Episode 13 July 10th, 2011

The movie reviewing continues on Highbrow! Lowbrow? with Jesse and Shaun comparing the Top Box Office Earner and the Best Picutre Academy Award Winner of the same year. Our aim? To see what side of the movie watching audience was more on point for that year: the masses or the critics. This time around we're reviewing the year 1953, featuring the films From Here ToEternity (Highbrow) and Peter Pan (Lowbrow).

From Here To Eternity, directed by Frank Zinnemann, features Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift as Sgt. Milton Warden and Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt, respectively, two soldiers dealing with forbidden love on the war front. Jesse called this movie a fun epic, really enjoying the performances by both of the leads and the surprisingly strong performance of Frank Sinatra as Pvt. Angelo Maggio. Shaun enjoyed the film overall, but felt the romances lacking at moments and the infamous beach scene had lost some heat due to it's age. The film has some really interesting twist and turns that add exciting depth to the story. Despite it's unfortunate title, From Here To Eternity was a surprise, an epic that was compelling and fun, and not overly long or wearying.

Disney's Peter Pan, directed from Clyde Geronimi and adapted from the books of J.M. Barrie, is the classic story of the boy who never grows up, Peter Pan, as he whisks away Wendy to Neverland, a place of fantasy and adventure. Shaun thought this film had a lot of interesting underlying themes and messages, but didn't bring them together successfully. Jesse wasn't a fan of Peter Pan and his mischievous ways, and found Wendy annoying with all her rules and mothering. Though this is a Disney classic, there wasn't enough of those classic elements for example, the elaborate song and dance numbers, and there were some awkward moments, like the subtly racist song "What makes the Red Man Red?" This is a kid's movie through and through, really embodying this mischievous and playful sensibility throughout.

What was the preferred choice for the Highbrow! Lowbrow? duo? The epic war romance From Here To Eternity? Or the playful adventures of Peter Pan? Check out the next episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? to find out!