Film & TV

Some old films don’t date well because they try to show too much and we know it is fake. This is not one of those.

This story is framed as a tale within a tale – Byron is visiting the Shelleys and Mary says that the story was going to continue.

The tone is set brilliantly with the introduction of the award that Eve, Anne Baxter, is about to win. The voiceover makes fun of the garish media coverage that muddies ‘other’ awards like the Pulitzer. This is a comedic drama.

From the moment this film opens it is magical. We are underwater – but not. Everything is moving like it is under water but it is the real world.

All the characters are well handled and everyone has agency. Maid Marion is a stand out here – she is no damsel in distress. Errol Flynn is great as Robin.

Blanche is all kinds of crazy – almost from the word go. The first real glimpse we get is the hysterical reaction to the loss of the family home. This is the background conflict of the plot and the instigating action of the story that occurs well before the film starts.

This film fits nicely alongside Shaun of the Dead. It’s a sci-fi comedy. But like Shaun of the Dead this is only for a particular audience.

The entire cast is probably around eight people and Sam (Sam Rockwell) is the only one in it for any length of time (read the entire film).

We are thrown in the deep end of this film having no idea of time or place. We don’t even have any idea who the characters are. We know who we should care about though as the lead is arrested on ridiculous charges. Possessing porno – The Sopranos.

We meet Katherine as a child and we immediately know that she is gifted. The way that the community rally around her and her parents is fantastic.