Movie Diary 6/11/2012

Rock of Ages (Adam Shankman, 2012). The director of Hairspray grazes over into John Waters territory more than you’d expect in this musical featuring some terrible Eighties music. I’m pretty sure it’s a spoof of itself. (full review 6/15)

Sapphire (Basil Deardon, 1959). Interesting period piece mixing up race with murder in a London where whites-only establishments were still maintained. A few Stanley Kramer-esque moments, but still effective.

Major Barbara (Gabriel Pascal, 1941). Some oddball things happen when a great playwright’s work is respectfully adapted for the screen, and this is an oddball movie. Can’t complain about Wendy Hiller or Robert Newton or the rest of the cast, though.

At What a Feeling!, a vintage review of Bertrand Tavernier’s Death Watch, starring Romy Schneider and Harvey Keitel, a movie that fell through the cracks (but is currently being revived in London).