Julie Harris, Claire Bloom in The Haunting (top); The Village People in Can't Stop the Music (bottom)
"Out at the Pictures" at London's bfi Southbank:
- Robert Wise's horror-house classic The Haunting (1963), starring Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn
- Nancy Walker's costly box-office disaster Can't Stop the Music (1980), starring a rollerblading Steve Guttenberg (in some tight, tight shorts that would get him arrested today for indecent underexposure), Valerie Perrine, and The Village People
The Haunting is one the best horror movies ever made. Julie Harris is sensational, and Claire Bloom is almost as good in a less showy role — a Lesbian. Now, who's that knocking at the door?
Can't Stop the Music would have been better had the humor been less juvenile and the music more hip, but it's not nearly as bad as it's made out to be. In fact, the film's in-your-face gaudy campiness — including a hilarious Busby Berkeley/Gentlemen Prefer Blondes-inspired musical number (choreographed by Arlene Philips) — is its most appealing aspect.
And in some ways, this Nancy Walker farce is much more sexually liberated (including quite a bit of male nudity) than numerous movies — whether or not they feature gay characters — being churned out in our politically correct times.
Schedule and film info from the bfi press release:
The Haunting
Sun 13 Dec 20:30 NFT3
Robert Wise's classic haunted house tale sends chills down the spine as a group of psychically gifted people are invited by Professor Markway to unravel the mysteries of Hill House. Claire Bloom stands out as stylish bisexual Theo who takes a shine to the timid Eleanor (a brilliant Julie Harris) whose fragile hold on the world is threatened by the malevolent forces at work.
Can't Stop the Music
Thu 17 Dec 20:40 NFT3
Sat 19 Dec 20:30 NFT3The Village People star in a 'let's do a show' musical, reminiscent of classic MGM. All the great gay anthems are here (YMCA, In the Navy, and – um – Do the Milk Shake) with some jaw-dropping numbers choreographed by Arlene Philips that would put Busby Berkeley to shame. Steve Guttenberg and Valerie Perrine help move the action along and it's full of unintentional humour, never quite sure how gay it can be.
Photos: bfi