X

Dennis Schwartz'
Short Reviews
'X' 2

X - THE MAN WITH THE X - RAY EYES (director/producer: Roger Corman; screenwriters: Robert Dillon/Ray Russell; cinematographer: Floyd D.Crosby; editor: Anthony Carras; music: Les Baxter; cast: Ray Milland (Dr. James Xavier), Diana Van Der Vlis (Dr. Diane Fairfax), Don Rickles (Crane), Harold J. Stone (Dr. Sam Brant), John Hoyt (Dr. Willard Benson), Morris Ankrum (Mr. Bowhead); Runtime: 76; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Samuel Z. Arkoff; American International Pictures/MGM; 1963)

This cult favorite is a curiously intelligent film. Milland stars as Dr. Xavier, whose experiments with X-ray eye drops allow him to see through things causing moral dilemmas and scientific conflicts. What will Milland do with his new found powers and how will he be received by society (one already corrupted by greed and intellectual and spiritual bankruptcy)? These are some of the questions Corman raises. Indeed, this film is worth seeing again and again. GRADE: B+

XALA (director/writer: Ousmane Sembene; screenwriter: from the book Xala by Ousmane Sembene; cinematographer: Georges Caristan/ Orlando L. López/Seydina D. Saye/Farba Seck; editor: Florence Eymon; music: Samba Diabara Samb; cast: Thierno Lege (Hadji Aboucader Beye), Dieynaba Niang (Ngone, 3rd Wife), Younouss Seye (Oumi, 2nd Wife), Seune Samb (Adja Assatu, 1st Wife), Douta Seck (Gorgui), Miriam Niang (Rama, Daighter), Makhouredia Gueye (Kebe); Runtime: 123; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Paulin Vieyra; New Yorker Films; 1975-Senegal-in French/Wolof with English subtitles)

A Dakar businessman takes a third wife and to his chagrin, he finds that he is impotent. The film takes a cynical look at the bourgeoisie aping their former rulers. GRADE: B

Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews"