Jane Fonda is magnetically terrific in the 1969 They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, losing herself in the role of Gloria, a bitter would-be actress.  She and the other characters are desperate, first of all, to survive during the Great Depression and, second, to have their dreams come true.  Because they must acquire money, they participate in a grueling dance marathon, but in addition they want natural relief through love and intimacy, even loveless sex.  Monstrously cynical, Gloria is also a “loser” who wants to die; and, really, we pity and even respect her when she does die.

Sydney Pollack‘s film, based on a novel by Horace McCoy, is bleak.  And it’s more honest than most movies today (e.g., it doesn’t see its female protagonist as more virtuous than any man you could ever meet).  Granted, the last few minutes of the film are rather flimsy, flowing less than smoothly from the previous material; but we can be very grateful for the set design, costumes, and general ambitiousness.  Pollack, indeed, tried to make a work of art.

Well, I think Gyorgy Ligeti’s Atmospheres is very accessible, despite its lack of melody and, according to Ligeti, “dense canonic structure.”  A short piece, it is frighteningly stratospheric before deliquescing.

Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G is snappy and limpid in its first movement and  incalculably beautiful in its second.  Its third is pleasantly bouncy.  A masterpiece.  Even greater is Bartok’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, evoking the terrors of the twentieth century.  It is somber, eerie and adventurous.

Also, it never gets sentimental, and neither does the String Quartet No. 1 (“The Kreutzer Sonata”) of Leos Janacek, an opus as controlled as it is capricious.  It’s dark too, though not as dark as Symphony No. 2 by Arvo Part. Menace is everywhere in this not-great but good modern composition, and so is a lovely conclusive quote from Tchaikovsky.

To be continued

U.S. astronauts reach the moon, in the 1950 Destination Moon, only because they choose to defy the government, which has ordered them to stay on the earth.  The public fears radioactivity after liftoff, but the determined astronauts slip away and take their historic flight regardless.  After they land on the moon, they are distressed to discover that getting home just might be a nonstarter.

Adapting one of his novels, Robert Heinlein co-wrote the movie’s script, so the frequently spot-on technical information is no surprise.  And for 1950 the sets are admirable, even though the outside rescue of an astronaut adrift is hopelessly stagy (and with plenty of silliness).  To be honest, DM is marred by much, but it is Hollywood earnestness at its most entertaining.  Too, I found it nigh spellbinding, and not only in the outer space scenes.  Watching it, I got a hankering to read Heinlein’s Have Space Suit, Will Travel, which will at least spare me, as this movie does not, the presence of Woody Woodpecker.

Directed by Irving Pichel.

U.S. astronauts reach the moon, in the 1950 Destination Moon, only because they choose to defy the government, which has ordered them to stay on the earth.  The public fears radioactivity after liftoff, but the determined astronauts slip away and take their historic flight regardless.  After they land on the moon, they are distressed to discover that getting home just might be a nonstarter.

Adapting one of his novels, Robert Heinlein co-wrote the movie’s script, so the frequently spot-on technical information is no surprise.  And for 1950 the sets are admirable, even though the outside rescue of an astronaut adrift is hopelessly stagy (and with plenty of silliness).  To be honest, DM is marred by much, but it is Hollywood earnestness at its most entertaining.  Too, I found it nigh spellbinding, and not only in the outer space scenes.  Watching it, I got a hankering to read Heinlein’s Have Space Suit, Will Travel, which will at least spare me, as this movie does not, the presence of Woody Woodpecker.

Directed by Irving Pichel.

The 2003 Peter Pan is pretty good, except for the boringly routine fight scenes.  P. J. Hogan‘s film version of the 1904 British play (very old) captures much of playwright Barrie’s sophistication and all of his high spirits.  It concentrates on Wendy Darling’s youthful affection for Peter Pan and is aware of Peter’s inability to love, albeit he does know how to grieve for a dead or dying Tinkerbell. . . It dazzles the eye and, almost as much, enchants the mind.

Jeremy Sumpter (Peter) is one of those child actors who, to borrow another critic’s truthful phrase, merely follow the director’s orders, nothing more.  Not so Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy:  she’s spontaneous and unmannered.  In a double role—that of Mr. Darling and that of Captain Hook—the versatile Jason Isaacs is thoroughly engaging, while Lynn Redgrave never sounds a false note as the Darling children’s aunt.