What Classics Did You See Last Week (July 13–July 19)
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unex — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 12:08 PM)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) - Rewatch. A Yukio Mishima biopic using a few of his novels to illustrate his life. It's very unique visually. I like the idea of using his novels rather than depicting his life straightforwardly. He was a romantic lost in words who thought a stirring speech would lead to spontaneous mass action, like everybody was a character in his story.
The Kennel Murder Case (1933) - William Powell as a dapper amateur detective Philo Vance, who isn't Nick Charles of The Thin Man. It's a pretty good murder mystery, though too short. Eugene Pallette as the police detective was the standout.
The Canary Murder Case (1929) - Another Philo Vance movie starring William Powell. It's a little awkward because it's one of those movies that was shot as a silent but then hastily dubbed after they realized sound was going to be big. As a result we get to see Louise Brooks act but don't get to hear her. She was making movies in Germany at the time and refused to go back to record her lines. It's not a very good movie. The solution to the murder mystery was ridiculous. -
spiderwort — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 02:35 PM)
Umex, I haven't seen Mimisha: A Life in Four Chapters, but based upon your critique, you've definitely piqued my interest. Doesn't seem readily available, but I'll keep an eye out for it.
And I did see The Kennel Murder Case, which I enjoyed, but I haven't seen The Canary Murder Case. Based upon your review, however, it seems like one that I can skip, so thanks for that. And if I'm not mistake The Kennel Murder case was the last time William Powell played Philo Vance. That one was directed by Michael Curtiz, a director who's work I'll always watch. I do remember hoping there were going to be more dogs in it though, but alas there weren't (lost my dog about a year ago and am missing him alot). -
unex — 8 months ago(July 27, 2025 12:17 PM)
Umex, I haven't seen Mimisha: A Life in Four Chapters, but based upon your critique, you've definitely piqued my interest. Doesn't seem readily available, but I'll keep an eye out for it.
That's another movie that is on Kanopy. -
spiderwort — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 02:54 PM)
First viewing:
Clash by Night / Fritz Lang
(1952). A woman (Barbara Stanwyck) marries a fisherman (Paul Douglas), then falls in love with his cynical friend (Robert Ryan). An adaptation of Clifford Odets' play, directed on Broadway by Lee Strasberg, it has riveting performances by Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, and, in her first film with her name above the title, Marilyn Monroe. And it was shot in and around cannery row in Monterey, California, locations that add a lot to the production. I don’t think it was the best script in the end, but it’s very much worth a view for the cast and their truly superb performances, possibly the career bests for both Douglas and Ryan.
Re-watches:
Witness / Peter Weir
(1985). A young Amish boy (Lukas Haas) is the sole witness to a brutal murder. His mother (Kelly McGillis) does her best to protect him, but complications arise when the detective investigating the case (Harrison Ford) is forced to seek refuge in their farming community when his own life is threatened. A beautiful film by Weir, fascinating in the way it combines the two very different worlds of city life and Amish life. Haven’t seen it in ages, but appreciated it just as much this time as I did the first. Highly recommended.
Miss Potter / Chris Noonan
(2006). Beatrix Potter (Renee Zellweger) faces many obstacles in her quest to become a writer. The low IMDb ratings for this film have always baffled me, because in my opinion it’s a beautiful, very well done film with a wonderful script, fine performances, and amazing locations, especially in the beautiful English Lake District. Highly recommended. (Available on multiple streaming services) -
MissMargoChanning — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 05:51 PM)
I'm watching The Other, 1972 right now.
Both this one and Same Time next Year were directed by Robert Mulligan.
Both very different in subject matter.
I think The Other was pure genius.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
spiderwort — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 06:19 PM)
Hi, Margo. I know I saw The Same Time Next Year, but I don't remember it very well.
But I completely agree with you about The Other; genius indeed. And it scared the bejeezus out of me when I saw it. A friend of mine worked on the sound editing of that film and when he asked Tom Tryon how he managed to write something so terrifying, Tryon replied, "On a raft in the middle of my swimming pool in broad daylight." I can believe that. -
MissMargoChanning — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 06:41 PM)
On a raft in the middle of his swimming pool….
interesting thoughts while drifting on a lazy afternoon…
I still find it terrifying, not to mention horrifying even though I know now what was going on and what was going to happen.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
MissMargoChanning — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 08:41 PM)
By the way, your friend did great on the sound.
I'm told that it's digital these days…
all I know is that I'm tired of turning the volume down on the music and turning it up when I want to hear what is being said.
Forget trying to figure out what anyone is saying while the music is simultaneously playing over the dialog.
It's time that film makers realize this.
Sometimes the old way is best.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
spiderwort — 8 months ago(July 21, 2025 02:13 PM)
Yes, it's digital these days, and it sucks! Sound mixing used to be a great art, but now it's just turned into noise. I was watching a screener with some friends for the Awards the year the last "A Star is Born" was released, and we only got about 15 minutes into it before I stood up and said, "I'm not watching this anymore! I can't understand a word they're saying." Needless to say, that film didn't get a nomination from me.
You are so right about the old way being the best! -
PygmyLion — 8 months ago(July 20, 2025 09:35 PM)
I Lived with You
1933 - Ivor Novello, Ida Lupino, Ursula Jeans. I wrote a long review of this movie when I watched it last August: 1/2
https://www.filmboards.com/board/p/3526645/
Private Lives
1931 Norma Shearer, Robert Montgomery, Una Merkel, Reginald Denny. It was tough making it all the way through this one. **
Lovers Courageous
1932 Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Roland Young, Frederick Kerr - An admiral's daughter (Evans) falls for a tobacconist's assistant (Montgomery). ***
As the Earth Turns
1934 Jean Muir, Donald Woods, David Woods. This comes from a book, by Gladys Hasty Carroll, about 3 families in rural Maine. Jean Muir really shines as the oldest daughter of one of the families, who really holds things together. The movie is a little short 73 minutes and could use a bit more time for character development. ***
The Devil to Pay!
1930 - Ronald Colman, Loretta Young, Frederick Kerr, Myrna Loy - If you like Ronald Colman's schtick you should like this movie. I wrote a description of the movie when I watched it for the first time last September:*
https://www.filmboards.com/t/The-Devil-to-Pay!/Ronald-Colman%2C-Loretta-Young-(1930)-3531667/
Point Blank
1967 Lee Marvin, Keenan Wynn, Angie Dickenson**1/2 -
spiderwort — 8 months ago(July 21, 2025 02:41 PM)
So many interesting ones, PL. Haven't seen most of them, but based upon your reviews, I'm interested in
The Devil to Pay
and
I Lived with You
; will keep those in mind, if I can find them.
And I'm glad you got to see
As the Earth Turns
. I enjoyed that one; it made me want to read the novel. -
Rufus-T — 8 months ago(July 21, 2025 03:29 PM)
Airport 1975 (1974)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071110/
With all the films Karen Black appeared in during the 70s, this is the movie I remember her most by. After the success of Airport, they made this sequel which all the pilot were either killed in an air accident or incapacitated. The lead stewardess played by Karen Black had to position at the cockpit following the direction through the CB, mostly from her love interest pilot played by Charlton Heston. I wonder if Speed (1994) took cue from this movie. The only connection between this and Airport is the George Kennedy character. Jack Smight directed instead of George Seaton. Several notable cast from the classic film era appeared like Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, and Nancy Olson. It is less melodramatic than Airport. It cut through the drama stuff in the beginning very fast unlike the dragged out stuff in Airport. There were unintentionally funny moments. Many of the moments that were parodied in Airplane were from this movie. As cheesy some of the scenes, I actually like this more than Airport. In terms of suspense, I take this one over Airport. Karen Black made this movie very watchable.
Jaws (1975)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/
This year is 50th anniversary of Jaws. Netflix made all 4 Jaws movie available. So I watched it again. First time saw it in the cinema in the defunct theater at 57th street NYC. It is one of those movie I never get tired. Technically, this is Spielberg's second main stream feature film after The Sugarland Express, and Jaws put him on the map. Jaws is considered the first blockbuster and was the talk of the summer. Adapted from Peter Benchley's novel, a simple story of a shark attacking people in a small town beach. There men played by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw went to the sea to catch it. The direction, the editing, the music, and the performance were so top notch that the movie still holding up to this day. It is a landmark film for sure.
The Wicker Man (1973)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917/
The Wicker Man got to be one of the most bizarre mystery-horror. An officer, played by Edward Woodward, flied to an island to inquire about a missing girl and learned of the unusual practice there, mostly sexual in nature. Why he went there all by himself, I don't understand. Perhaps the reason he was willing to go there alone was the reason he was there in the first place. Directed by Robin Hardy, the mystery was a slow build up as evidence and the weird culture revealing itself. Christopher Lee was creepy playing the cult leader. It was an unforgettable movie first time watching a long time ago. Still creepy even I already know the ending.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025452/
I watched the 50s version last week, so I thought I dig out the 30s version of this Hitchcock film. A couple went on a trip and caught in a conspiracy of an assassination. The skeleton of the story is there the same, just a little change here and there in the setting and the character. Less elaborated but faster pace. In fact, it was a bit more than an hour long. There were no eye rolling scenes like in the 50s version, but the quality was not on par with the 50s version. In fact, quite poor and seem choppy. The most notable person in the cast was Peter Lorre who played the villain. It was not one of Hitchcock's best.
And Soon the Darkness (1970)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065398/
Two beautiful young British women bike riding across Europe. Problem ensued when they got to rural France where a murder of a young woman had taken place not too long ago. I went into this film cold. Never heard of the film before, and have no idea what was about other than it is a horror. Never heard any of the cast nor the director Robert Fuest. It popped up as a recommendation on Prime, and I like to watch a short horror at the moment. It is about one and half hour. I think the time can be cut in half. Many of the scenes were just people looking around. It is a nice little mystery though. -
CoriSCapnSkip — 6 months ago(September 09, 2025 08:21 PM)
No movies this week. I continued watching
The Wild Wild West
including one episode in French, which is described in a thread I just posted on two different boards about watching the series twice. I also watched both of Ross Martin's episodes of
Gunsmoke
and his appearance on
One Step Beyond
.
