What classics did you watch this week? (1/23-1/29)

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Perception_de_Ambiguity — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 02:41 PM)

Su Friedrich:
Gently Down the Stream
(1981) 5/10
[avant-garde short]
But No One
(1982) 3+/10
[avant-garde short]
Hide and Seek
(1997) 7/10
[experimental-narrative lesbian childhood nostalgia porn, B&W fiction/documentary hybrid]
Vladimir Tarasov AKA Valdimir Tarassov AKA ладими ли Таасов:
екало вемени / A Mirror of Time
(1976) (no subtitles) don't know/10
Садион ивоо-наввоо / Stadion shivorot-navyvorot
(1976) 6/10
Ти / Tir / Shooting Range
(1979) 6/10
Prega il morto e ammazza il vivo / Mörder des Klans / Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead / Renegade Gun / Pray to Kill and Return Alive
(Giuseppe Vari, 1971) 5+/10
[spaghetti western mystery]
Dark Country 3D
(Thomas Jane, 2009) 2+/10
[Z-grade noir thriller built on cliched "Twilight Zone" twist ending, vanity project, green screen schlockin abysmal 3D]
Afterschool
(Antonio Campos, 2008) 7/10
[teenage alienation drama somewhere between Haneke and Antonioni]
Christine
(Antonio Campos, 2016) 9/10
[empathetic alienation/depression/suicidal drama, news media world critique, period piece]
Nocturama
(Bertrand Bonello 2016) 6/10
[teen terrorism arthouse]
Fear Itself
(Charlie Lyne, 2015) 6/10
[horror essay film/horror movie clip show]
The Monster
(Bryan Bertino, 2016) 2+/10
[annoyingly blunt family values allegory packaged as annoyingly sappy inadequate monster horror]
Whiplash
(Damien Chazelle, 2014) 5+/10
[all-boys music club sports movie]
The French Connection
(William Friedkin, 1971) (2nd viewing) 7/10
Sjunde inseglet / Det sjunde inseglet / The Seventh Seal
(Ingmar Bergman, 1957) (3rd viewing) 7/10 (from 5)
[allegorical existential comedy, "silence of God" Bergman period piece]
RiffTrax Live: Reefer Madness
(2010) 6/10
At Your Fingertips: Grasses
(1970) 2/10
Frozen Frolics
(1930) 5/10
Tell Your Children / Reefer Madness
(Louis J. Gasnier, 1936) 1/10
Mystery Science Theater 3000: "Indestructible Man"
(1992) 4+/10
Indestructible Man
(Jack Pollexfen, 1956) 1+/10
Shorts:
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler
(David Lynch, c.1967) 6/10
[David Lynch debut film, surreal home movie]
Whiplash
(Damien Chazelle, 2014) 5/10
Sudden Fear
(Starving Weirdos, 2008) 1/10
[poor man's found footage avant-garde short made in one hour resulting in half an hour of slowed-down footage]
Girls Night Out
(Joanna Quinn, 1988) 7-/10
Zweigroschenzauber
(Hans Richter, 1929) 6/10
M Is for Mammary
(Jamie Greco, 2013) 2/10
Shapes We Live With
(1970) 1/10
Scribbler
(David Firth, 2004) 6/10
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (3rd viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (4th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (5th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (6th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (7th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (8th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (9th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (10th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (11th viewing)
Hennessy X.O
(NicWinRef (Nicolas Winding Refn), music by Cliff Martinez, 2016) (12th viewing) c.7/10
For the Birds 3D
(Ralph Eggleston, 2000) (3rd+ viewing) 7/10
Tool: Salival
(Adam Jones, 2000) (umpteenth viewing) 8/10
[music video compilation, stop motion animation shorts]
Фабика / Fabrika / Factory
(Sergey Loznitsa, 2004) 8/10
assembly-line work exploration, industrial sights and sounds photoplay, visually striking and colorful heavy metal movie, wordless documentary short
Other:
Destination Dune
(Paul Sammon, 1984) 6/10
[behind-the-scenes promotional film]
Nu, pogodi!: "Pervyy vypusk"
(1969) 5/10
Nu, pogodi!: "Tretiy vypusk"
(1971) 4/10
Nu, pogodi!: "17-y vypusk"
(Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin & Vladimir Tarasov, 1993) 6/10
Nu, pogodi!: "18-y vypusk"
(Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin & Vladimir Tarasov, 1993) 4/10
Bill Burr - Emotionally Unavailable
(audio) - thumbs up
Notable Online Media:
[top 3:]
The Matrix - Renegade Cut
Dredd - Renegade Cut
The Master: How Scientology Works
[rest:]
AFTERSCHOOL @ NYFF - director Antonio Campos Q&A [parts 1&2]
Director Antonio Campos-Afterschool
Meet the Artist '16: Antonio Campos
The Seventh Seal - Renegade Cut
Persona - Renegade Cut (Revised Version)
The History of the Mockbuster
WHY IS CINEMA: MOVIES AND RACISM! UH-OH!!
Louis C.K - not that kind of funny
Bill Burr on New Comedy Special & Podcast - Full Interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
JOE DANTE / JOHN CARPENTER - WTF Podcast with Marc Maron #720 [audio only]
Discussion with Filmmaker William Friedkin at New York Film Academy [audio only]
William Friedkin at 2013 Dallas International Film Festival [audio only]
Discussion with Oscar Winning Actor Al Pacino at New York Film Academy [audio only]
Kaoma - Lambada (Official

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sol- — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 02:44 PM)

Part 1: All first time viewings this week (no revisions)
Mr. Majestyk
(1974). Having betrayed the trust of a contract killer who he fled a transportation vehicle with, a hardened melon farmer reluctantly agrees to act as a 'bait' for the police who believe that the killer will take revenge in this Charles Bronson action vehicle. Made in the same year as
Death Wish
, Bronson is in equally as fine form here, and while the film does not offer anywhere near as touching a portrait of a man forced into violence, there is a lot to be said for the genuine passion that Bronson shows for his crops and his sympathy for the migrant workers he employs. The action sequences are expectedly good too, though the script could have done with a bit more work. It is hard to believe that Bronson just expects the contract killer's girlfriend to drive the two of them to prison without any arguments at a key point. The plot also relies heavily on the hitman being impulsive and unpredictable, which does not quite gel with the notion of him being so successful in both his profession and ability to evade the law. A half-baked romance between Bronson and one of his workers adds little to the film too. Most filmgoers will, however, come here for the action and with four wheel drive chases across the desert, tense shoot-outs and a grisly scene in which a policeman is killed while on the toilet, it is all highly memorable stuff. The novelty value of Bronson as a farmer is worth mentioning too. It seems odd that the filmmakers could not come up with a more inventive title than its main character's name, but working under open skies in the fresh air, maybe his profession really is majestic.
#55
(of 82)
for 1974
, between
From Beyond the Grave
and
Blazing Saddles
.
Ace Up My Sleeve
(1976). Sometimes known as
Crime and Punishment
, this Ivan Passer thriller stars Omar Sharif as man in financial strife who encourages his mistress to marry an elderly millionaire with the hopes of a lucrative divorce settlement, but the upper hand that the lovers think they have is not as it seems. The first fifteen minutes or so of the movie are quite enticing with Sharif and lead actress Karen Black getting into intimate plotting while their target, unbeknownst to them, watches on hidden cameras from afar. Starting with a bizarre, borderline comical patisserie scene, however, in which Black gluttonously overeats (to make herself more attractive to the old man who likes full-bodied women), the plot soon derails and manages to inject relatively little sense of danger and paranoia in the air later on even after Black discovers that the old man has killed every ex-wife who left him and as Sharif finds attempts on his own life. The role that Joseph Bottoms has in the film is also downright weird, becoming a third love interest for Black in a subplot that only seems to exist to suggest that Black is less honorable than Sharif first thought. Even if the story does not quite add up, Passer films the material so thoughtfully that it is a hard movie to overlook. One of the best touches is how Sharif's face is totally obscured by shadows as he watches the bride and groom cut the cake; there are also some remarkable shots that literally slide down a ski slope. Vangelis additionally provides yet another memorable composition that appropriately adds much tension at several key points.
#64
(of 83)
for 1976
, between
I Will I Will For Now
and
The Bad News Bears
.
Class
(1983). Hooking up with a much older woman has unforeseen consequences for a shy prep school student in this comedy featuring Jacqueline Bisset as the older woman in question. The film is well known nowadays for a twist regarding Bisset's identity, but curiously enough, this twist does not come about until nearly an hour into the movie. The film actually works better before the twist is revealed with the focus instead on the very real bond that develops between roommates Andrew McCarthy and Rob Lowe who connect over a mutual love for practical gags and dislike of authority figures. Their first two pranks are in fact arguably the film's biggest highlights (a meeting gone awry at a sister school aside). Getting back to the twist, the key disappointment is that it is not milked for very many laughs, an awkward dinner table conversation aside. The tone of the film in fact shifts in a jolting manner from comedy to drama. Also, Bisset's motives and in particular, her persistence to carry on with McCarthy, do not quite ring true. That said, it is otherwise a solid late career performance for the Golden Globe winning actress. McCarthy and especially a charismatic and charming young Lowe steal the show though, and even with the plot twist, the overall film is about them coming to accept their faults and differences on the pathway to getting an education in life, and while abrupt, the ending perfectly captures just how genuine their friendship is. It is also interesting to see John Cusack and Alan Ruck younger than ever

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rcocean3 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 04:58 PM)

Mr. Majestyk (1974).
A well done action movie that's always enjoyable. Al Lettieri is damn good as the evil mob boss. Of course, Bronson plays one of those unbelievable characters like Bogart's character in
To have and Have not
. Like Harry Morgan he's just an average joe doing an average job but can somehow out-shoot, out-think, out-drive, and out-fight, everybody and look cool doing it.

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sol- — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 02:29 AM)

I recall reading somewhere that Bronson's melon farmer is apparently meant to be a Vietnam War veteran, which would explain how he can "out-shoot, out-think, out-drive, and out-fight" everyone, but personally speaking, I like the scarce background detail. Like a mother who gains super strength when her baby is in danger, Bronson becomes a top gun when his precious melons are placed in jeopardy (!). Al Lettieri was a bit over-the-top for my tastes, but I enjoyed his interactions with Bronson a lot - especially their first meeting in prison in which Lettieri simply cannot believe how disrespectfully Bronson is prepared to act towards him.
Most people think I'm mad. At least I know I'm mad.

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sol- — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 02:45 PM)

Part 2: All first time viewings this week (no revisions)
AUSTRALIA DAY 2017 Special Viewings
Out on the patio we sit;
And the humidity we breathe;
We watch lightning crack over cane fields;
Laugh and think, THIS IS AUSTRALIA
We of the Never Never
(1982). Agreeing to live with her cattle rancher husband in the Australian outback circa 1900, a young woman finds her preconceptions and views on the world at large changed in this iconic drama, based on actual events. Having never lived outside the suburbs and finding herself with no Caucasian female company at all,
We of the Never Never
at first seems predictable with lead actress Angela Punch McGregor undergoing many trials and tribulations adjusting to her new life. The plot soon thickens though as she befriends the local Indigenous Australians and finds herself at odds with her Caucasian companions (including her husband), who treat the Aborigines as second class citizens. Particularly compelling are the maternal instincts that swell up inside her as she bonds with a young Indigenous girl without strong parental figures in her life. The question then arises of whether she actually has the girl's best interests at heart by taking her away from her family and basically trying to adopt her. Further questions of inference arise with an Indigenous man who she tries to force to take medicine, and it is all endlessly engaging as we witness a character with more moral fibre than those around her wrestling with whether or not her generosity is in fact beneficial. The less said about the strained relationship with her husband and Arthur Dignam's hardly remarkable performance the better, but this is Punch McGregor's film all the way with a special mention to the breathtaking majestic landscape photography that makes the outback seem more alluring than ever.
#24
(of 116)
for 1982
, between
The Year of Living Dangerously
and
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
.
Future Schlock
(1984). Set in the near future after the "middle class revolution of 1990", two nightclub performers from a working class ghetto spend their days tricking the gullible middle class suburbanites in this offbeat Australian comedy. Some of the duo's pranks are just plain silly (putting lobsters in toilet bowls) but the majority of pranks sharply poke fun at how unquestionably compliant the post-revolutionary suburbanites have become, with couples fleeing their homes after being told on television that every brick ever made is faulty. The nightclub duo also trick suburbanites into burying cars and painting children green (!). In addition to this delightful satirical edge, the film is a magnificent feat of art direction with a crazy sideways house in which the duo reside: light fixtures and tiles on opposite walls and a doorway on the side. The film would have been better though without a side plot involving two middle class police officers tracking down the pranksters. One of them talks with a poorly dubbed squeaky voice akin to nails on the chalkboard while the other is obsessed with height - neither of which makes for particularly funny running gags. A more interesting supporting character comes in the form of a suburbanite who briefly joins the duo after enjoying their sense of humour at a party that they crash, but truth be told, leads Mike Bishop and Mary-Anne Fahey are charismatic enough on their own to carry the film, balancing bizarre cabaret routines with memorable scenes in which they stick it to the conformist suburbanites who have grown afraid to think for themselves.
#41
(of 118)
for 1984
, between
Cloak & Dagger
and
Revenge of the Nerds
.
Dead-End Drive-In
(1986). After their tires are stolen while making out at a drive-in theatre, two Sydney youths find themselves trapped in the drive-in theatre, unable to phone for help, along with several social misfits in this absurdist thriller from
Turkey Shoot
director Brian Trenchard-Smith. The film is quite slow to warm up (it takes 25 plus minutes for them to reach the drive-in) but once it gets going, the film rarely lets up, milking the outrageousness of the offbeat premise for all that it is worth. Initially there is much mystery as to why they have been trapped; with food coupons and many amenities, the drive-in has clearly been designed for long-term living. Even more interesting is how many residents prefer living in the drive-in to the outside world; "I was four years out of work, nowhere to go" states one happy resident. As the protagonist's girlfriend quickly grows to like the place too, the film offers a satire of relationship commitment as he soon finds himself forced to live with a woman who he saw as no more than a 'squeeze' day-in, day-out. The film loses some edge in the final half-hour as immigrants are shipped into the drive-in, with the film adopting a tiresome racial tolerance stance as it becomes obvious that the drive-in is a government sanctioned facility for 'undesirables'. Even with a weak final third though,
Dead-End Drive-In
is po

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TrevorAclea — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 04:17 PM)

Glad to see someone else discovering this: it's one of those film's from the Australian New Wave that's pretty much fallen under the radar in the intervening decades. It was a real surprise for me: sounding like one of a thousand other woman-making-her-way-on-the-frontier movies, albeit set in the Australian outback, it actually turns out to be a terrific piece of old-style epic filmmaking on a grand scale. The unexpected casting pays dividends: Angela Punch McGregor conveys just the right strength of character for someone simultaneously trying to fit in where she's not wanted and who is still open to what those around her have to offer, white or Aborigine, while unlike you I thought Arthur Dignam's very unlikeliness as a cattle station manager works in his favour (in the documentary on the Australian Bluray and DVD he recalls his own amazement at being cast). Gary Hansen's scope photography is truly breathtaking, and director Igor Auzin's mastery of the frame without losing sight of his characters is so impressive that you wonder why he only made one more feature (though going wildly overbudget to the point of having to leave part of the script unfilmed may account for it). The 2.35:1 ratio is not just window dressing either: not only does it stress both the vastness and hard beauty of the place, but it also serves to highlight the marginalization of the various characters by class, gender or race. Pretty terrific, it's a shame it's not better known thesedays.
"Security - release the badgers."

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sol- — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 02:33 AM)

Curious to hear that
We of the Never Never
has fallen under the radar overseas (though the film's mere 269 votes on this site is telling). The film is very well known down here; one of those iconic Australian films that I had always intended to one day see and Australia Day this year proved the perfect opportunity.
I suppose you have a good point about the casting of Arthur Dignam; certainly he is a bit of an outsider himself when he comes to the cattle ranch, though he seemed to adapt to the lifestyle much quicker and with far less conflict than Punch McGregor. I have the Blu-ray Disc, so I will give that documentary a whirl at some point. I did like Dignam quite a bit in
Dead Kids
(aka
Strange Behaviour
), so I certainly have nothing against him as an actor.
Most people think I'm mad. At least I know I'm mad.

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TrevorAclea — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 09:43 PM)

It is curious, but one thing I've noticed working in different countries is that each of them tends to have a different cannon of revered 'foreign' films. There are always a few major titles that you'll find everywhere like The 400 Blows or La Grande Illusion, but also plenty of anomalies that strike a chord in one particular territory (like King of Hearts in the US or Norman Wisdom films in Albania) but are out of circulation and barely known elsewhere. With Australian cinema there's the Peter Weir film everyone remembers (Hanging Rock - Gallipoli's reputation overseas also seems to have faded with time), the odd title people know even if they haven't seen it (My Brilliant Career), a couple of British films made in Oz that get lumped in (Walkabout, The Overlanders) and a lot of films that only get mentioned when talking about an Aussie director who moved to Hollywood and made it big as a sort of prelude to his 'real' career.
I think in part it's because virtually none of the New Wave films were studio pictures. They were picked up cheap by indie distributors, many of whom went bust before the video revolution. Add to that the fact that so many films made before the 90s in Australia just weren't properly stored or preserved because the companies that made them went under and there wasn't the money to restore them, which just kept them out of circulation. Look at the huge problems even finding a print of Wake in Fright to restore.
Still, I'm glad that it still has an audience in its home territory.
"Security - release the badgers."

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kijii — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 03:03 PM)

The Founder (2016)
This is a movie I wanted to see because of my own interest in the story. My first job, for which I received my first pay check, was at my local McDonald's in 1959 when I was 16 years old. As a high school student, I received 80 cents/hour. The McDonald's then was just like the one shown in the movie and I wanted to see how accurate the
portrayal in the movie was. As it turns out, it was pretty accurate with buns, burgers. fries, a barrel from which the coke/root bear came, orange drink, and shakes. (The only difference I could find is that we wrapped the burgers in front of the customers and placed them in a warming bin until sold. There was no slide though from the grill to the warming bin as shown in the movie.)
At the time only young boys and men could work there. (That was just the rule back then.) Our uniforms consisted of a paper hat with "Speedy hamburger" logo on the side, a white shirt with the McDonald's logo on the pocket and sleeve and an apron (all of which we could get at work without any cost to us).
Most of us were familiar with the fact that Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) discovered the idea of fast food from the original McDonald's brothers, Nick (Dick Offerman) and his brother Mac (John Carroll Lynch). What I was not familiar with was who Ray Kroc was, what his background was, and the overall story of how he finally "bought out the brothers."
The split was one that didn't happen overnight since Kroc and the McDonald brothers did try to work together for a while. The problem came with the idea of franchising the company all over the country, arguments of how to keep quality control over all the franchises and keeping the drive in the same as the McDonald's originally conceived of it.
All three men were innovative and contributed to the idea, but Ray Kroc was the one who wanted the companywith its Golden Arches an American icon symbol of America: Why shouldn't the Golden Arches be as popular as the crosses on churches and the American flags on local community buildings? Kroc had been a town-to-town salesman of all sorts of things (from paper cups to multi-spindle milk shake machines) for years before he discovered McDonald's. But, he was a dreamer too. Though he lived he Illinois with his wife, Ethel (Laura Dern), he often spent more time on the road than he did at home.
This is not a essential movie by any means, but it is an interesting biopic about a man from the 1950s who was revolutionary in fast food franchising. He had to learn that franchising dealt not only with the industry itself but also real estate dealing too.

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ebossert — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 03:52 PM)

I started posting videos of my DVD collection recently. Here's the playlist:
Here are the films I saw the last few weeks.
Highly Recommended
Early Summer (1951) (Japanese Drama) (repeat viewing) Director Yasujiro Ozu contributes this great story about a young woman who is being pressured to marry by her family members. The most entertaining moments come by way of the various discussions and debates over marriage, which are frequently humorous. Setsuko Hara carries this movie with her fresh, playful, and wise demeanor. Her interactions with the various family members are very good.
Operation Mekong (2016) (Chinese Action) The Chinese government sends a band of elite narcotics officers (led by Hanyu Zhang and Eddie Peng) to the Golden Triangle to uncover the truth behind the murders associated with a huge methamphetamine recovery. The action design is mostly gritty and diverse, with an emphasis on urban apprehensions and special ops strikes that involve gunplay and hand-to-hand combat. This creates a sense of thrill and suspense even though it does get unrealistic (especially in terms of how much damage a few characters can take). This is neat stuff, incorporating some creative equipment and technology, as well as one of the coolest dogs in recent memory. There's plenty of bloody violence too, with a few intense scenes involving children and oppressed villagers. There are some gorgeous natural environments, as well as some great overhead shots of various country locales. Plot and character development are thin (they basically move from place to place for infiltrations or strikes), but this is frenetically paced and well-acted. International conflict and cast are nicely crafted together. No nonsense crowd-pleasing action from Dante Lam.
All About Eve (1950) (American Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) A fan insinuates herself into the company of an established but aging stage actress and her circle of theater friends. The interesting element here is that for much of the film one is unsure if Eve is a well-meaning fan or a manipulative wench. Also, despite the constant complaining of the aging actress, one can understand her frustrations and paranoia. Performances are very good by everyone and the script is well-written. There are a few genuinely funny scenes peppered in as well. The restaurant sequence near the end is awesome. Heck, the entire final 40 minutes are awesome.
XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017) (American Action) Extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) comes out of self-imposed exile, thought to be long dead, and is set on a collision course with an international team of renegades in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora's Box.
This is easily the best paced and purely entertaining big budget Hollywood action film in a while, and it's certainly more entertaining than every single superhero movie from 2016.
Don't get me wrong, because it is an incredibly stupid film, but it's also damn entertaining from start to finish. For example, Donnie Yen is finally allowed to do what he does best in a Hollywood movie. It's not rocket science let the guy kick some rear-end. The action is completely ridiculous, but it's certainly plentiful enough and has good enough quality to be satisfying. The cast really seemed to have fun while making this. The big negative that popped out to me was the awkward sexual innuendos near the beginning, which felt very out of place and cringeworthy. Other than that, this is fantastic action trash that everyone should support.
Recommended
XXX (2002) (American Action) (repeat viewing) A notorious underground rush-seeker (Vin Diesel) deemed untouchable by the law is coerced by the NSA to cooperate with the government and infiltrate a Russian crime ring. People who dump on this movie must have conveniently forgotten some of the awesome, practical stuntwork that was performed using wide camera shots. And even some of the CGI stuff is fun (e.g., the avalanche). There is some conventional spy stuff mixed in (e.g., gadgets and a final disarmament sequence), but it's still sufficiently entertaining. Sure, the story is generic and contrived, but I liked the actors and the plot keeps moving along nicely. Asia Argento is hot in this too.
Harmony (2015) (Japanese Anime Sci Fi Drama/Horror) In a future period called the Maelstrom, nuclear war and disease have plagued and destroyed the world, including the United States. To prevent new horrors, the world was divided into several smaller states. Each state is defined as an ethical, solidarity and futuristic society which is controlled by facilities where nanotechnology is used for medical purposes, to allow better living. A young officer begins an investigation to discover the truths and threats behind the perfect world. The protagonist's complete distain for this society drives the film. The script focuses heavily on narration and dialo

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MsELLERYqueen2 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 05:37 PM)

Regarding
All About Eve
: great film.
I think that George Sanders was born to do a blackmailing role in a film!

Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen
=

[fgadmin]

rcocean3 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 04:46 PM)

City of Women

• Man what a disappointment. I was hoping some of the criticism was politically motivated (its supposedly Anti-feminist) but no its just a bad movie. Of course, with Fellini there are always a few good scenes and striking images. The acting is good, but the story is so disjointed, repetitive, and goofy its hard to care.
  Amarcord
• I liked this better the 2nd time round, since I didn't have my hopes up. The vulgarity seemed less grating this time and most of it is quite warm and funny although sometimes the family seemed like a collection of Italian stereotypes. Like all comedies, you wonder how much you're missing if you don't speak the native tongue. Some say this is Fellini's best movie, I'd place it behind
  Variety Nights, 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita, I Vitelloni and Nights of Cabiria
  .

[fgadmin]

Addison De Witt — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 05:34 PM)

I haven't seen either film in decades but I couldn't stand
Amarcord
but on the other hand,
City Of Women
is one of my favorite Fellinis. The scene when the young nymphets take Mastroianni on a wild night ride is hilarious.
In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. They have never forgotten this

[fgadmin]

Addison De Witt — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 05:29 PM)

Bad Girl
(1931)
A model (Sally Eilers) who thinks all men are on the make finds herself attracted to a man (James Dunn,
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
) who won't giver her a tumble. They eventually marry but a series of misunderstandings threaten to derail the marriage. Based on the novel and play by Vina Delmar, director Frank Borzage won his second Oscar for
Bad Girl
(it also got a best picture nomination) but it's really not one of his best films. The title is a misnomer. Eilers isn't a bad girl at all and the film's provocative poster suggests a far more salacious movie than it is. The majority of the film's running time is devoted to misunderstandings between Eilers and Dunn about what each wants out of the relationship. Watching it, all one can think is that if they would only just talk to each other, the air would be cleared and everything would take care of itself. But then, of course, there would be no movie, would there? The movie may be a pre-code production but the film itself is considerably cleaned up from the book (dealing with pre-marital sex and pregnancy) which was considered so risque that it was banned in Boston. With Minna Gombell as the wisecracking best friend.
Easy Living
(1949)
The star halfback (Victor Mature) of a New York football team discovers that he has a heart condition and it could be fatal if he continues to play professional football. But his social climbing wife (Lizabeth Scott) likes being married to a football hero and she's not ready to become Mrs. Nobody. Directed by Jacques Tourneur (
Cat People
). I'm not a big fan of sports movies but the film focuses on the dark side of professional football, the politics and the money rather than the cheering crowds. Pauline Kael once referred to Jane Russell as a female Victor Mature and said that one would have to work hard to dislike them. They're not great actors (and they know it) but they're pros and so unpretentious in their "acting" that we don't really care. Which is a roundabout way of saying that Mature not so much gives a performance as takes space up on the screen and that's okay with me. He gives the movie what it needs and who can ask for more. Granted, Lizabeth Scott is playing a self centered bitch but I still think the film makers are rather cruel in her "comeuppance". With Lucille Ball as the team secretary secretly in love with Mature, Lloyd Nolan, Sonny Tufts, Jeff Donnell, Paul Stewart and Audrey Young (who would soon become Mrs. Billy Wilder) who sings the title song.
The Wild One
(1953)
A motorcycle gang rides into a small California town and it isn't long before the bikers and the citizens clash. But the charismatic biker leader (Marlon Brando) finds himself drawn to the small town girl (Mary Murphy) working in the local diner. Based on
The Cyclists' Raid
, a short story by Frank Rooney which was in turn based on an actual incident. In 1947, thousands of bikers descended into a small California town called Hollister and riots and destruction ensued. Directed by Laslo Benedek but produced by Stanley Kramer, so we get the cautionary moralizing that's typical of his product. Like most topical films,
The Wild One
hasn't aged well and its "juvenile delinquents" come across as almost a satire (Gene Kelly did parody the film in
Les Girls
). But the film does have its moments, there's the iconic line: "What are you rebelling against?" "What have you got?". But there's a reason the film is highly watchable even today and that's Marlon Brando. It's as much an iconic performance of misunderstood youth as James Dean in
Rebel Without A Cause
. Brando's tough bravado masking the boy looking for affection underneath. Brando turned film acting on its ear and it's all on display here. I seriously doubt if we would be talking about the film today if Robert Wagner or Jeffrey Hunter played the lead. With Lee Marvin, Robert Keith, Jay C. Flippen, Peggy Maley, Timothy Carey, Ray Teal and Yvonne Doughty.
Suddenly
(1954)
In a small California town, the President of the United States is scheduled to make a quick stop before moving on to Los Angeles. A hired assassin (Frank Sinatra) and his gang (Christopher Dark, Paul Frees) invade a small hilltop home and hold the family hostage while awaiting the President's arrival. The assassin's target is the President and the home provides the perfect view to a kill. Directed by Lewis Allen (
The Uninvited
), this tight "B" thriller has grown into quite the cult film in the ensuing years since its release, almost to the point of being overrated. It's a gripping and economical (it runs 1 hour, 17 minutes) noir-ish suspense film that keeps you on the edge. As the hit man, Sinatra delivers a solid performance that keeps the focal point where it belongs. I'm a bit ambiguous about the film's attitude toward guns. The mother (Nancy Gates,
Some Came Running
) is anti-guns and refuses to let her little boy (Kim Charney) play with guns but in the end, it's guns that save the day. I suspect it's a film t

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rcocean3 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 06:02 PM)

Great reviews, but you can't root for Custer even at Little Big Horn? I suppose you'd root for Lions and not the Christians!
La Ciociara (aka Two Women) (1960)

• A true anti-war film - not one of those so-called anti-war films that shows us suffering but secretly thrills us with all the action and heroism. Had an impact on me, I don't think I'll be watching anytime soon, the rape scene was just too depressing.
  The Wild One (1953)
• I Liked it a lot less than you. I'll just post my review:
  Brando is miscast as the "outlaw" Biker. He's simply too pudgy, soft, and mannered to be the head of an outlaw biker gang. Comparison to Lee Marvin (as his rival Chino) highlights this inadequacy. However, Brando had his heart in the movie and is obviously trying his best. His interactions with Mary Murphy are excellent.
  From a 21st century perspective the movie's violence is incredibly mild, and the bikers are as threatening as a 4-H club. They buzz around town on their bikes, are rude to old people, and play their loud "boogie music", but pay for their beers and coffee and dance with each other. Brando's gang includes Alvy Moore (Mr.Kimbal), Gil Straton, and Jerry Paris (Jerry Helper) - not exactly a bunch of dangerous thugs. Some look like Junior high school kids, others like High school teachers. Finally, The "Hipster" lingo is laughable :
  "They going to do a cement job on Crazy We going to sit around scratch ourselves? Hey, let's get a scramble going here! Blow those squares have a scramble for ourselves!"
  Like, Dig it, Daddy-O. Without Brando the movie would be forgotten.

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Addison De Witt — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 06:28 PM)

Like, Dig it, Daddy-O. Without Brando the movie would be forgotten.
Well, I can't argue with you there. As I said in my review, if the lead had been played by Robert Wagner or Jeffrey Hunter, no, we wouldn't be talking about this movie today. Hard to believe such a film caused such an outrage back in the day that not only was it banned in Boston but it was banned in England for years!
In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. They have never forgotten this

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rcocean3 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 06:55 PM)

Hard to believe such a film caused such an outrage back in the day that not only was it banned in Boston but it was banned in England for years!
Yeah, banned in UK till 1968 since it "encouraged criminal behavior". Who knew Mr. Kimble and Jerry Helper were such bad boys?

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lqualls-dchin — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 09:00 PM)

I have no problem with Frank Borzage being the first person to win an Oscar as Best Director (for SEVENTH HEAVEN), and the fact that he wound up being the first person to win two Best Director Oscars doesn't bother me, but i am puzzled by BAD GIRL. For years, it was unavailable, yet the films from this period of his career include a number of wonderful films (A FAREWELL TO ARMS, LITTLE MAN WHAT NOW?) and one outright masterpiece (A MAN'S CASTLE), so how bad could BAD GIRL be? Well, it's not really bad, but it's not really good. And though James Dunn and Sally Eilers are personable, they're not exactly luminous: Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor they're definitely not. I think the attempt to render the "salacious" material palatable played into the Academy recognition.
When Val Lewton's unit at RKO was dissembled, a lot of people came out with solid careers, such as Mark Robson and Robert Wise. Jacques Tourneur had been part of the B unit at MGM, when he moved over to RKO to become part of Lewton's unit; he flourished there, and made some of the most stylish films of the period (CAT PEOPLE, LEOPARD MAN, I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE). Tourneur always brought a stylishness to his movies, and EASY LIVING is a solid example of his craftsmanship. One note is that i find Lucille Ball's career during the latter half of the 1940s to be the most interesting part of her career: i find her dramatic performances in movies like THE DARK CORNER, LURED and EASY LIVING to be quite intriguing. The timing which she would exploit in comedy seemed to give her characters an edge in these dramas.
In the midst of a series of "classic" roles (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, VIVA ZAPATA, JULIUS CAESAR), THE WILD ONE was a real "pop" venture for Marlon Brando. Yet the whole iconography (the leather jacket, the sunglasses, the motorcycle) which came from this movie is such a part of our culture. And it was also important in establishing Marlon Brando as an iconic movie star: he was proving himself as an actor, but this was different, and he passed this test with ease.
One of the most spectacular comebacks in show business history was that of Frank Sinatra. He'd been washed up in the early 1950s, and FROM HERE TO ETERNITY re-established his career, plus it brought him a reputation as a dramatic actor. He would work a lot in the next two years, trying to prove his versatility: six movies in 1954 and 1955, including SUDDENLY, YOUNG AT HEART, NOT AS A STRANGER, GUYS AND DOLLS, THE TENDER TRAP and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. SUDDENLY was made immediately after FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, it was a small indie and helped to show that Sinatra was serious about acting.
Randolph Scott devoted his career to Westerns from the late 1940s on (so did Joel McCrea, for that matter); aside from the ones done with Budd Boetticher, most of them were competent. A movie like 7TH CALVARY is a prime example: it's really not much more than a longer TV episode, a little short on action and rather unexciting.
By the late 1950s, both Rossellini and De Sica were recycling WWII, Rossellini with the ironic GENERALE DELLA ROVERE, and De Sica with TWO WOMEN. It's hard to explain the shock of seeing TWO WOMEN when it came out: the sexual violence was horrifying, and very disturbing. And it would also be hard to explain how shattering Sophia Loren's performance seemed.
By the 1960s, Bob Hope was wearing out his welcome in the movies. CALL ME BWANA, A GLOBAL AFFAIR, I'LL TAKE SWEDEN, BOY DID A GET A WRONG NUMBER: it's hard to pick which one is worse. One thing about Tuesday Weld: if she decides a movie isn't worth it, she doesn't hide her boredom! And she's bored in I'LL TAKE SWEDEN! (But this movie was done between movies like SOLDIER IN THE RAIN, THE CINCINNATI KID and LORD LOVE A DUCK, which were movies which showed just how talented she was.)
Elvis as a doctor working in the slums, and Mary Tyler Moore as a nun: who thinks up these things? Once is enough: if CHANGE OF HABIT ever comes on, i try to avoid it. And the therapy for autism is offensive.
Yes, there are often movies or TV shows which do reveal talent, before the official breakthrough. Actually, Sally Field also credits STAY HUNGRY as an important milestone in her career. But she was trying to find her way in made-for-TV movies in the early 1970s, and MAYBE I'LL COME HOME IN THE SPRING, which is far too schematic, nevertheless shows Field really trying for a character.
Kevin Kline can sometimes have a goofy charm, and that helps made the premise of DAVE seem so likable. At times like these, any fantasy which helps to bring some humor into the political arena is welcome.
I loved PATERSON, it just seemed to be one of those movies that ambled along, but by the end of it, it presented a cohesive picture of a aingular American life. And i thought Adam Driver was exceptional. It's not easy to make poetry convincing.

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Spikeopath — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 06:27 AM)

Suddenly (1954)
I think is very good. I wonder if you think I have overrated it?
God and the Gun!
Show me a guy with feelings and I'll show you a sucker.
Sinatra was never comfortable with his role in Suddenly, even before he "requested" it be removed from circulation post the assassination of his friend JFK in 63, there was a feeling within the Sinatra camp that playing such a despicable character would harm his image. More so as it came a year after his Oscar winning performance in From Here to Eternity. Blue Eyes would even try to make good on the characterisation by reversing the roles as it were for The Manchurian Candidate 1962, but of course a lot of things changed after November 22nd 1963. This all gives Suddenly a curiosity value that it actually doesn't need, for it's a gripping thriller capable of standing on its own two feet, and it's boosted by a terrific performance from Sinatra, one of his best in fact.
That it was hard to see for quite some time is a shame, because it deserves to be better known. The makers take a hostage scenario and give it a noir edge by way of the conspiracy angle, some paranoia, a family in peril and a strong noir staple of a returning soldier from a war badly scarred by his experiences. In this case John Baron (Sinatra) has the taste for killing, as he is taunted by chief hostage Sheriff "Tod" Shaw (Hayden) about his means and motives, that Baron just likes to kill, Baron repeatedly rants that he was a Silver Star winner, that he killed 27 German soldiers, but this doesn't hide the fact that he has no compunction about killing the President for money. To him the President is just a mark of no significant interest, Baron is a real cold fish and Sinatra gives a thunderously twitchy coiled spring portrayal.
Sinatra is backed up by Hayden doing one of his strong macho type turns, and Gleason scores best of the support actors as a wise old boy who himself was once in the Secret Service. These two bastions of Americana off set the near irritating characterisations of Ellen Benson (Gates) and Peter Benson III (Charney), the former the hysterical female, the latter the annoying kid saying illogical things. However, these two stereotypes don't harm the picture, because director Allen manages to keep the group under duress dynamic ticking away, smothering it with claustrophobic atmosphere to then unleash all for the explosive finale.
It's set in daylight and visually it's nothing to get excited about, in fact much of the film is set in one living room, while the patriotism over traitorism is a necessary piece of thematic flag waving. But this comes highly recommended as entertainment as sleepy small town Americana is jolted out of its stupor. 8/10
7th Cavalry (1956)
I'm a fan of, and I seem to remember
Clore
being one as well. Majority verdict on site does side with yourself though.
Yellow Hair and the real meaning of Horsepower.
Set after the Battle Of Little Big Horn, 7th Cavalry sees Randolph Scott playing Captain Benson, who returns with his future bride to his post commanded by Indian fighter, Colonel Custer. Custer however was gone, he had taken the famous 7th Cavalry to war with the Sioux at Big Horn and lost badly. Guilt ridden and tarnished by whispers of cowardice, Benson volunteers to lead a dangerous mission back to Big Horn to reclaim the bodies of the fallen soldiers.
There doesn't appear to be much much love for this 1956 Columbia Pictures Oater. Seems it's either damned for being too talky, or on the flip side, it's too hokey within its plotting to actually merit worth. Well that's a shame for this has something of a vintage feel to it, the themes of guilt and redemption are Western standards, whilst the story also takes in interesting arcs such as religious beliefs and spiritual meanings. Yes this is definitely a "talky" picture - aside from some mano mano action and single horse pursuits that is - but it's a well thought out screenplay by Peter Packer (adapting from Glendon Swarthout's story). Instances such as a military enquiry and an exchange between Benson and a young Indian warrior are intelligent passages in the story (with Scott doing fine work in the process). What it lacks in gusto action it more than makes up for with the characterisations.
Other plus points are that it's also nicely shot in Mexico, the Technicolor doing justice to the splendid costumes on show. Backing Scott up in support are admirable performers such as Jay C. Flippen, Frank Faylen, Leo Gordon, Michael Pate and Harry Carey Junior. Although the ladies (Jeanette Nolan & Barbara Hale) aren't given too much to do and the score conducted by Mischa Bakaleinikoff is at odds with the tempo of the film, 7th Cavalry still deserves a better reputation than it currently has. If you prepare for a work of fiction that is most assuredly dialogue driven, then hopefully your expectations will at the least be met. 7/10
The
Spikeopath

Hospital Number
217

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ali-112 — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 09:47 AM)

Just occurred to me - as Paterson to Paterson, so Driver to Driver ;). This is my favourite film of the year, and Jarmusch's best since Dead Man.
If they organise the revolution like they did this meeting, what'll happen?