Customer Reviews

Road to Glory

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This was one of the few Hawks films I hadn't seen previously. I should no longer be surprised when I see a lesser known Hawks film that the lack of attention it has received is not because of any want in quality. It was the second script Faulkner worked on for Hawks, who was responsible for bringing him to Hollywood in the first place. Legendary cinematographer Gregg Toland bring his mastery to the film as well. The acting is uniformly gripping. I can't talk about some of the best aspects of the film's construction without spoiling it for those watching for the first time. It is set in World War I and tells the story of a French troop with a long, distinguished record and especially about the three principle characters. As with most Hawks films, the individual scenes are so engrossing that it is not until you've seen the film at least once that you discover how meticuluously everything fits together. A very moving story with a few surprises. One thing I can tell without spoiling the movie. There is a scene when the troop in the trenches discovers that the Germans are building a tunnel under them to blow them up. They must hold their post and hope they can somehow miraculously survive.

Though the product has the titles in Spanish, you have the option of watching it with or without subtitles. Once you hit play, everything is fine. The quality of the print is excellent and the price is right.

Led Zeppelin was my favorite band in high school. Starting with LED ZEPPELIN II, then back to their first album and forward right to IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR, I was your typical Zeppelin devotee. Had all the LPs and singles and always dropped coin in jukeboxes to hear a Zep tune.

And yet, due to radio overplay of its mediocre "Stairway to Heaven" performance, I avoided THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (UK/USA-1976) while it was in theaters and never rented the videotape decades ago. So, "The Song" remained unseen, that is, until this afternoon.

I really wanted to like this concert film, I mean that, but have got to be honest here. It was interesting in spots, yet disappointing as a whole. I know, sacrilege! Hang the blasphemer.

But here's why, OK?

Robert Plant's voice was irretrievably, undeniably SHOT. He couldn't hit those soaring high notes and seemed a parody of himself, all slender and fem and with skintight hip-huggers that only teen girls wear these days. And what was it with those constant looking-up camera shots of his groin? (Yes, it's draped to the left. We get it.)

Everything went rapidly downhill during the John Paul Jones organ solo. This was followed by one LONG self-indulgent jam after another for nearly an hour. It was stultifying.

John Bonham's spotlight, Moby Plant's Crotch, was spoiled during his hands-only playing by inconsiderate audience yowps and whistles. So was Robert's "Stairway to Heaven" solo. He also killed it himself though with pretentious "ad-libbed" comments like, "Does anybody remember laughter?" No. Never heard of it, Bobby.

Oh, those costume drama arsty-fartsy videos! feh
And why did these guys all look like Spinal Tap to me?

I STILL love my Zeppelin albums. Just hate this movie, that's all. Wish it were otherwise.