What’s it all about, Alfie? I’ve hopped, skipped and jumped this week from the provocative “Interview” DVD - the write-up’s in the previous blog - to “I Am Legend” (Grade-B escapism with Will Smith doing Tom Hanks in “Castaway”) and “Juno” (an off-kilter comic gem that’s one of the year’s best films).

What a long strange trip it’s been.

The seduction sequence, a mix of dialogue, movement and posturing, in “Interview” is what set my brain ticking.

A celeb played by Sienna Miller riffs - semi-intoxicated - to a grating journalist played by Steve Buscemi about fishnet stockings and their appeal, to men.

She also goes on a bit about the high-heels thing, but it’s the fishnet demo that’s the grabber.

Like most women, she looks excellent in them. And sexy. And flirtatious. And, frankly, a little naughty, as in the kind of bad that’s good.

Why do men like them, she either queries, or remarks upon - I’m not completely clear; my movie brain turns to mush by the end of most weeks.

And, in that teasing, game-playing, prodding way of hers, she gets a reaction out of Buscemi.

And that’s what she wants: a reaction.

As for what kind, that exists in her brain, or the brain of the writer’s.

Is he aroused by the stockings? Do they make her more attractive? Are they always, ever or just at the moment a turn-on? Or not?

Their relationship is combative in that sequence, so getting through to him in any way, shape or form is the point; any kindled sex drive is frosting.

I like fishnets. I notice them. Maybe that’s the point.

Toss in high heels and we have: Something’s happening here.

Of course it depends on the person. And, in terms of movie characters, of the point in the courtship dance they’re at.

In “Interview,” it’s more of a testing than a prelude to sex. Although that remains an option.

Digression: It seems most movie seductions, the successful ones anyway, are initiated by women rather than men. Granted, men in fishnets is a rarity, but I’ve seen it on BART; it didn’t work. In fact, I’d willing sign a petition against.
On the other hand, to each his/her own. End digression.

Some women shouldn’t wear fishnets.

Mrs. Robinson carries it off. The seduction scene in “The Graduate” remains the classic. The Mike Nichols close-up of Anne Bancroft’s leg, with a very young Dustin Hoffman, way out of his league and completely ensnared, mesmerized in the background.

No good can come of it, of course. She’s married and out for a sling. And he’s still green under the desire.

But it’s a done deal the second she looks at him - in an earlier scene - with that hypnotic, come-hither-and-play-with-me glance - and commentary.

You can feel the heat.

You don’t feel the heat with Sienna in the fishnets; there’s too much anger and uncertainty permeating the scene.

But still, you notice and remember.

That’s the way it is with fishnets - and their association with the iconic femme fatale.

Nice legs don’t hurt.

Kathleen Turner had ‘em in “Body Heat,” which lived up to its title as well as any movie potboiler ever; so hot it sizzled.

Many blogs ago I wrote that the most erotic movie sequence I’ve ever experienced was in “Ulysses,” the adaptation of the James Joyce saga, not Homer’s.
And it was done all with words; fishnets would have been superfluous.

It’s one woman - Molly Bloom - lying alone on a bed sharing her rich sexual fantasy. Or perhaps it’s a remembrance; that’s the end-of-the-week mental slush kicking in again.

Whatever the case, it was the steamiest and most powerful film sex scene I can recall.

And isn’t that one of the reasons we go to movies - to be titillated?

Still dazzling after all these years

Julie Christie, still striking more than 40 years after winning hearts in “Dr. Zhivago,” creates a poignant portrayal of a woman stricken with Alzheimer’s in “Away From Her.”
Don’t let the subject matter frighten you away. While the film can be gut-wrenching with its thick, emotional undercurrents, it minimizes sentimentality, asking instead that audiences focus on the enduring love between Christie’s character and her husband of 44 years, played with strength, sensitivity and suppressed fear - that his wife will forget him - by Gordon Pinsent.
Written with wisdom beyond her 28 years (and adapted from an Alice Munro short story) by actress Sarah Polley, who makes an impressive directorial debut, the story allows Christie to show her character’s depth and mettle as she maintains an awareness of herself as her mind starts to deteriorate; when she forgets the word “wine,” she tells dinner guests it feels like she’s becoming invisible. She becomes the decisive one in the marriage when it comes to her moving into a facility where she can be better cared for than at home.
The story becomes more complicated when, early on, it is clear that she has become involved with another patient - former Woody Allen regular Michael Murphy - and her husband must deal with a new set of feelings and expectations.
Complexities abound in the story, whose flashbacks tantalize while adding depth. A powerful film about love, loss and self-sacrifice, “Away from Her” is highly recommended.
Extras: In Christie’s minimalist commentary, she admits she did not want to do the film initially because she doesn’t like movies about illness, but the script, her friendship with Polley and her losing friends to Alzheimer’s changed her thinking; Polley’s commentary on the few deleted scenes offers insights into her mind-set; various actors communicate their thoughts about the spread of Alzheimer’s prior to the film’s start.
Trivia: Reportedly, John Hartford was so dazzled by Christie’s performance in “Dr. Zhivago” that he went straight home, sat down and knocked out the song “Gentle on My Mind.”

Noir lite

“A Few Days in September” takes place in 2001, in the days leading up to the World Trade Center tragedy. That awareness is intended to add tension to the tale; a sense of urgency like the ticking of an invisible clock. It seldom does - because of writer-director Santiago Amigorena’s awkward tonal shifts and his never having met a digression he didn’t like. The result is a clash of thriller, relationship saga and political drama.
Juliette Binoche stars as some sort of agent or former agent - it’s never made clear until near the end - with bad eyesight. Whenever she removes her glasses, the screen becomes an indefinable blur which makes one think, “Well, that’s interesting and, perhaps, a metaphor - for the story’s pointlessness.” At the request of a mysterious former associate she hasn’t seen in years, she brings together his adult French daughter (Sara Forestier), who hates him for abandoning her as a child, and his adult American son (Tom Riley), who worships him. Their father wants to meet with this for reasons unknown until the finale. He avoids their first rendezvous because his psychopathic former associate (John Turturro) shows up and starts killing people.
The film’s shot well. The acting’s above average. The story’s kinkiness provides food for thought. Yet, the enigmatic ending leaves you feeling, OK, so? Extras: none.

Plastics!

Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson, Mr. Nichols and Mr. Hoffman. “The Graduate: 40th Anniversary Edition” reminds viewers of the movie’s timelessness and, as noted in the commentary, that you don’t have to have a pretty face to be a leading man.
Dustin Hoffman reportedly received $15,000 to play aimless college grad Benjamin Braddock, soon to be seduced by an older woman (sexy Anne Bancroft), fall for her pretty daughter (Katharine Ross) and be forced to figure out what to do with his life. The writing’s timeless. And the performances, Mike Nichols’ direction and the Simon & Garfunkel songs that meld so well with the story are as good as ever. Most of today’s releases couldn’t fill its sprockets.
Extras: Mike Nichols explains the rationale for every shot, movement, lighting choice, song, color and costume on a fascinating film-school-like audio commentary with Steven Soderbergh; Hoffman’s cute musing about his on-set crush on Ross during his commentary with her; a second disc contains four songs from the original soundtrack.

Women kick it

Critics panned “D.O.A.: Dead or Alive” when the martial-arts spoof debuted in theaters - most likely because they couldn’t stomach the froth or were disappointed the it wasn’t another remake of “D.O.A.,” the drama about a poisoned man searching for his murderer before he dies. (The Edmond O’Brien version begat the Dennis Quaid version which begat the Jason Statham update, “Crank.”)
Like the recently released “Balls of Fury,” the newest “D.O.A.,” on DVD this week, parodies Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon.” Unlike “Fury,” “D.O.A.” is entertaining. Lively and amusing, the film features a bunch of buff, butt-kicking babes as its heroes; think “Charlie’s Angels” with B talent.
Jaime Pressly, the most recognizable star from her role on “My Name Is Earl,” plays a wrestler supreme invited along with a ninja princess (Devon Aoki), an assassin-thief (Holly Valance) and a host of boorish rugged males to compete for $10 million and the title “World’s Best Fighter” in an exclusive tourney on a secluded island.
Of course, there’s more to it - including revenge, mystery, thievery, courting, sparking, computer high jinks and an arch villain (Eric Roberts).
The plot’s silly but the plot’s not the point; the point’s the action and the fun. Created by Cory Yuen, Bruce Lee’s stand-in and director of “The Transporter,” the picture’s loaded with fancy fighting, balletic moves and chiseled pecs. And, with the exception of the hammy Roberts, the actors give it their best - and, like the movie itself, they refuse to take themselves seriously.
Extras: The making-of documentary “East Meets West: Behind the Action of `D.O.A.’ ” provides diverting peeks into the actors’ training and wire work, Yuen’s animated directing style and the handsome China locales; no commentary.

Also on DVD

“Even Money”: Addiction and gambling destroy nine lives; with Forest Whitaker, Kim Basinger, Kelsey Grammer and Nick Cannon.

“Face/Off - Two-Disc Special Collector’s Edition”: FBI agent John Travolta and terrorist Nicolas Cage trade faces, identities and bullets; includes new commentaries and alternate ending.

“The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo”: The “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ guys make fun of the 1958 D picture about women who monkey around with male ape-like creatures, discover an island of handsome men and go ape over them.

“The Roger Corman Collection”: “Bloody Mama”; “A Bucket of Blood”; “Gas-s-s-s”; “Premature Burial”; “The Wild Angels”; “X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes”; “The Young Racers.”
“Snow Cake”: Endearing oddity with former convict Alan Rickman forced to rethink his life after picking up a hitchhiker who dies, then visiting her autistic mother (Sigourney Weaver) and taking up with her mother’s free-spirited neighbor (Carrie-Anne Moss).

Classic horror releases: “The Burning”; “The Food of the Gods”; “From Beyond - Unrated Director’s Cut”; “The Lost World - Special Edition”; “MGM Movie Scream Legends: Vincent Price Collection”; “The Return of the Living Dead Collector’s Edition”; “Scarecrows”; “Sometimes They Come Back.”

TV on DVD
“The Addams Family - Volume 3″; “Avatar: The Last Airbender”; “Bones: Season Two”; “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”; “Charmed - The Final Season (Season 8)”; “Goosebumps – It Came From Beneath the Sink”; “Goosebumps - Say Cheese and Die”; “Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Third Season, Seriously Extended DVD”; “Griffin & Phoenix” (Dermot Mulroney-Amanda Peet version); “I Dream of Jeannie - The Complete Fourth Season”; “Las Vegas: Season 4″; “Lillies”; “Masada - The omplete Epic Mini-Series”; “McHale’s Navy: Season Two”; “Prime Suspect 7 - The Final Act”; “The Starter Wife”; “Supernatural: Season 2″; “Two and a Half Men: The Complete First Season.”