What Classics Did You See Last Week (November 17–November 23)
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unex — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 12:55 PM)
Blowup (1966) - Rewatch. I like how grounded this movie is for a thriller. Nothing really exciting happens, the hero doesn't act heroic and I like the change we see from a man confident and powerful in his insular world of fashion but shaken from it and shown that there is a lot more going on than he realizes. It's similar to the origin story of the Buddha and you could read this movie as a very truncated retelling of that story, if you are into that sort of thing.
The Detective (1968) - A gritty "neo-noir" about a soft-boiled detective played by Frank Sinatra. Sometimes he will mouth progressive sentiments but they don't feel sincere. It's not a bad movie but I think it tried to do too much.
They focus on the lurid details of the gay underground and only touch on the real estate corruption which is what I would have liked to see more about the growth coalitions that run cities.
Horace McMahon plays a character very much like his Naked City role so it kind of feels like an episode of that show when he is on screen. -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 10:34 PM)
Haven't seen BLOW-UP since it was released and remember not liking it much, but I'm not much of an Antonioni fan. But based upon your comments, I think I need to give it another look. It got good ratings and has a great cast. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood back in the day.
Remember seeing THE DETECTIVE, but don't remember it very well enough to assess it, other than it being gritty, as you say. But based upon your comments, I probably won't watch it again. -
Rufus-T — 1 year ago(November 25, 2024 07:30 PM)
spider, I highly recommend you give Blow-Up another chance. Though it did not really have much of a story, the experience of following the photographer's observation is enlightening. The thought of what he saw was real or imagination is intriguing. As unex mentioned, there was a thriller part of the movie, which very well made with minimal dialogue. When there are dialogues, they are witty and unforgettable.
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 28, 2024 03:03 PM)
Well, I'm going to give BLOW-UP another look. I do find that Antonioni's films do drag on and on – the few I've seen anyway. And I have a funny story to share about that. A friend of mine, G.D. Spradlin, was in Coppola's APOCALYPSE NOW, and he told me about attending a screening of an early (
and long
) cut of that film that Coppola had invited Antonio to attend. G.D. said that when it was over Coppola turned to Antonioni, anxious for his response. Antonioni said he loved it, but had only one critique. Coppola asked him what that was and Antonioni said, "It's too short."
I think that pretty much sums up my problems with his films. But that said, based upon your comments and
@Rufus
's, and the fact that Bergman liked BLOW-UP, I think I really do need to see it again. And LA NOTTE, too, which I have never seen. Will report back once I do. -
MovieManCin2 — 1 year ago(November 25, 2024 08:40 AM)
I LOVE that film! It's fascinating the way he slowly pieces together the crime from the photos. And they don't insult your intelligence by explaining it to yoooooooou!
MAGA! FAFO!
Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. Dumbocraps: evil people who celebrate murder. 
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EdwardVP — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 01:25 PM)
1941 THE RELUCTANT DRAGON - An immature children's story writer goes to the Walt Disney studio to sell one of his stories. He discovers what animation is and how it's made. His story is of a non-combat dragon. This movie ends with that story done in animation. It has the quirky Robert Benchley and his motherly wife Nana Bryant. Ace moment is Clarence Nash doing his Donald Duck voice before our very eyes. (IMDb 6.7)
1953 MISS SADIE THOMPSON - Somerset Maugham has been relayed as having enjoyed Rita Hayworth's performance in this 1950s update of his story. I'm not surprised. I like her as the bar girl with a racy past who has to quarantine on a Pacific island. I enjoyed the way she chums it up with a crew of horny sailors. Jose Ferrer is a moralistic busybody who gives her a hard time when he becomes aware of her past. The trouble for him is that he can't get her shipped off somewhere because of the quarantine. (IMDb 5.9) -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 10:27 PM)
Haven't seen THE RELUCTANT DRAGON, Edward, but I have seen and enjoyed MISS SADIE THOMPSON, although I confess that I prefer the earlier Joan Crawford version called RAIN (1932). And I haven't seen it, but someone recommended the silent version, SADIE THOMPSON (1928), starring Gloria Swanson. He said that was the definitive one. It's on my list.
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EdwardVP — 1 year ago(November 25, 2024 10:54 AM)
I have just enjoyed the Gloria Swanson version of Sadie here on Filmboards Spiderwort. It's very good despite the series of still shots at the end to replace the lost footage. The rain scenes are great and Gloria Swanson mixes the vampishness and playfulness of Sadie very well. I'll be watching your recommended Joan Crawford version soon.
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 03:13 PM)
First viewings:
Three Colors: Blue / Krzysztof Kieslowski
(1993). A Frenchwoman (Juliette Binoche) tries to withdraw from life after her daughter and composer husband die in a car crash. A brilliant, haunting film with a great script, direction, and performances, especially by Binoche, who in this film is a master of subtext. I think it’s an absolute must-see, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the other two in the trilogy. (Available on Max)
Sherlock Jr. / Buster Keaton
(1924). A meek movie projectionist who dreams of being Conan Doyle's master detective must put his amateur sleuth skills to use when he's framed for a theft. One of Keaton’s great comedies, only 45 minutes long, it’s an absolute a joy to watch. What a talent that man was! (Available on multiple streaming services)
Broadway Melody of 1938 / Roy Del Ruth
(1937). A Broadway producer (Robert Taylor) bankrolls his musical with the horse winnings of his star (Eleanor Powell) at Saratoga. Not great, but very well done and entertaining with a wonderful cast, including Judy Garland in her feature film debut singing to Clark Gable, and lots of good music and dancing, too.
Re-watches
Maisie / Edward L. Marin
(1939). A stranded Brooklyn chorus girl (Ann Sothern) goes to work as a maid for the boss (Ruth Hussey) of a Wyoming ranch foreman (Robert Young). The first of the Maisie series, out of a total of nine, and although it’s not the best of the lot, it’s a good beginning with a very good cast, especially Robert Young and Ms. Sothern. She’s an underrated actress in my opinion. Forty-eight years later she received an Oscar nomination for
The Whales of August
.
Maisie was a Lady / Edwin L. Marin
(1941). Once again, Maisie finds herself out of work and is hired by the son (Lew Ayers) of a rich family to be their maid, in the process sobering him up and helping their daughter (Maureen O’Sullivan) with her romantic woes. One of the best of the series, I think. More substantial in many ways, and the cast is a definite plus, with Sothern in some scenes able to give a more serious performance. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 05:58 PM)
I noticed watchTCM had a bunch of Maisie movies up. I watched "Maisie was a Lady" several months ago. I thought it was alright, but not outstanding, so I wasn't in a hurry to watch the others. If I get a chance I might watch "Maisie" as I like Robert Young. Ann Sothern, plays one of the 3 wives in
A Letter to Three Wives
(1949), which is a pretty good movie.
Sothern's movie
The Party's Over
(1934) sounds interesting but it is apparently a bit hard to find.
The Hell Cat
(1934) also sounds interesting: -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 24, 2024 10:12 PM)
Yes, I agree with you about the Maisie films in general. They're not great but are enjoyable for those of us who are fans of Ann Sothern, which I am.
I haven't seen the films you've listed, but will keep an eye out for them. And I love Mankiewicz's
A Letter to Three Wives
and Sothern in it.
You might also want to check out
The Whales of August
, for which Sothern won her Oscar. But it's really Lillian Gish and Bette Davis who are amazing in the film. I was surprised they didn't get nominated. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(November 25, 2024 01:06 AM)
I was deciding between
Blue
and
Blue Velvet
earlier this week, but decided on
Blue Velvet
. I didn't go very much for
Blue Velvet
and would give it a 6. I liked Lynch's 1990 film
Wild at Heart
. Perhaps, I should have watched
Blue
.
I have been enjoying a number of the Powell and Pressberger movies on TCM this month
The Spy in Black : U-Boat 29
1939
The Red Shoes
1948
Contraband (Blackout)
1940 - watched this on filmboards actually
One of Our Aircraft is Missing
1941
Black Narcissus
1947
I have seen a number of their other movies over the past year already:
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
1943,
49th Parallel
(1941),
I Know Where I'm Going
(1945). -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 25, 2024 01:42 AM)
I would definitely recommend
Blue
! I
hated
Blue Velvet
with a passion. I thought it was disgusting, and I've never seen another Lynch film except for
The Elephant Man
, which I saw on Broadway and knew that he wouldn't be able to (or wouldn't be likely to) make it pornographic.
As for Powell and Pressburger, I love their films! I've seen so many, several just in the last two years:
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 49th Parallel
,
I Know Where I'm Going
and
A Canterbury Tale (1944)
.
And I've loved
The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, A Matter of Life and Death
, and
The Peeping Tom
for decades. They were real artists. And there's a Powell film he made on his own that I also love,
The Edge of the World (1937)
. Worth a look if you can find it. -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(November 26, 2024 07:32 PM)
Oh, yes! I did see and loved The Straight Story, too! I thought I'd be safe with that one, and I was. Excellent film, without any of the stuff of Lynch's I usually despise.
Interesting side-note, if you're not already aware: Mary Fisk, the sister of Sissy Spacek's husband, production designer Jack Fisk, was once married to Lynch.