On Blu-ray - Belated discovery of David Hare's thoughts on LAND OF THE PHAROAHS (Howard Hawks, USA,

 

From Warner's 2k Blu-ray of Land of the Pharaohs.

Joan Collins (above, with Jack Hawkins) wears the sum total of that year's supply of Egyptian Dusk makeup to render her skin in tones varying from Nigerian blue to purple.

Meanwhile (below right) Hawks' favorite butch stud and male love interest for the Pharaoh's wife, Dewey Martin, is staged and lit to show off the picture's intriguing array of tea towels doubling as male wardrobe to a rapt audience of young boys and older gents alike.

The whole film was always inescapably camp, even despite a rousing opening chorale music score from DImitri Tiomkin, but it's downhill from there. Not only does Hawks not know how a Pharaoh talked, he doesn't seem to know (or care) how they acted. I sincerely believe Michael Curtiz did a far better job in his superb The Egyptian with a far better screenplay than the junk provided to Hawks by no less than Faulkner and others. Curtiz' Egyptian looks totally restrained and contemplative next to the Hawksian spectacle and it makes more sense.

Anyhow the restored Warner/Eastmancolor in this Blu-ray from original elements is so flawlessly loud and ugly it all seems to have been filmed like this on purpose.

For diehard fans of Dewey Martin and Joan Collins.