down by the bay

Don Siegel's 1979 film, "Escape from Alcatraz" (playing as a part of the Film Forum Con Film Festival) still wasn't enough to make me an Eastwood believer, but damned if the the hard ass squint of 70's Eastwood (when he seemed less aware of his iconic status) didn't make a strong case. Watching the percolating, creased face of Eastwood burn to a slow boil as he devises the ultimate plan to escape from the ultimate prison was the film's strength, but leave it to an uneven and surprisingly non-engaging level of suspense to make the film fall a little flat by the time the boys break loose (it's not a spoiler, the film is based on a true story). Post-film I spotted Lauren Hutton looking lovely in a leg brace and smoking a cigar of some sort and asking what was playing next. A definite welcomed respite after a movie with no female eye candy. The beautiful, famous women most grown on the non-existent trees here because I keep seeing them left and right.