Saturday, March 24, 2007

The 10th Victim


The paper he is showing her reads, in 4 languages, "I am a victim".
She is Ursula Andress, at the top of her game, he is Marcel Mastrontoni, very skilled but very distracted. Yes, this is the remake of "Mr and Mrs Smith", which starred the equally good looking Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Oh wait, this came out in the 60s. And it is set in the future. Still. And the story was written by Robert Sheckley, not a hollywood hack sipping a decaf Americano pitching Pepsico.
This movie is prescient black humor, starring two scenery chewing leads who never get in each others way. As old as this film is it has homages of it's own, to Fellini and Dr No and probably a dozen others.
That is no match for the number of films that owe this one, to include the aformentioned Smith's, Running Man, Battle Royal, Logan's Run, et cetera et cetera...
Yeah, it watches like another groovy 60's show, but man oh man does it hit the target. Except for the bad fights, poor sound and loud red blood '60's films are generally fun to watch.This one is even better.
The one hand to hand fight is pretty well choreographed, the sound is fab--yeah, look at the picture above--those are two sax players on black cubes playing the soundtrack in full view.(apparently there is Something About Mary)..and there is no blood.
There is plenty of smarts, charisma and great dialog throughout. Like Bladerunner 20 years later it drops you in and explains nothing directly. Sublime and Recommended.

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