{"id":7143,"date":"2013-10-13T16:05:12","date_gmt":"2013-10-13T20:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mondomark.com\/wordpress\/?p=4415"},"modified":"2013-10-13T16:05:12","modified_gmt":"2013-10-13T20:05:12","slug":"still-a-sexy-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/?p=7143","title":{"rendered":"Still a Sexy Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Don't anger the Warrior Bunny.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The most indelible memory from Sexy Beast<\/a><\/strong> [M<\/a>] (2000) is Ben Kingsley\u2019s over-the-top performance, but it\u2019s actually a warped memory because there are only a handful of moments when as Don Logan he becomes a human bulldog, lurching and barking at poor Ray Winstone, with the latter giving what\u2019s probably his finest understated performance as a lovable safe-cracker who just wants to be left the fuck alone in his Spanish villa, enjoying his little pocket of peaceful paradise.<\/p>\n

Gal is perfectly content roasting his pale British complexion under the Spanish sun, turning beet red and packing ice-chilled washcloths on his \u2018front bottom\u2019 to protect the crown jewels.<\/p>\n

Even after Don arrives, there\u2019s no shouting<\/em>. Plenty of C-words, but no need for early lambasting because the scenes preceding Don\u2019s arrival make up a series of darkening contrasts as Gal’s paradise is punctured first by notice of Don\u2019s arrival, and then the utter fear that takes over the two best-buddy couples, and what should\u2019ve been another fun dinner in town.<\/p>\n

The best examples of Kingley\u2019s forgotten modulated performance \u2013 it is in fact very modulated \u2013 include a scene where he sits like an angry punk Buddha while the quartet sip their raw booze in silence; and his quiet statement to Gal \u2018Why are you swearing? You don\u2019t hear me swearing.\u2019 Don\u2019s a monster, but also a fascinating study of a bully whose ruinous path ends only when there\u2019s a group action that\u2019s appropriately cathartic (if not a little evocative of The Hills Have Eyes<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

I still think the late Cavan Kendall, playing Gal\u2019s twitchy yet funny friend Aich steals the film, as do actresses Amanda Redman and Julianne White who thankfully are not bimbos. As Julie Kirgo observes in her essay that accompanies Twilight Time\u2019s Blu-ray edition, Sexy Beast<\/strong> is unusual for celebrating the romances of the two couples \u2013 both groups are mature characters enjoying their slice of paradise with kid-like glee.<\/p>\n

The best scene in the film \u2013 and this is wholly biased on my part \u2013 is Gal relaxing in a chair, puffing a cigar, watching wife Dede approach, and there\u2019s nothing but devotion between the pair \u2013 underscored by a perfect use of Henry Mancini\u2019s \u201cLujon<\/a>,\u201d a cue from the 1959 LP Mr. Lucky Goes Latin<\/strong>. It\u2019s vintage exotica, but it captures that fantasy everyone wants \u2013 a good life, with good friends, good food, and good times \u2013 and by establishing Gal\u2019s idyllic life so well in the first 10 minutes, you the viewer are as shattered as the characters when Don and his bullet head take over.<\/p>\n

My review of Twilight Time\u2019s BR is up, and the label just announced another batch of releases for January \/ February of 2014:<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jan. 21:<\/p>\n

KHARTOUM (1966)<\/p>\n

ZULU (1963)<\/p>\n

MAN IN THE DARK (1953) 3D<\/p>\n

CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (1989)<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jan. 22nd:<\/p>\n

TITUS<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feb. 11th:<\/p>\n

THE FRONT (1975)<\/p>\n

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT (1974)<\/p>\n

THE BLUE MAX (1966)<\/p>\n

THE EDDY DUCHIN STORY (1956)<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Man in the Dark<\/strong> is reportedly the first 3D feature released by a major studio (Columbia). Interesting Sony went so far to make a 3D transfer on Blu but hold back from their own BR release. I wonder what they\u2019re up to, since Sony does make their own 3D TVs.<\/p>\n

Perhaps their decision to license the title to TT is a sign of the studio-protracted 3D craze is finally descending to a more realistic level (not everyone likes it, nor wants to pay more for it in cinemas), or the studio is going ahead with the restoration of its 3D catalogue, but releasing just its top titles on its own label.<\/p>\n

The appearance of Woody Allen\u2019s Crimes and Misdemeanors<\/strong> and The Front<\/strong> will be a welcome to the director\u2019s fans, but I hope TT is ready for the message board cries of \u2018Why isn\u2019t Sony releasing Allen\u2019s films themselves?\u2019 \u2018Why are there only going to be 3000 copies?\u2019 \u2018Fox has no interest in touching Titus<\/strong> and yet Warner Home Video had full confidence in Branagh\u2019s 4 hour Hamlet<\/a><\/strong>? What the Hell<\/em>?\u2019<\/p>\n

It\u2019s gonna happen\u2026 I hope the TT folks have quality earplugs\u2026.<\/p>\n

Coming next<\/em>: World War Z<\/strong> stuff, and a review of the Danish film A Hijacking<\/strong> which is now out in the U.K. on Blu, and makes its North American debut on disc in two weeks.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mark R. Hasan<\/strong>, Editor
\nKQEK.com <\/strong>( Main Site<\/a> \/ Mobile Site<\/a> )<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Review of Twilight Time’s sparkling Blu-ray edition of Sexy Beast – still an engrossing study of bullying after 13 years – plus the label’s latest announcement of titles for 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[2272,2269,2268,4212],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8nuyW-1Rd","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7143"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7143\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}