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Jeremy Camp Tells His Story: I Still Believe

by Emily Wheelock
written by Emily Wheelock

Inspired by a true story, Lionsgate, I Still Believe follows the life of a 20-year-old Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Henning-Camp. The film features country star Shania Twain and Gary Sinise who will play the parents of Jeremy Camp.

The film tells the story of Camp’s journey through love and loss. The movie is centered around the discovery of Melissa’s cancer and the love story between Jeremy and Melissa.  It also provides a message of hope implying that no matter the heartache, no matter what you are going through, there is something more and greater than this.

I Still Believe is set to be released in March of 2020 and is the latest faith-based film to be released. The faith-based film genre is growing every year and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Lead actor, KJ Apa said he was “terrified” to sing Camps song in the movie saying,”I’m super uncomfortable when I sing,” he admits. “I went into the studio in Nashville and I think that really gave me perspective on the film. Luckily, it couldn’t have gone better. I think people are going to love it.” He also said he was “drawn” to the movie through the love story between Jeremy and Melissa. Apa told PEOPLE, “Their love is seriously put to the test in this movie. I hope after seeing the love between Jeremy and Melissa the audience can sit there and think, ‘Wow, I hope that I can one day be in love like that.’”

Reflecting on the film

After the box office smash I Can Only Imagine, and the inspirational true story Breakthrough, christian music lovers and those who love true story movies have something new to anticipate. In a Facebook post, Camp said the movie “tells my story and shares what God has done amidst all the hard things I went through. It shows hope in the midst of pain.”

In the trailer, Robertson, as a very frail Melissa, is heard saying, “I keep thinking if one person’s life is changed by what I go through, it will all be worth it.”

Camp testified, in a promotional clip for the film, “It comes out 3/20/20 and what’s amazing about that is that scripture in Ephesians 3:20  says that ‘He’s done exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or even imagine,’ and I’m telling you, He’s done exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I could have asked or even imagined.”

Image Source: Jeremy Camp Music

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loud krazy love
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Brian “Head” Welch Completes His Loud Krazy Love Tour

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Brian “Head” Welch made his initial stardom as a part of the band KoRn.  Today he making a different type of headline as he travels the country sharing his story of redemption and hope on his Loud Krazy Love Tour.  He just recently finished touring for his new documentary, Loud Krazy Love, where he comes clean with the reality of his life before Christ.  He he reveals his deepest fear in the Loud Krazy Love trailer, “I was scared I was going to screw up my kid like I was screwing up myself”.

Brian had lost himself in the music and was out of control. He was addicted to meth, climbing the charts with platinum singles like “Freak On A Leash, and desperate.  He needed something to change so he cried out to God. God met him in a way that he had never experience before, with a love he’d never felt.  After attending a church service with some friends he accepted Christ into his heart and eventually quit the band.  Despite his encounter his life continued to fall apart.

A few years later, while playing for another band at the Carolinian Rebellion Festival he ran into Korn family.  They invited him to play one song with them and when they finished many of the band members and fans were in tears.  According his testimony, “I wondered what it all meant because it was so powerful. I started getting a tug in my heart just after reconnecting with those guys. After a few meetings with them my heart started to be informed and understanding what my future is going to be. And in 2012 I rejoined Korn which was a surprise to many, including myself.”

Brian Welch - Second Edition

Brian “Head” Welch has been sharing his testimony at Korn concerts ever since.  He shares, “It’s not the most popular thing to do at a rock concert, but I’m doing it because it’s the most realest thing that has happened to me in my life.”

What’s this Loud Krazy Love all about?

Inspired to keep sharing his story, Brian teamed up with his daughter Jennea to produce Loud Krazy Love.  Loud Krazy Love documents the real life struggle of trying to raise his daughter and be a part of the band.  It’s a story of hope, love, and redemption.

LOUD KRAZY LOVE | Official Trailer | an I Am Second film | Brian "Head" Welch, Jennea Welch, KoRn

Brian “Head” Welch has learned how to use his platform to share the love of Christ.  Today, he can be seen playing at a metal concert or speaking at a church. Brain is a living example of being in the world, but not of the world!

Image Source: Loud Krazy Love

 

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Movies with a Message: The Star Wars Trilogy

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon
“Star Wars is littered with images, themes and ideas that resonate deeply with Christianity,” writes Simon Dillon in this regular movie review spot. “The story isn’t just about the external battle between good and evil, but about the inward battle against the evil within oneself,” he says. Read Simon’s thoughts on the movies and how they strengthened his faith.

The Star Wars trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: All ages
NOTE: This article contains spoilers.

Star Wars: A milestone of Cinema

To tie-in with the release of the new Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, here’s my take on George Lucas’s classic original trilogy. Comprising A New Hope (referred to by my generation as simply Star Wars), The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, these “space fantasy” films weren’t merely box office smashes. They weren’t just great films, to be added to a list of classics. They became a milestone in cinema, dividing the history of motion pictures into two distinct epochs BC/AD style – before and after Star Wars. Their influence has cast a huge shadow for better (and worse) across the cinematic landscape ever since, in Hollywood and across the world.

Consider for a moment the number of influences on Star Wars – Flash Gordon serials, Metropolis, The Wizard of Oz, countless westerns such as The Searchers, Samurai movies such as The Hidden Fortress, World War II movies including The Dambusters, the Arthur legends, Joseph Campbell’s writings, The Lord of the Rings, Bible stories and so much more. Writer/director George Lucas took these influences and turned them into something genuinely original, dynamic and incredibly fresh; with phenomenal, groundbreaking sound and visual effects that would not find their equal for many, many years. On a technical level the films are beyond outstanding, with astounding editing, production design, costume design, art direction and cinematography. And that’s before I’ve even mentioned John Williams’s outstanding score. Is there anything more thrilling, heroic and triumphant than that main theme in the opening titles, before the camera pans down to that famous shot of a spacecraft being pursued by a much, much larger vessel rumbling endlessly overhead? There is only one word for such a staggering blend of music and image: Awe.

Star Wars is no longer simply a film. It is a rite of passage for children, and the original trilogy comprise the greatest part of an ongoing, multi-generational cultural phenomenon. Featuring arguably the most iconic characters in cinema history, Star Wars is to film what Winnie the Pooh, The Wind in the Willows and Harry Potter are to literature: an unashamed celebration of the heroic dreams of childhood, passed on from parent to child.

Often mistakenly referred to as science fiction, Star Wars is in fact a fairy tale. A fantasy that happens to be set in space, but a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. In the first film, we are introduced to farm boy Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who dreams of running away from his dreary life to join the Rebel forces fighting against the evil Galactic Empire. When droids R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) cross Luke’s path with an urgent message from imperiled Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), intended for former Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), the scene is set for a magnificent space adventure across multiple planets. Strange aliens, robots and monsters form the background to this thrilling tapestry, as Luke hires mercenary Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his co-pilot Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to help in their quest. Together the fight against the Empire’s leaders in the form of Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing), governor of an armored space station called the Death Star which can destroy entire planets. They also battle the mysterious and frightening Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones); also a former Jedi Knight and once Obi-Wan’s apprentice, before he embraced the Dark Side of the Force and wiped out the Jedi Order. The Force, of course, is explained as the mystical energy field which gives the Jedi their power, with a good and bad side, created by all living things, which “binds the galaxy together. Hence the catchphrase “May the Force be with you”.

Why am I explaining? You know this, right? Recapping the plot is hardly necessary, unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past forty years. In which case, stop reading this article now and immediately check out not only Star Wars (preferably on the biggest screen possible with the best sound system), but also The Empire Strikes Back, a rare sequel that is even better than the original, and Return of the Jedi, which concludes the original story perfectly.

The Empire Strikes Back in particular is an astonishing film, and is generally regarded as the best of the original three. For a start, it has the best direction, with Irvin Kershner taking over from Lucas (who retains a story and executive producer credit). It also has the best screenplay, from Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett. Said screenplay features the best romantic moments and the influence of Big Sleep scribe Brackett is particularly felt in Han and Leia’s screwball comedy style banter (“Would it help if I got out and pushed?”). The film also features the best of John Williams’s landmark Star Wars scores. Here Williams introduces the iconic Imperial March which brilliantly demonstrates his genius in the way he takes a single theme and crafts endless, ingenious variations of it.

Away from the music, Empire also features the best monsters (the Hoth Wampa is a personal favourite of mine), the best new characters (Frank Oz’s Yoda, Billy Dee Williams’s Lando Calrissian), the best locations (Hoth, Dagobah, Cloud City), the best performances, the best lightsabre fight (Luke and Vader’s climactic face-off), and arguably the best action set-pieces (the barnstorming AT-AT attack and the thrilling asteroid chase). Empire set a template for these kinds of sequels – ie make it darker, more complex, but don’t forget to leaven the darkness with a good sense of humour.

Yet Empire is braver. Empire dares to pull the rug from under its young audience with arguably the greatest (and most parodied) plot twist of all time, in a scene of shock revelation that cements the character of Darth Vader as arguably the greatest screen villain of all time.

The film also dares to leave many narrative threads (such as the fate of Han Solo) dangling as the end credits roll. Someone once described Star Wars as the equivalent of an excellent though naïve childhood, and The Empire Strikes Back as that difficult, painful time when after leaving home you realise life can be tough, complicated and messy. In terms of how each film feels, it’s a fairly good summary.

Return of the Jedi is arguably less narratively groundbreaking, but it is no less fun, and a hugely satisfying end to the trilogy. With even stranger creatures and monsters, even bigger battles and even more staggering visual effects, on a technical level the film is astonishing. More new characters are introduced (notably monstrous gangster Jabba the Hutt and Ian McDiarmid’s uber-villain Emperor Palpatine), and the final confrontation between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader makes for a dramatic and unexpected conclusion in this cataclysmic battle between good and evil.

The battle between good and evil

Star Wars is littered with images, themes and ideas that resonate deeply with the Christian faith (even if technically “the Force” can be fitted to any religion and could be described as New Age, something religious bores often pointed out to me as a child who simply saw goodies and baddies). For example, the sacrificial death of Obi-Wan when only his cloak remains makes one think of the empty tomb, and obviously death, resurrection and redemption are key themes.

Then later, we have the David and Goliath style Death Star battle. No matter how many times I watch that sequence (and I’ve probably seen it over a hundred times), I always end up on the edge of my seat as the Rebel ships are picked off one by one until only Luke remains. Things look desperate. Then Luke hears the ghostly voice of his mentor, urging him to take a step of faith, turn off his computer, and trust in the Force. He does this, and is rewarded when Han Solo turns up at the last minute to lend a hand (cue tremendous applause and cheering if one watches it in a cinema with an enthusiastic audience). Speaking of Han Solo, he has a character arc every bit as compelling as Luke’s. Over three films he goes from selfish, rogue mercenary, to someone who makes friends, falls in love and finally decides to fight for a cause that is bigger than him.

Like The Lord of the Rings (which Star Wars frequently resembles thematically), the story isn’t just about the external battle between good and evil, but about the inward battle against the evil within oneself. As a child, these stories appealed to me because I identified with Luke’s struggle against temptation all too well. That lure towards the darkness, taking the quick and easy path… It’s a fundamental part of the human condition.

One particularly dark and riveting sequence in The Empire Strikes Back sees Luke enter a cave which he is warned by Jedi Master Yoda is “strong with the Dark Side of the Force”. He asks what is in the cave. Yoda replies “Only what you take with you.” He then tells Luke he will not need weapons, but Luke takes his anyway. Inside the cave, he sees a vision of Darth Vader. They duel, and Luke severs Vader’s head, but the helmet cracks, revealing Luke’s face beneath. The implication of the sequence is clear: by using the Dark Side, Luke risks destroying his enemy only to become him. Evil cannot be overcome by evil but must be overcome with good.

Of course, in Return of the Jedi, evil is overcome with good, to tremendously moving and redemptive effect. The funeral pyre finale always brings a tear to my eye, and the final celebration often makes me think of heaven, and what it must be like to be reunited in triumph with those who have travelled a long, hard road that has led to victory. It is an unashamedly punch-the-air feel-good note to wrap things up on (regardless of what happens in the newer films in the saga).

Finally, on a very, very personal note, and as a rebuttal to the afore-mentioned religious bores, my wife got saved watching The Empire Strikes Back – surely a sign that 1) I was to marry her, 2) God can use anything to bring people into his kingdom, and, 3) God has a great sense of humour.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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Movies with a Message: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: Adults

It’s hard to believe now, but Frank Capra’s masterpiece It’s a Wonderful Life, widely (and correctly) regarded as the greatest Christmas film ever made, was not a big success on its initial release. Reviews were lukewarm, audiences stayed away, and absurdly the film even ran into censorship problems due to the finale. The Hayes Code, in force in Hollywood at the time, demanded that the villain, Potter, be punished. He essentially gets away with his actions, but is isolated by them, absent from the triumphant finale. Capra argued this was enough, and got away with it by the skin of his teeth. He was absolutely right.

Needless to say, the film’s reputation grew over the ensuing decades, to its current status as beloved feel-good favourite. But whilst this film is the gold standard that defines the epithet “feel-good”, it is very, very important to note that this is far from the saccharine journey into sentimentality it is often made out to be. The triumphant ending does not come easily for protagonist George Bailey (James Stewart). It is definitely and most emphatically earned.

As the seemingly unsung Good Samaritan of the sleepy town of Bedford Falls, George despairs of ever fulfilling his long held dreams of exploring the world. Despite the presence of loving wife Mary (Donna Reed) and his children, after a crisis at work that could result in potential prosecution, one Christmas Eve George begins to wonder if the world might have been better if he had never been born. An angel is duly despatched from heaven to show him he is wrong, revealing the horrifying parallel universe that would have ensued had he not been present to perform his good deeds throughout the decades.

This is often described as the ultimate family friendly film, but personally I think this is not a film for children. Oh, it’s perfectly suitable for them, I grant you. But it is not a story they can properly appreciate, because only adults will understand the emotional nuances experienced by George Bailey, his outward goodness and compulsion to help people ever at odds with his growing resentment at the way his dreams are constantly thwarted. Moments such as the scene where he irrationally yells at his family brilliantly illustrate his inward turmoil.

And yet… The afore-mentioned triumphant finale is so utterly, utterly uplifting that it is nigh-on impossible to emerge from the cinema afterwards without feeling as though you are walking on air. It’s a Wonderful Life is a brilliantly written, acted and directed parable about the value of every human life. It is, by turns, comic, romantic, tragic, surreal, scary and ultimately deeply, deeply moving. Above all, it proclaims the empowering truth that no-one is a mistake, and how each of us has a unique destiny without which the very fabric of existence falls apart.

I only ever saw my late father cry at three films – Schindler’s List, Dead Poets Society and this one. I put it to you that only the pathologically hard-hearted can fail to be moved by It’s a Wonderful Life. Quite honestly I pity such people. I’m not ashamed to admit that, like my father, it brings a tear to my eye whenever I watch it. And yes – it is the greatest Christmas film ever made. I will brook no argument with that.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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Movies with a Message: Scrooge (1951)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

Scrooge (aka A Christmas Carol – US title) (1951)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: All ages

Charles Dickens’s classic tale has been adapted countless times for film and for television. Memorable versions include the much-loved Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) and Robert Zemeckis’s spectacular and much underrated motion capture take from 2009. However, still the best version, in my opinion, is Brian Desmond Hurst’s monochrome gem from 1951, which features the very best screen Scrooge in the form of Alistair Sim.

Sim’s performance as the Victorian miser visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve to show him the error of his ways is exceptional. He conveys the cruelty and greed of Ebenezer Scrooge with great aplomb, but also guides the viewer through his gradual change of heart with surprising poignancy, particularly in scenes where the film expands on the text (the sad demise of Fanny for example, or the moment where Scrooge and Marley oust their former boss and mentor, Fezziwig).

This is very much the undiluted, classic version of Dickens’s seminal ghost story, with all its darker, grimmer, more disturbing elements refreshingly intact. From the genuinely frightening appearance of Marley’s ghost, to the chilling moment when the demonic presence of “Ignorance” and “Want” are revealed, this rendering ensures Scrooge’s redemption does not skimp on the metaphorical hellfire elements of the narrative. I recall seeing this as a child and being properly alarmed at the coming of the Ghost of Christmas Future.

But as we all know, it doesn’t end there. A Christmas Carol is one of those nigh-on idiot proof stories so superbly constructed that you’d have to try to fail in adapting it. This version isn’t merely competent but an exceptionally moody, vigorously cinematic piece, held together by the outstanding performance from Alistair Sim. Do yourself a favour and watch it again this Christmas.

One final plea: whatever you do, avoid the ghastly colourised version that for some obscene reason still does the rounds on television. Track down a proper monochrome print instead (they can be found on DVD).

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

 

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Movies with a Message: Senna (2010)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

Senna (2010)
UK Certificate: 12
US Certificate: PG-13
Intended audience: Adults

Let me say upfront that I have absolutely no interest in Formula 1 racing, or sport in general for that matter. However director Asif Kapadia’s extraordinary documentary about racing legend Aryton Senna is a fascinating, gripping, thrilling, emotionally devastating powerhouse of a film that deserves to be seen even by the most sport-phobic among us. Coming from me, that is a huge, huge recommendation.

Senna’s rise to fame, his expertise at driving in the rain, his fierce rivalry with French driver Alain Prost, his Christian faith, and ultimately the tragic events that led up to his death in a fatal car crash in 1994 are covered in absolutely riveting fashion. Senna himself is portrayed largely as an idealist dedicated to the art of racing, and some of his most memorable achievements on the track are covered here. Whether he’s catching up from last to first or driving with a gearbox that’s stuck, it is obvious even to the most Formula 1 ignorant (like me) that Senna was a racing genius.

Born into a wealthy and supportive Brazilian family, Senna’s parent’s encouraged him on to success. After breaking into Formula 1 his early races made his name, but he got upset about racing politics on several occasions. As ambition and overconfidence sometimes got the better of him, he tried to learn from his mistakes, but his feud with Prost and outspoken attitude towards the Formula 1 bosses often got him into trouble – even when he had a valid point. Off the racing track the film offers just enough insight into Brazilian poverty to give context to an organisation Senna set up to help impoverished children.

The filmmakers had unprecedented access not only to family home movies but also Formula 1’s private footage of drivers meetings and the like, and a wealth of other unseen behind the scenes material. It’s also a masterclass in editing considering the absence of voiceover, and that the initial cut was in excess of eight hours.

Most fascinatingly, Senna’s faith is constantly referred to, even if it is clearly a troubled faith at times. There are alarmingly prescient moments that foreshadow his death; from the banal (his appearance on a gaudy Brazilian TV show where he is kissed by a girl and wished a “happy 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993” but crucially no years beyond that) to the arguably supernatural (the morning before his death, Senna says in an interview that he read a passage in the Bible that perhaps indicated he was about to die).

Whenever I watch this, I have to confess I get tears in my eyes at the end. Even though I still have no interest in Formula 1, this is a film that would appeal to anyone because it deals with universal human themes like ambition, rivalry, faith and loss. Senna is also a fitting tribute to a racing legend and a Brazilian national hero.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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Movies with a Message: Spartacus (1960)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

Spartacus (1960)
UK Certificate: PG
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: Older children and adults

My all-time-favourite sword and sandals movie has always been Spartacus. Unlike so many other Roman Empire epics of the time, neither Jesus nor Christianity crop up in here – at least not directly. There is however a brilliant reference to Spartacus praying to a “God for slaves”, and a reference in the prologue about how the new religion of Christianity was destined to overthrow the pagan tyranny of Rome.

Loosely based on the true story of a slave uprising against the Romans, our hero Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) is trained as a gladiator by Batiatus (Peter Ustinov). When powerful Roman Senator Crassus (Lawrence Oliver) visits and demands to see a fight to the death, said gladiatorial contest leads to an uprising. Spartacus then tears through the country, freeing slaves and fighting the Romans at every turn. Along the way he falls in love with fellow slave Virinia (Jean Simmons) and dreams of having a son who is born free. Of course, things are destined to go horribly pear-shaped, most notably in a stunningly staged battle with Romans advancing in long wide shots like ants with terrifying precision.

The talents of Stanley Kubrick (here the only time he ever worked as a director for hire) and previously blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo combine to create a hugely memorable epic. Douglas is iconic in the leading role, and his heroics are supported by witty turns from Ustinov and also Charles Laughton (as Senator Gracchus). Their exchanges add comic relief to much of the intensity (For example: “You and I have a tendency towards corpulence. Corpulence makes a man reasonable, pleasant and phlegmatic. Have you noticed the nastiest of tyrants are invariably thin?”).

Tony Curtis also crops up in a pivotal supporting part, leading to one of the most deeply moving parts of the film, as he and Spartacus are commanded to fight one another by Crassus. Both try to kill the other, purely to save them the pain of crucifixion, a fate Crassus has decreed for the victor.

To be fair, the film could have done with being slightly cut down in the mid-section. However, the latter stages are so stirring – from the afore-mentioned scene with Tony Curtis, to the classic, much parodied moment where Spartacus’s defeated slave army stand as one to declare “I’m Spartacus!” – that one forgives such indulgence in the three hours plus running time. The tear-jerking final scene is also perfect, enhanced by Alex North’s wonderful music score.

As with any good Roman Empire film, there is also a great deal of pontificating on the nature of Rome, and whether it should be a Republic or dictatorship. As Rome slid towards the latter it was, of course, eventually undone. But the main theme here remains slavery. On a spiritual level the undeniably stirring message comes through loud and clear: freedom from its oppression is worth fighting and dying for.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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Movies with a Message: Casablanca (1942)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

Casablanca (1942)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: Adults

Along with Chinatown, Casablanca is frequently cited as having the greatest single screenplay of all time. This is despite the fact that three individuals are credited for it (Julius J Epstein, Philip G Epstein and Howard Koch), plus one uncredited writer (Casey Robinson), and the fact that it is based on a play (by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison). Indeed, during production, no-one expected Casablanca to be anything more than a routine wartime propaganda picture that would do moderate business.

Yet once production concluded, that peculiar alchemy which very occasionally turns lead into gold transformed a run-of-the-mill movie into a classic. The superbly paced, exquisitely witty, exciting, romantic and touching screenplay for Casablanca is indeed the backbone of what makes it great, but everything else is sublime too – from the direction (Michael Curtiz) to the lead performances, support performances, editing, cinematography, musical choices and so forth.

For those unfortunate enough to have never seen it, the plot concerns Rick (Humphrey Bogart); a cynical American ex-pat who owns an upmarket nightclub in wartime Casablanca. Rick remains determinedly neutral and “sticks his neck out for no-one” (as Peter Lorre’s unfortunate Ugarte discovers during the opening act). He is also friends with ultra-corrupt Vichy Police Chief Renault (Claud Rains), who warns Rick that letters of transit vital for escape to America have gone missing. In fact, said letters have fallen into Rick’s hands prior to Ugarte’s demise, and are coveted by Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) an important figure in the Czech resistance. When Lazlo and his wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) turn up at Rick’s club, German Major Strasser (Conrad Veidt) makes it clear that he intends for Lazlo and his wife to remain trapped in Casablanca, unable to escape to America to continue Lazlo’s work. However, Rick’s neutrality is put to the test due to the presence of Ilsa, with whom he had a love affair, some years previously.

Thus begins one of the most memorable screen romances of all time. But Casablanca isn’t just a love story with genre elements of the wartime thriller and musical. Yes, it really tugs at the melodramatic heartstrings, with tremendous chemistry between Bogart and Bergman, but the message of personal sacrifice for the greater good – even when it breaks the heart – proved hugely important during World War II. That message remains relevant today, and is one of the reasons why Casablanca has endured as a classic for decades.

However, in closing, I would again draw your attention to the brilliance of the superb, spare screenplay; where not one line is wasted, and indeed many of the lines are among the most quoted (or misquoted) in cinema history. The likes of “Here’s looking at you kid”, “Round up the usual suspects” and “We’ll always have Paris” are regularly trotted out even by those who haven’t seen the film. In that respect, Casablanca’s screenplay has a legacy akin to that of a Shakespeare play.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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Movies with a Message: The Sound of Music (1965)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

The Sound of Music (1965)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: G
Intended audience: All ages

To some, The Sound of Music is a nauseating wallow in sugary sentimentality. I have a certain amount of sympathy with that view, though I must confess I do not share it. For me, The Sound of Music remains, after all these years, a wonderful, uplifting, hugely redemptive story with some of the most memorable songs ever heard in a Hollywood musical.

Adapting the Rodgers/Hammerstein stage play (itself loosely based on a true story), this is director Robert Wise’s most famous film. An extremely versatile director, Wise worked with multiple genres (his last film prior to this was classic horror The Haunting), but before The Sound of Music he had the equally brilliant West Side Story under his belt, which meant he really knew how to stage an epic musical. And epic this is; opening with that incredible helicopter shot over the Alps circa 1930s Austria, culminating in novice nun Maria (Julie Andrews) appearing on the mountainside and singing “the hills are alive…” oh, you know what happens.

But in case you are one of the two people on the planet that don’t, Maria is subsequently sent to be governess to the seven children of Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), a widower whose grief has driven him to run his home like one of his ships, with all fun, jokes, play and music strictly prohibited. Of course, Maria gradually sets things right, bonding with the children and later falling in love with the Captain himself. The course of true love inevitably has a few bumps along the way (chiefly in the form of Eleanor Parker’s Baroness), but after many classic songs (including Doe-Ray-Me and Favourite Things), and some wisdom from the Mother Superior, a wonderfully elaborate wedding ensues.

Then of course the Nazis in turn up in the last act and ruin everything. Where would movies be without those monumental spoilsports? The Captain, an Austrian patriot, despises the Nazis and all they stand for, but will the Von Trapp family manage to escape to Switzerland? After the Captain is drafted into military service, they have no choice but to try.

Here, in the final stretches of the film, the most interesting spiritual elements kick in. Yes, before then we’ve had lots of heartwarming stuff about the hardness of grief being melted by song, a wonderful metaphor for the Holy Spirit bringing comfort and hope, not to mention love. But standing up against unimaginable evil becomes a key theme in the finale, in terrific moments such as the defiant singing of Edelweiss at a concert with Nazi officials in attendance. Then we have poor, hopelessly-out-of-his-depth Rolf (Daniel Truhitte), a young man whose previous romantic interest in Von Trapp’s eldest daughter Liesel (Charmian Carr) has been driven from him through brainwashing by the Hitler youth. I always find the moment where the Captain begs Rolf to abandon his Nazi allegiance particularly sad, especially as one ill-judged comment from the Captain ultimately causes Rolf to make his tragic choice.

In final analysis, I can think of few films as warm, opulent, and immensely nostalgic as this one. The term “feel good” is often abused, but when it genuinely applies, as it does here, watching really can provide that wonderful sensation of feeling much better when you leave the cinema than before you went in. Yes, it’s all a bit saccharine at times, but every time I watch it, I am bludgeoned into submission by the songs and sheer entertainment factor. Besides, if nothing else, I find it impossible not to blub at Captain Von Trapp’s immensely moving “You brought music back into this house” moment. Pass the tissues…

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

 

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Articles

Movies with a Message: Chariots of Fire (1981)

by Simon Dillon
written by Simon Dillon

Chariots of Fire (1981)
UK Certificate: U
US Certificate: PG
Intended audience: Adults

Despite the fact that I think Raiders of the Lost Ark deserved to win Best Picture at the 1981 Oscars, I still have a tremendous love for the film that beat it: Chariots of Fire. A perennial favourite amongst Christians, Chariots of Fire remains a stirring, inspirational piece of work over thirty-five years since its original release. Familiarity, parody and the theme tune by Vangelis becoming embedded in the popular consciousness have not dimmed its considerable power.

Based on the true stories of 1924 Olympic athletes Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston), the film explores the motives and character of each man. Strict Scottish Presbyterian Liddell runs for the glory of God, whereas Abrahams runs against institutional anti-Semitism. One sequence of Abraham’s training features Gilbert and Sullivan’s For he is an Englishman from HMS Pinafore on the soundtrack, to amusingly ironic effect. Liddell by contrast anguishes over whether or not he should run on a Sunday.

The leads are excellent, and the supporting turns by the likes Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, John Gielgud and Ian Holm equally so. Director Hugh Hudson’s memorable use of slow-motion has since become cliché, but it works very well here. The finely observed screenplay also has an agreeably, anti-authoritarian edge to it, which cleverly counterpoints the sentimentality. Pot shots are taken at everyone from snobby, casually anti-Semitic Cambridge porters and professors to the Prince of Wales. At one point, there is an understated but powerful condemnation of the age of Enlightenment, when one of the Olympic Committee berates the godless attitudes that ultimately led to the First World War.

Ian Charleston’s terrific performance really sells moments where Liddell delivers sermons in the rain, or expresses how he doesn’t want children growing up thinking God is a spoilsport, which makes his principled stand all the more believable. Such angst ridden Presbyterianism should not be misconstrued as merely a legalistic refusal to run on Sunday, but a desire to honour God even above one’s ambition; a lesson sadly unheeded by many Christians (let alone non-Christians) today. The upshot of Liddell’s inward struggle packs an unashamedly sentimental wallop, and remains intensely moving, never failing to bring a tear to my eye.

In short, Chariots of Fire is worth revisiting again and again, even if I think Raiders of the Lost Ark deserved that Best Picture Oscar more.

This article was written by Simon Dillon, Author of several books, passionate film reviewer and Head of Network Planning at GOD TV. See more of his movie reviews at Simon Dillon Books.

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