By now readers should be familiar with the annual AMF.  Most years I head down (since 2006) to Boston by bus.  Concord Trailways goes from Concord to South Station.  Half an hour and free parking to Concord.  Free coffee and an hour and a half later I am at South Sation ($24 round trip-same day). AND I am few short blocks to Chinatown.

This year the tourists were more in evidence as were the desperate and homeless.  Despite a dissapointing lunch, the trip was a success.  The weekend happened to co-incide with a tax holiday in Mass.  I added to my chopstick collection—including a pair of stainless steel sticks.  I also my usual haunt, China Arts on Tyler Street.  This cramped trinket shop specializes in DVDs and other music/movie permutations.  For almost $160 I got 30 plus movies, including two free for being such a whoop ass spender.

Future write ups will concentrate on the movies themselves.  But a few observations.

There is  a shift to the bargain range.  No doubt a result of world economic stumble.  Packaging has gone from plastic to paper.  There should be no shortage of material—-amateur, old stock not yet in DVD format, and commercial production should allow a steady flow to the Couch Potatoes and Couch Noodles here and abroad.

Beyond operas, porn, ans soaps, the Chinese are catching up on the “What we did in WW2 and against the Nationalist” movie genre.  With war going from 1931 to 1945/49 and then the Korean war, there are plenty of themes, events, and tales to tell.  Almost all unknown the self absorbed West.

Slick, the Chinese are getting very sophisticated and edgy in their movie production.  With money to burn, China has begun to challenge India as top movie producer.  Look out for more, and we are not talking about Chinese Popeye either.

“Great” movies rarely remake themselves in the same glory and majesty as the original production.  King of Kings plays equally well in 1961 as did in 1927 when the always pedestal bound Cecil B. deMille “made” it.

deMille’s production (screened at Wilton Town Hall Theater) had zebras, harlots, and black and white to color.  The movie was long by even today’s standards, but Jeff Rapsis played the scenes (on his do everything electric keyboard) with gusto, fury, and stamina–lots of stamina.  Unfortunately the crowd was less than hoped due to the “religious nature” of the film.  Jeff also emceed–laying out front office information and back story with humor and celerity.  The 1961 version is no small thing.  As 1961 was at the height of the Hollywood big budgets this production was big, bold, and beautiful.  Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Ryan lead the cast of multitudes.  Both are well worth the time and effort to see.

Currently I am in a dispute with Military Issue, a mail order outfit that sells real cool military stuff (books, videos). That got me to think about mail order versus in person purchasing.  Yes in person is more time consuming (among other things), but there is no question about what is paid for.  A great example is a DVD I picked up years ago.  I am pretty sure I paid a buck and think I got it at Walmart or a Goffstown Discount Place–by the old Sara restaurant.

I brought it for Zulu, an old, old favorite from when TV was a limited and precious resource and when videos meant renting–not buying.  But I watched the second feature Flame Over India with distinct glee.  Memories of late Saturday nights or lazy Sunday afternoons came back–exotic locales, rousing action, oh to travel far and away.  There are still other movies, lost in the deep recesses of my mind, that only viewing will bring back.  I’m pretty sure the costs will be much more than the $1…and I saw Flame over India (Northwest Frontier) going for $12 recently.

An old friend, Jeff Rapsis (Dangerous Crosswinds), has been a fan of silent films for many, many years, Back in the 1970’s he entertained the Spring Street Junior High crowd with his imitations of Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin,  Since then Jeff has made great success in media, arts, and humanitarian causes.

For the last few years Jeff, with help from fellow enthusiasts and supporters, has run in NH a series of silent films for the public’s viewing pleasure.  The experience of watching a silent film in an old theater as it was meant to be seen (with Jeff at the piano playing ORIGINAL works) is truly a fantastic sensation of simpler times and community bonding.

Donations are encouraged for defraying the costs involved.

(I will list the movies and particulars, but check www.Hippopress.com for more information)

Palace Theatre 80 Hanover Street Manchester NH Mondays 7PM

April 5th “The Sea Hawk” (1924) Swashbuckling action, so good that some fo the footage ended up in Errol Flynn’s 1940 remake.

May 10th “Greed” (1924)  Originally 10 hours long, now just a modest 2 1/3 hours.  Money, and the boneheaded reactions its causes.

Wilton Town Hall Theatre  Main Street Wilton NH Sundays 430pm

March 28th (Palm Sunday) “King of Kings” (1927) Cecil B. DeMille and all the pageantry and “casts of thousands”—more extras than a Hearst run.

April 25th TBA–Comedy

May 30th “The Last Command” (1928) The world was between world wars when this one came out.  Old battles and emotions are re-fought–even in black and white, there is a lot of grey.

Late night weekend TV in the 1970’s had classics–film noir and such from the 1930s to the 1960s.  Among the movies seen were So Proudly We Hail, Bataan, A Night at The Opera, and Flying Tigers.

Flying Tigers is classic propaganda as classic history in film.  As a kid I saw it as gospel truth and right up to the 1990’s The American (Gothic) Myth was to be respected. not questioned.  Alas there is a whole litany of “ifs, ands, buts, and you would not believe” in this film.

Before getting out the machette, let me say that the film is cool, neat, and awesome now and way back when—a timeless example of guts and glory, both an inspiration and public manipulation.

The story, and the myth (for some still the truth), is about a ragtag bunch of mercenary American fliers defending poor, helpless China from the nasty Japs in the days before Pearl Harbor and America’s forced entry into World War 2.  Typically John Wayne is the lead leader.  There is the blond love interest and some reckless swashbuckling underlings.

First let’s blast the myth.  True the Flying Tigers did exist.  The Americans were the last of many nationalities (including Russians and Germans!!!) who over the years were “the Chinese air force” despite half a billion Chinese as a flight candidate pool—such were things in the Middle Kingdom.

Unhappily despite being trumpted as “fighting Japs before America got into war”, the Tigers were actually one of the last to get into the fray.  Not until December 20, 1941 were shots first fired.  That is just about a  full two weeks after Pearl Harbor.  To add to the blush, the Tigers were still organizing in Burma when the war came.  Lots of confusion resulted in lost equipment, further surprise attacks visited upon the Tigers, and not enough coordination with the ruling British who had been at war since 1939.

Were the Tigers an inspiration? Did they keep the hope alive in Asia?  Yes on both accounts.  Much portrayed did happen–like the ruthless bombing of citizens.  Unfortunately the Allies picked up such nasty habits.

Beyond the above I recently noticed the apparent similarity to another movie.  Picture a far off place with exotic names as exotic as Hong Kong, Rangoon, Kunming, and Lashio was for the folks in the 1940s.  Also picture a titanic struggle against an evil empire with a pitiful band of brave fliers.  Add such phrases as “attacking the bridge with bombers would get slaughtered, but with single fighters”.  Figure the hotshot loser comes back to save the day.  Smells lots like Star Wars.  Even the final scene has rousing music just like the final scene in Star Wars.  Yes, it is different—but more similar if you follow the logic. Give both movies a see.

When I first started this blog, I wrote a post called “They should have known” about the portrayal of Nazi concentration camps prior to their “discovery” at the end of World War 2.  Imaginary Witness explores Hollywood and the Holocaust both before and after.  Like anything Holocaust related, the subject matter is heavy, dark, and disturbing.

I found that this documentary danced about the responsibility question (and did not even make mention of the movies I commented upon).  Much time and effort was devoted to post-war portrayals–all well and good–but not tackling the before and during phases.

The documentary gave a glancing nod to “the American Holocaust” by refering to the miniseries “Roots“.  I found that token case of  home made holocaust misleading.  The 130 years of shooting wars against Indians more fits the genocide model than the years of slavery and oppression.

But given the strength, power, and influence of the Holocaust Publicity Machine–the Holocaust is pretty much a propriety trademark as well as vast human tragedy.

This is a movie to see.  The message is clear, even if garbled in its own nuanced way.  This is a turning point as portrayals went from in your face horror (1945) to never forget (1970s) to deeper reflection (today) where little details–like US anti-Jewish actions—were before silently excused, respectfully omitted, and repeatedly forgotten in Holocaust portrayals.

Robert Downey, Jr. has had a rocky road to fame and fortune.  He was alright in such 80’s fare as Weird Science.  Air America was a movie that expanded Downey’s repertoire.  Paired with Mel Gibson, Downey played the naive new kid on a very oriental block.

  But Chaplin was his masterpiece.  Having seen only the trailers, Holmes seems to be this decade’s Downey masterpiece.  Downey seems to be in a perpetual struggle with his demons—but put him in a persona of a British great and he transforms to greatness.  I’d love to see him title role biopics for Lloyd George, Benjamin Disreali, and William Pitt.  Perhaps he could even Bram Stoker.  That would be cool.