What classics did you see last week ? (4 Nov- 10 Nov 2018)

  8/10


 8/10


 10/10

This weeks mixed bag:


I must be getting old, because I couldn't find any enthusiasm whatsover watching this, for me it was a dark and depressining action movie that took nearly 3 hours.


Yet another Rom-com GF forces me to watch, not bad but...


I love this one even if it's not perfect. The Kind of movie I wished was around when I was a kid.


Very French, or too French movie for me to embrace, and they lighted new cigarettes all the time, in every scene, since I noticed that more than the story, it wasn't a movie for me. Though I do like Piccoli, Schneider and Massari in other movies.


The last chapter of the Fly saga, not as horrible as I thought it would be, but not good either, Low budget is evident.
There is actually no fly whatsover in this chapter, it's only talked about.


Roma città aperta aka Rome Open City 1945, Some movies are called classics, this one IS a classic!!
Watched the Italian speaking version with subtitles

Who knows what next week will bring...

and all of

And these shorts:

Act Without Words II (2001)
Catastrophe (2000)
Come and Go (2000)
Ohio Impromptu (2000)

...from:

Hi all,I hope everyone is having a good weekend,and I watched:

Noir duo:



Interpol (1957) 8

Made as the wheels on British "genre" cinema were starting to gain traction, the movie offers a glorious preview over what awaited, thanks to co- producer (with Irving Allen) Albert R. Broccoli making his mark, and director John Gilling bringing in future Hammer Horror stars André Morell and Yvonne Romain, an on the cusp of fame Anita Ekberg, and rounding it up with a cameo from Sid James. Closely working with future 007- Connery era cinematographer Ted Moore, director Gilling gives this globe-trotting Film Noir a slick sun-kissed atmosphere by glittering the locations with stylish low-lighting which gives off an "exotic" vibe, and also displays McNally's attempts to stop Sturgis capturing him in the light.

Displaying a sharp eye for stylisation which would later make his Hammer Horror films stand out, Gilling uses dissolves with a real precision in creating a disturbing impression of each murder, and up close and personal camera moves to give the punch-ups Sturgis' takes to locate McNally a frantic, rough and tumble edge. Knotting Sturgis's family into McNally's murderous underworld dealings, the screenplay by John Paxton keeps the pressure from McNally firm with stealth kills on any former associate who tries to help Sturgis out.

Putting her between both sides, Paxton builds up the Film Noir doubt by Sturgis attempting to gain the trust of courier Broger, in the hope that she will turn, and become a courier for McNally's arrest. Brushing off his gentlemen image, Trevor Howard gives a dastardly turn as hard man McNally, whose fists Howard slams against anyone who raises a disagreement. Crossing the globe to nab McNally,Victor Mature gives a very good performance as Sturgis, holding his nose to the grindstone Mature keeps Sturgis simmering with anger to get his revenge. Seductively performing a song number which hints at what was to come with 1958's Screaming Mimi, Anita Ekberg gives a fetching, sultry Femme Fatale twist as Broger, who Ekberg has become filled with nervousness over being caught between McNally and Interpol.






Red Pier (1958) 10

Treating the transfer with the same respect given to Seijun Suzuki's work in the set, Arrow present an image which is crystal clear, a soundtrack that is clean and well-paced English subtitles.

Lifting a rich Film Noir atmosphere from the opening murder via crane, co-writer/(with Ichirô Ikeda) director Toshio Masuda & cinematographer Shinsaku Himeda unveil gorgeous stylisation in the crisp white clothes Tominaga lands in the port with reflected in pristine white lights lining every street and crashing against the waves, whilst subtly outlining the murky deals taking place under the pristine port. Hitting his targets with a mighty swagger, Masuda and Himeda give their loner bags of Film Noir chic spun from off-kilter camera angles curling round to follow Tominaga make his escape, and fluid, hand-held camera moves following each punch Tominaga offers up.

Taking the basic outline of Julien Duvivier's classic Pépé le Moko (1937) (a Film Noir loner flees to the outskirts to avoid the cops) the screenplay by Masuda and Ikeda brilliantly draw up the sketch to comment on the youthful Post-WWII era of Japan, by having Tominaga be one of the new "water trade" (a black market many people worked in to survive during the aftermath of losing the war) gangsters, who is a free-wheeling loner who does not follow the pre-WWII codes of "loyalty" the underworld lived by. Smoothly crossing Film Noir with the popular "Sun-Tribe"/Zoku genre, the writers hits the early sugar rush of the French New Wave by Tominaga (played by a wonderfully dashing and slick Yûjirô Ishihara) being unable to let his secret love Keiko Sugita (a very good Mie Kitahara) cross his personal space, as a harmonica plays music from the heart of Tominaga across the red pier.

Others:



Gates of Paris (1957) 10


Pre-dating the British "Kitchen Sink" films by a decade, co-writer/(with Jean Aurel) directing auteur René Clair splashes his distinctive surreal aspects into the sink of Poetic Realism. Whilst Juju listens in on local mutterings, Clair slides pass to dip through the looking glass/ window to follow the play fighting of children which uncannily matches the locals descriptions of Barbier's crimes. Keeping Barbier out of sight in The Artist house, Clair holds down his surreal stylising to instead give the poetic crane shots down the winding streets of the town and the whip-pans down to the loft an earthy, proto- Kitchen Sink grit, rubbed from the house being given a confined, run-down appearance.

Opening the gate to Juju and The Artist friendship in their adaptation of René Fallet's novel, the screenplay by Clair and Jean Aurel tantalisingly give plenty of breathing space for the friendship to gradual cover the screen as Artist and Juju have tiffs in the house they share, but make up by singing songs in the pub. Putting a dent in the friendship with the run-in of Barbier, the writers subtlety place a Film Noir long-con bubbling in the background to explore the themes of loneliness and mistrust, poured from Juju placing a much greater level of trust on Barbier's "friendship" than The Artist, and Juju's misplaced love for pub barmaid Maria.

Bringing a real warmth when hanging out together, Pierre Brasseur and Georges Brassens give fantastic performances which compliment each other, via the bohemian vibes Brassens wraps The Artist in,and the slowly sinking himself into exile edge Brasseur gives Juju. Getting in the middle of the friends, cute Dany Carrel gives an innocent sweetness to kind-hearted Maria, whilst Henri Vidal keeps wanted criminal Barbier's back up against the wall, as the gates of Paris close.







Bakumatsu taiyôden (1957) 8


Presenting a title loved in Japan but largely unknown in The West,Masters of Cinema present a great transfer, with the picture retaining a film grain, the soundtrack being clear,and the subtitles being easy to follow.

Released the year that the Japanese government took a hard line on prostitution and other vices, co-writer/(with Hisashi Yamanouchi and Shôhei Imamura) director Yûzô Kawashima & cinematographer Kuratarô Takamura take the viewer on a tour of the 19th century Shogunate-era brothel with magnetic fluidity,pulling the doors open for the camera to zip pass, and winding tracking shots along the maze of corridors within the building. Holding Saheiji at the brothel with a mountain of debt, Kawashima has Saheiji pay back with a criss-crossing comedic relish from the odd jobs of pointing a prostitute towards a new life on by a sea edge, and attempting to handle a group of samurai.

Created as part of the studios Nikkatsu sun-tribe/teenager genre/ output, the writers deliver a sharply allegorical edge, over the samurai group being frustrated with the treaties that the Shogunate region had signed with the US, taping into protests taking place in Japan over the post-WWII treaties (a "Free Japan" sword is shown on screen.) Thankfully not letting the title be weighed down by politics,the writers allow the movie to blossom with a wicked comedic wit, playfully spun by the prostitutes using all their enticing charms to leave clients empty handed and waiting. Threading the whole tale together,Furankî Sakai gives a dazzling performance as Saheiji, with Sakai keeping Saheiji's physical comedy exchanges flow with a rapid-fire zest, and a charming, breezy manner for the smooth comedic word-play of witnessing the last days of the Shogunate.

I'm on a bit of a kick watching films I missed from 2002.

Over the past few days:

7/10

Attack (1956) Robert Aldrich **It takes its time to get going but, other than a miscast Eddie Albert, this is splendid stuff. 
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002) Silje Dai

6/10

25th Hour (2002) Spike Lee
24 Hour Party People (2002) Michael Winterbottom
Spider (2002) David Cronenberg

4/10

Adventures of Don Juan (1948) Vincent Sherman **overlong, disappointing swashbuckler with a well past his sell-by date Errol Flynn.

Hi Rudeboy,I hope you had a good weekend,and how did you find the Madchester of 24 Hour Party People to be?

With 24 Hour,I agree about the feeling of it moving at a breakneck speed, which I think is partly down to how many acts/events and "characters" round the scene (like Bez and the Mondays) it wants to cover in under 2 hour. One (unintended?) aspect which has come into focus for me thanks to going to gigs/nights out in Manchester since seeing the movie, is how The Factory has gone from being on the outskirts of the music scene and The Hacienda having countless (how should we say this) "problems" with the council, to now the names being plastered on every building in the city!