Thursday Movie Picks-A Dig (Archaeology/Palaeontology)

 

I could have written another 3 for the modern movies but, you know me.  Wandering Through The Shelves has created some fun ones for her weekly themes and this is one (well, most are pretty damn great) is a fun one. So let's get on with the show...

1. CHARLIE CHAN IN EGYPT-1935

I wish I could have found a better trailer since we are looking at a role by Stepin Fetchit, which makes one want to just shake ones' head, but this was typical for the day. By the way, he played these roles like this to, apparently, pull the wool over the "white" man's eyes by having the white man do the work feigning laziness when, in fact, he was anything but this. According to African American biographer, Mel Watkins, he is known more as a prankster who could con the white man into doing the work. Stepin (real name is actually Lincoln Perry) was the first African millionaire from the film industry. OK, now, about the movie, There is a dig going on in Egypt but when the head dude of archaeology goes missing, Charlie Chan and his #1 son are brought in to find out where he went. Soon, they find him, wrapped up like a mummy. They unravel(get it:)) art treasures being taken, missing people, Strange things happening, Stepin, and Rita Hayworth in one of her first roles. You should invest, one day, into viewing some fun Charlie Chan mysteries as they are a lot of fun.

2. KING SOLOMON'S MINES-1950

This is a a great adventure film that stars Stewart Granger (I always found him a bit...icky), Deborah Kerr and some of the tribes of Africa including the Watusi who would not allow themselves to be filmed until this film. Beautiful Kerr is in search of her husband who was looking for a huge amount of diamonds in a cave. She meets Allan Quartermain (not the character from my soap, General Hospital) who is a legend in this part (and others) of the world. He doesn't like women on his treks but he knows he can't argue with a red haired vixen like Kerr so off they venture. I have not seen this in years but I remember being amazed at the tribes, feeling very sad about the elephants and laughing when Kerr cuts her own hair but looks like she still came from a beauty parlour. I need to see the earlier film starring Paul Robeson as Umbopa who plays the faithful servant to Allan only to come forward, later on, as the rightful king to his tribe. In this version this character is secondary but still important. 

3. JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH-1959

Don't you love that music! It is composed by the great Bernard Hermann who also composed "North By Northwest" and "Psycho" plus many others. James Mason plays an University professor who stumbles across information from a scientist whom, he believes, has found the centre of the earth. Before you can say Holy Hot Magma Batman, he brings in his student assistant, Pat Boone (yup, that Pat Boone but no white shoes here) to travel to Iceland to find out more information. There they meet Arlene Dahl(who just past away last year), who's husband was murdered for finding out more information, and Peter Ronson who helps them out of a feathery situation. All of them venture down a volcano, with Gertrude the duck of course, to locate the centre. Along the way, they meet a diabolical man who is trying to claim this find for himself. They find riches, salt and some nasty dinosaurs (well, they are just lizards made to look really big) as they go ever deeper. I watched this movie every chance I could get when it was on tv and I never tire of it. It is the best version of Jules Verne's novel with the special effects being quite good plus I love Gertrude. 

Yup, I stayed away from the popular ones that pop into everyone's head (Raider's, Lara, Some park). Which ones can you come up with?

Sorry...something happened and it never published when I wanted it to..Just found out:))