Wednesday 18 August 2010

(500) Films of Empire - Day 336

218 - M. Hulot's Holiday - 1 star
Time Out called this "the funniest film of all time", but they must have watched a different film, or have a different idea of what "funny" is.
Monsieur Hulot was the inspiration for Mr Bean, and Hulot is a well-meaning but bumbling fool who unwittingly causes havoc while on vacation at a hotel on the coast.
A predominantly silent film, much of the comedy is derived from physical comedy or slapstick but I couldn't even raise a smile.
Looking back through my notes on this challenge, the only two comedies to have received the hallowed five star rating are Airplane and Anchorman so I guess my sense of humour lies in a different area of comedy than that of Monsieur Hulot.

130 - The Man Who Would Be King - 3 stars
And finally I get to see the "other film with Michael Caine in a red military uniform" which I seemed to keep mixing up with Zulu. This one has the more recognisable Caine persona, that being a shouty Cockney.
But this isn't a war film as such, instead two British men trek to a remote country where they intend to becomes kings by helping a leader to defeat his enemies before usurping him, but events take an unexpected turn when the tribe mistake one of them for a scared God.
Connery shows more depth than normal as he struggles with the power given to him as he becomes increasingly unwilling to relinquish control, even if it means paying the ultimate sacrifice.

Days remaining - 29 Films remaining - 30

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