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Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Forever Marilyn Box Set (Blu-ray)

July 25, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Jane Russell, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis
Director: Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Jean Negulesco
Running Time: 395 mins
Certificate: PG
Release Date: July 23rd 2012

Was Marilyn Monroe a good actress? In my opinion no (although she desperately wanted to be), as her range was extremely limited. But what she had in spades was star charisma; an inexplicable power to make you watch and empathise with her on screen. It’s this, as well as her iconic look, tragic story and untimely death that has ensured she has become a legend, with many believing she’s more famous now, 50 years after her death, than she was when she was alive. With that sad anniversary arriving on August 5th, Fox has released the Forever Marilyn Blu-ray box set, which includes four of her most famous films – Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How To Marry A Millionaire.

To be honest, it’s only Some Like It Hot that can be considered a true classic, as it’s likely the other three would be largely forgotten if it weren’t for the presence of Marilyn. Gentlemen and Millionaire in particular are the lightest of light comedies. Indeed it’s an odd fact that like many actresses of her era, she’s more famous than the films she starred in – after all, everyone knows Monroe’s face, but most have seen few, if any, of her films. [Read more…]

The Lost Weekend (Blu-ray)

June 23, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva
Director: Billy Wilder
Running Time: 96 mins
Certificate: PG
Release Date: June 25th, 2012

Back in 1945, vaguely realistic depictions of addiction on screen weren’t just a rarity, they were pretty much unheard of. However, coming off the success of Double Indemnity, writer-director Billy Wilder decided that the time was ripe to adapt Charles R. Jackson’s novel about alcoholism, The Lost Weekend, for the big screen. It certainly worked, as Wilder won Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for the movie.

Ray Milland plays Don Birnam, who’s supposed to be giving up the booze and heading off for the weekend with his straight-laced brother, Wick. However the lure of the liquor proves too much and Wick gives up on helping his brother, leaving Don’s girlfriend, Helen (Jane Wyman), to deal with him. This is the start of a four day binge, where Don’s desperation for alcohol becomes ever greater. He harbours ideas of being an author, but blames his alcoholism of writer’s block, and it’s gotten so bad he even hocks his typewriter to get more whiskey. [Read more…]

Double Indemnity (Blu-ray)

June 22, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Tom Powers
Director: Billy Wilder
Running Time: 107 mins
Certificate: PG
Release Date: June 25th, 2012

The likes of The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, The Night Of The Hunter and other films have claims to being the greatest film noir, but for me it’s Double Indemnity. It’s a true masterpiece of a film, which truly grasps all the things that made noir great (indeed it created many of them, as this was a very early entry to the ‘genre’), from fast-paced hard-boiled dialogue and femme fatales to chiaroscuro lighting, a duplicitous protagonist and wry narration.

Fred MacMurray (who other than this is largely synonymous with comedy) plays insurance salesman Walter Neff, who turns up on the doorstep of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), hoping to sign up her husband for some protection. However Phyllis has other ideas. After an initial flirtation, she slowly reveals a plan to sign her hubby up for a massive life insurance policy that pays double if he dies on a train, and then kill him. Using her highly sexual feminine wiles, she hooks Walter in to help her with her scheme. It’s a complicated plan, but Walter believes they can pull it off and then he and Phyllis can be together, but things get ever more difficult. [Read more…]

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