it. Lenny happens to meet who he thinks is the girl of his dreams except that he meets her on his honeymoon. The comedic examinations of an awful person can get kinda lost when you feel so bad for people around the lead. Angela wanted to fight Lenny is what we’re saying. The primary marketing pitch of Elaine May’s second feature film “THE HEARTBREAK KID” from 1972 was that it was written by Neil Simon ( the Odd Couple guy). It also stars Cybill Shepherd, Jeannie Berlin and Eddie Albert. Critically acclaimed but underseen in its time. The retroactive appreciation of Elaine May’s work probably needs more juice because these comedies are still pretty deep cut and out of print with only “Mikey and Nicky” and “Ishtar” on streaming. Fortunately, online movie nerds come through in a pinch, so until Elaine May’s movies get the Criterion box set treatment (including “Ishtar”), here’s a link to the film we’re discussing: https://archive.org/details/the-heartbreak-kid.-1972.-dvdrip.-xvi-d-vli-s
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