House on Telegraph Hill (Fox Film Noir)

Description

House On Telegraph Hill is an intriguing cliffhanger set in a spooky Victorian mansion below Coit Tower in San Francisco.

Victoria Kowelska (Valentina Cortese) has lived through World War II bombings and relocation camps, and has finally emigrated to America. Now, she should be blissfully happy with her devoted husband (Richard Basehart) in their mansion overlooking the San Francisco Bay, but Victoria is not who she seems, her child belongs to someone else, and her husband and housekeeper are frightening her half to death.

Customer Reviews:

Somber film noir mystery .......2006-12-28

Using contrasted black and white cinematography director Robert Wise created the proper mood for a film noir theme in "The House on Telegraph Hill". Noir femme fatale Victoria Kowelska played by Valentina Cortesa was an unfortunate Warsaw born native who endured the horrors of WWII and incarceration in the Belsen concentration camp. Upon her liberation she assumed the identity of her closest friend who had passed away in the camp, Karin, who had sent her young son Chris to relatives in San Francisco prior to the war.

After a hard life in refugee camps she made her way to America where she learned that Karin's and now her great aunt was the matron of a huge family fortune. The son Chris was the sole heir seeing that the old woman had recently died. Ambitious and unctuous relative Alan Spender played by Richard Basehart was appointed the young boy's guardian. In a whirlwind romance Basehart and Cortesa are soon married and move into the palatial Victorian mansion atop Telegraph Hill. Cortesa and the the boy Chris played by Gordon Gebert hit it off but all is not well.

She befriends Basehart's longtime acquaintance Marc Bennett played by William Lundigan who is his lawyer and actually met Cortesa as a major involved with repatriating European refugees. She needs a friend because she almost immediately butts heads with the sinister and sketchy Margaret, the young boy's governess, played by Fay Baker. Cortesa also is becoming paranoid that Basehart is trying to kill her when the brakes in her car fail.

It all turns out well in the end as a righteous twist in the plot rights all that was wrong.

Solid Suspense that Keeps Us Wondering: Paranoia or Real Peril?.......2006-09-20

"House on Telegraph Hill" is a gothic suspense loosely based on Dana Lyon's novel "The Frightened Child". Sometimes categorized as film noir, this film is only vaguely so. It's very much in the mold of "Gaslight" or Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "Suspicion" in placing a possibly paranoid woman in an imposing house with an inscrutable husband and a series of suspicious accidents. Is she the victim of foul play or simply neurotic? The film was conceived as a vehicle for Italian actress Valentina Cortesa, who struggled with her English but gives as strong a performance as the script allows. The art direction by John De Cuir and Lyle Wheeler was nominated for an Academy Award. The façade of the "house on telegraph hill" that appears to overlook the San Francisco Bay was assembled over top of real buildings on that very site. The interior of the house is a set, but the antique Victorian furnishings are real.

In 1939, Victoria Kowelska (Valentina Cortesa) lost her home and husband to the German advance. In a concentration camp, she befriended a fellow Polish woman named Karin de Nakova whose infant son was sent to live with a rich aunt in the United States before the war. In spite of Victoria's efforts to keep her friend healthy, Karin died before the camp was liberated. Victoria assumed Karin's identity and tried to contact her aunt in the US, only to learn that Aunt Sophie had died. Four years later, Karin arrives in the US and finds that Aunt Sophie's American nephew Alan Spender (Richard Basehart) adopted young Christopher (Gordon Gebert) and lives in the aunt's grand mansion on San Francisco's Telegraph Hill. Alan romances Karin and proposes marriage, which she happily accepts. But, between Christopher's possessive governess (Fay Baker) and odd occurrences around the house, Karin begins to suspect that Alan wants her dead. She turns to sympathetic ex-Army officer Maj. Marc Bennett (William Lundigan), whom she knew in Germany, for advice.

We know that Alan married Karin/Victoria in order to secure his inheritance. And Karin married Alan for wealth and security. We can hardly blame them for this mutually beneficial arrangement. Alan is always polite and generous toward his wife. He seems to be concerned about her happiness. Could he be a cold-blooded killer with no regard for life, not even a child's? Or have Karin's constant struggles for life in the deplorable conditions of the concentration camp made her pathologically fearful? We don't know if the danger Karin sees is real or imagined. She doesn't either. And this really works. The film's ability to keep us guessing is its strength -along with the spectacular house. Valentina Cortesa has a warm, appealing presence. Richard Basehart is charmingly ambiguous. I think that Karin's confused emotions could have been stronger. "House on Telegraph Hill" is not the caliber of "Rebecca", but it is a solid suspense nonetheless.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): Bonus features include 4 still photography galleries (5 posters, 38 production stills, 52 behind-the-scenes, and 9publicity stills), a theatrical trailer (2 ½ min), and a good, nearly constant audio commentary by film noir historian Eddie Muller. Muller provides some interesting tidbits about the cast, points out what footage was left out of the film, and comments on the art direction. Muller also offers some criticism of the film's early scenes and weak aspects of the script. His observations of what would have made this film stronger and also more "noir" are spot-on. Subtitles are available for the film in English and Spanish. Dubbing available in Spanish.

Lady in the dark.......2006-06-19

Intent on making a star with this vehicle out of the unusual Italian actress Valentina Cortese, Fox opened up its coffers for THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL and also used some of their finest technical talent: the gowns, the sets, and the cinematography are absolutely first-tier, and the director, Robert Wise, does his usual intelligent tricky work with editing to make this woman - in - jeopardy film extraordinarily compelling. The script seems to be a mélange of several 40s melodramas, including REBECCA, GASLIGHT, DRAGONWYCK and (most of all) SUSPICION, but the film's excellent use of its San Francisco locale helps tremendously, as does Cortese's extraordinary performance as the guilt-ridden concentration-camp survivor who steals another woman's identity.

Good stuff........2006-06-11

The story is a little convoluted and Richard Basehart's main asset is his voice. But this is a good and entertaining little period piece with great San Francisco views. I was amused to discover the house was actually a made over version of a restaurant I'd eaten in on several occasions.

Let me also mention that what makes these Fox Film Noir DVDs so good is Eddie Muller's commentary. This guy knows everything about these films, actors and directors.

Rebecca's gaslight suspicions revisited (recommended).......2006-06-07

This is a reminder of man's inhumanity and the suffering caused in WWII. When one has lost all family and personal possessions, desperation can move one to take liberties with the truth for survival's sake. But what is one to do when such deception has been trumped by the people living in one's own HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL? With a torturous concentration camp background, it is plausible that others may be easily convinced that the immigrant is cracking up. When help is needed, who can be trusted while personally living a lie in a new country?

The viewer sees events through the eyes of the immigrant Victoria Kowelska (Valentina Cortese). Following a bit of early over-dramatization in the concentration camp, Victoria assumes the identity of a wealthy benefactor named Karen. After her marriage to Alan (Richard Basehart), Karen/Victoria attempts to prove a murderous cover-up is taking place and her own life is in danger. At the same time, others are either trying to make her believe that everything is normal or that she is delusional.

Mrs. Danvers' contempt in REBECCA, the "murderous" attempts in SUSPICION, and the effort to convince Paula she was going insane in GASLIGHT find corresponding scenes in HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL. As events unfold, subtle twists may catch you off guard but the history of prior classics may render some conclusions obvious. Nevertheless, the presentation does not borrow to such an extent to make it a rehash. It is more like a tribute to favored classics with sufficient new settings for a good degree of suspense.

I do have some minor criticisms. A few unresolved scenes, like the reaction to obvious scrapbook tampering and why evidence of an explosion remains for years, are left to the viewer's imagination and logic. Deathbed confessions in closing scenes attempt to sew up most loose ends. Major Marc Bennett (William Lundigan) seems too friendly too quickly and appears nonchalant about every twisted development.

Film transfer is very good but not great. (Specs and occasional posterization/pixelization in dark tones.) With these factors and the aforementioned plot borrowing I deduct a star from an otherwise entertaining suspense movie.

Movie quote: "I make no excuse. I felt Alan was attracted to me and I was prepared to take advantage of it."

Average customer rating:

Classic MOVIE!!!!
What can I say about this movie!
Cam's Shining Moment = Another Rocafella Films Classic............
Gangsta Painted with Love
Not your typical hood movie-- through Az's eyes

Paid in Full
Starring: Karen Andrew , Cam'ron , Kevin Carroll , Jonas Chernick , and Remo Greene
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008DDUY
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Description

Hot stars Mekhi Phifer (8 MILE, SHAFT, TV's ER) and Wood Harris (REMEMBER THE TITANS) team up in an edgy, hard-hitting film with a slammin' soundtrack! Stuck in a nowhere job, Ace (Harris) is a restless teenager who envies the expensive cars, flashy clothes, and high-rolling lifestyle of his drug-dealing friends. Then when he sees his chance, Ace makes the move that suddenly changes his life! Drawn by the seductive lure of easy money in the illicit Harlem underground, he uses his skills to quickly take control of the streets and seize all the power than comes with it! Also starring rap star Cam'ron (WOO) and Chi McBride (GONE IN 60 SECONDS, TV's BOSTON PUBLIC) -- you don't want to miss this gripping look at chasing the American dream ... from the wrong side of the tracks!

Customer Reviews:

Classic MOVIE!!!!.......2007-07-27

Highly recommended. All actors do an amazing job, even Camron! Easily one of the best hood movies out!

What can I say about this movie!.......2007-05-11

This is one of the best kingpen movies I've ever seen! All the actors do a great job in this one, even Cam managed not to mess this one up. All I can say is, forget Scarface, this is the new movie all the up and comers will be looking at!

Cam's Shining Moment = Another Rocafella Films Classic...................2007-05-09

Wood Harris and Mekhi Phieffer are great in this movie as 1980's New York drug kingpins. The surprise of the whole movie is Camron's convincing role as the villain of the movie.

Gangsta Painted with Love.......2007-03-26

In a mood that deemphasizes the sex and violence in favor of the moral cost of the drug trade, this film has the easygoing persona of a soap opera with a bite that hits you afterwards.

Not your typical hood movie-- through Az's eyes.......2007-03-04

The movie is definately above your average straight to video or Menace II Society clone. What is working for this film is a combination of many vital elements that combine to make quite a tasty slice of urban life. The film has plot,character development and outstanding acting. The stand out preformance in the movie is Mekhi Phifer playing one of the three Harlem drug dealers with such freshness. Cam'ron's role as Rico is quite good considering he is a rapper and not a trained actor. Then again, I guess the role Cam'ron played is not a strech consdering the type of lyrics presents in his music.

The plot of the movie is based around the life of three famous drug dealers in Harlem named Az,Alpo,and Richard Porter. In the movie their names are fictionalized into Ace[Az],Mitch[Richard Porter],and Rico[Alpo]. I will not bore with anyfurther details because I am sure the following has probably been overemphasized enough in other reviews. Understand,though, the movie was told primarly through the eyes of Az and not through Alpo. Alpo even complained that this movie presented him as a follower instead of a leader in the drug game.

Solid movie that defies the notion that urban drams are all cut from the same cloth.

Average customer rating:

O'Henry Brought To Life
O Henry's Best
O Henry on Film
Great Classic
Great Gift

O Henry's Full House
Starring: Fred Allen , Anne Baxter , Jeanne Crain , Farley Granger , and Charles Laughton
Director: Jean Negulesco , Howard Hawks , and Henry King
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000HT3PPQ
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Amazon.com

O. Henry's Full House is a recently repolished cinema gem, a must for film fans and for those who love the short stories of O. Henry (born William Sidney Porter). This collection features five of O. Henry's tales made into short films, and released in theaters in 1952 as a collection--an experiment in adapting short stories as simple short films, not padded out to theatrical lengths. The collection features a stable of 20th Century Fox's top contract players, including Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark, Farley Granger, and a dewy-cheeked Marilyn Monroe, and five topnotch directors including Henry Hathaway and Howard Hawks. The five stories include O. Henry's signature tale of grace and selflessness, "The Gift of the Magi," as well as "The Cop and the Anthem" (in which a hobo literally can't get himself arrested); "The Clarion Call" (a noirish crime mystery with loads of side-of-the-mouth cracks, like calling a guy "You clamhead!"); "The Last Leaf" (with a radiant Baxter and Jean Peters); and "The Ransom of Red Chief," a kidnap cautionary tale. The twists that O. Henry's stories are famous for perhaps work better on the page than on film, and yet the acting and production values are so superb the tales are moving and their short lengths are just right.

The extras are another literary treasure trove. The stories are introduced and narrated by none other than a chain-smoking John Steinbeck, whose admiration for O. Henry permeates his speeches. Other features include a commentary by Dr. Jenny Lind Porter, a featurette on the life and writing of O. Henry (every bit as tragic as his most bittersweet fiction), galleries, stills, and two additional shorts from 1927, "Girls" and "Man About Town." --A.T. Hurley

Beyond O. Henry's Full House

The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
Short Stories
Fox "Film Noir" DVD Series

Stills from O. Henry's Full House (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

O'Henry Brought To Life.......2007-04-17

As O'Henry's stories are legendary it seems appropriate that a topnotch, legendary cast led by top directors of the time should come together to present these five shorts. Since other reviewers have done a good job of iterating the history and credits for these films, I'll simply add a few personal comments. Some have mentioned the uneven aspects of a couple of these films, mentioning some are stronger than others. To this I say O'Henry wrote in different voices. His stories are each their own, his topics mixed and varied. I suggest the viewer enjoy each story for what it is completely unique from the others. And most wonderfully each story is introduced by John Steinbeck, my favorite most admired American author. What a treat. The extras round everything off very nicely. A terrific DVD.

O Henry's Best.......2007-03-12

If you like O'Henry, then you'll really enjoy this video. Narrated by John Steinbeck and filled with fantastic stars, O'Henry's Full House will take you into a world of life which shows man's ability to overcome any adversity, with a healthy dose of humor thrown in.

O Henry on Film.......2007-01-23

Before I purchased this CD I had last seen it on TV in 1961. I have always considered it a classic and was delighted to see how closely it follows the original stories. The casting and performances are excellent.

Great Classic.......2007-01-13

The O'Henry video collection is very entertaining, offering glimpses of major stars in their early films.

Great Gift.......2007-01-12

I bought this dvd for my mom, it arrived the next day w/Amazon shipping. She loves it. Any old movie buff would enjoy this dvd.

Average customer rating:

The kids have saved the day oh whoopie.
Kind of annoying!
Kids are not smarter than adults.
Great
A Lot of Fun

House Arrest
Starring: Kyle Howard , Russel Harper , Jamie Lee Curtis , Kevin Pollak , and Amy Sakasitz
Director: Harry Winer
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005Y6YF
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Description

When the Beindorf's announce to their kids that they're getting a divorce, the kids come up with a quick fix by locking them together in the basement in a hilarious comedy that sets out to prove there's more than one way to keep a marriage together.

Customer Reviews:

The kids have saved the day oh whoopie........2007-04-08

Locking your parents in the basement just to work out their marrage problems what a joke! I think my parents would be so incredibly pissed off and would kill me if I ever locked em in the basement like that with no food and treating them like they are prisoners you don't do that to your family if they want a divorce and move on with their lives that's their business. You can't change people like that it just doesn't work. this use to come on all the time on HBO and HBO is a huge waste of money nothing but worthless re run crappy movies on all the time. I give this crap 0 stars it sucked.

Kind of annoying!.......2005-08-24

I use to think it was a cool movie when I first saw it a few times but then I started to get sick of it. The kids in the movie started to get noisy and annoying and I just wanted to turn off the TV. It's not a bad movie but it comes on HBO every once in awhile and that what gets annoying about it.

Kids are not smarter than adults........2005-08-14

They need to remake this movie where the parents remember five minutes into being locked up that they have a cell phone. When they get out, they ought to smack the skin off their children's rear ends.

Great.......2003-08-18

Why do people put their reviews on here and explain the entire movie? Dude, just give your opinion of the movie! :) This movie rocked, because I love the interaction of the kids, and they seem mean in what they do, but truly have great intentions. Classic storyline, too bad it wasn't popular.

A Lot of Fun.......2003-03-03

This movie is a lot of fun. The basic plot is, two kids Grover and Stacey, lock their parents in the basement after they break the news that they are getting seperated. Grover and Stacey think that all they need is time to work out their problems. Soon Grover's friends decide their parents could use some help, and bring them over. The kids try to help their parents as the parents try to escape. A nosy neighbour across the street is constantly watching, but the kids are determined to get their parents back together. This movie is definitley fun for the whole family.

Average customer rating:

One terrific film that went unnoticed
Absolutely hypnotic on DVD w/ the sound up loud.
I simply love this movie!
dopey, dingy, flakey, fluffy, but...enjoyable!
If I could, I'd give Robin Tunney 10 STARS!

Cherish
Starring: Brad Hunt , Robin Tunney , Liz Phair , Lindsay Crouse , and Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Finn Taylor
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000714E7
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Cherish starts out with a promising idea: An erratic young woman named Zoe (Robin Tunney, The Craft, Niagara, Niagara) under house arrest with a bracelet around her ankle that sets off an alarm if she tries to leave her apartment, begins an unlikely romance with Bill (Tim Blake Nelson, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Good Girl), the lonely guy who monitors the bracelet. Unfortunately, about halfway through the movie mutates into a poorly thought-out thriller, in which Zoe tries to trap the stalker who got her arrested in the first place. Tunney and Nelson are both engaging, inventive actors; if the movie had trusted their charm, instead of trying to concoct implausible plot twists, this could have been delightful. Also featuring Jason Priestley, Nora Dunn, and indie rock star Liz Phair. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

One terrific film that went unnoticed.......2006-04-24

Sometimes it doesn't take the big name Hollywood studio or the big name Hollywood star to make a very good movie. Such is the case with the movie "Cherish". "Cherish" is one of those films I happened to stumble on. I'd categorize "Cherish" as an "Indie" (independent) film. After watching the movie, I realized that this was one of the most entertaining movies I had seen in some time. In addition, the movie uncovers perhaps one of the best, yet unnoticed acting performances in recent years by Robin Tunney. I'm very surprised that Tunney did not go on to bigger and better things following "Cherish" because she delivers a performance that could have easily be Academy Award material.

In "Cherish", Tunney plays Zoe Adler. Zoe is someone who is basically socially inept and somewhat of an introvert. Zoe struggles with her lack of social skills both in the office (where she works as a computer animator) and in the social scene as well. She is also romanticist who loves 1970s and 1980s music and gets immersed in the songs of that era. Unknown to Zoe, she is being pursued and followed by a stalker (played by Brad Hunt) Zoe's life will change when the stalker finds Zoe going to her car to pick up her cell phone. The stalker takes Zoe hostage and forces her to drive. When a police officer discovers that something strange is going on in the car, the stalker takes control, runs down the police officer and kills him. Following the incident, the stalker leaves the scene and Zoe is left facing a homicide charge. While awaiting her trial, her lawyer arranges for Zoe to be put in the "Bracelet Program". This is a program that essentially places Zoe under house arrest and uses a bracelet to electronically track that Zoe stays indeed under house arrest. Once the house arrest begins, the story basically takes on three sub-plots:

1) The main subplot involves a transformation in Zoe's social ineptness. House Arrest places Zoe in an isolated mode where she is not allowed to leave her apartment. This forces Zoe to confront her introverted personality and a good chunk of the movie will focus on Zoe's attempts to break free of the bracelet program. This will result in a transformation from her socially inept personality to a bolder personality. This is where you will see Tunney shine. Tunney is completely believable in her portrayal of Zoe from beginning to end - from socially inept, through her transformation, to eventually demonstrating a bold personality.

2) The second subplot involves Zoe's relationship with police officer Bill Daly played by Tim Blake Nelson. Daly plays the officer responsible for monitoring Zoe in the bracelet program. To some extent, Daly also suffers from social ineptitude. At first Daly is frustrated by Zoe - in particular because she is trying to break free of the bracelet program. This results in Daly putting stiffer restrictions on Zoe in the program. However as the story unfolds, Daly eventually takes a liking to Zoe and develops feelings for her. Nelson does an admirable job playing Daly, but his performance is not as strong as Tunney's.

3) The third subplot involves Zoe's attempt to find out who framed her for the murder. This wraps around the other two subplots in that Zoe eventually finds an ally in Bill Daly while at the same time takes bold steps to prove her innocence. In a way, this completes Zoe's transformation from being a socially inept person. It is this subplot where the film reaches an exciting climax.

There are really two elements that contribute to this film - both audibly and visually. Director Finn Taylor deserves a lot of credit for integrating these elements into the film. From an audio standpoint, this film uses music perhaps as good as any film I have seen. The music will grip you and match up perfectly to the scenes. Perhaps the best example of this is when Zoe calls her missing cell phone and gets the stalker. The stalker responds by putting on the stereo and blasting Daryl Hall and John Oates' "Private Eyes" into the phone. The opening sequence (to the song "Cherish") is another good example of how music is integrated with a scene. From a video standpoint, one thing that really shines out is the setting for where Zoe is under house arrest. Zoe is confined to a large warehouse style apartment in a seedy part of San Francisco. The large warehouse apartment is the perfect setting for Zoe to battle her isolation for being under house arrest. Not only does the seedy section of San Francisco provide a great backdrop to the story, but the whole city provides one as well. Perhaps one of the best scenes of the movie is when Zoe "escapes" from her apartment to try to prove her innocence. There is a terrific scene of Zoe running through the streets of San Francisco to get back to her apartment before the bracelet monitoring catches her.

There are two "larger" name performers who have small roles in the movie. Jason Priestly has a very small role as Andrew, a man who Zoe takes an interest in. Pop singer, Liz Phair makes her film debut as Brynn - a woman who works in Zoe's office. However there is one other performance that stands out - Ricardo Gil. Gil plays Max - a disabled dwarf who lives downstairs in the same building as Zoe and befriends her. While Zoe can't go downstairs from her apartment, Max's disability prevents him from going up to see her - yet the two strike up a friendship.

This movie was released in 2002 and both the film and Tunney's performance went largely unnoticed in many circles. I've heard some complaints about the ending, yet I was satisfied with how the film wrapped up. This is a very good movie - and one that you certainly will watch multiple times.

Absolutely hypnotic on DVD w/ the sound up loud........2006-01-30

Saw it in the theatre a couple years ago & was not overly impressed. However, the DVD is great & the music grabs on & does not let go. Jason Priestly is a good sport. Robin Tunney needs that real breakthrough chance, but.... it does have everything an independent film needs. How did they get all those music clearances for the soundtrack ? Must have been a full time job in itself--- prior to filming.

I simply love this movie!.......2005-08-05

Mostly because of Robin Tunney. She really brought the character Zoe to life. She was so good at playng the way Zoe changed during the movie. I watch it most every day if I have time.She is stunningly beautiful, cute and sexy in it. (and in real life too) I have the VHS and plan to buy the DVD later (i wish it was double layer.) Buy this movie. You will watch it over and over. Some bad language was the reason for the R rating. Maybe they should re-release it in a PG-13 so younger people can enjoy it.

dopey, dingy, flakey, fluffy, but...enjoyable!.......2004-10-17

Enjoyable largely because of the gorgeous Robin Tunney in the lead role---she looks like a Slavic version of Helena Bonham Carter: huge doe-like eyes and childlike lips, but with smaller hips and a smaller, more girlish face...and surprisingly about the same level of actual acting ability.

The problem is that the film is really more like a made-for-TV flick which aspires to woo the MTV pubescent crowd, which means all the usual MTV fallbacks: an overactive camera, quick cuts, bright eye-catching colors, some PG-rated titillation, nice atmospheric soundtrack (all 70s and 80s pop, for some reason), and generally very shallow characters and non-existent subtext.

The plot is schizoid: it starts out as a fairly entertaining "Singles" type comedy, then turns into a melodrama, then ends up as a weak attempt at a thriller/action-flick. Things keep happening to keep the usual microscopic attention-spans occupied, but the suspension of disbelief required is simply outrageous.

All in all, as much as I groaned and rolled my eyes during the last one-third of the movie, it was sufficiently absorbing that I didn't once get up and go to the kitchen for more beer...not a bad achievement for such a fluffy thing!

Thank God they cast Ms. Tunney in the lead, though she is of course far too beautiful to make her nerdy love-starved character believable, but if it had been say a Kirsten Dunst I'm sure I would've been puking up my lunch halfway through it.

Guess you could say this is the cinematic equivalent of Cheetos.

If I could, I'd give Robin Tunney 10 STARS!.......2004-07-19

"Cherish" is a very entertaining movie about a lonely woman named Zoe (Robin Tunney) who, as a result of being carjacked by a stalker and framed for a crime, is placed under house arrest and forced to wear an ankle bracelet so that the police can monitor her whereabouts. The movie then becomes a brilliant character study as we watch Zoe try to cope with her isolation and eventually develop independence, all while trying to prove her innocence to Bill (Tim Blake Nelson), the deputy in charge of visiting her regularly to examine the ankle bracelet. This good dark comedy is made into a great one thanks to the incredibly powerful performances given by the actors, ESPECIALLY ROBIN TUNNEY!

I can't lavish enough praise on Robin Tunney for her brilliant portrayal as Zoe. I never really had an opinion on Ms. Tunney before "Cherish", as I usually saw her in forgettable movies like "Vertical Limit" and "The Craft", but she blew me away in this one. Robin nails all the necessary emotions. In one scene, I actually had to fight back tears as Robin's Zoe begs a delivery-man to stay with her because her isolation has left her so starved for company. In another scene, Robin's Zoe had me laughing hysterically as she tormented the tightly-wound Bill by roller-skating around her apartment while he tries to examine the bracelet. There are many other wonderful moments as well...the kind-hearted Zoe befriending the crippled man who lives below her...the once-weak Zoe becoming fiercely independent...it's impossible to not fall in love with Zoe. Robin Tunney grabs your attention as soon as she hits the screen and doesn't let go until the ending credits. Plus, there is the incredible chemistry between Robin's Zoe and Tim's Bill. In fact, according to the commentary, a growing romance between Zoe and Bill was originally not in the script, but was added in during filming because the director was so impressed by the chemistry between the two main actors. I guarantee you will be mesmerized by this movie.

So if I enjoyed watching this movie so much, why did I only give it 4 stars? Well, my biggest problem with this movie was that I felt it really fell apart in the last few minutes and had a very unsatisfying ending. As many of the other reviewers have mentioned, the "Zoe stalking her stalker" scenes were not nearly as interesting as what had happened before. And while I won't give away the ending, I'll say this... a key character does some completely illogical towards the end, and this leads to a disappointing ending. There was no reason for this character doing what they did, except that the director was apparently trying to go for a twist at the end. In fact, one of the people in the commentary mentions that every person who asks them about the movie asks why that character did that at the end. NOTE TO DIRECTOR: If everyone asks for someone to clear up the same point, then you didn't do a very good job conveying this on-screen.

Another problem is that while it's a very entertaining movie, it is also very uneven and inconsistant at times. You often wonder why characters are acting the way they are. A perfect example is when Bill defends Zoe after a police officer makes a rude comment to her...and then Zoe "thanks" bill by screaming at him and throwing him out...yet in their very next scene together, Zoe is warm and openly flirts with Bill...did we miss something that happened inbetween? And I the found it odd that at the beginning of the movie, Zoe was supposedly unable to keep a man around for longer than one date as they never called her back, yet every man who meets Zoe in this movie almost instantly falls in love with her??? The commentary reveals what I already suspected...a lot of this movie is improvised by the actors, and as a result, the movie feels uneven and it doesn't always flow well.

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Description

Get ready to fall in love with one of the year's most original films. Cherish is a roller-coaster romance about a woman accused of a crime she didn't commit. Computer animator Robin Tunney (Vertical Limit, The Craft) becomes the victim of a bizarre kidnapping that ends in the death of a policeman. Placed under house arrest until the trial, she has only one chance to prove her innocence and catch the killer. But first…she has to find a way out of her apartment! Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Jason Priestley ("Beverly Hills 90210") and Brad Hunt (Hart's War) co-star in this irresistible comedy about life, love, and getting locked up. With an energetic soundtrack featuring vintage music from the '70s and '80s, Cherish is a film you'll treasure forever.

Customer Reviews:

One terrific film that went unnoticed.......2006-04-24

Absolutely hypnotic on DVD w/ the sound up loud........2006-01-30

I simply love this movie!.......2005-08-05

dopey, dingy, flakey, fluffy, but...enjoyable!.......2004-10-17

If I could, I'd give Robin Tunney 10 STARS!.......2004-07-19

Customer Reviews:

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE..........2006-09-27

This very suspenseful film opens with a scene in which a woman (Linda Kozlowski) apparently dies in child birth, leaving behind a young son named Myron and a newborn baby. The viewer then sees Myron, who had been very attached to his mother, put a pillow over the baby's head, suffocating him to death.

The film then moves ahead about fifty years later to where a woman (Linda Kozlowski), a doppelganger for Myron's mother, and her husband buy an old house in a bucolic location. The house used to belong to their new neighbor's aunt. Their neighbor, Myron (Rod Steiger), seems to be very nice and helpful at first. It soon becomes clear, however, that there is something creepy about him. The woman senses it, but cannot place her finger on what it is that bothers her about Myron, who is an established obstetrician.

When it turns out that she is pregnant, Myron wants to be her doctor, but she declines, preferring a female doctor. Myron, however, continues to insinuate himself into her life, causing more uneasiness. It is an uneasiness that compounds itself, as those to whom she is close start having bad things happen to them. What happens to this woman ultimately becomes a fight for survival, for herself and for her unborn child, as Myron goes over the top in trying to have her all to himself.

Linda Kozlowski is exellent as the intelligent, determined woman who suspects the seemingly benign Myron of being someone other than what he appears. It is Rod Steiger who walks away with the film, however, as he is effectively disturbing in the role of Myron. He plays it straight and ends up making Myron into a most chillingly creepy character.

This is a genuinely suspenseful film that will keep the viewer glued to the screen.

Average customer rating:

"He uses his knife like a doctor who's gone mad."
Jack the Ripper with Poverty Row charm; not very good but endearing because it tries so hard
Jack "The Knife" Palance...
Ripper still at large!

Man in the Attic
Starring: Jack Palance , Constance Smith , Byron Palmer , Frances Bavier , and Rhys Williams
Director: Hugo Fregonese
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FFJYSE
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Customer Reviews:

"He uses his knife like a doctor who's gone mad.".......2006-07-28

The crimes of Jack the Ripper always make popular fodder for scriptwriters and authors--the attraction must be the heinous nature of his crimes combined with the fact that the Ripper murders were never solved. The film, "Man in the Attic" directed by Hugo Fregonese, focuses on the psychological aspects of the Ripper's crimes--rather than the gore.

When the film begins, the third Ripper murder has just taken place. All of London is in fear that the killer will strike again. A mysterious stranger named Slade (Jack Palance) arrives late at night in the fog to rent a room from a nice older couple--the Harleys (Francis Bavier and Rhys Williams). He rents a large bedroom and also takes the poky upstairs attic for his 'experiments'. He's in the room less than five minutes before he turns the paintings of various beautiful actresses over to face the wall, stating that their "eyes are following" him. Mrs. Harley is immediately suspicious, but her husband racks her fears up to "female hysteria." The fact that the family dog is keen on Slade gains the new lodger some trust.

Also living in the house is the Harleys' beautiful niece, actress Lily Bonner (Constance Smith). Her new dance show is about to open, and naturally Slade is invited to attend. Slade, who's a research pathologist, is an interesting character. He's quiet, softly spoken, and basically just wants to be left alone. He's also horribly touchy about the subject of the Ripper, and he has his own theories about the compulsion behind the crimes.

There's little dramatic tension here, and the English accents are awful. The film uses the excuse of Lily's stage career to include two full dance numbers, and they don't have much to do with the film but seem intended to give us an excuse to look at Lily prancing around half-dressed. There's nothing much new or exciting here, and the best scene occurs at the Black Museum when Slade almost faints when he sees the nooses used to execute famous murderers. Jack Palance--an actor doomed to be type-cast--makes the film worth watching--displacedhuman

Jack the Ripper with Poverty Row charm; not very good but endearing because it tries so hard.......2006-06-22

"Jack the Ripper...what a revolting, stupid name!" says Mr. Slade. He has every reason to be offended. Note that while elements of the plot are discussed, almost everything is laid out for the viewer in the film's first 15 minutes. It's 1888 and Jack has been at work off and on for several weeks. His victims are all women who have been entertainers at one time or another. Jack's knives leave messy leftovers.

Late one night with the London fog swirling around the gaslit streets, Mr. and Mrs. Harley (Rhys Williams and Frances Bavier) hear a knock on their door. It's a Mr. Slade (Jack Palance) who is answering their notice of a room to let. He not only takes the room but also their small, third floor attic. He needs it, he tells Mrs. Harley, so that he can conduct his experiments. Mr. Slade is a pathologist. He seems nice enough, the Harley's dog takes to him at once and he pays a month in advance. When he learns that the Harley's niece, Lily Bonner (Constance Smith), will be staying in the house, and that she is a showgirl on the stage, he is obviously distracted. Her act, Lily Bonner and Her Girls, is getting a lot of notice. We even get to see her do two full numbers. Prince Edward is seen clapping approvingly. But the swirling fog keeps blanketing the city, more women are found brutally cut to death, and Mr. Slade keeps returning home at very late hours. The police put every resource they can into the hunt. Queen Victoria makes it clear that no married man could be capable of such crimes and recommends that all bachelors be rounded up. The police investigation is led by Inspector Paul Warwick (Byron Palmer), a smart copper who is attracted to Lily as soon as he meets her. And it seems that Slade is attracted to Lily, too. He confesses to Lily that his unease and loneliness is due to his mother, a woman "incapable of love, only lust," who left home when he was a child. His father took ten years to drink himself to death with absinthe. "Did you ever see your mother again?" Lily asks Slade. Yes, he says. She'd become a street walker. I saw her once. We also have a sense of Slade's unbalanced torment. Often his late evenings are spent simply in lonely and unhealthy contemplation. "Sometimes I walk close by the river," he tells Lily. "The river is like liquid night flowing peacefully out to infinity." We know what's coming; there are no surprises. After a rousing night-time chase through London's damp streets, the last thing we see is the swirling waters of the Thames.

Oh, what a grade B hamfest this movie is. I mean that in a kind way because the movie is fun to watch. There are so many things wrong with it that the movie has a kind of endearing, well-intentioned amateurishness about it.

Jack Palance, young and tormented, with his small sunken eyes, prominent cheek bones, strong chin and heavy brow, does a credible job. So do Frances Bavier and Rhys Williams. But the rest of the cast...Byron Palmer as Inspector Warwick can scarcely act. He has a handsome, unformed face with a plump little mouth. The actress playing Daisy, the young maid in the Harley household, tries earnestly to do a good job. Variations of English accents come and go, and wobble around like the light from the oil lamps. "Asking" becomes "awsking" and "nasty" becomes "nawsty." The stunt double driving the horse-drawn carriage at the climax bears little resemblance to Palance. Constance Smith as Lily Bonner is not a natural singing entertainer. Her Girls are as ragged as dancers as Smith's English accent is. Some of the dialogue is so ripe it's just tasty. "You're the same as my mother," Slade shouts, "the same as all of them...mocking love and living for lust! Your beauty must be cut away!"

Why on earth buy this movie or watch it? Well, all these faults give it a kind of Poverty Row charm. The film is trying hard to be a Jack the Ripper psycho-thriller. The producers just couldn't round up the talent or the budget to come close, but they tried. It's a very close re-make, we're told, of the 1944 film, The Lodger," which starred Laird Cregar. There's also a good deal of nostalgia, in my opinion, around many of the old programmers from the Forties and early Fifties. Sure, this is a movie to watch while folding the laundry or paying bills. The price is right, so why not?

The DVD picture looks fine. There are no extras of any significance.

Jack "The Knife" Palance... .......2005-10-17

A mysterious pathologist named Slade (Jack Palance) takes a room in a boarding house in London, run by a woman (Frances "Aunt B" Bavier) and her husband. Of course, this happens during the infamous Jack The Ripper murder spree, which adds menace and suspicion to the proceedings. Slade not only takes a room, but also works on secret projects in the attic! He comes and goes like a shadow and stays out all night "working". Could he be the Ripper? Scotland Yard is stumped and 5,000 cops can't catch the fiend. Is he right under their collective noses? Palance is restrained and enigmatic as Slade. He is like a seething predator under a cloak of calm. I liked him in this. The story isn't historically correct, but is enjoyable enough for late night viewing...

Ripper still at large!.......2004-08-15

THE MAN IN THE ATTIC was the fourth film based on Marie Belloc-Lowndes' 1912 novel "The Lodger," a fictionalized account of Jack the Ripper. Alfred Hitchcock filmed it first as a silent and years later as a sound film, and English director Maurice Elvey surveyed it once in 1932.
This 1953 version, by Argentinean director Hugo Fregonese, is pure Hollywood hokum. The actors, who are supposed to be Victorian Londoners, sound more East St. Louis than East Side. The murders bear only the most superficial similarities to Ripper murders. In other words, the two that occur during film time occur in Whitechapel and the victims are women. Worst (if you're into historical accuracy), or best (if you're into entertainment value), are the two musical production numbers, which are pure 50's-era Hollywood schmaltz. The songs, "You're in Love" and "The Parisian Trot," were written by musical director Lionel Newman, whose score adds its weight in gold to the tense atmosphere.
Jack Palance stars as the mysterious young man who arrives late one night to rent rooms from an eccentric older couple. Palance plays Slade, a young pathologist who craves solitude, comes and goes at the oddest hours, and generally behaves in a manner that has everyone wondering where he was when the latest Whitechapel murder occurred. With his high, bony cheekbones and narrow, deep set eyes underneath a brooding brow the young Palance is able to convey sinister menace without softly hissing a line of dialogue. It's a good thing, too, considering the fluff he's surrounded with. The prettiest fluff sticks to young Constance Smith, a transcendentally naïve young woman, the daughter of Slade's landlord and a music hall star who at one point through a continental bump and grind at Prince Albert.
THE MAN IN THE ATTIC is too silly to be much of a thriller, although it does have its moments of high tension.

Average customer rating:

"He uses his knife like a doctor who's gone mad."
Jack the Ripper with Poverty Row charm; not very good but endearing because it tries so hard
Jack "The Knife" Palance...
Ripper still at large!

Man in the Attic
Starring: Jack Palance , Constance Smith , Byron Palmer , Frances Bavier , and Rhys Williams
Director: Hugo Fregonese
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0001OGV26
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Description

MAN IN THE ATTIC is the third adaptation of the psychological thriller, THE LODGER written by novelist Marie Belloc Lowndes in 1912. A young Jack Palance gives an outstanding rendition as the sinister-looking, secretive soft-spoken pathologist named Slade. His character plays a Jack the Ripper type and rents out a gloomy attic in the heart of London where he conducts odd experiments. All of the sudden, several women are turning up dead, all of them showgirls. The landlady suspects her lodger and is afraid for her dancer daughter, Lilly (Constance Smith). Bonus Features: Animated Menus| Chapter Selection| Photo Gallery Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 82 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1953; SRP - $9.99.

Customer Reviews:

"He uses his knife like a doctor who's gone mad.".......2006-07-28

Jack the Ripper with Poverty Row charm; not very good but endearing because it tries so hard.......2006-06-22