Watched: 02/03/2023
Format: Amazon Watch Party
Viewing: First
Director: Harmon Jones
So, to my complete surprise, I liked this movie semi-unironically.
I found it weird that this movie starred fairly big names for the time. Not huge stars, but knowable names and more than one of them. It has Raymond Burr, Lee J. Cobb, a young Lee Marvin, Cameron Mitchell (before he spiraled into camp), and Anne Bancroft here to remind you she is, indeed, a very good idea. I was not familiar with Charlotte Austin, who plays the virginal character, but who could scream like crazy and had great hair (and was in another gorilla movie in 1958 called The Bride and the Beast, penned by Ed Wood Jr.).
At around the 70% mark of the movie, I think it was Jenifer who pointed out "this is gorilla noir", and she was not wrong. This is absolutely murder mystery noir, set against the backdrop of a carnival, with a gorilla as a character, and plenty of intrigue to go around. The movie is knowing enough that it constantly plays with expectations, and I had no idea how this thing would wrap up until the end.
It's also, visually, very interesting. Shot at Nu Pike Amusement Park in Long Beach. I thought it was the same location as Woman on the Run/ Gun Crazy and others, and was very wrong. My takeaway is that California had some great amusement options in the 20th century. (The Burglar was filmed in New Jersey, so I was way off there.) But as something shot originally for 3D presentation, and in bright technicolor, it's a fascinating bit of visual cotton candy, including a dynamic scene with a mirror maze (that I'm not clear on how it was shot without showing the crew standing behind the camera, tbh).
It's not challenging the AFI Top 100 as an underserved, underseen classic, but it's *interesting*. Including the bizarre decisions that led to the finale.
Sorry I missed this event, but I'll have you know this was shown on Houston's KPRC to GREAT FANFARE in a 3-D version at some point around 86-88 I'd guess. 3-D glasses were available in the Sunday "Houston Chronicle" and expectations were HIGH, HIGH I tell you.
ReplyDeleteI, of course, recorded this masterpiece to VHS so that I could experience the GLORY of 3D on my own later on.
Nathan C also recalls this event! I was in Austin at the time, and didn't have the big summer TV stunts like this (or endless re-runs of Godzilla movies). I did take the night off work to watch "Hondo" circa 1991 with Margaret from my Spanish class I'd run into at her job and somehow we got spun up about a 3D movie on TV.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to see this in 3D! I am going to use The Secret and attract the movie to me.
Ahem, I believe it was I who said Gorilla Noir, or perhaps Ape Noir.
ReplyDeletecredit where it's due!
ReplyDelete