 Square Eyes
Television Reviews
Movie of the week, The Magnificent Ambersons, ABC, Sat, 3.30pm:
The story goes that this 60-year-old classic by Orson Welles was butchered in the editing by studio execs, who almost halved it from 148 minutes to just 88. It's still a sound tale about the decline of the landed gentry of the American midwest to a new industrial era. A young inventor is rebuffed when pursuing the hand of Isabel, and when he returns years later as a wealthy carmaker, Isabel's obnoxious son, George, blocks him once again. But George's comeuppance is coming. Despite the shredding, it's still a strong, passionate tale, and testament to Welles' innovative direction.
The Last Cigarette, SBS, Fri, 7.30pm:
A compelling doco about the culture of smoking and how strongly it has infiltrated the American way of life, especially via Hollywood. But then there are moments of pure farce, like the tobacco CEOs swearing to Congress that nicotine is not addictive - just eight years ago. They probably believe the Raelians have cloned a human too.
The Craft, Ten, Fri, 8.30pm:
A chick pack flick, headed by Neve Campbell, with shades of Stephen King's supernatural revenge epic Carrie. Four high school misfits turn into witches to torment their peers. But it soon turns into a nasty special effects marathon in which a story is the first sacrifice. The result is pure crap.
The Pixies, SBS, Sat, 10.05pm:
Hey kiddies and Cobain acolytes, pay attention. In the late 80s, well before Nirvana were credited with a fresh new sound, US trio The Pixies were blazing the trail. Even Kurt's new 'Teen Spirit' was a rip off of The Pixies style. This is a great doco, but alas leaves bassist Kim Deal (who later formed The Breeders with sister Kelly) out of the picture.
Forbidden Silver, SBS, Sat, 12.55am:
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson pays homage to the forgotten genius of pioneer Kiwi filmmaker Colin McKenzie. It's Spinal Tap meets Spielberg in a wonderful mockumentary that includes Sam Neill and Leonard Maltin.
Action! Animals. ABC, Sun, 7.30pm
Behind all those cute animals performing amazing acts in films there are animal wranglers like Mark Dumas, who trains bears, and Jim Chubb and his big cats. This is a wonderful doco, with much appeal for all ages.
Godzilla, Ten, Sun, 8.30pm
The charming thing about the cheesey 60s and 70s Japanese originals was their B Grade cheapness and blokes stomping around in rubber monster suits. This Hollywood version has impressive special effects, but maintains the tradition of appalling scripts and banal moralising.
Perfect, Prime, Sun, 8.30pm
This bad telemovie about a woman's obsession with the perfect marriage and the growing pile of skeletons in her closet is little more than trashy women's magazine fodder.
Drug Wars, ABC, Mon, 8.30pm
A four part series on the US 'war on drugs' that talks to both sides - traffickers and those chasing them. Of course even the might of the USA over 30 years, starting with Nixon, isn't enough to hold back the tide of a globalised multi-billion dollar industry.
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