Category: Uncategorized

Michael Wilmington Captivated by “Cinderella” and Angry Cat Lucifer

film criticism, michael wilmington film critic, movie reviews, Uncategorized
Lucifer the cat from Cinderella

Film critic Michael Wilmington tells about how the first movie he ever saw, with his mother – when he was 3 or 4 years old – was “Cinderella”. “Cinderella” first came to the movie screen in 1950 from Walt Disney Pictures. Over the years many more versions of the story have been made into a movie, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002), Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007), Another Cinderella Story (2008), Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Time (2011), Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016), Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019), and Cinderella Story: Star Struck (2021). However, there are 500 other versions across Europe and the U.S. It is believed that the story originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE). But the girl’s name was not Cinderella it was Yen-Shen, and the fairy godmother was a fish which she believes is the reincarnation of her deceased mother. Oh, there is so much magic in storytelling.

Michael tells of how when he saw Cinderella and the image of the black cat, Lucifer, he was so terrified he ran from the theater. That was the moment that Michael knew he loved the movies – as he was terrified enough to feel so scared he ran from it, but eventually he ran back because he understood the emotional connection and felt the power – and from that day forward Michael Wilmington could not get enough of the movies.

Check out the Lucifer trailer here: https://vimeo.com/962714890

“Citizen Kane” A Film Critic’s Inspiration

film criticism, michael wilmington film critic, movie reviews, Uncategorized

Citizen Kane Movie Poster

Michael Wilmington was only twelve when he first watched “Citizen Kane”, the RKO classic film made by Orson Welles in 1941.  It is the film that inspired Michael to be a film critic, and from the moment he saw those great deep focus shots by Gregg Toland, he states, “it ravished me, it always does.”

Over the years Michael wrote how he has “seen the film over 60 times and never been bored for an instant.”

“From its opening moments it keeps you in a captivated grip. Those ominous opening chords by composer Bernard Herrmann; the German expressionist nightmare episode of Kane’s death and his mysterious dying word, “Rosebud”; the “March of Time”-style newsreel of his life; the frenetic backstage glimpse of the newsreel makers and reporters deciding on a follow-up story on the meaning of “Rosebud.” – Chicago Tribune – “What’s so Great About Citizen Kane” by Michael Wilmington, July 2005

Film criticism first appeared in newspapers and magazines in he beginning of the 20th century. Although Michael was only twelve-years-old when he first saw “Citizen Kane”, it remained number one on British Film Institute’s (BFI) Sight and Sound’s list of the Greatest Movies of All Time for forty years, only to be replaced by “Vertigo” in 2012 when “Citizen Kane” slipped to number two.

Since 1952 BFI has conducted a decennial poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. At that time there were 145 critics polled, then as years passed, the pool of BFI critics increased to 846 and in 2022 BFI sent out ballots to 1,639 critics to compose a list of the top 250 Greatest Films of All Time where “Citizen Kane” still holds a spot. Orson’s masterpiece remains on the BFI list today, but “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” is in the top spot this year.

The American Film Institute (AFI) also held “Citizen Kane” as one of the Greatest Movies of All Time.

It is interesting to note that while Orson Welles himself did like his groundbreaking film, he seemed to disagree that “Citizen Kane” was the greatest film of all time when he was interviewed on The Dick Cavett Show in 1970 saying , “my next one is though.”

Also where Orson Wells was born in Kenosha in 1915 and Michael Wilmington was born in Elkhorn in 1946, both men shared Wisconsin as their place of birth.

 Watch the trailer on “Citizen Kane” here! https://vimeo.com/962717900