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Wednesday 1/11/12

12:20 AM STKF
Dragonheart (1996 USA): A great cast and some excellent Oscar-nominated special effects compensate for this family friendly fantasy’s complete lack of substance. Dennis Quaid headlines as Bowen, a professional dragon slayer out to kill the last of the fire-breathing giants (voiced by Sean Connery). Realizing, however, that if Bowen succeeds they’ll both be out of a job, the two declare a truce, with an eye to keeping the ol’ dragon-industrial complex a going concern for a while longer. That’s about it story-wise, but Connery and Quaid get more than able support from David Thewlis (at his lip-smacking, moustache-twirling, villainous best) as Prince Einon, Julie Christie as Einon’s mum, and the late, great Pete Postlethwaite as a man of God. It’s probably too much to hope that Dragonheart will be airing in its correct aspect ratio, but I’ve got my fingers crossed nonetheless.

5:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
Tamahine (1964 GB): Super rarity alert! Exotic Asian temptress Nancy Kwan plays a Polynesian hottie disturbing a peaceful boy’s school somewhere in the English countryside. Featuring stuffed shirts Allan Cuthbertson, Michael Gough, and James Fox - as well as the slightly more relaxed Dennis Price - Tamahine hasn’t been seen on these shores for a very long time. DoP Geoffrey Unsworth’s widescreen cinematography was BAFTA-nominated, so you know this one’s quality.


8:45 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Liquidator (1966 GB): James Bond knock-offs were all the rage in the mid-'60, and here’s one of the best. Directed by Jack Cardiff, The Liquidator features Rod Taylor as Boysie Oakes, a burglar hired by MI6 bigwig Mostyn (Trevor Howard) who mistakenly believes him to be a professional killer. At first, Boysie takes to the job and its fringe benefits - including lovely secretary Iris (Jill St. John) - like a duck to water, but when he’s actually sent on assignment things rapidly take a turn for the awkward. In addition to a witty Peter Yeldham screenplay and a great supporting cast (including Wilfrid Hyde-White, Eric Sykes, Akim Tamiroff, Suzy Kendall, Daniel Emilfork, Richard Wattis, and John Le Mesurier), The Liquidator features a terrific Shirley Bassey theme song and a sassy Lalo Schifrin score.

Thursday 1/12/12

12:20 AM Starz
In a Better World (2010 DEN): 2011’s Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, In a Better World is another impressive notch in the belt of director Susanne Bier (Brothers, After the Wedding). The film stars Mikael Persbrandt (Everlasting Moments) as Anton, a Danish doctor doing the Lord’s work in Africa, where he works assiduously to heal the wounds of war victims. Meanwhile, back at home, 10-year-old son Elias is being subjected to severe schoolhouse bullying which only comes to an end when he befriends new student Christian, a bigger lad not at all reluctant to use violence to protect his pal. The film was misinterpreted by many critics as a simplistic morality play, but it’s original Danish title - simply, Revenge - suggests there’s much more going on in the film, which I found a worthy if surprising Oscar choice. Also airs at 3:20 AM.

6:00 PM HBO
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011 USA): Perfect timing! With the recent release of the West Memphis Three from prison, filmmaker Joe Berlinger was able to append an appropriate coda to this third (and presumably final) documentary about the controversial murder case. To briefly summarize: three boys were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas in the mid-1990s. Prosecutors charged and convicted three teenage heavy metal fans for the crimes, but as Berlinger suggested in his two earlier films on the subject (also airing tonight - Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills at 8:00 PM and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations at 10:35 PM) the evidence was less than compelling, and other community members seemed even more likely suspects. In other words, a major miscarriage of justice took place, and it took a dozen years-plus to rectify matters. I haven’t seen Purgatory yet, but the earlier films were excellent, and I’m confident this one will be just as good.

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