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Post by wmcclain on Jul 10, 2021 15:24:11 GMT
Your comments/ratings/recommendations/film posters are welcome and much appreciated! The title says "classics" but we are always interested to know what classic film lovers have been watching, whatever the material.  |
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 10, 2021 15:55:03 GMT
Only two I'd "recommend" BLACK CROWN 1951 was an unexpected treat. A woman (Maria Felix) comes round from a drunken nightmare in a bar with no money to pay the bill and no memory of who she is.... her only clues the nightmare ("the black crown" is of vultures gathering round the dead/dying), a dead husband, a key to a tomb, a sinister dwarf and an unhealthy interest in sharp objects. Rossano Brazzi is her port in a storm and Vittorio Gassman (the Italian Olivier and future Mr Shelley Winters) is the sexy bad penny from her past. Brazzi's landlady sees it all in the cards... great fun.  BLACK CROWN DeSica's pleasing look at a downtrodden married woman's stay in a TB clinic... proving to be a wonderful awakening for her socially, politically and romantically. Of the rest these were in the WATCHABLE/OF SOME INTEREST category   Not a patch on DeBroca's early 60s work this was a thumping hit in France and was remade for Tv in 1979 with Brenda Vaccaro. Charming stars keep it afloat.  Featuring "the Venezualan Volcano" herself.. Acquanetta!(born plain Mildred Davenport, although of somewhat mysterious lineage....)  Given rep and that powerhouse cast a bit disappointing....  A Monongram studio musical! Good fun.  1935 early Michael Powell effort about boffins discombobulated by advent of lady scientist!  efficient B movie I won't name the 19 others which ranged from mediocre to terrible but the worst (by far) - and possibly the worst Chabrol I have seen (not normally this bad) was  |
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 10, 2021 16:00:19 GMT
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Post by Bella on Jul 10, 2021 16:17:37 GMT
Hôtel du Nord (1938) - 8/10
To Live (1994)
The Wild One (1953) - 7/10
The People vs Larry Flynt (1996) - 7/10
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Post by politicidal on Jul 10, 2021 16:46:05 GMT
Godzilla versus SpaceGodzilla (1994) 4/10
California Conquest (1952) 5/10
Body Double (1984) 7/10
Reversal of Fortune (1990) 8/10
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Post by lostinlimbo on Jul 10, 2021 17:01:32 GMT
 A two-bit campy sci-fi crime hybrid which was a slog to sit through. In spite of that, there were moments of amusement when the title character first appeared in a shimmering glow, and wandering the woods in her reflective skin suit costume. Also there were a few choice lines of ridiculous dialogues. “The way you keep putting your foot in your kisser, it’s a wonder you don’t get athlete’s mouth”. 3/10  Entertainingly ludicrous and hokey low-budget Turkish action-fantasy with a run-of-the-mill premise infused with silly story threads and insane action. As the title character leaps about (sometimes obvious trampoline work) clawing faces and throats in a constant bloodbath of sloppily executed, non-stop mayhem. Especially the film’s final third when he bestows the metal claws. The monotone dubbing also added to the charm. 6/10  ‘The Damned’ had a uniquely absurd concept, striking seaside locations (Weymouth) and unexpectedly dark story turns. Especially when it decided to settle into the story of the mysterious experimental children. However the uninteresting, and out-of-placed secondary story takes up most of the time and focus, as an American tourist gets involved with a girl, who happens to be the sister of the leader (Oliver Reed) of a group violent delinquent motorcycles.  I rather enjoyed this spiced up entry, and the last of the Hammer Frankenstein series. For the last hurrah they attempted another remake of the original source material, but their focused went down a different path. Having fun at the material’s expense; sleazier and humorous. It surprised me, and that goes for how things eventually played out, especially the last reel. Talk about really laying on the gallows humour. The dark humour sprinkled throughout was a nice change of pace from the standard Hammer routine. Ralph Bates is great as the young, villainously smarmy and unethical Baron Frankenstein. Kat O’Mara and Dennis Price had their moments too. 8/10  The poster is somewhat misleading in how the snorkel was used in the film, but still this was a surprisingly good low-energy thriller by Hammer films. After the death of her mother, the daughter believes her step-father was behind it and goes about trying to prove her theories while everyone else doesn’t believe her. It sticks to the usual genre tropes and questionable actions of the protagonist to drum up dramatic tension. However the performances are on key (especially Peter Van Eyck) and there’s a satisfying double sting in its tail. 7/10  Mayor; “You gotta be a couple of bounty hunters”.
Amos: “Well, you all have been hunting black folks for so long. We just want to see what it felt like to hunt white folks.”
Despite having the likes of Fred Williamson, RG Armstrong & William Smith (R.I.P) in this no holds barred Blaxploitation western directed by Jack Arnold. It’s D’Urville Martin as Amos (Williamson’s sidekick) who steals every scene. 7/10 Favourite feature of the Week; The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)
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Post by claudius on Jul 10, 2021 19:06:10 GMT
FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL (1974) was the final Hammer Frankenstein.
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Post by teleadm on Jul 10, 2021 19:08:00 GMT
Here is what I have seen, besides fussball live.  Kindergarten Cop 1990 directed by Ivan Reitman. Despite it's title and this poster and lot of pre-school kids around, it's not a family friendly movie, since there are deadly shootouts, corpses, drug dealers and so on before it moves over to small town Oregon. It's far from perfect, but it somehow works, with big Arnold as a LAPD Detective working undercover, and a great female cast surrounds him, Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt and Carroll Baker (great to see her) as the mother from hell, and the mother of the man who Arnold chases. If the threat is real and acted seriously, the comedy parts works better, and it nearly works here. Very enjoyable, and hadn't seen it from start to finish in many years.  Eye in the Labyrinth aka L'occhio nel labirinto 1972 directed by Mario Cariano. In my search for great movies outside anglo languages greatly inspired by threads on imbd2 (please continue). This one though was a bump, and rather bloodless for being a giallo with enervating cinematography. Interesting cast though that included Alida Valli, a young Sybill Danning, and former Bond movie bad guy Adolfo Celi. Rosemary Dexter who plays the lead, who is beautiful here, sadly had to retire a few years later because of some unnamed illness.  The Devil's Disciple 1959 directed by Guy Hamilton (Alexander Mackendrick was fired, a few scenes remains) and based on a play by George Bernard Shaw. In 1777 the English still had hopes to win back America, by hanging people publicly to scare off any rebellions, offcourse they didn't count on Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, blowing up gunpowder and using their fists. I've never seen any other versions of this play by Shaw, so I have no references if this was a bad or good version. The movie is relatively short (clocking in under 85 minutes) but highly entertaining once one (at least I) got the hang of what it was about. Sir Laurence Oliver is a joy too, who apparently was disappointed by his performance.  The Green Man 1956 directed by Robert Day and based on different versions of a play written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder. "The Green Man" of the title is a seaside hotel. Lovely Alastair Sim plays a kind of guy who hated school and pompous persons, good for nothing except creating time bombs, at first with gunpowder against teacher he didn't like, to south Amercan dictators, jobs that payed well. But this time he is gonna stop a pompous bank manager, and his biggest threat is a vacuum cleaner salesman (George Cole) who sees dead bodies come and go, with a BBC host's wife. Olde British humor galore, and I liked it. Big fan of Alastair Sim, but never seen this one before.  The Violent Men 1955 directed by Rudolph Maté and based on a novel by Swedish ex-count David Hamilton (that I didn't know until yesterday). Passions, revenge and anger flies high in this western with a powerhouse cast of tensions, Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G Robinson, with Brian Keith as Stanwyck's toy boy as long as he does what she likes. There must be something else that makes Robinson's character wanting to grab all land in the valley and chase out all small farmers, not just cattle breeding. Ford is willing to sell at the right price, but dislikes one of Robinson's Henchmen (Richard Jaeckel) who rather kills before asking. Starting a war with a stampede scene that was very impressive (later finding out that is was edited from an earlier Glenn Ford movie The Desperadoes 1943) Remember Bette Davis withholding Herbert Marshal's medicines in The Little Foxes when she sees that chance, here Stanwyck throws Robinson's crutches into a fire, and hope he burns up, so she can have Brian Keith without secrets. A bit too heavy on the drama, but Ford, Stanwyck and Robinson's charisma's made it a joy anyway, never seen it before.  Wings in the Dark 1935 directed by James Flood (a director I know very little about and would be thankful if someone could fill me in) reprising what I already wrote in another post plus adding a vital line, aviation melodrama romance starring Myrna Loy and Cary Grant who are both aviators. He goes blind via a freak accident, and she can't find any jobs because she is a woman, except as a barnstormer payed for by newspapers that needs sensations. Myrna's role is partly inspired by Amelia Earhart. Avoids being a tearjerker. With these two stars it's rather entertaining, feels like they they ad-libbed a lot of scenes, and it's even a bit exciting at the end. By the way, Myrna was the bigger star of the two at the time and her name appears first in the title sequence. Not just for old airplane enthusiasts.  The last movie made me think of those glue together kits of old aeroplanes, when I was young. I had loads of those, but I never built any of those I had on display, it was my dear passed away father who glued them together, while swearing as hell. Anyway thanks for watching and now I check up your movies! |
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Post by OldAussie on Jul 10, 2021 23:08:32 GMT
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Post by mikef6 on Jul 11, 2021 1:19:07 GMT
Walk A Crooked Mile / Gordon Douglas (1948). A docu-drama following the pattern of “The House On 92nd Street” (1945), a procedural following U.S. Intelligence Agents tracking down Nazi spies. By 1948, we have the FBI tracking down Commie Spies working for our wartime ally Russia. Dennis O’Keefe is Agent O’Hara who teams up with Scotland Yard inspector Scotty Grayson (Louis Hayward) to head the team trying to discover how a valuable defense formula is being smuggled piecemeal out of a very tight security area. We get to see much of the latest crime fighting technology that the Bureau can use: wire recorders, phone tap expertise, the latest in surveillance, one-way mirrors, and how the laboratory can uncover so much that spies want to keep hidden. The story, though, turns out to be more twisty and complicated than at first expected and the partners have to backtrack and change their minds a couple of times. One thing I really like is when a movie will give a minor character a good scene, a few seconds to shine. The uncredited actress Tamara Shayne gets about a 20-second close-up and speech that was so strong I had to say, “Wow” when it was finished. It is great that the writer and director gave this fine actress that brief moment. All-in-all, a pretty decent little thriller. Seen as part of TCM’s Noir Alley series hosted by the Czar of Noir, the Docent of Darkness Eddie Muller    The Devil’s Disciple / Guy Hamilton (1959). Laurence Olivier is very much at home speaking the wry lines penned by G.B. Shaw and playing a man who is very much playing an ironic role in his life. This was the movie Olivier made immediately prior to “The Entertainer.” “The Devil’s Disciple,” with mostly English actors, was shot by Burt Lancaster’s production company. He brought old friend Kirk Douglas into the project with him. The female lead was given to British actress Janette Scott, as in “I really got hot when I saw Janette Scott / Fight a Triffid that spits poison and kills.” TDD takes place during the American Revolution as British troops invade and try to put down the rebels. General John “Gentlemanly Johnny” Burgoyne (“I am Gentlemanly Johnny,” he identifies himself to Kirk. “My more intimate friends call me General Burgoyne.”) is planning to join his command with General Howe at Albany and crush the Americans. Along the way, he stops to blithely hang a few villagers as a terror tactic. This raises the ire of a local minister (Lancaster), his wife (Scott) and rouses to action the prodigal son (Douglas) of the man who had been executed in the opening scene. Much of the dialog from Shaw’s three act play has been rearranged to make a movie instead of a stage play and to introduce Burgoyne at the very start instead of holding his appearance to the last act as Shaw did. The film makers also introduce a comic battle where the minister learns his “true profession” as a militiaman when he turns out to be practically invincible, fighting a squad of soldiers, shrugging off blows to the face and back and withstanding an explosion. All of this flows quite nicely without showing seams but one never forgets that Shaw’s wit and dramatic sense is ever the driving force. Acting is exemplary all around, even though the British press reviews often favored Olivier at the expense of the two American stars. The Daily Herald sniffed, “He wins the fight for supremacy (over Douglas and Lancaster) while barely stretching his talents to a tenth of their capacity.” Jeez, are they still angry over losing the Colonies?   ![]()   
The Steel Helmet / Samuel Fuller (1951). One of Fuller’s best. The Korean War, underway as the film was shot and released, ruffled some feathers (didn’t bother Sam Fuller) because its purpose was to show the “organized chaos” (Fuller’s term) of war. Also, a captured North Korean office tries to ferment resentment in two soldiers (one black, one of Japanese ancestry) by pointing out how their freedoms were being restricted in the U.S. He says to the Medic, Cpl. Thomson (James Edwards): “You have to sit in the back of the bus, don’t you?” Thomson replies, “A hundred years ago I couldn’t even ride the bus. Maybe in another hundred, I can sit in the middle.” (Rosa Parks was only 4 years in the future.) This sort of talk made HUAC members unhappy. A lot of film noir techniques are used by Fuller to give the war a claustrophobic feel and a sense of doom and fate just waiting. The outdoor scenes in a wood are often filled with a dense fog. Even in the sunshine, disaster could strike at any moment. When they arrive at an abandoned Buddhist Temple to set up a listening post, they get ready for an inevitable attack. Gene Evens plays grizzled Sgt. Zack, a WWII combat vet. William Chun is a South Korean boy who is dubbed Short Round by Sgt. Zack. (If that sounds familiar, Spielberg borrowed the name for Indi's young sidekick in "Temple Of Doom"). Also in the excellent cast are Steve Brody and Richard Loo. This is among my Best Of 1951 choices.    Titanic / Jean Negulesco (1953). No, the other one. The black and white one. But, just like the James Cameron epic, it is split into good and bad halves – ironically the opposite halves. The 1997 blockbuster is usually criticized for its poorly developed drama leading up to the sinking of the ship. This is where the older film excels. It presents a compelling family drama that is lead by a fine performance by Clifton Webb as a self-centered, famous actor who is pursuing his wife (Barbara Stanwyck) who has left him and is taking their two children back to America. “Are you going to live in Mac-a-knack?” sneers Webb. “Any place can sound ridiculous coming from your mouth,” Stanwyck shoots back. Complications ensue, leading Webb to reject his adoring son. Then…the ship hits that infamous iceberg. In contrast to the thrills and suspense that James Cameron provides, the sinking sequence in the former is very lame. No explanation is given as to why there are two few lifeboats, the boats are filled in an orderly fashion, there is no panic, and even people from steerage are loaded, and just as the ship disappears under the surface the film ends, sparing us the turmoil of the drowning and freezing people in the water. Really, the only reason not to turn it off as the iceberg looms is to see Webb’s great, final moments.  ![]()   |
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Post by mikef6 on Jul 11, 2021 1:20:31 GMT
Could you share your thoughts on "Royal Hunt Of The Sun"?
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Post by mikef6 on Jul 11, 2021 1:23:23 GMT
wmcclain"Went The Day Well" is such an unknown gem of a picture. Even though "Mortal Engines" got poor notices almost across the board and it is not really in my movie interest range, I unaccountably quite enjoyed it.
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Post by OldAussie on Jul 11, 2021 1:47:52 GMT
mikef6"Royal Hunt Of The Sun" Firstly, thanks for your mention of it last week. I'd seen a little on tv some 50 years ago and had long sought to see the full film. I saw a watchable but seemingly truncated copy on youtube. It ran about 95 minutes but IMDB has a running time of over 120 minutes. The acting and script made it a worthwhile exercise. The Shaw and Plummer interaction was the highlight. The direction and editing was all over the place - possibly due to the unintended cuts? Based on what I watched - 6/10....but there was potential for more if the missing scenes were available. Just based on what I saw
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jul 11, 2021 2:20:43 GMT
GoldenEye (1995). Black Widow (2021). Back to black... There've been complaints about the ‘lateness’ of this film, how it should’ve been made years ago and now that we've finally gotten it, it’s ‘too late’. I beg to differ, as I feel all good things come to those who wait (and those too impatient for something don’t deserve it to begin with). However one may feel about Scarlett Johansson as an actress, there's no denying she’s been in the MCU longer than most (if there's one 'good' thing about IM2, it's that it introduced this awesome character). She’s done the hard yards and the fact that it’s taken until now to get her well-deserved solo film isn’t her fault (blame the higher-ups). While some dismissed her as ‘not special’ because she didn’t possess super powers, she’s proven her detractors wrong by enduring for so long. Johansson isn’t given the credit she deserves for bringing such a complex character to life. Natasha is someone with some real demons in her past and she’s done everything humanly possible to make up for her mistakes (unlike certain other so-called ‘superheroes’). When the movie starts, we’re in 1995 with young Natasha (Ever Anderson, who does a great job of not just looking like a young version of Scarlett Johansson, but also conveying so much for such a young actress) and her adoptive sister, Yelena (Violet McGraw, also doing a fine job for one so young), who’re both capable of doing the ‘spider walk’ from The Exorcist. While those with short attention spans may find the opening ‘boring’, to those who aren’t so easily bored, it’s important for the movie to establish this sibling relationship, as this movie is all about family. When the sisters are whisked away in an exciting airplane sequence and then separated, you really feel it, as young Natasha has shown her utter devotion to Yelena, willing to take on anyone to keep her safe. It’s then that we’re treated to probably one of the best montages in a comic book film that I can think of in recent memory, involving chilling images set to an unsettling version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. It immediately sets the mood for the rest of the film, which is actually a lot more brutal when it comes to the fights/kills than we’ve seen before in the MCU, and lets you know this will be a more ‘mature’ film. That’s not to say there isn’t some humour sprinkled throughout. It’s there, but not overdone, and when the laughs do come, they’re all the more effective because there hasn’t been constant wisecracking (the biggest laugh had to be Yelena bringing up Natasha’s superhero pose that she does and then acting it out). The best thing this movie did was casting Florence Pugh as grown-up Yelena, as she plays exceptionally well off Johansson and their onscreen chemistry makes for a believable sibling relationship. Their fight, after being reunited, is one of the film's best scenes, but the quieter heart-to-heart talks they have are equally important, as is their complicated relationships with their adoptive parents, Melina (Rachel Weisz) and Alexei (David Harbour), who bring different dynamics and add even more depth. ‘Dysfunctional’ doesn’t begin to describe this family, but when it counts, they’re there for each other. It’s a shame that we’ll likely never see all four together again, as their interaction proved quite compelling. On the side of the bad guys, there’s the masked ‘Taskmaster’ who can mimic the Avengers fighting styles, hence why we see the use of a shield and bow/arrows among other fighting moves. Whilst able to hold her own, the first face-off between Taskmaster and Natasha shows that she’s not some unbeatable ‘perfect’ fighter, but she uses her smarts and her brains over brawn is what sets her apart from all the characters that rely on muscle. If there’s one letdown in the film, it’s Ray Winstone’s Dreykov, but it’s kind of worth him being so pathetic a human being just to see Natasha outsmart him and smiling more than I think we’ve ever seen her smile before. This is a more 'intimate' MCU film, and as such the climax may not be quite what some were expecting/hoping for, but it’s still satisfying because of what it means for Natasha, Yelena and all the other Widows. As for any ‘unbelievable’ elements in the film...at this point, if you’re willing to accept things like helicarriers and talking raccoons/trees, then having a problem with the ‘fantastical’ elements here seems a bit hypocritical. It’s not just the acting, action, humour, and music that the film has going for it, but also the way it looks. Cate Shortland should be commended for her directing, as there are some truly great/beautiful shots throughout, the fights are never confusing and the effects on display are used sparingly, but really well. All three lead actresses look smashing in their costumes (Scarlett proves that whether she's wearing black or white, she looks good in ANYTHING). David Harbour? Not so much. While some believe ‘it's all downhill’ after Endgame, I personally feel it’s actually the opposite. With a certain character no longer hogging all the focus/screentime, we can now focus on other characters who deserve to have their stories told. This is one such instance. The main disappointment is that this is, for all intents and purposes, Scarlett Johansson’s/Natasha Romanoff’s swansong. While I would’ve liked to have seen more films with the sisters together, at least ScarJo can rest assured that the mantle of Black Widow will be in safe hands with Florence Pugh (assuming, of course, she takes over the role, though they’d be foolish not to see what a stand-out she was here and feature her in future MCU projects. The post-credits scene suggests she will be, but the conflict it sets up could be resolved with a simple conversation between her character and the target she’s sent after). So long, Natasha. Thanks for all the crotch-throat grabs. Fade to black, Widow.         
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 11, 2021 6:21:13 GMT
mikef6 "Royal Hunt Of The Sun" Firstly, thanks for your mention of it last week. I'd seen a little on tv some 50 years ago and had long sought to see the full film. I saw a watchable but seemingly truncated copy on youtube. It ran about 95 minutes but IMDB has a running time of over 120 minutes. The acting and script made it a worthwhile exercise. The Shaw and Plummer interaction was the highlight. The direction and editing was all over the place - possibly due to the unintended cuts? Based on what I watched - 6/10....but there was potential for more if the missing scenes were available. Hi Aussie This version 1hr 46... which has 10 minutes additional to the youtube version but I couldn't say what.... ROYAL HUNT
This seller seemed to have a full version ROYAL HUNT and I got excited. but its just a link to AMAZON where you can PAY FOR the 96 minute version  It IS possible imdb incorrect about running time... When I get back to my flat will try to locate some contemporary reviews of film and check
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Post by jeffersoncody on Jul 11, 2021 7:33:50 GMT
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Post by claudius on Jul 11, 2021 17:18:03 GMT
And this week’s MASTERPIECE 50 is: TESTAMENT OF YOUTH (1979) BBC TV Serial adaptation of Vera Brittain’s autobiographical WWI story, starring Cheryl Campbell. YouTube.
Sunday 4
CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT (1941) 80TH ANNIVERSARY Bob Hope comedy released in the summer before Pearl Harbor. Hope plays a cowardly star trying to impress Dorothy Lamour by joining the army (well, initially not really…but the plan went wrong). First saw the ending on American Movie Classics during its 3rd Annual Film Preservation Festival on October 3, 1995 (the theme was comedy: that day- which so happened to be the OJ acquittal- was a marathon of Bob Hope films. The next day- October 4, was the Buster Keaton Centennial). I saw the full film on VHS on Christmas Day 1995. Universal VHS.
GEORGE WASHINGTON (1984) three-Part TV Miniseries on the life of Washington (Barry Bostwick) from his teenage years, his relationship with the Fairfaxes, the French-Indian War, and the Revolutionary War. Also starring Patty Duke Astin, Jaclyn Smith, and David Dukes, with guest-star appearances by Lloyd Bridges, Hal Holbrook, Rosemary Murphy, Jose Ferrer, James Mason, Robert Stack, Trevor Howard, Anthony Zerbe, and Richard Kiley (and early appearances by Kelsey Grammer, Viggo Mortensen, and Kevin Conroy). First saw parts of this on the Disney Channel back in August 1992 (the channel split the Third Part into two episodes). Saw a more complete (with edits, like the full removal of scenes involving Washington’s epileptic stepdaughter) on President’s Day 1996 on the History Channel, and videotaped it 30 years ago on July 4th. Has been an Independence Day perennial for 12 years. MGM DVD.
MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD (1982) “The Abduction of Zia” My viewing of the English-Dubbed version of the Japanese-French Series (aired on Nickelodeon 35 years ago) debuts the character of Tao, the inventive survivor of a lost race. English Dubbed. Fabulous DVD.
Monday 5
JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS (1986) “Starbright Part 1: Falling Star” 35TH ANNIVERSARY After the success on SUPER SATURDAY, JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS was given the OK to become a series. First is another 3-part series (and a different Animation studio) as the now successful Jem/Jerrica make a movie. Unfortunately, the Misfits use their connections (Pizazz’s rich dad) to take over the filmmaking. Also debuting are the filmmaker Video (voiced by Noelle North, who plays Calla on GUMMI BEARS), her jealous Misfits groupie cousin Clash, and Pizazz’s father. Unlike the original mini-series, where I split the five episodes into fifteen segments as they were originally broadcast, here I am watching the full episodes. Rhino DVD.
SLAYERS NEXT (1996) “The Forbidden Dance? Where is the Strongest Spell?” 30TH ANNIVERSARY Of the series, NEXT had the funniest episodes. This begins a bunch of filler episodes of red herrings. First off is the team learning about a magic spell that must be incanted by a performance. Hilarity ensues. Japanese with English Subtitles. Sculptor Software DVD.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2014) “An Opening” English Dubbed. Viz Media DVD.
Wednesday 7
MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD (1982) “The Ship Solaris” Tao joins the gang. This is also where the series takes on a more Sci-Fi approach, with the revelation of a long-ago race (Tao’s ancestors the Hiva) known for sophisticated engineering, emphasized by the unearthing of a steel ship called the Solaris. I think this was the first episode I ever watched back in 1986. English Dubbed. Fabulous DVD.
THE TRAPP FAMILY STORY (1991) “Can I Live Alone?” 30TH ANNIVERSARY Eldest daughter Hedwig runs away from home in protest to her father’s marriage plans. Japanese with English Subtitles. Bootleg DVD.
Thursday 8
MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD (1982) “Secret of the Solaris” Estaban gets a new pair of clothing (which he’ll wear for the remainder of the series), and the Solaris proves a marvel in sailing, powered by Solar radiation. English Dubbed. Fabulous DVD.
Friday 9
MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD (1982) “The New Continent” The gang reach land, and are captured by Spaniards under the historic Conquisitor Francisco Pizarro. Already hinted before, the gruesome Imperialistic persecution of South America by Spain is portrayed, with Pizarro as the main Big Bad for this part of the series. Estaban’s benefactor Mendoza also shows his gray nature: I could argue the character was the first character I saw who showed both good and bad parts of his personality. English Dubbed. Fabulous DVD.
THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (1986) “The Empty House” 30TH ANNIVERSARY The Second Season of the Granada Jeremy Brett Series begins with this adaptation of Doyle’s forced comeback of the detective. Due to family obligations, David Burke had to bow out as Dr. Watson, with Edward Hardwicke (son of Cedric) taking over for the remainder of the series. If the Granada HOUND was the first Brett-Holmes film I ever saw, this was my first episode on August 1992 on Arts & Entertainment. Confused that Brett didn’t wear the deerstalker in HOUND, I was relieved to see him wearing it in the flashback opening of this episode. MPI Video DVD.
Saturday 10
MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD (1982) “End of the Solaris” The Solaris shows weaponry (reflect solar radiation), but then gets destroyed to save a village from destruction. I wonder if the creators did this because the ship was too limited (always needing water to work). At any rate, this is the final episode for ship-sailing. English Dubbed. Fabulous DVD.
THE FOX AND THE HOUND (1981) 40TH ANNIVERSARY The first Disney film of the 1980s, the story of a Fox and a Hound’s deteriorating relationship was a troubled production (several Disney Animators like Don Bluth left the studio for artistic reasons; Tim Burton does not think fondly of his time drawing this film) and is looked down upon for being part of Disney Animation’s Dark Age. This was probably the first Disney film I ever saw in theaters, although I have no memory of it. I do remember the Play-Along Record Book, the Coloring Book, and the Comic Book, which gave me a good idea of the film. My first remembered viewing was a clip of Pearl Bailey’s “The Best of Friends” from DISNEY’S SING-ALONG-SONGS VHS collection. I finally saw parts of the film on VHS in March 1994, then a few days later watched the whole thing alone (at the time I was sensitive about anyone knowing my interest in animation). I felt drawn to it, if only for the climax, as Tod the Fox and Cooper the Hound first fight and then confront the Giant Bear, leading to Cooper saving Tod’s life. Disney VHS, which features a preview of THE LION KING.
RUROUNI KENSHIN (1996) “Revival of the Shinko Style” 30TH ANNIVERSARY Kenshin and Kaoru take the young Yutaro under their wing, as his Pedestal of Master Rajuita begins to crumble. Japanese with English Subtitles. AnimeWorks/Media Blasters DVD.
Seen Parts of:
THE BIBLE: IN THE BEGINNING (1966) John Huston and Dino DeLaurentiis' account of the Book of Genesis. FoxVideo DVD.
THE TRIANGLE FACTORY FIRE SCANDAL (1979) TV-film of the Triangle Shirtwaist Building fire, starring Tom Bosley, Stephanie Zimbalist, David Dukes, and Ted Wass. YouTube.
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (2011) “The Triangle Fire” Amazon Prime.
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Post by bravomailer on Jul 11, 2021 18:21:29 GMT
Red River (1948) - Howard Hawks
10/10
Remarkable atmosphere, cinematography, and acting make this one one of the great westerns. Hawks directs the dialog and interactions with great skill. Conversations come across as natural and convincing. The story is of a cattle drive that has, well, trouble along the way - stampedes, deserters, mutiny, and Comanches. Several recurring elements: stealing sugar (leads to a stampede and deaths), Brennan's teeth (lost in a poker game), Ireland's fancy for the ladies, and uncertainty as to their destination. The main element is of course conflict between the Duke and Clift
The cast? John Wayne, Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland, Paul Fix, both Harry Careys, Noah Beery, Jr, and Hank Worden. Oh, and Montgomery Clift plays a guy named... oh I can't recall his name just now.
Many people look at the cast and subject matter and assume John Ford directed it. Bogdanovich once asked Ford what he said when complemented for making Red River. Ford replied, "I say 'thank you'."
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 11, 2021 18:49:01 GMT
wmcclain"Went The Day Well" is such an unknown gem of a picture. I saw it many years ago and now have it as part of the collection: Their Finest Hour- 5 British WWII Classics, a set of fine Blu-ray restorations including: Colditz Story, The (1955) Dam Busters, The (1955) Dunkirk (1958) Ice Cold in Alex (1958) Went the Day Well? (1942) As shown by the dates, the last is the only one made during the war, when fears of an invasion were still real.
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jul 12, 2021 2:11:29 GMT
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