Diamond Head

A wonderful movie, the story is unmatchable!!!! The attempt was met with success every step of the way. I loved the double sidedness of Slone marrying a man but not sure if she wants his older brother, yet her sincerity was shocking after Paulson death. It answered many questions yet set a whole new array of new ones, that are still not answered. Its simply beautiful. My favorite scene is when king comes back home after a long tiresome ride and looks for the baby, and goes, "Bring that cot thing I'm gonna get my son. And get some new stuff in here. Not anymore of this second hand junk! After all he's half a Hawland," this one sentence simply describes the self realization of king and beautifully closures the movie. Simply majestic!

I just saw this film on the big screen at the Egyptian in Hollywood. I had low expectations given the synopsis. But wow, was I blown away! When people say they don't make them like this anymore, this film is what they mean. The acting, cinematography, and direction were superb. What's more, "Johnny" William's score (yes the John Williams of modern movie soundtrack fame) really elevated the film's emotional heights. France Nuyen, as the mistress, gives an amazingly nuanced and heartfelt performance. Even Heston, a bit of an over-actor, tempered his delivery to near perfection. The supporting cast is amazing, including James Darren ("Moondoggie" of Gidget movie fame), George Chakiras (Bernardo in West Wide Story), and Yvette Mimieux (Where the Boys Are). The setting, Hawaii in the early 1960s, was truly breathtaking, and for sure, you don't see Hawaii like this anymore. The film's themes of racism, sexism, and classism receive just enough treatment to provide a dark undercurrent without spoiling the visual beauty of the film. They aren't really resolved by the film's end, but that's not surprising given the time period. I really enjoyed this film. It's a perfect summer movie and makes for an evening well-spent.