The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

An adaptation of H. G. Wells' 1896 novel of the same name, this version of the story stars Michael York as unlucky sailor Andrew Braddock, who ends up on the titular island after a shipwreck somewhere in the middle of the Pacific. The island is home to many types of animal and many secrets, overseen by the studious Dr. Moreau, a man driven by his obsession with biology and science.
We're supposed to sympathise with York's character the most, but it's Burt Lancaster as Moreau that dominates. The actor's performance communicates the scientist's ability to weigh his wickedness against his ultimate goal and come up with an imbalance on the side that's favourable to him. It feeds into musings on things such as morality, society, theocracy and law, but the film lost my attentions more than once, which is never a good sign.

2½ cell instructions out of 5

The Professionals (1966)

A great genre cast make Dir. Richard Brooks' ensemble Western better than it might otherwise have been. The task that the four specialists undertake is to ride into Mexico and liberate a rich ranch owner's kidnapped wife (Claudia Cardinale) from former revolutionary leader Jesus Raza (Jack Palance).
Each man is in it for the money, but there's a clash of moral interests, regardless. Lee Marvin stands out as the team's unofficial leader, but there's excellent support from both Woody Strode and Robert Ryan. The only character that I really disliked was Lancaster's, a cynical, tough-talking mercenary, portrayed in the actor's usual hardened style.

3½ recent crosses out of 5

The Unforgiven (1960)

It's perhaps an unpopular opinion to have, but I don't have the affection for Audrey Hepburn that many, many other folks appear to have. Also, from a non-technical POV, the films of the much-revered John Huston often leave me disappointed. Nothing in The Unforgiven caused me to reevaluate either of those viewpoints. It's a story of racism and family set in the old west that had the potential to be extremely hard-hitting, but the stilted acting too often fails to give the topic adequate support, even when allowing for trends of the era. Burt Lancaster's character starts to fit in more comfortably during the final third, but the saving grace for me was the wonderful Lillian Gish.

2½ night musics out of 5

The Osterman Weekend (1983)

A government agency seeks to use one man to catch a group of others in a game of cat and mouse. Or is it cat and cat? Maybe it’s mouse and mouse?
It’s an adaptation of a Robert Ludlum novel, so there are the usual scenes of important men getting nervous over dodgy dealings and a twisty-turny ending. It makes you aware that not everyone sees friendship in the same way, and may even stir you to question if the people who claim to be your friends really are when they aren't beside you.
There’s an unusual car chase and a few scattered moments where Peckinpah piqued my interest technically, but, despite a strong cast his cinematic swansong isn't as memorable as much of what preceded it.

2½ trophy hunters out of 5