Cineaste sans license

I've seen a couple of interesting films recently that are worth noting:

Hells Angels: Howard Hughes' 1930 epic, the most expensive film ever made at the time. If you've seen the recent blockbuster, The Aviator, you know the story of how the film was made. It is actually pretty good, even by contemporary entertainment standards. In addition, Jean Harlow is pretty hot as the love interest. It's worth watching, if only as an interesting historical artifact. Plus it's cheap: you can buy the DVD from Walmart.com for only $10.13.

Back to the Future: the Ivan Vasilievich 1973 USSR relic. This bizarre, Soviet era film is a comedy about a Russian scientist nerd who develops a time machine in his Moscow apartment. Firmly rooted in the 1970s, the film reflects the "wild and crazy guy" esthetic epitomized by late 1960s American sitcom "Love, American Style." Eventually, a charming, roguish, striving burgler and the officious, obnoxious, block political leader are sent back in time to the era of Ivan the Terrible. Of course, hilarious hijinks ensue. It's a very odd, very period, and somewhat amusing. You won't want to watch it twice, but it's worth renting.