Travis Simpkins

Touch of Evil (1958): Orson Welles, Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh

Upon completion of principle photography, Orson Welles had to submit his rough cut version of Touch of Evil (1958) to the studio. Editors butchered it, changed the order of scenes and added unnecessary music. Orson wrote a 58 page letter begging them to reconsider and allow him to present the film in his own, unique artistic vision. They refused. It was the last time Welles made a Hollywood film. Instead he moved to Europe, where his style was better appreciated. Touch of Evil was shown there in it's uncut form and had a great influence, particularly on French New Wave films.

A legendary long opening shot introduces the catalyst for the film: a wealthy businessman is killed after crossing the border by a bomb placed in his car. The bomb originated in Mexico, so authorities on both sides are eager to see the matter resolved. Miguel Vargas (Charlton Heston), a Mexican official and his wife (Janet Leigh) are involved in the investigation, having been nearby when the explosion occurred...

Touch of Evil. 1958: Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh

Crooked cop Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles) represents the American authorities. When Vargas discovers Quinlan planting evidence to frame a Mexican man for the crime, he threatens to expose Quinlan...

Touch of Evil. 1958: Orson Welles

Quinlan, not one to go down easy, concocts a seedy revenge to disgrace Vargas and protect his own reputation...

Touch of Evil. 1958: Orson Welles

The result is a series of mind games, manipulations and tense moments that culminate with an inevitable conflict...

Touch of Evil. 1958: Orson Welles

Touch of Evil. 1958: Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh

Touch of Evil. 1958: Orson Welles

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001): Woody Allen, Charlize Theron and Helen Hunt

Like many of Woody Allen's films, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) received decidedly mixed reviews upon it's release... and now, over a decade later, audiences are finally beginning to appreciate it for the wonderful film that it is. The strengths in The Curse of the Jade Scorpion are subtle, yet indelible. The 1940's period sense is impeccable, with great eye for detail. Great thought was also given to the development of the archetypal personas of the three main female characters... all drawn from typical characters from 1940's films. Charlize Theron is the sexy, uninhibited femme-fatale pin-up. Elizabeth Berkely is the stereotypical bubbly office ditz. Helen Hunt is the wisecracking, no-nonsense dame. Woody Allen is also in top comedic form as the male lead. With a good supporting cast including Dan Aykroyd, Wallace Shawn and David Ogden Stiers, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is an underrated Gem worthy of more attention.

C.W. Briggs (Woody Allen) is an insurance investigator with a strong record of solved cases, making him a mild hero around the office...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Elizabeth Berkely

especially with Jill (Elizabeth Berkely), the hot office secretary...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Elizabeth Berkely

Briggs does not impress Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt), an efficiency expert, however. The two despise each other, with Fitzgerald viewing Briggs as an antiquated worm, and Briggs seeing her as an uptight shrew. Betty Ann Fitzgerald is a paradox, however, for despite outward appearances, she is having an illicit affair with their boss, Chris Magruder (Dan Aykroyd)...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Helen Hunt

A comedic turn happens at an office outing, when Briggs and Fitzgerald are picked to be hypnotized by Voltan (David Ogden Stiers)...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Helen Hunt

Unbeknownst to all present, Voltan now has both Briggs and Fitzgerald under his power, and uses them to commit jewel heists at carefully chosen times. The crimes are mysterious, because neither has any recollection of anything, and Briggs is assigned to investigate. Naturally, he suspects Fitzgerald, and vice versa...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Helen Hunt

Meanwhile, Briggs is being seduced by the sexy and sensuous, beautiful socialite, Laura Kensington (Charlize Theron)...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Charlize Theron

Due to his hypnotic state, Briggs rejects Laura's blatant advances...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Charlize Theron

and even the offer of sex with her cannot release him from Voltan's control...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Charlize Theron

Briggs and Fitzgerald's awkward hatred and suspicion is translating to love. When Briggs is arrested for the robberies, he turns to her for help. With confusion all around...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen and Helen Hunt

something has to give in order to release the two from Voltan's power...

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. 2001: Woody Allen

Sunset Boulevard (1950): William Holden and Gloria Swanson

One of the greatest films ever made, Sunset Boulevard (1950) contains all the elements needed for success. An air-tight script, expert direction, great cinematography and perfect casting (particularly with Gloria Swanson and Erich Von Stroheim) all fall into place and form a cinematic masterpiece. Controversial in it's depiction of Hollywood business and it's habit of using up talent and throwing it away, it is both an interesting time capsule and still holds relevance today.

William Holden plays Joe Gillis, a down-and-out Hollywood screenwriter. While running from creditors and repossession agents, he gets a flat tire and pulls into the garage of an old dilapidated mansion. Turns out it is the home of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) a has-been former silent movie star that hasn't accepted the fact that her career is over, still seeing the cameras that have long since stopped rolling.

Sunset Boulevard. 1950: Gloria Swanson

Still living in the past, she revels in her "stardom" and imagined adulation (encouraged by her butler, played by Erich Von Stroheim).

Sunset Boulevard. 1950: Gloria Swanson

In need of a job, Gillis reluctantly accepts her offer to have him edit her tediously bad screenplay. Thinking it'll be easy money, he strings her along and takes the free ride.

Sunset Boulevard. 1950: Gloria Swanson and William Holden

It is quickly realized that Desmond's interest in Gillis is more than professional, and he stays partly out of necessity, partly out of luxury and partly out of guilt (as she is constantly threatening suicide).