Grand Prix

Dir: John Frankenheimer

1966

****

John Frankenheimer's formula 1 epic is as spectacular to watch now as it was back in 1966. There are many things to enjoy about the movie but it is the amazing race footage that really makes it stand out.  Grand Prix was one of the first films to develop cutting edge vehicle-mounted camera technology and most of the race footage comes from real race cars (formula 3 cars made to look like formula 1), driven by world class drivers including Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham and Phil Hill. Each shot is stunning, brilliantly composed and exciting. Add the interplay of the great Saul Bass' montages and split-screen shots and Grand Prix is incredibly striking. The camera is never slowed or sped up, the break-neck speed of the cars is real and for the first time, the viewers were put into the seat of a racing car and almost experienced what it was like for the driver. The film's intended suspense, thrill and anticipation are heightened because of it and I can't think of any other film that has the same effect, other than C'était un rendez-vous which came a decade later. The editing is sublime, especially considering the action switches from intense to slow at regular succession. This really captures the highs and lows of being an international driver, which is of course the point of the story. There are four main characters to the film; the American driver (James Garner) hoping to be as great as he once was amid a poor reputation, A British driver (Brian Bedford) battling against himself following a return to racing after a near-death crash, a French driver (Yves Montand) coming close to retirement and a young Italian driver (Antonio Sabato), an arrogant rookie living in the shadow of his racing partner. You could say these are all stereotypes but when you look at the history of racing they are quite accurate representations, not just of the people but of the obsession, the risk-taking and the depression that comes when they're not racing. The film also features the brilliant Eva Marie Saint, Jessica Walter and Toshiro Mifune, in a rare appearance in a western film. The story mirrored what was happening in the real world of racing, with many drivers either driving the cars or appearing as characters in the film. At the time driving was far more dangerous than it is now, so tragedy was very much a big and important side of the story. Drivers Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Joakim Bonnier, Bruce McLaren and Jo Siffert all featured in the film and all of them would die in racing accidents within five years of the film's release, making the film even more poignant and relevant. My only criticism is that I believe it is too long. While I think it is has some of the best editing in a film ever, I also believe that certain scenes (generally the non-racing footage) are overlong and don't bring any further value to the film. It's still probably the best racing film of all time though.

Reindeer Games (AKA Deception)

Dir: John Frankenheimer

2000

**

A laughable action film that was actually quite entertaining in its ridiculousness. It's also rather sad, as this was the last feature film from the legendary director John Frankenheimer. Indeed, Charlize Theron once said in an interview that it is the worst film she's ever been in, she just wanted to work with the great man. A sad swan song indeed. Apart from Die Hard (everyone's favourite alternative Christmas film) there aren't many action films to associate with the festive season. However, as mindless and predictable as Reindeer Games is, I think the real reason it failed was because it's release date was put back from Dec 1999 to February 2000. No one wants to watch anything even vaguely Christmassy in February. It's fairly moronic, tune in, turn off as they say but it does have its moments of fun. Its real problem, apart from the dodgy acting, is the fact that you can see the 'plot-twist' coming from a mile away. Good cast, poor performances. 1998's Ronin should be regarded as Frankenheimer's final film and we should all try and forget that this film ever happened. I'm sure Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck have.

Black Sunday
Dir: John Frankenheimer
1977
****
The clever, and somewhat unnerving, thing about John Frankenheimer's 1977 disaster thriller is that rather than rooting for the good guy (Robert Shaw as an anti-terrorist intelligence officer) the audience sympathies with and almost backs the bad guy, an unhinged and suicidal Good Year blimp pilot who wants to die and take as many innocent people with him (played brilliantly by Bruce Dern). This seems to be a theme with Richard Harris stories, while Bruce Dern's Michael Lander is no Hannibal Lector, he has been wronged and his actions are a horrific result of government wrong-doing and bad treatment towards him after his release from a Vietnam prison camp. His madness even disturbs his partner, a devout terrorist played by Marthe Keller and so his story is easily the most interesting element of the film, rather than the Blimp plot. I wouldn't say you want him to get away with it (crashing the Good Year Blimp into the Super Bowl) but during the era of disaster films, you'd be lying if you said you didn't want to see at least something spectacular and Black Sunday certainly delivers. This makes it an uneasy film to watch, especially when it is based on the very real Black September group, Bruce Dern's character is so well written and amazingly performed, the viewer really can't help but look at themselves when the reality is that they want the bad guy to win and to see the Good Year Blimp cause as much damage as possible. Certain darker scenes, particularly the test run scene, will bring the viewer back down to earth pretty quickly but the stories provocative nature will stick with you long after the film is over. It's a very dark film somewhat disguised as a 70's disaster thriller. It's brilliant, very overlooked but a huge influence on film makers since.

The Manchurian Candidate
Dir: John Frankenheimer
1962
*****
Some argue that John Frankenheimer's adaptation of George Axelrod's novel isn't a pure one but I would argue that everything that is Frankenheimer's is an addition, rather than an omission. The visuals are nothing short of stunning. So many scenes stand out but the Garden Tea party/Communist seminar has to be the most effective in what is a very serious satire. On paper it's ridiculous, and it is ridiculous but it does go some way to show just how politics and the way people think and are lead to believe things can often be far from sensible. It's possibly one of the greatest, albeit alternative, Coldwar films of all time. Frank Sinatra had the film reinstated in 1987 as a helpful reminder should anyone miss the message, a message that should always be in the public's collective conscious. It's so much more than just political paranoia, conspiracy or assassinations either, it's one big satirical and subliminal masterpiece and the king of thrillers.