Modern films are welcome as well as classic films and those from any other viewing mediums. All comments, recommendation
-
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 27, 2023 07:07 PM)
I love REBECCA, Sophienoire. One of Hitchcock's best, and his first Hollywood film, a little less "Hitchcockian" than his normal style, but still totally captivating. Great script, performances, and direction.
Regret to say I haven't seen the other two (not sure how I missed THE TURNING POINT), but I will keep an eye out for them. But it's hard to go wrong with REBECCA, one of the great Hollywood classics (and I'm not even a fan of Joan Fontaine!). -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(November 30, 2023 09:18 PM)
Love that score!! Do wish they had shot it in Oklahoma though.
It was based upon the play, "Green Grow the Lilacs," by Oklahoma playwright, Lynn Riggs. In the 1931 Broadway of version of that play, Franchot Tone played Curly. That would have been interesting to see. Anyway, I do enjoy the film and the cast under the unlikely direction of Fred Zinneman. Just wish they'd shot it in Oklahoma instead of Arizona! -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(December 01, 2023 02:32 PM)
Oh, the landscape of Oklahoma was very much unspoiled enough for the film to be shot there in the 1950s, and nothing in the Arizona landscape comes close to what Oklahoma had to offer. I lived in both states and know well what was lost by that regrettable choice. But the good news is that a lot more production is taking place in Oklahoma now, and before long it is likely to be on a par with Atlanta or New Orleans for runaway productions. The state has so much to offer in its variety of landscapes – prairies, mountains, forests (even a rainforest in the southeastern part of the state). And now there's the new Prairie Surf Studios that have lots of sound-stages in downtown Oklahoma City. Films and tv shows shot there most recently include, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (thank god for that, because that historical event happened in Oklahoma), MINARI, TULSA KING, WILDLIFE, and AUGUST, OSAGE COUNTY. And I know that others are soon to come, now that the strikes are over.
-
Doghouse-6 — 2 years ago(December 01, 2023 06:53 PM)
I was very interested to read this information about Oklahoma, about which I know embarrassingly little in view of most of the paternal half of my family having come from there, so thanks for that, old friend.
The first time I heard the phrase "runaway production" was on a mid-'60s WHAT'S MY LINE on which Joan Crawford was the mystery guest. She seemed well on the way to stumping the panel until one of them asked if her latest film had been produced outside of Hollywood, to which Crawford answered in the throaty, Garbo-esque accent she'd adopted for the appearance, "No runaway production."
That was enough to tip off Bennett Cerf, who recalled a recent interview she'd given, railing against the practice. But in this age when avenues of production and distribution are more varied and widespread than ever before, I'm glad to know there's a variety of regions getting in on the act.
Poe! You are…avenged! -
spiderwort — 2 years ago(December 01, 2023 10:07 PM)
Both the paternal and maternal sides of my family came from Oklahoma, by way of North Carolina, Kentucky, Iowa and Kansas. So we might be related one way or another. What a treat that would be.
As for the "runaway production" term, it's so interesting, because it just popped into my mind and then out onto the page. I haven't thought of it in decades. But, like you, I'm glad to see that it is as widespread as it is these days. It's good for the business, but it also adds so much to the look of the films we see. -
Doghouse-6 — 2 years ago(December 03, 2023 04:55 PM)
So we might be related one way or another. What a treat that would be.
That it would. Something like that has actually happened to me. I have an aunt who's the unofficial family historian and once embarked on a years-long genealogy project going back I-don't-know-how-many generations. Among the things it turned up was an extremely distant connection to both presidents Harrison.
Many years after graduation, I learned from an old high-school friend, whose family carried that name, that he was also related to them. Thereafter, our greeting to each other was always, "Hi, cuz."
My family name happens to be that of a very well-known English author and one of the largest U.S. banks. More's the pity, that genealogy turned up no connection to either.
Poe! You are…avenged!
