Psycho (1960)
Hitchcock’s adaptation of Robert Bloch’s novel about a woman who steals from her employer and stops at the wrong motel.
Martin Balsam
This archive gathers the films featuring Martin Balsam reviewed at Master of Worlds: “12 Angry Men (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1997)”, “Catch-22 (1970)”, “Psycho (1960)”, and “Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)” — 4 titles in all. Across these reviews the focus stays on how Martin Balsam serves each story: the choices that make a performance work, the roles that anchor a film, and the range visible across different pictures. Rather than rank the performances, the collection treats them as a body of work worth examining. The list continues to expand as additional films are reviewed.
Catch-22 (1970)
Mike Nichols’ 1970 Heller adaptation. Alan Arkin as Yossarian. Substantial source material that the film handles only partially.
12 Angry Men (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1997) — Review
Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men is one of the best American films ever made. The film runs ninety-six minutes. The film takes place almost entirely in a single jury room. The film has no music until the closing credits. The film has twelve speaking parts plus a bailiff and a judge whose face is barely…
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) — Review
Foundational dual-perspective Pearl Harbor film. Equal substantive treatment of American and Japanese forces. Won Best Visual Effects Oscar. 9/10.