Raise the Red Lantern

Zhang Yimou, China, 1991 (8.7*)
In 20's China, nineteen-yr old Songlian, wonderfully played by Gong Li, China's best actress, is forced to marry a wealthy merchant after her father's death. The fifty-yr old 'Master', Jingwu Ma, already has three wives in a strictly ritualistic and traditional household. Each wife has her own home within the family compound, with the wives grouped together.

Each night he decides which wife to spend the night with, and the servants place a red lantern in front of that door. With favoritism from the master, wives gain more status within their own group, and of course any new wife is looked upon with suspicion and immediately jealousy. First Wife (Shuyuan Jin) tries to maintain her own superiority among the women; at least for seniority, her position can never be usurped. However, with each new wife, she risks losing more of the Master's favor, his time, and at the same time faces possible unions among her spousal rivals.

This is an interesting look at a culture not found in the west. As such, it was the first of Zhang Yimou's films to find large interest on our side of the planet. Add to that gorgeous cinematography, and the interest of women being considered little more than property in a patriarchal society, where their paths are chosen for them, and their lives are held under rigid and strict traditions, and you have a film that spoke of universal concerns and values.

Lantern won 15 awards, including 10 for best foreign film, a couple more went to the beautiful cinematography of Fei Zhao

For more of Zhang Yimou, see these reviews:
Hero (2002) China [my favorite]
House of Flying Daggers (2004) China
The Road Home (1999) China
To Live (1994) China [2nd favorite]
Not One Less (1999) China

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Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, 1991 (9.2*)
Documentary footage by Eleanor Coppola
Perhaps the most incredible film about the filmmaking process ever made, which was put together by Bahr and Hickenlooper using over 60 hours of Eleanor Coppola's footage that was shot to document husband Francis Ford's monumental effort to make his war classic Apocalypse Now!

We get to see behinds the scenes obstacles, such as how actor Martin Sheen almost died during filming, suffering a heart attack likely brought on by exhaustion. We see Francis wrestling with the ultimate statement of the film, the ending. In one revealing scene he says something to the effect of "I have this incredible journey on film without a destination, without a proper conclusion".

The production faced set-destroying typhoons, lack of financing, disease, and even at one point had their helicopters pulled by the Philippines military to use in fighting rebels. The fact that we have this film at all is really a minor miracle, as Coppola had to mortgage his own personal home to continue shooting.

This is a must-see documentary for all fans of the creative process in general, and filmmaking in particular. Along with Burden of Dreams, which followed Werner Herzog as he filmed Fitzcarraldo in the Brazilian jungle, one of the most moving testaments to a director's obsession with a personal project that simply must get filmed at all costs.

An excellent companion to this film is Eleanor's book "Notes", a non-fiction journal kept daily during the filming.

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Defending Your Life

Albert Brooks, 1991 (8.6*)
I’ve always liked Albert Brooks (whose real name is Albert Einstein!) and his understated humor; as an actor he can sometimes grate on you, but his screenplays can sometimes be both touching and funny, like this one (and The Muse). It’s the afterlife, everyone arrives in Judgment City, and an insecure Brooks must defend his life in a courtroom, with Rip Torn as his grouchy attorney, and it doesn’t seem to be going so smoothly, as you have to prove you had conquered fear. The prosecution selects from 3 to 7 days of your life to illustrate that you haven't. Meanwhile, he meets Meryl Streep, happy and pretty even after death, and she seems to be having a much easier time defending herself, which adds to Brooks’ insecurity. This is both a comedy and a romance, a very unique look at the afterlife, and a small gem of a fantasy.

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Beauty and the Beast

Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, 1991 (9.1*)
Best Musical/Comedy Picture (GG)
This is the animated Disney version, and one of their best animated films ever. Much of the design for the animation movement mimics camerawork on early Hollywood musicals, which is appropriate since this also has some songs that are very well integrated into the plot, which is basically about a trapped princess who falls in love with a "beast of a man". This was the first animated film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and is a treat for kids and adults both. Three songs were nominated for Oscars, a first. Two Oscars (Music Score and Song)

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City Slickers

Dir: Ron Underwood, 1991 (8.1*)
Three bored urban friends, Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, and Bruno Kirby, sign up for a "dude ranch" cattle drive vacation. The fun starts when they meet Curly, played by Oscar winner Jack Palance, in a satire of his outlaw gunfighter roles, like Shane; and he hates greenhorn tenderfoots on the trail. Josh Mostel and David Paymer are hilarious as take-offs on Ben & Jerry of ice cream fame, who get their kicks thinking of different flavors for dessert after certain foods. There are also the usual bad guys so you'll know it's a western. Helen Slater provides the romantic interest, see quote below. Hilarious dialogue in parts, down a star for a slow plot. One Oscar
Quote: That’s not ‘good night’ – that’s ‘I love your ass, I’d like to wear it for a hat’! (Kirby)

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The Silence of the Lambs

Dir: Jonathan Demme, 1991 (9.8*)

Best Picture (AA)

AFI Top 100

One of the great all-time crime films, truly horrific stuff, from the Thomas Harris novel. Jody Foster is a fledgeling FBI agent under the tutelage of veteran Scott Glenn, investigating a series of murders of women whose skin is partially cut away. They seek the help of mass murderer (now in a prison asylum) Hannibal the Cannibal, brilliantly and deviously portrayed by Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins, in his best, most ravenous part. All these characters click together, as does Ted Levine covorting by himself as the killer, in a chillingly psychotic portrayal. Terrific pacing, editing, tightly crafted; unforgettable stuff, not for the squeamish. Unfortunately, the sequels, Red Dragon and Hannibal, never captured the mood or the feel of the original. It won the big five Oscars: Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay. 5 Oscars

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Terminator 2: Judgment Day

James Cameron, 1991 (8.6*)
You want mind-blowing computer graphic effects and adrenalin pumping action? Here it is, a much better sequel than original thanks to special effects and mucho money poured into this. Arnold Scwartzenegger returns in the mind blowing film, this time to protect John Conner (Edward Furlong, an unknown in his first film), and his mother Sarah, again played by Linda Hamilton, same role as the first, but she's much tougher and has a weapon's cache this time around.

There's also a new bad terminator (Robert Patrick) to add more special effects to the mayhem, as this one can mimic any matter or even liquify as needed; unique and freaky stuff (I liked it when he was a linoleum floor). The pace is terrific, as well as humor, as this film doesn't take itself as seriously as some sf films. 4 Oscars

Quote: Hasta la vista, ... baby!

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