Convoy (1978 film)

Directed by Sam Peckinpah and written by Bill L. Norton, Convoy is the story of a group of truckers who band together to do a convoy and deal with a corrupt sheriff. Based on C.W. McCall song of the same name and the CB radio-fad of the 1970s, the film is an action-adventure film that revolves around the craze into a road-like adventure. Starring Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, Burt Young, Madge Sinclair, Franklyn Ajaye, Burt Young, Seymour Cassel, and Ernest Borgnine. Convoy is a silly and uninteresting film from Sam Peckinpah.

The film follows around a trucker whose encounters with a corrupt sheriff forces him to create a convoy from Arizona to Texas in order to avoid persecution during a brawl at a restaurant. It’s a film with a simple story but it never makes sense into what is going on into why these truckers are doing a convoy across the American Southwest while trying to avoid the authorities. The film’s screenplay has a lot that is happening but it often feels very derivative of the car chase films of the 1970s. Most notably Smokey and the Bandit but with lots of trucks and a more devious antagonist as it never really provides any idea of what these truckers are doing a convoy for as its protagonist Rubber Duck (Kris Kristofferson) becomes some unlikely folk hero. Though Rubber Duck is definitely the most interesting character of the film along with a few fellow truckers, they’re not given much to do or be fleshed out more while Duck’s traveling companion in a photographer Melissa (Ali MacGraw) is just some love interest.

While there are elements in Sam Peckinpah’s direction that bear some of his visual trademark in terms of his elaborate action set pieces and slow-motion approach to action. Yet, it feels quite derivative as it goes overboard and doesn’t really do much to help tell the story while it is clear that there was some tampering into what Peckinpah was trying to do. While there are some wide shots of the locations with some second unit direction provided by James Coburn. The direction is often focused on close-ups and medium shots to capture what goes on inside a truck as well as the world of the truck stops and camps where they go into. Yet, they don’t really do much visually where Peckinpah wanted to balance not just some of the action but also the humor as the latter feels forced. When it reaches it climax in this showdown between Rubber Duck and the sheriff known as Cottonmouth (Ernest Borgnine), it does feel quite derivative as it is overly stylized and it is followed by something that is quite lame as it pertains to its ending which is definitely something Peckinpah doesn’t do. Overall, Peckinpah creates a messy and ridiculous film about a trucker leading a convoy against a vile sheriff.

Cinematographer Harry Stradling Jr. does nice work with the film’s cinematography as it play into the gorgeous sunny locations of the American Southwest in the day along with some lighting for the scenes set at night. Editors Garth Craven and John Wright do OK work with the editing where it does showcase what is happening yet its approach in the slow-motion cuts and some of the fast-cutting is just downright terrible. Production designer Fernando Carrere, with set decorator Frank Lombardo and art director J. Dennis Washington, does nice work with some of the interior of the trucks and truck stops as well as the truckers‘ camp in the film‘s second half. Sound mixer William Randall does some fine work with the sound as it play into the way the horns sound as well as the truck engines and other moments involving the action. The film’s music by Chip Davis is pretty good for its mixture of orchestral music with bits of country to play into the world of the American Southwest while music supervisor Bill Fries creates a soundtrack filled with music from Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Doc Watson, Anne Murray, and a new version of the titular song by C.W. McCall.

The casting by Lynn Stalmaster is superb for the ensemble that is created despite its lackluster script as it feature some notable small roles from Jorge Russek as a brutal sheriff from Texas, Tommy Bush as a sheriff trying to help Cottonmouth, Donnie Fritts as the Reverend Sloane who rides a bus and joins the convoy with his band of hippie churchgoers, Cassie Yates as Rubber Duck’s waitress girlfriend Violet, and Seymour Cassel as New Mexico governor Jerry Haskins who wants to use Rubber Duck for his own political campaign for the senate. Franklyn Ajaye and Madge Sinclair are good in their respective roles as the African-American truckers Spider Mike and Widow Woman with the former wanting to get home to his wife for the birth of his child and the latter being this quirky, Rastafarian-type of gal.

Burt Young is terrific as Bobby aka Pig Pen/Love Machine as the comic relief who is also a realist as he is this trucker that knows what is going on and can smell bullshit from miles away. Ernest Borgnine is terrible as the sheriff Cottonmouth as a sheriff that is quite dark yet is often seen as a comic foil as Borgnine is unfortunately put into some very humiliating moments. Ali MacGraw is uninspired as Melissa as a photographer with a bad haircut who is just there as a reluctant love interest that is trying to understand what Rubber Duck is doing as it’s just a badly written character. Finally, there’s Kris Kristofferson in a wonderful performance as Rubber Duck as a truck driver who has had enough of Cottonmouth’s abusive attitude as he decides to go on the run unaware that he’s created a convoy even though it’s a role that isn’t well-written either.

Convoy is a pretty bad film from Sam Peckinpah that bear little of his oeuvre as well as the fact that it’s just a film based on a fucking novelty song. It’s a film for anyone interested in the CB craze of the 70s might want to take an interest in but this is definitely an inessential film from Peckinpah as it shows a director not in total control. In the end, Convoy is just a terrible film from Sam Peckinpah.

Sam Peckinpah Films: The Deadly Companions - Ride the High Country - Major Dundee - Noon Wine - The Wild Bunch - The Ballad of Cable Hogue - Straw Dogs - Junior Bonner - The Getaway - Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - The Killer Elite - Cross of Iron - The Osterman Weekend - The Auteurs #62: Sam Peckinpah

© thevoid99 2016

Coming to America

Directed by John Landis and screenplay by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein that is based on an original story by Eddie Murphy. Coming to America is the story of an African prince who travels to America with his friend/servant to find a woman he can marry and fall in love with. The film marks a reunion between Landis and Murphy since the hit 1983 film Trading Places which Murphy starred in as in this film, he plays multiple characters. Also starring Arsenio Hall, John Amos, Shari Headley, Madge Sinclair, Eriq La Salle, and James Earl Jones. Coming to America is a heartwarming yet riotous comedy from John Landis.

Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) of the African country Zamunda has just turned 21 as he lives a pampered yet lavish lifestyle but feels unhappy as he wants to take care of himself while wanting to find a bride who will love him for who he is and not what he is. Meanwhile, his father King Jaffee Joffer (James Earl Jones) and mother Queen Aeoleon (Madge Sinclair) are searching for a bride suitable for their son. At a ceremony to celebrate Akeem’s birthday, Akeem would meet his bride-to-be Imani Izzi (Vanessa Bell) as he tries to get to know her but instead is obedient to his command. After talking to his father about wanting to go on a trip, the king decides to give Akeem 40 days of freedom to sow his wild oats. Akeem takes his friend Semmi (Arsenio Hall) with him as he decides to travel to America to find his bride as they decide to land in the section of Queens in New York City.

Arriving at Queens, they move into a very poor, rat-infested apartment and getting rid of their rich attire much to Semmi’s dismay. He and Akeem go on a search for a bride for Akeem until they meet the local barber Clarence (Eddie Murphy) who takes them to local charity that features a young woman named Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley) whom Akeem falls for as she speaks at the function. With her father Cleo (John Amos) running a local fast food restaurant called McDowell’s, Akeem and Semmi work at the place as Akeem tries to win Lisa over against her boyfriend Daryl (Eriq La Salle) who is the son of a Jeri curl hairspray manufacturer. After various attempts including going on a double-date with Lisa, Daryl, and Lisa’s sister Patrice (Allison Dean), Akeem manages to win over Cleo after fighting off a robber (Samuel L. Jackson) as he invites him and Semmi to work at a party in his home.

The party turns into an engagement party though Lisa doesn’t feel ready to marry Daryl as she and Akeem start to become close. With Akeem finally finding the woman he wants, Semmi becomes frustrated with their living situation as he sends a telegram to the king asking for money. Instead, the king comes to New York City to find Akeem as Akeem learns that his family has arrived. When Lisa learns who Akeem really is, she meets the royal couple which only adds to her own confusion about who he is. Learning what his father said to her, Akeem goes on a search to find Lisa to proclaim his love for her.

The film is about a prince who travels to America to find a suitable bride as he wants to find someone who will love him for who he is. It’s a simple premise that is told with a lot of humor with an element of romance while it features a lead character who just wants to be accepted a man despite his royal background. The screenplay by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein manages to create a narrative that is quite formulaic but inject a lot of humor about the way a prince tries to make himself be a common man with a bit of naiveté about how common people lived yet he takes in stride much to the chagrin of his friend Semmi who is used to being pampered and living a rich lifestyle. Yet, Akeem is aware that is more and he is more interested in having a woman with an opinion.

While the script does have some very interesting characters and ideas about class differences. There’s a looseness to the script in the way the comedy is handled which allows director John Landis to create a film that extremely funny but also has a very touching romantic story. There’s also a sense of ambition in the way Landis presents this grand palace of the royal family while being able to shoot on location in the sections of Queens and Manhattan in New York City. The compositions have more depth for large crowd scenes as well as an intimacy for smaller yet straightforward moments. Still, Landis let things play out naturally while creating moments that are dramatic without being too heavy. Overall, Landis makes a truly solid yet roaring comedy that is filled with memorable one-liners and moments that keeps viewers watching endlessly.

Cinematographers Sol Negrin and Woody Omens do an incredible job with the photography from the grimy yet lush look of the cold winter of Queens in its poor section to the more vibrant look for the posh set pieces in the film. Editors Malcolm Campbell and George Folsey Jr. do nice work in the editing in creating some rhythmic cuts to some of the film’s funny moments while maintaining a very straightforward presentation for the film. Production designer Richard MacDonald, along with art directors Richard B. Lewis and Christopher Nowak, does a fantastic job with the look of the Zamundan royal palace with all sorts of amazing rooms and exteriors along with quaint but lovely home of Cleo McDowell.

Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman does a superb job with the costumes from the regal look of Akeem and his family wore to the more casual American clothing he wears when he arrives in the U.S. Special effects makeup work by Rick Baker does an excellent job with the look of the various characters that both Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall play which has the former play a Jewish white man. Sound editors Paul Timothy Carden and Richard C. Franklin do a wonderful job with the sound work to convey the chaotic atmosphere of Queens as well as maintaining an intimacy in smaller moments of the film.

The film’s score by Niles Rodgers is terrific for its dance-based score filled with synthesizers and 80s R&B to emphasize the American world that Akeem lives in while the score also has an orchestral element with bombastic arrangements to emphasize the world of Africa. The soundtrack features a mix of 80s pop, R&B, and hip-hop to display the world of America while there’s also brief snippets of music by Elmer Bernstein from his work in another Landis film in Trading Places.

The casting by Jackie Burch is brilliant from the ensemble that is created as it features cameos from Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche reprising their Duke Brothers character from Trading Places. Other small roles include Jake Steinfeld as a cab driver, Vondie Curtis-Hall as a basketball game vendor who recognizes Akeem, Cuba Gooding Jr. as a barbershop customer, Garcelle Beauvais as one of the rose-bearers, Frankie Faison as a landlord, Paul Bates as the top royal family servant Oha, Clint Smith as the barber Sweets, Louie Anderson as a McDowell’s employee, Vanessa Bell as the beautiful future bride Imani, Allison Dean as Lisa’s partying sister Patrice, Eriq La Salle as Lisa’s jeri-curl sporting boyfriend Daryl, and Samuel L. Jackson as a robber.

Other notable supporting roles include Madge Sinclair as Akeem’s kindly mother Queen Aeoleon, John Amos as Lisa’s warm and hard-working father Cleo, James Earl Jones as Akeem’s intimidating yet well-meaning father King Jaffee Joffer. Shari Headley is wonderful as Lisa, the woman Akeem falls for as she displays a sense of worldly realism and grace that Akeem wants in a woman. Arsenio Hall is excellent as Akeem’s friend Semmi who has a hard time dealing with not having money and such while Hall also gets to play various characters such as the boisterous Reverend Brown, the funny barber Morris, and an extremely ugly woman in a hilarious club scene as Akeem and Semmi try to find what Queens has to offer.

Finally, there’s Eddie Murphy in what is truly one of his best performance as Prince Akeem of Zamunda. Murphy brings an enthusiasm and maturity to his role as a man wanting to seek true love while discovering the world outside of being rich and pampered. It’s a very funny and sensitive performance for Murphy as he also plays various characters. Among them is the barber Clarence who always say Joe Louis is the greatest boxer ever while playing a white Jewish man named Saul who hangs out at the barber shop. Then there’s another character Murphy plays in an untalented/actor singer named Randy Watson where he gives a hilarious rendition of Whitney Houston’s The Greatest Love of All in one of the funniest moments on film.

Coming to America is an extraordinary yet entertaining film from John Landis that features Eddie Murphy in one of his outstanding performances. The film is among the best of Landis’ collaboration with Murphy as well as a comedy that is still funny nearly twenty-five years since its release. With a superb supporting cast that includes Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos, and James Earl Jones. It’s a film that has a lot more to offer in terms of what is expected in a comedy. In the end, Coming to America is a tremendous and exciting film from John Landis.

John Landis Films: (Schlock) - (Kentucky Fried Movie) - (National Lampoon’s Animal House) - (The Blues Brothers) - (An American Werewolf in London) - (Coming Soon) - Trading Places - (The Twilight Zone (1983 film)) - (Into the Night) - (Spies Like Us) - (Three Amigos!) - (Amazon Women on the Moon) - (Oscar) - (Innocent Blood) - (Beverly Hills Cop III) - (The Stupids) - (Blues Brothers 2000) - (Susan’s Plan) - (Slasher) - (Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project) - (Burke & Hare)

© thevoid99 2012