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Post by OldAussie on Feb 17, 2020 20:14:29 GMT
Dracula - ouch! I like it a bit more than you but yes..a bit of a hodge-podge of ideas firing off in all directions. 6/10 Helen of Troy - the action of the second half compensates for a dull romance of the first half. 6/10 Land of the Pharaohs - yep....what you said. 6/10 Devil in a Blue Dress - yep....what you said. 7/10 I need to see The Town a second time but I really enjoyed it - 8/10 Public Enemies - couldn't get into it at all - 3/10
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Post by MrFurious on Feb 17, 2020 20:18:46 GMT
Escape from Sobibor(87) ^^ Escape from Sobibor - Sorry I haven't got a review to share with you, watched it once and rated it a well deserved 8/10. It's an outstanding true story that deserved a better budget than that of a TV movie. I been waiting for it to show again on one of the cable chans so I can re-watch and review. Don't tell me this has just shown in the UK and I missed it? It was actually on Amazon but the quality of the copy was shit, so I checked youtube(like I did for the Trinity movies) and found a lovely better quality version and it was also the longer version.👍
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 17, 2020 20:28:48 GMT
While laying at the hospital I suddenly thought about Louis Armstrong and "We Have All the Time in the World" and that there is still something left. I love this movie even if it's Sean-less. Telly is a great Bloefield, he and Donald Pleasance are the best Bloefields. Nowdays Dame Diana Rigg is a marvelous "Bond Bride". Ilse Steppart character ordered a "Piz Gloria" for Bond, i've been looking around the net and I can't find a dish called "Piz Gloria" LOL! There is something haunting and beautiful with this movie, too close to God, or close to another God. The windy feeling is everywhere and some might crack, and they do in different ways. The wind always blows where the nuns are. Is it the clean air or are they too close to heaven that changes their personalities... Incedibly beautiful movie. Kathleen Byron as the nun cracking is incredible. OHMSS - The most divisive of Bond films - I love it - totally - www.imdb.com/review/rw2609048/?ref_=tt_urv 10/10Black Narcissus - www.imdb.com/review/rw2736675/?ref_=tt_urv 9/10
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Post by bravomailer on Feb 17, 2020 20:49:11 GMT
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (8/10)
I don’t care for Tarantino films but I wanted to see this one because of its setting in the decade I grew up in - or failed to grow up in as some say. The film pleasingly uses LA’s hit radio, television, movies, cars, neon signs, and attire to put us back in 1969, a year of fun and limitlessness, confusion and violence. Pitt won an Oscar, DiCaprio should have won one. His performance as an actor trying to salvage his career, is his best. Only rarely does Tarantino present likable characters. Most are rather cartoonish, like Vince and Jules for example. Both leads are amiable and we feel for and hope the best for them. The core of the film is Rick and Cliff's friendship.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Feb 17, 2020 21:06:48 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone had a good weekend. On the 9th was my 33rd birthday,during which I went with pals to visit this excellent exhibition: Over 100 works of art,made with LEGO! My dad kindly gave me 3 discs as presents,one of which was this set: Birthday viewing: The Old Dark House (1963) 8 Oddly suffering a similar fate to the original, (which the studio tried to destroy all copies of, so only the remake would survive)in Hammer and Columbia dumping the movie, (it came out in a black and white version in the US,then thrown out 3 years later in the UK with a heavily cut edition) and Castle not mentioning the title once in his autobiography,Indicator stage a huge re-evaluation, presenting 3 cuts of the film with crystal clear image and sound, backed by fascinating extras including a new Kim Newman and Stephen Jones commentary,all tied up with a detailed booklet. Walking down the stairs towards the camera gazing at her figure,Fenella Fielding gives a magnetic performance as Morgana, whose bright chic costumes stand out on the screen, as Fielding layers Gothic glamour with a tempting ambiguity over Morgana's true warmth towards Penderel. Whilst Tom Poston is a bit too meek as Penderel, the other guests turn this place into a fun house, with Peter Bull bringing out the Gothic chills in Jasper's startled face, Robert Morley whipping up stern shocks as Rod,and Janette Scott keeping Penderel on a knife edge to the bumps in the night within the house. Lashing the windows with the same opening rainfall as the original, director William Castle & regular Hammer Horror cinematographer Arthur Grant ignite a explosive coalition between Castle's flamboyance, and the sparkling Gothic of Hammer Horror. Opening the house more to laughs than chills, Castle unlocks each door with terrific rolling whip-pans finding every hidden corner in the house, which becomes lit in ruby reds, as the Femm's slither round the house. Having worked with Castle,and Hammer before, the screenplay by Robert Dillon neatly blends the two styles, where in the era of Hammer "remakes" of classic Universal Horror's,Dillon tastefully pays tribute to the original with bookends, whilst refreshingly making the contents of the house its own thing. Entering with Penderel as a outsider, Dillon turns the screws on the mystery of the femm family with a delightfully dark comedic slap-stick needling a growing body count with unsettling quirks each family member holds within the old dark house. Cinema of 2019: Adèle Haenel duo: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)9. Drawing in the audience,Adele Haenel gives a exquisite performance as Heloise, whose growing love for Marianne is expressively captured by Haenel with a brittle fragility on keeping a guard to her personal space raised. Only allowing Marianne build a portrait from passing glimpses, Haenel brilliantly entwines curiosity from the quiet passion which peaks out from Haenel’s regal-shield face. Painted into the life of Haenel with the knowledge that not only does she not want a portrait done,but that Haenel is also against the planned marriage, Noemie Merlant gives a enchanting turn as Marianne, whose nervousness over being spotted making the portrait, is threaded by Merlant as a bonding, via them each wanting to retain a personal space, until Merlant has Marianne unveil a portrait of her true feelings. Continuing to build on her minimalism stylisation motif, writer/directing auteur Celine Sciamma tears the score off from the screen, leaving a magnificent sound design of shallow footsteps from Heloise and Marianne running to each other, tapping to a rhythm of scratched pencil lines against paper and sharp intake of breath. Closely working with cinematographer Claire Mathon, Sciamma presents a striking portrait of refined tracking shots on the grounds of the household running to the growing romance, which shimmer into ghostly shadows lining Heloise’s house. Building on the themes of coming of age and sexual identity which span her credits, the screenplay by Sciamma peels away the self-importance of the Costume Drama to lay bare Heloise and Marianne’s romance in raw dialogue which crackles with them sharing a awareness of only having a limited time,before the lady is on fire. Deerskin (2019) 7 Making a opening recording of people vowing to never wear a jacket again, writer/director/editor & cinematographer (!) Quentin Dupieux unzips a chilly macabre atmosphere, via cleverly dipping into clips of the movie-within-a-movie Georges is having Denise edits,who clips Georges murders which are presented by Dupieux as clinically cold. Listening to Georges having conversations with his jacket, Dupieux threads the macabre Horror with a surrealist, wryly comedic patten, with the chilly backdrop being used for wonderfully off-beat montages of Georges trying to become the lone person with a jacket. Going round killing with only the "talking" jacket on his back as company, the screenplay by Dupieux wisely avoids digging for a explanation, instead delicately undressing the obsessing loner isolation of Georges, bringing out fantastic dry comedy in his attempts to come up with every excuse possible to rid people of jackets. Joined by a delightful Adele Haenel making editor Denise a lady on fire to his obsession, Jean Dujardin gives a excellent, dry wit performance as Georges, whose understated manner is used by Dujardin to stop people from sniffing out his deerskin. Others: Richard Jewell (2019) 8 Skating to this bio-pic, Paul Walter Hauser (who played Shawn Eckardt in I, Tonya (2017-also reviewed) by chance, a person who the subject of this film was compared to on late night talk shows) gives a superb, expressive performance as Jewell. Firmly believing that the police are always good and pure, Hauser presents Jewell's beliefs as innocent, rather than naive, due to his willingness to help the cops, leading to a sinking suspicion that he's being taken advantage of,in order to get framed. The only woman in his life, Kathy Bates gives a thoughtful turn as his mum Bobi, who rather than being completely motherly, is given a cynic edge by Bates towards the friendliness of the cops, whilst a wonderful Sam Rockwell brings a jagged edge to Bryant's fight to get Jewell out of the frame. Tracking the faceless bomber from out of the crowd placing the device, director Clint Eastwood reunites with cinematographer Yves Belanger, and ignites a continuation of themes Eastwood explored in Changeling (2008), turning the screws with razor-sharp editing from his regular editor Joel Cox in closing in on the isolated loner, whose attempts to stay sane via remembering/flashing back to each detail that took place, shaking them with doubt. Working in the lowest ranks of policing, Eastwood brings out a light comedic warmth (whilst remaining respectful) in how enthusiastic Jewell is in the job, stylishly panning down the school halls and concert venues where Jewell deals with bratty teens. Including the false addition that reporter Kathy Scruggs used sex to get leaks from the FBI,this needless plot line comes off as poorly misplaced within the earthy tone of the title. Guarding a major theme which runs across Eastwood works of the little guy up against a the press and antagonizing authority figures, the screenplay by Billy Ray brilliantly gathers tension from the sea change of Jewell being seen as a blue collar local hero, to becoming washed over by those who want to make a open/shut case, with a jewel. Cinema of Africa: Dôlè (2000) 8 Backed by a blissful score from Emile Mepango and Francois Ngwa, writer/director Imunga Ivanga makes a excellent, rustic debut, as Ngwa & cinematographer Dominique Fausset walk with Mougler and his friends/gang in stylish dusty yellow, rubbing up to the side-street, petty level of crime they engage in. Eyeing a lottery kiosk as the target to wealth, Ngwa lays out the winning numbers with excellent dissolves on the robbery planning, rushing into frantic, fluid whip-pans sweeping up the dropped loose change. Standing out like a mirage,the screenplay by Ivanga cleverly presents the lottery kiosk as the symbol to the locals as the lone way to get out of poverty, even with the awareness that the odds have been stacked to such a degree to make it near impossible for anyone to escape. Sinking all the chances in a mesmerising final shot, Ivanga gives one person the winning ticket, and folds it into not leading to the expected riches, but tragedy on the dole. Ashes of Dreams (2011) 7 Splicing home video footage of her late dad with a returning journey to the four islands of Comoros, writer/director Hachimiya Ahamada brings a thoughtful, spiritual atmosphere to the trip her dad had dreamt she would make, as Ahamada visits each island, and with intimate, coiled panning shots follows the daily routines of the locals. With her dad being buried at Dunkirk and the Comoros having gotten independence from France, Ahamada breaks the dream with discussions from the locals on their frustrations/anger over the lack of support France has given to its former colony, where Ahamada explores dreams of her past family life. God's Gift (1982) 8 Staying silent for the majority of the film, Serge Yanogo gives a superb, subtle performance as kouni, whose coiled up body language and withdrawn gaze to all who confront him, is used by Yanogo to speak volume of the severity of the incident which led to his silenced. Glimpsing the incident is fractured flashbacks,writer/director Gaston Kabore grinds a Neo-Realist atmosphere, standing back in elegant long-shots catching the daily routines of the locals Kouni watches. Met by locals asking why he is silent, Kabore hints at the anguished within Kouni, on lingering close-ups to his stark face. Named as "God's Gift" by the locals, the screenplay by Kabore gracefully pairs the splintered flashbacks of Kouni with the daily grind taken on by the locals who welcome silent Kouni in.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 17, 2020 21:32:48 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Major Dundee - the first half is a darn masterpiece of set-up....the second half a mixture of good and.... mess(?). Despite those failings, I'm a BIG fan. Ulzana's Raid - to non-western fans out there, this might qualify as "the greatest western you've never heard of". Only saw it once and it's been in the (rapidly expanding) rewatch pile ever since. Dundee is one I watch every few years so they might form a double feature this week if I get the chance. Yes, can't dispute the fact that Dundee is messy at times, but such craft is in there to make it always worth a visit, I purchased the best version available, but it's still frustrating. I actually don't mind the rescore either. Slipped into a Peckinpah zone and went for Straw Dogs as the double, but will definitely be doing my yearly visit to The Wild Bunch this week. Ulzana is not as fun as Vera Cruz, but it finds Aldrich very much in serious Western mode and it's his best Oater in my book, and certainly one I consider an essential for genre fans.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 17, 2020 21:43:20 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Deadline At DawnSusan Hayward is very good and very lovely. BackfireFirst picture. Ed Begley tells the other cop, “Don’t shoot. You might hit a taxpayer.” I like the suit and glasses look on Dane Clark. Although Gordon McRae is the main character, he is fourth billed in the title cards behind Clark, Virginia Mayo, and Viveca Lindfors. The movie was filmed in 1948. That date can be seen on the copyright notice during the credits. It was not released until 1950. The Phenix City StoryThe violence shocked me, esp. the shot of the murdered child with dead eyes open. That probably wouldn’t have been surprising in any movie made since about 1970, but turning up this early it brought me up in my seat. If I remember my reading about “Phenix” the introductory documentary short was cut when first released in 1955 but had been put back during the film’s restoration. Saw Straw Dogs at its first release in 1971. The controversy and commentary was fierce. Pauline Kael called it, “The first fascist masterpiece.” I don’t think I have ever seen Ulzana’s Raid (which I may have to remedy soon) but I am fond of another gritty Lancaster western from the previous year, “Valdez Is Coming.” Yeah Phenix is pretty brutal in all the suggestion of what has occurred, definitely one that needs to be seen by more people interested in noir of the era. I can live without the docu introduction now that I have seen it. Backfire - it's an interesting character that Clark plays, but he's definitely not in it as much as you would expect. Yep, you will have to see Ulzana, do try and see the best "uncut" version you can though. Valdez - Looks like you rate it a bit higher than me but I have it above average and would definitely watch again at some point. It's another one that has suffered cuts on some home formats, so it was another I had to import - www.imdb.com/review/rw2415641/?ref_=tt_urv 6/10
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Feb 17, 2020 21:59:35 GMT
Great reviews Spike,& I caught up with with your superb notes on No Man of Her Own. Mostly having just recent flicks,I was surprised to spot it and Sorry, Wrong Number on Netflix. From when I saw it in Oct 2016: 9. Getting a ticket for a character with some questionable "morals" Barbara Stanwyck gives an extraordinary,multi-layered performance as Helen Ferguson (the real name of Stanwyck's publicists!) / Patrice Harkness. Holding back on the Femme Fatale sensuality, Stanwyck places Ferguson in the traditional male position,with Stanwyck sealing Ferguson as a Film Noir loner grasping in desperation at the life of comfort standing in front of her,as the demons of the past start to gain traction on the image of the "new" Harkness. Carrying the lies Ferguson has told with each handshake of the Harkness's, Stanwyck does not condone or condemn Ferguson's secrets,but instead expressively puts the motives across each thread of Ferguson's conflicting nature. For the opening 30 minutes tracked from a Cornell Woolrich book,the screenplay by co-writer/(along with Catherine Turney and Sally Benson) director Mitchell Leisen gets the viewers guard down by presenting a mini-Melodrama,with glistering lights flaring up the high emotion.Taking Ferguson off the rails,the writers pull the darkest Film Noir veins open,where Ferguson embraces the Harkness for a "perfect image" that she uses to try and mask the Morley shadow on the horizon. Building the foundation of the Harkness family as Morley whips up a reunion with Ferguson,the writers brilliantly give each family member "their moment",which stirs the action they take to keep the family unit together into a deliciously macabre Film Noir atmosphere,as Ferguson reveals that she does not need no man of her own.
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Post by teleadm on Feb 18, 2020 7:28:06 GMT
morrisondylanfanA belated Happy Birthday! If Flight to Tangier is available in 3-D is something I sadly don't know anything about, and the copy I watched, well, it was taped from somewhere, but not by me. I'm home again since Friday, a nurse comes every morning to check that I take all my pills, and in the early afternoons another nurse takes me out for a walk. That's how it's going to be for the next four weeks when I'm on sick-leave. Watching movies takes my mind of problems for awhile.
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missmargo
New Member
Fasten Your Seatbelts. It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night.....
@missmargo
Posts: 39
Likes: 57
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Post by missmargo on Feb 18, 2020 15:42:59 GMT
Comments/ratings/recommendations/film posters are welcome and much appreciated. The Desperate Hours, starring Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March. One of my many fave classic films. Ralphie never should have left his bike out in front of the house. In fact, he continued to make matters worse during the entire ordeal!
This one has you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
The remake pales in comparison.
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Post by Prime etc. on Feb 19, 2020 5:06:11 GMT
THE NIGHT HOLD TERROR - 1956 John Cassavetes, Vince Edwards in the same story as Desperate Hours (which I have not seen). I liked this one.
ONE WAY STREET 1950 James Mason as a mob doctor who steals money from his boss and hides in a Mexican village.
VIOLENT BLOOD BATH 1973 Fernando Rey and Marisa Mell in a crime-giallo type story about a lawyer who encounters murders in the style of former cases of his. The story was kind of run of the mill but benefited from the two leads.
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Post by ellynmacg on Feb 19, 2020 6:03:02 GMT
ONE WAY PASSAGE. Back in the day when nobody thought to warn "Spoiler Alert!" (Though to be fair, you won't get very far into the movie--which runs for only 67 minutes anyway--before you find out the secrets the protagonists are keeping from each other.) I really love this movie from 1932 (two years before the Motion Picture Code went into effect). Not a wasted minute in its very brief (see above) running time, and the hero and heroine are so appealing! To adapt a well-known quotation: "They had faces then." I might add: unique faces. Nobody else looked like Kay Francis, a clothes-horse with a heart--here portraying Joan Ames, a sweet-tempered socialite. Nobody else looked like William Powell, a cringing, penny-ante villain of the Silent Era who evolved with sound into an urbane, wisecracking hero. And the supporting players had distinctive faces, too: Aline MacMahon and Frank McHugh, two of Warner Bros.' most engaging stock players, and soon to appear in some of the studio's backstage musicals. The only one with a fairly standard-issue face is Warren Hymer, as Steve Burke, the plainclothes cop charged with escorting his captive, Dan Hardesty (William Powell) back to the States to face a death sentence. But then, his character shouldn't look memorable, so it makes sense. The bittersweet, sentimental--without being schmaltzy--ending had me in tears. Recalling a vow of eternal love exchanged by Ames and Hardesty, the last scene employed a supernatural touch which could have worked well, many years in the future, for an episode of the original series of The Twilight Zone. Highly recommended.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 18:45:50 GMT
Escape from Sobibor - Sorry I haven't got a review to share with you, watched it once and rated it a well deserved 8/10. It's an outstanding true story that deserved a better budget than that of a TV movie. I been waiting for it to show again on one of the cable chans so I can re-watch and review. Don't tell me this has just shown in the UK and I missed it? It was actually on Amazon but the quality of the copy was shit, so I checked youtube(like I did for the Trinity movies) and found a lovely better quality version and it was also the longer version.👍 Nice one Furious, have locked it into my saves
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 19:15:36 GMT
My dad kindly gave me 3 discs as presents,one of which was this set: Birthday viewing: The Old Dark House (1963) 8 Oddly suffering a similar fate to the original, (which the studio tried to destroy all copies of, so only the remake would survive)in Hammer and Columbia dumping the movie, (it came out in a black and white version in the US,then thrown out 3 years later in the UK with a heavily cut edition) and Castle not mentioning the title once in his autobiography,Indicator stage a huge re-evaluation, presenting 3 cuts of the film with crystal clear image and sound, backed by fascinating extras including a new Kim Newman and Stephen Jones commentary,all tied up with a detailed booklet. Walking down the stairs towards the camera gazing at her figure,Fenella Fielding gives a magnetic performance as Morgana, whose bright chic costumes stand out on the screen, as Fielding layers Gothic glamour with a tempting ambiguity over Morgana's true warmth towards Penderel. Whilst Tom Poston is a bit too meek as Penderel, the other guests turn this place into a fun house, with Peter Bull bringing out the Gothic chills in Jasper's startled face, Robert Morley whipping up stern shocks as Rod,and Janette Scott keeping Penderel on a knife edge to the bumps in the night within the house. Lashing the windows with the same opening rainfall as the original, director William Castle & regular Hammer Horror cinematographer Arthur Grant ignite a explosive coalition between Castle's flamboyance, and the sparkling Gothic of Hammer Horror. Opening the house more to laughs than chills, Castle unlocks each door with terrific rolling whip-pans finding every hidden corner in the house, which becomes lit in ruby reds, as the Femm's slither round the house. Having worked with Castle,and Hammer before, the screenplay by Robert Dillon neatly blends the two styles, where in the era of Hammer "remakes" of classic Universal Horror's,Dillon tastefully pays tribute to the original with bookends, whilst refreshingly making the contents of the house its own thing. Entering with Penderel as a outsider, Dillon turns the screws on the mystery of the femm family with a delightfully dark comedic slap-stick needling a growing body count with unsettling quirks each family member holds within the old dark house. 33? Whipper Snapper I purchased The William Castle DVD Box Set some years ago, and love some of the films in the set, there's a couple that are just serviceable. I will not link any review until you watch the others - though I haven't seen Zotz!. www.amazon.co.uk/Collection-Frightened-Homicidal-Strait-Jacket-Sardonicus/dp/B01GWDXDZM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3CYIU0CBG42QQ&keywords=william+castle+collection&qid=1582225074&s=dvd&sprefix=William+Castle%2Caps%2C162&sr=1-3I also purchased his biography and read it whilst on vacation in New York and New Jersey - www.amazon.co.uk/RIGHT-Gonna-Scare-Pants-America/dp/0578066823/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=william+castle&qid=1582225253&s=books&sr=1-1 - A good fun read and insightful about that lovely niche of film producing. I can't share your enthusiasm for The Old Dark House - www.imdb.com/review/rw2787499/?ref_=tt_urv - But I have only seen it that one time back in 2013. For the record, Mr. Sardonicus, Strait-Jacket & The Tingler are personal faves.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Feb 20, 2020 19:48:32 GMT
My dad kindly gave me 3 discs as presents,one of which was this set: Birthday viewing: The Old Dark House (1963) 8 Oddly suffering a similar fate to the original, (which the studio tried to destroy all copies of, so only the remake would survive)in Hammer and Columbia dumping the movie, (it came out in a black and white version in the US,then thrown out 3 years later in the UK with a heavily cut edition) and Castle not mentioning the title once in his autobiography,Indicator stage a huge re-evaluation, presenting 3 cuts of the film with crystal clear image and sound, backed by fascinating extras including a new Kim Newman and Stephen Jones commentary,all tied up with a detailed booklet. Walking down the stairs towards the camera gazing at her figure,Fenella Fielding gives a magnetic performance as Morgana, whose bright chic costumes stand out on the screen, as Fielding layers Gothic glamour with a tempting ambiguity over Morgana's true warmth towards Penderel. Whilst Tom Poston is a bit too meek as Penderel, the other guests turn this place into a fun house, with Peter Bull bringing out the Gothic chills in Jasper's startled face, Robert Morley whipping up stern shocks as Rod,and Janette Scott keeping Penderel on a knife edge to the bumps in the night within the house. Lashing the windows with the same opening rainfall as the original, director William Castle & regular Hammer Horror cinematographer Arthur Grant ignite a explosive coalition between Castle's flamboyance, and the sparkling Gothic of Hammer Horror. Opening the house more to laughs than chills, Castle unlocks each door with terrific rolling whip-pans finding every hidden corner in the house, which becomes lit in ruby reds, as the Femm's slither round the house. Having worked with Castle,and Hammer before, the screenplay by Robert Dillon neatly blends the two styles, where in the era of Hammer "remakes" of classic Universal Horror's,Dillon tastefully pays tribute to the original with bookends, whilst refreshingly making the contents of the house its own thing. Entering with Penderel as a outsider, Dillon turns the screws on the mystery of the femm family with a delightfully dark comedic slap-stick needling a growing body count with unsettling quirks each family member holds within the old dark house. 33? Whipper Snapper I purchased The William Castle DVD Box Set some years ago, and love some of the films in the set, there's a couple that are just serviceable. I will not link any review until you watch the others - though I haven't seen Zotz!. www.amazon.co.uk/Collection-Frightened-Homicidal-Strait-Jacket-Sardonicus/dp/B01GWDXDZM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3CYIU0CBG42QQ&keywords=william+castle+collection&qid=1582225074&s=dvd&sprefix=William+Castle%2Caps%2C162&sr=1-3I also purchased his biography and read it whilst on vacation in New York and New Jersey - www.amazon.co.uk/RIGHT-Gonna-Scare-Pants-America/dp/0578066823/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=william+castle&qid=1582225253&s=books&sr=1-1 - A good fun read and insightful about that lovely niche of film producing. I can't share your enthusiasm for The Old Dark House - www.imdb.com/review/rw2787499/?ref_=tt_urv - But I have only seen it that one time back in 2013. For the record, Mr. Sardonicus, Strait-Jacket & The Tingler are personal faves. Thanks for birthday wishes Spike. Going into Old Dark House remake knowing it was one which did not directly follow the original script I suspect helped with my enjoyment,I actually really appreciated how it kept to the spirit of the classic,but did it's own thing. If you spot it in CEX,it really is worth going for the upgrade Spike. From Amazon: Alternative presentations of The Old Dark House the black and white 1963 US theatrical presentation (87 mins); the cut-down A-certificate 1966 UK presentation (77 mins); and the complete uncut colour presentation (87 mins) Zotz! audio commentary by Diabolique Magazine's editor-in-chief Kat Ellinger · 13 Frightened Girls audio commentary by Daughters of Darkness Samm Deighan · The Old Dark House audio commentary by celebrated horror and fantasy authors Kim Newman and Stephen Jones · Strait-Jacket audio commentary film historians Lee Gambin and Emma Westwood · Stephen Laws Introduces Zotz! (2018): an appreciation by the acclaimed horror author · Kim Newman on Ray Russell (2018): an appreciation of novelist and writer of Zotz! by the critic and author of Nightmare Movies · 13 Frightened Girls: William Castle s original 'The Candy Web' opening / closing 'Danger Card' messages · 13 Frightened Girls: four alternativee opening sequences created for international release versions · Jonathan Rigby on The Old Dark House and Strait-Jacket (2018): new appreciations by the author of American Gothic: Six Decades of Classic Horror Cinema · The Old Dark House in Eastmancolor (2018): Paul Frith, Senior Research Associate, School of Art, Media and American Studies at UEA discusses the film's cinematography · Joan Had Me Fired! (2018): an interview with actor Anne Helm · On the Road with Joan Crawford (2018): an interview with publicist Richard Kahn · Battle-Axe: The Making of 'Strait-Jacket' (2007, 15 mins) · Joan Crawford Wardrobe Tests (1964, 4 mins) · Joan Crawford - Axe Test (1964, 1 min) · How to Plan a Movie Murder (1964, 5 mins): star Joan Crawford, director William Castle and author Robert Bloch discuss making Strait-Jacket in this vintage piece · Super 8 version of Strait-Jacket · Isolated music & effects track on all four films · Original theatrical trailers · Strait-Jacket trailer commentary with David DeCoteau · 13 Frightened Girls original UK trailer introduction · Alternative 13 Frightened Girls 'The Candy Web' trailer · Promotional and on-set photography, poster art and archive materials
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 19:57:19 GMT
Great reviews Spike,& I caught up with with your superb notes on No Man of Her Own. Mostly having just recent flicks,I was surprised to spot it and Sorry, Wrong Number on Netflix. From when I saw it in Oct 2016: 9. Getting a ticket for a character with some questionable "morals" Barbara Stanwyck gives an extraordinary,multi-layered performance as Helen Ferguson (the real name of Stanwyck's publicists!) / Patrice Harkness. Holding back on the Femme Fatale sensuality, Stanwyck places Ferguson in the traditional male position,with Stanwyck sealing Ferguson as a Film Noir loner grasping in desperation at the life of comfort standing in front of her,as the demons of the past start to gain traction on the image of the "new" Harkness. Carrying the lies Ferguson has told with each handshake of the Harkness's, Stanwyck does not condone or condemn Ferguson's secrets,but instead expressively puts the motives across each thread of Ferguson's conflicting nature. For the opening 30 minutes tracked from a Cornell Woolrich book,the screenplay by co-writer/(along with Catherine Turney and Sally Benson) director Mitchell Leisen gets the viewers guard down by presenting a mini-Melodrama,with glistering lights flaring up the high emotion.Taking Ferguson off the rails,the writers pull the darkest Film Noir veins open,where Ferguson embraces the Harkness for a "perfect image" that she uses to try and mask the Morley shadow on the horizon. Building the foundation of the Harkness family as Morley whips up a reunion with Ferguson,the writers brilliantly give each family member "their moment",which stirs the action they take to keep the family unit together into a deliciously macabre Film Noir atmosphere,as Ferguson reveals that she does not need no man of her own. Dunno what I done with the edit! Thanks for sharing your review "young man"
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 20:42:32 GMT
Cimarron (1960) Surprisingly great, considering it was a box office flop remake of an Oscar winner for Best Picture. In fact, it's much better than the original, in my opinion. Starts off with some truly great land rush scenes, which was one of the best things about the original. The story spans generations in the lives of these Oklahoma settlers. A bit long and drags a bit, but quite worth watching, overall. Glenn Ford is his usual dependably great self. The late great Vic Morrow is on hand to play a truly scary intimidating villain. 12 Years a Slave (2013) "Your story is amazing, and in no good way..." The inhumanity and degradation inflicted upon the people forced to be slaves is almost too difficult to watch in this film, but it's too important a tale not to be seen. It's masterfully done, and it is so immursive I was right there the whole way with the characters. Michael Fassbender's character is surely one of the most despicable and vile ever committed to film. Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey is definitely one of the all-time most heartbreaking characters I've ever witnessed in any movie. This was a rewatch for me, but it had been awhile, and it slammed into me like a charging bull all over again. If you didn't feel anything while watching this, then I'm afraid to inform you that you are dead inside. Unforgiven (1992) "Any man don't wanna get killed better clear on out the back!" It's become everyone's favorite western over the years, and rightly so. It has the moral dilemmas, nasty villain and Clint in classic gunfighter mode. It's just great cinema, whether westerns are your thing or not. It was Eastwood's final western, and what a great way to end his cowboy career. I mean, how could he top this? No Country For Old Men (2007) This is overflowing with Coen brothers awesomeness. Love the deadly serious atmosphere, it looks good on them. Anton Chigurh is terrifying, bowl cut and all! The whole cast is operating at a peak level (Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly MacDonald, Garret Dillahunt), but there's no denying that Javier Bardem is the engine driving the audience's fascination. Such a worthy Oscar win for him and the movie. Road To Perdition (2002) A sentimental but violent story about fathers and sons wrapped up in a mob story. Beautifully filmed and cast with a stack of dynamite actors. Paul Newman is a powerhouse! The Terminal (2004) "Ever feel like you're living in an airport?" Anyone who has ever had their flight delayed or inhaled a Whopper from Burger King can relate to poor Viktor Navorski. ✈🍔 Tom Hanks is once again in lovable outsider mode, and he's quite good. This would be an actor's dream role: foreign accent, in every scene, directed by Spielberg...too bad the general public seemed uninterested when this came out. I think it's charms will win over more people as the years go by, it's very Capra-esque. Turner & Hooch (1989)Turner & Hooch (1989)Turner & Hooch (1989) "Are you aware of your drooling problem?" There may be more saliva than laughs, but there is plenty of heart in this movie. Hanks in comedic mode is so much fun to watch, it had been awhile since I've seen him this way. The Green Mile (1999) The Green Mile (1999) Absolutely powerful and magnificent adaptation of Stephen King's novel. Full of beautiful human moments, and some pretty ugly ones too, this is still Stephen King, after all! Frank Darabont and Stephen King go together like cookies and milk. Every time he adapts one of King's works it goes on to become a beloved classic. Why doesn't he just do them all? This was a rewatch for me, and maybe it's because he has passed away since, but Michael Clarke Duncan is so incredible as John Coffey. I didn't appreciate all he brought to the film the first time, I guess. Now, he crushed me. There's quite a few of the cast who have passed away since, I think it added an extra layer of solemnity: Michael Jeter, Harry Dean Stanton, Brent Briscoe, Dabbs Greer, Eve Brent, Bill McKinney...R.I.P. The running time is long, and yet you will never notice because this movie just envelopes you and occupies your mind the entire time. It's very engrossing and life affirming. You will be thinking about it long after, it's one of those movies. So happy to have this jewel in my own movie collection. Saving Private Ryan (1998) It's difficult to remember now, but this star-studded cast was not yet all that famous at the time. This is an incredible onslaught to the senses, especially that opening scene on the beach. It's chaos, it's terrifying, but it's still probably nowhere as terrifying as having been there for real. Still one of the most harrowing war movies ever made. I've read complaints about this movie, that Spielberg includes "too much of his trademark sentiment." If ever there were a time when one's feelings would be all over the place at once, it would be while fighting in World War II. Maybe if you were there, you would know. My jaw was open several times, wondering how they did that, or amazed at what they endured. Makes you wonder if you'd be able to do the same if you had been born a few generations earlier. We owe them so much, they gave all for our freedom. Even though this film is about Americans, I say all this for all the good men who fought or died from everywhere. Great casting for "Older Private Ryan." These bookending scenes had some real emotional weight to them, bravo! Saving Mr. Banks (2013) Emma Thompson in crisp, unapproving British lady mode is purely delightful to watch. Who else but Tom Hanks could play Walt Disney, America's male movie sweetheart and a distant relative of Walt Disney himself? Colin Farrell is also in fine form as Mary Poppins author P.L.Travers' drunken Australian bank manager father. It's just sappy enough, but not too sappy at all. Disney is not sugar-coated and neither is Travers. The movie leads to a very affecting and introspective conclusion. It's great, as a movie lover, to learn how the classic Mary Poppins came to be. Forrest Gump (1994) No other movie shows you life like Forrest Gump. We've all lived through history and been through some stuff. This movie eerily mirrors my own life in certain scenes and just gets to me. Probably does the same for the millions of people who love it too. It's a beloved classic that will live on for many more generations to come. One thing that really stood out on this rewatch was the score by Alan Silvestri. It squeezes you by the feels! Didn't win the Oscar that year, but it was a tight race. The coconut shrimp at the real-life Bubba Gump restaurants is so good, try it if you get the chance! 👍 Cimarron (1960) - www.imdb.com/review/rw2423678/?ref_=tt_urv 5.5/1012 Years a Slave (2013) - Not seen but have had it recorded for quite some time, I'll drop it on when I'm in the right mood. Unforgiven (1992) - www.imdb.com/review/rw2399163/?ref_=rw_urv 10/10 - (It's a tough call but I'd go Josey Wales as Eastwood's best Oater. No Country For Old Men (2007) - Revisit and review to come soon - I was a bit wrapped up in There Will Be Blood back on first experience of The Coen movie... Road to Perdition (2002) - www.imdb.com/review/rw2260292/?ref_=tt_urv 8/10The Terminal (2004) - www.imdb.com/review/rw2472768/?ref_=tt_urv 7/10Turner & Hooch (1989) - Never got to re-watch and review it, mainly because I was all over K-9 the same year, but I did like it and admired that the makers had a bit of balls with the outcome. The Green Mile (1999) - One of my favourite King novels, an absolute door stopper that I read in two days! - Film sticks close to the book as well, I think the only thing they miss out is that the mouse was originally called Steamboat Willie before it became Mr. Jingles. When Barry Pepper cries at the execution, I cried too! - Must review it, a rock solid 9/10 film at least. Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Must review, also a solid 9/10Saving Mr. Banks (2013) - Loved it, love Emma, looking forward to my second viewing. Forrest Gump (1994) - www.imdb.com/review/rw2031053/?ref_=tt_urv 9/10You had a serious Hanks week! I wasn't taken with Splash, The Burbs and You Got Mail, but Hanks is such a likable actor I will not hesitate to watch any of them should they show up on British Cable. Thanks for the great post
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 20:56:34 GMT
Public Enemies - couldn't get into it at all - 3/10 Wow, a little surprised. I haven't reviewed it yet, but I know it's a bit divisive even among Mann fans like me, so I don't spose that I could sell it to you by a review anyway - given your rating is so low, and that is low for you.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 21:01:05 GMT
Comments/ratings/recommendations/film posters are welcome and much appreciated. The Desperate Hours, starring Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March. One of my many fave classic films. Ralphie never should have left his bike out in front of the house. In fact, he continued to make matters worse during the entire ordeal!
This one has you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
The remake pales in comparison.
A bit stagy at times and it definitely could have done with some cuts, but I like it plenty enough - www.imdb.com/review/rw2605628/?ref_=tt_urv 7/10
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 20, 2020 21:10:53 GMT
THE NIGHT HOLD TERROR - 1956 John Cassavetes, Vince Edwards in the same story as Desperate Hours (which I have not seen). I liked this one. ONE WAY STREET 1950 James Mason as a mob doctor who steals money from his boss and hides in a Mexican village. Hi PPThe Night Hold Terror - Looks interesting, looks under seen as well! Likewise One Way Street, Mason & Duryea sells it straight away. Thanks for bringing these titles to light.
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