By Robin E. SImmons
NOW PLAYING:
INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE
As America’s Independence Day nears, it’s not all a celebration of fireworks, picnics and hot dogs. Thanks to satellite engineer Dave Larson (Jeff Goldblum in fine form), the big news is that a gargantuan, 3,000 mile-wide space ship is approaching earth. This news is pretty much déjà vu for all the good but rightfully frightened citizens of our home planet. Who can forget that only 20 years earlier (my, how time flies) the nations of the world created a coalition to fight an alien invasion now, recovered extraterrestrial technology has been retro-fitted and adapted by a huge, global defense program. Some of the players from that 1996 battle are back and now as the the alien invaders attack with apocalyptic ferocity, the former U.S. President (Bill Pullman) makes an appearance but clearly the aliens have been messing with his brain. Now teams of scientists and brave fighter pilots spring into action to try and rescue our planet from what appears to be a vicious and invincible enemy.
Co-writer (five writers are credited) and director Roland Emmerich is a master of creating big-screen end-of-the-world mayhem. I guess for 20 years now, we always knew they’d come back. I loved the art of this film and the painterly chaotic images of fire and smoke and panic. The swift action is persistent and the alien creatures are menacing and huge. I see a lot of artist H. Giger in the design of the invaders but I was hoping there’d be more communication with them. One pretty young actress that stands out is Maika Monroe. Judd Hirsh is back spewing Yiddishisms and it’s nice to see Sela Ward as our current President. Ace pilot Will Smith is not back in this sequel but his character’s son is. The notion of extinction and “end of days” pervades religious and environmental issues and movies that give vividly crafted narration to this modern mythology connect with us on an almost spiritual level. The big, unanswerable questions of “are we alone?” and “what if we’re not?” will always get our attention in real life and in movies and novels. Maybe we all need to be reminded we are one species and this is the only home we have. Not a great movie, but a fun diversion on a hot summer day.
NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER:
APOINTMENT WITH CRIME (1947)
This stylish often-overlooked British noir makes its Blu-ray debut this month. While American film noir draws heavily from German expressionism, some cinema scholars have pointed to French poetic realism as the greater inspiration to the style of British film noir, almost a sub-genre unto itself, however small. The heightened aestheticism that defined poetic realism is vividly present in this 40’s film directed by John Harlow, starring William Hartnell (the first actor to play “Dr. Who”), Beverly Beatty, Joyce Howard, Raymond Lovell and the always-watchable Herbert Lom (Peter Sellers police chief nemesis in the “Pink Panther” series). Olive Films. Blu-ray
I’LL TAKE SWEDEN (1965)
This vintage Bob Hope feature from the 60s attempted to appeal to a younger demographic and at the same time create a “socially relevant” movie. As luck would have it, this was a well-meaning misfire in both of those categories. This film has gone down in cinema history as ultimate 1960’s camp. Among those attempts to be relevant, the film features former teen idols Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon as hip young people and at the same time push contemporary hot-button issues of premarital sex in a “free-love” culture.
Today’s audiences point to several of the film’s elements as prime sources of campy delight. I love how Bob Hope always appears either with a hat or under strategically cast shadows to conceal his receding hairline. The locations are obviously not Swedish. Recognizable California scenery is clearly front and center as are the visible boat registrations. But in the end, it’s really the accumulation of goofy one-liners and the corny musical numbers. 
But for some reason, this film retains a weird, albeit irresistible charm in spite of the out-of-touch themes. It’s fun to watch former PS resident Hope do his thing in this first time on Blu-ray title. And of course Tuesday Weld was never lovelier. Olive Films. Blu-ray.
Comments? RobinESimmons@aol.com
