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The Films of Richard Lester

It's a Trad, Dad!

The Mouse on the Moon

A Hard Day's Night

The Knack... and How to Get It

Help!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

How I Won the War

Petulia

The Bed Sitting Room

The Three Musketeers

Juggernaut

The Four Musketeers

Royal Flash

Robin and Marian

The Ritz

Butch and Sundance: The Early Years (March 18/05)

In this prequel to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, we discover how the titular outlaws (now played by Tom Berenger and William Katt) first met and watch as they plunder their way through the old West. Butch and Sundance: The Early Years is a lighthearted romp that's likeable enough - Richard Lester's direction is expectedly bright and colorful, while the performances are fine (Berenger in particular does an effective job of aping Paul Newman's mannerisms) - but there's just no storyline holding the whole thing together. As a result, the film feels more like a series of vignettes loosely strung together - with some far more effective than others (ie Butch and Sundance's climactic train robbery).

out of

Cuba

Superman II (June 27/06)

A slight improvement over its predecessor, Superman II is nevertheless riddled with a whole host of problems - although the film never quite feels as uneven and overlong as the first one. This time around, Superman is forced to battle three evil Kryptonians bent on world domination - a situation that's exacerbated by Superman's ill-timed decision to have his powers removed for the sole purpose of settling down with Lois. Director Richard Lester places a far more pronounced emphasis on physical comedy than one would like, peppering the film with over-the-top sight gags and a plethora of quirky supporting characters. As such, some of the darker elements within the screenplay - including the distinct brutality of chief villain Zod and his two henchmen - can't help but come off as ineffectual and strangely out of place (to be fair, this dichotomy undoubtedly has a lot to do with the infamous behind-the-scenes drama revolving around the firing of original director Richard Donner). The underwhelming special effects - particularly during Zod's initial attack on Metropolis - only cements the film's status as an undeniably dated piece of work, though (as expected) Reeve's thoroughly compelling performance generally ensures that flat-out boredom never quite sets in.

out of

Superman III

Finders Keepers

The Return of the Musketeers

Get Back

© David Nusair