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From: jackh@zehntel.UUCP (jack hagerty)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: THE COTTON CLUB ($.05, $.10, and $.25 reviews...)
Message-ID: <1752@zehntel.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Jan-85 13:04:24 EST
Article-I.D.: zehntel.1752
Posted: Tue Jan 22 13:04:24 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Jan-85 06:47:45 EST
References: <258@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Zehntel Automation Systems Inc, Walnut Creek CA
Lines: 38

> 
>  Actually, I think it's entertaining enough to pay for its
> much-ballyhoed self, but not if somebody doesn't get off their butts
> quick and say that this is a film which you don't look at your watch
> during the first half of the movie, and you don't remember if  you had
> a watch by the end.
> 
> 					Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
> 					John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.


I, too, gauge my interest level in a movie by "watch time."  In the case
of the Cotton Club, it seemed like the film had been on a very long
time when I first looked...it was 35 minutes. After another eternity I
looked again. 45 minutes (i.e. 10 min later).

I agree that the film is technically excellent: acting, costumes, lighting,
sets, music, coreography, etc, all first rate. There seemed to be only
one thing missing: a story. I spent the first hour waiting for the movie to
begin. Where (or who) is the main character? Richard Gere seemed to be, but
he was on screen less than half the time.

True, once you survive the first half, the realization dawns on you that
*everyone* is the main character, so to speak. But for me, that doesn't 
make up for a flaccid first half. I'm glad I only paid $2 to see it.

Speaking of money, I really couldn't see where the $40M went on this film.
The production values were good, but uless they did some massive urban
renewal on the real Harlem for location shots, it looked like your basic
$15M-$20M high quality film.
-- 


                    Jack Hagerty, Zehntel Automation Systems
                          ...!ihnp4!zehntel!jackh