|
|
Post by snsurone on May 18, 2017 21:33:02 GMT
IMHO, this is one of the best whodunits ever made, up there with Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and The Thin Man movies.
It's fun to see an all-star cast (especially Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, and Ingrid Bergman) all together in one film, and Albert Finney was perfect as Hercule Poirot.
Trouble is, you can really enjoy it only once, because when you find out whodunnit, there's no more suspense, LOL.
This movie was made during the mid-'70's "nostalgia craze".
I'd love to see a revival of that craze.
I love that song "Everything Old Is New Again".
|
|
|
|
Post by mattgarth on May 18, 2017 23:06:32 GMT
And a remake is due out in theaters in the fall, Kenneth Branagh directing and starring as Poirot. Another all star cast -- including Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, and more.
|
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 18, 2017 23:54:16 GMT
Trouble is, you can really enjoy it only once, because when you find out whodunnit, there's no more suspense.
Films like "Murder on the Orient Express" are actually enjoyable on subsequent viewings. "Whodunnit" is not the only thing that makes for a great mystery movie. Thing is ... You have to NOT KNOW "whodunnit" on the FIRST VIEWING which is where the use of spoilers come in. Finney was far from "perfect" as Poirot. He looked like an actor in a badly fitting fat suit, which he was and overdid the phony accent. There have been other, much better Poirots. . |
|
|
|
Post by mcavanaugh on May 19, 2017 3:30:11 GMT
Trouble is, you can really enjoy it only once, because when you find out whodunnit, there's no more suspense.
Films like "Murder on the Orient Express" are actually enjoyable on subsequent viewings. "Whodunnit" is not the only thing that makes for a great mystery movie. Thing is ... You have to NOT KNOW "whodunnit" on the FIRST VIEWING which is where the use of spoilers come in. Finney was far from "perfect" as Poirot. He looked like an actor in a badly fitting fat suit, which he was and overdid the phony accent. There have been other, much better Poirots. . I agree, Bat. My favorite Poirot is Peter Ustinov in "Death on the Nile." |
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 19, 2017 3:41:48 GMT
mcavanaughDavid Suchet on the PBS series is my all time "go to" Poirot. Ustinov is my preferred feature film "Hercules Porridge." He isn't like the book HC but he works. Rather as Margaret Rutherford is great as Jane Marple even though she is a million miles from the JM on paper. Found a List of features with HP: Murder on the Orient Express (2017) Played by Kenneth Branagh Doing Agatha (2008) Played by Tom Petrone Spice World (1997) Played by Hugh Laurie (as Poirot) Zagadka Endkhauza (1990) Played by Anatoliy Ravikovich Appointment with Death (1988) Played by Peter Ustinov Evil Under the Sun (1982) Played by Peter Ustinov Death on the Nile (1978) Played by Peter Ustinov Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) Played by Andrew Sachs The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977) Played by Dudley Jones Murder on the Orient Express (1974) Played by Albert Finney The Alphabet Murders (1965) Played by Tony Randall Lord Edgware Dies (1934) Played by Austin Trevor Black Coffee (1931) Played by Austin Trevor Alibi (1931) Played by Austin Trevor I would like to see the ones from the 30's and Andrew Sachs.
|
|
|
|
Post by telegonus on May 19, 2017 7:28:47 GMT
IMHO, this is one of the best whodunits ever made, up there with Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and The Thin Man movies. It's fun to see an all-star cast (especially Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, and Ingrid Bergman) all together in one film, and Albert Finney was perfect as Hercule Poirot. Trouble is, you can really enjoy it only once, because when you find out whodunnit, there's no more suspense, LOL. This movie was made during the mid-'70's "nostalgia craze". I'd love to see a revival of that craze. I love that song "Everything Old Is New Again". is a wonderful film, I agree, and it was especially joyous to watch in the theater when it was new,--and the place was packed. The big question for me is why remake it a movie that's already a classic?. This strikes me as wrong. To my way of thinking this shows the utmost disrespect and, worse, threatens the "classicness" of the earlier film by turning it into a commodity, as if movies were like cars (come see the new and improved Spartacus) rather than an art film. Yes, by all means let's have another "nostalgia craze" with more adaptations of novels and plays from the past, but let's make new movies from old books, if it's adaptations we want, not remake an old movie from an old book, which shows a lack of originality. |
|
|
|
Post by snsurone on May 19, 2017 14:25:10 GMT
IMHO, this is one of the best whodunits ever made, up there with Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and The Thin Man movies. It's fun to see an all-star cast (especially Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, and Ingrid Bergman) all together in one film, and Albert Finney was perfect as Hercule Poirot. Trouble is, you can really enjoy it only once, because when you find out whodunnit, there's no more suspense, LOL. This movie was made during the mid-'70's "nostalgia craze". I'd love to see a revival of that craze. I love that song "Everything Old Is New Again". is a wonderful film, I agree, and it was especially joyous to watch in the theater when it was new,--and the place was packed. The big question for me is why remake it a movie that's already a classic?. This strikes me as wrong. To my way of thinking this shows the utmost disrespect and, worse, threatens the "classicness" of the earlier film by turning it into a commodity, as if movies were like cars (come see the new and improved Spartacus) rather than an art film. Yes, by all means let's have another "nostalgia craze" with more adaptations of novels and plays from the past, but let's make new movies from old books, if it's adaptations we want, not remake an old movie from an old book, which shows a lack of originality. I completely agree, tele. Why the hell was the marvelous BEN HUR remade?? My guess is that a new version would make copious use of CGI (which I despise). Wanna bet the remake of MOTOE will be CGI? |
|
|
|
Post by telegonus on May 19, 2017 18:05:51 GMT
Thanks, and I seriously doubt the remake will "replace" the original, which was a product of a much different time, full of younger and, especially older stars whom movie audiences really liked. It was such a joy seeing one after the other turn up,--the older ones often got applause from the audience--go into their dance, as it were. The middle aged Sean Connery was a riot, with his mocking of Albert Finney's accent ("pip" for pipe).
The latter was a far from ideal Poirot from a realistic standpoint; however his playing felt like a gentle send up of an Anglo actor impersonating a European, or this is how I think many others saw it, and it worked in the context of a fun movie that didn't take itself too seriously. Or maybe ya' had to be there. In the theater, I mean, when the picture was new and moviegoers weren't so harshly critical of "deviations from the norm" in films, which was for some reason quite popular in the early to mid-Seventies (Kelly's Heroes, Dr. Phibes, Skin Game, What's Up, Doc?, The Long Goodbye).
|
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 19, 2017 18:15:21 GMT
For the life of me,. I just cannot imagine where or how they would use CGI in a version of Orient Express and why anyone could worry that they might. At most, perhaps a CGI avalanche ?
I saw Orient in the theater and really loved it. My movie going companion felt that it was "boring" .... not one for not 100% action films, that one.
Did not care for Finney even then though I like him in most other of his other roles. The costuming was part of the problem. He just looked stuffed into the suit and rather un-human in shape. Not "fat", more "misshapen". The accent was just too too weird and out of step with the rest of the film, I felt and still feel.
Watched part of it again the other night, missed the beginning, drat !
|
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 19, 2017 18:18:33 GMT
snsurone"My guess is that a new version would make copious use of CGI .
Wanna bet the remake of MOTOE will be CGI? "Just where do you think that they would use CGI in Murder on the Orient Express ? It's not exactly an "action film" that cries out for CGI, is it ?
|
|
|
|
Post by snsurone on May 19, 2017 18:23:56 GMT
I'll never forget the cover illustration of MAD Magazine when it did spoofs of this film and THE GODFATHER, II.
It depicted Michael Corleone and Hercule Poirot calmly facing each other after the Orient Express plowed into the Godfather's limo.
And Alfred E. Neumann??
His "What, Me Worry?" face, wearing a turban, was on the front of the locomotive.
I admit, though, it doesn't compare with the most recent cover, where Alfie jabs his microphone into Trump's eye!
Although it might have been more effective if it was thrust into Trump's mouth!
LMAO!!
|
|
|
|
Post by claudius on May 19, 2017 18:34:09 GMT
"Just where do you think that they would use CGI in Murder on the Orient Express ?"
According to EW, the new version is going to have the train get stuck upon a bridge.
Speaking of computers, remember the updated TV version with Alfred Molina that had the sleuth rely heavily on the internet?
The beginning, dealing with you-know-what, is a good one.
|
|
|
|
Post by marianne48 on May 19, 2017 23:59:20 GMT
One of my favorite MAD parodies, too--I can't watch the climax of the film without recalling the one panel in the MAD parody depicting the murder:
"For the Fuhrer!"
"For the Czar!"
"For Alfred Hitchcock!"
"For the crew of the Bedford!"
"May God forgiff me!"
"God, maybe! The critics, never!"
To Bat Outtaheck: As long as your looking for Poirot films, I would highly recommend the TV movie Murder by the Book (1986), starring Dame Peggy Ashcroft as Agatha Christie and Ian Holm as Hercule Poirot. An original story inspired by Mrs. Christie's decision to release the manuscript of Curtain, in which Poirot dies; she's visited by her fictional creation who makes a desperate attempt to stop his own "murder" by the author.
|
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 20, 2017 0:07:39 GMT
marianne48Murder By the Book looks and sounds interesting. Thanks for the recommend. I wasn't so much looking for Poirot films as looking for who all had played him in features etc. Pretty impressive collection of actors. The ones I have seen so far I liked much better than the Finney portrayal and the ones I have not seen yet certainly have potential.
|
|
|
|
Post by marshamae on May 20, 2017 3:10:23 GMT
I enjoy Murder On The Orient Express though , by me it breaks the Art Deco style in several unfortunate ways. I usually enjoy Tony Waltons work so I was sorry to see how cluttered and messy the titles were. Looking at Gosford park you see how much better we do the 30's now. There was an air of Disco deco so popular in the 70's that ruined the illusion. Since I have to assume Tony Walton could have done a serious, accurate replica , had he wished, i can only think that the producers wanted the film to be 70's with 30's échos. Producers used to think that perfect reproductions of period style would drive audiences away. It's true that we tend to think the hairstyles and clothes of bygone eras are funny. The trick is to stay in the era while showing the actor in a way that still seems attractive to the modern eye. Julian Glover has this down pat. Kubrick did it brilliantly in Barry Lyndon. Tony Richardson in Tom Jones and Woody Allen in Bullets over Broadway and Purple Rose of Cairo. Martin Scorsese did it beautifully in Age of Innocence and Goodfellas with the Fifties fashions of Lorraine Bracco. The half stepping version of period style is out of style now , and producers are no longer demanding the kind of compromises we see in Murder on the orient Express . Although most of the performances are good and I doubt you could assemble a better cast, the period style issue is a good enough reason to try and do it again. Branagh has a good eye for period and a great relish of costume he loves false noses and such almost as much as Olivier, and I expect this new film will be worth seeing .
Another place where the film failed to stay in period was the hair . Vanessa redgraves hair was completely out of the period. But the really disturbing hair was covering the little grey cells of the Belgian detective. Finney's marceled hair looked like a rubber wig. I agree he might have been sending up a British actor playing a Belgian caricature. Ustinov did the same thing only dialed down a few notches. Suchet wisely made Poirot somewhat less eccentric and much more serious. But Finney's performance matches the tone of the film.
Of the other performances one real standout was John Gielgud , whose dignified grief should have been matched by some of the others. Lauren Bacall did a fine job carrying off the duplicity of her character. Wendy Hiller, Rachel Roberts, Jean Pierre Cassel, Martin Balsam , Denis Quilley ( a huge favorite ) and Richard Widmark all made their characters memorable. The others were good , if not especially memorable. The two that really bug me are , sadly , Tony Perkins and Ingrid Bergman. Both are actors of great range, whom I usually enjoy. Bergman' s performance was annoying ( yes I know , Oscar) but it was mostly the way it was written . Perkins just didn't seem to be in his part. Normally stuttering , ill at ease guys are well within his grasp but somehow this escaped him.
My my favorite moment in the film is at the beginning when we see Poirot in a grand hotel lobby in Istanbul. There is a sweet string trio noodling a little pop tune that morphs into a delightful swing version of the Good Ship Lollipop. Very unexpected and funny, and Dead in the period.
|
|
|
|
Post by telegonus on May 20, 2017 19:44:26 GMT
Yes, Marshaemae, the movie does "break its style" in many ways but the art direction is so sumptuous and atmosphere so exquisite I can "forgive" the movie everything that's wrong with it, which is small beer anyway.
Yes, I suppose the movie does looked Seventies but then doesn't The Sound Of Music feel Sixties, Some Like It Hot seem more a Fifties picture than something set in the Roaring Twenties? Hollywood created its own reality, its own look. Westerns created a look, a style, all their own.
|
|
|
|
Post by teleadm on May 20, 2017 20:10:36 GMT
I was looking through my old vinyl bins, and yes I found the Soundtrack from this movie, I love that waltzy theme tune.
I can understand that some critics at the time said that the movie stopped was when the train stopped. And maybe Sidney Lumet should have been more visual.
Was Albert Finney wrong as Hercule? He do seem too waxed up, but he displayed a few self image things, like that moustacho savor thing he has around the ears when he sleeps, that is in some of the novels.
With such a star cast, don't forget Richard Widmark, it's not bad, I gave it a solid 8/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Doghouse6 on May 20, 2017 21:12:27 GMT
Yes, Marshaemae, the movie does "break its style" in many ways but the art direction is so sumptuous and atmosphere so exquisite I can "forgive" the movie everything that's wrong with it, which is small beer anyway. Yes, I suppose the movie does looked Seventies but then doesn't The Sound Of Music feel Sixties, Some Like It Hot seem more a Fifties picture than something set in the Roaring Twenties? Hollywood created its own reality, its own look. Westerns created a look, a style, all their own. Stylistic choices, most acutely apparent for female players, have always been the bane of era accuracy where period films are concerned. Some Like It Hot is as apt a citation as any: it's ironic that the most period-accurate ladies' hair, makeup and wardrobe in the entire picture are those displayed by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. In Murder On the Orient Express's favor is the matter of perspective. 40+ years on, marshamae's characterization of "an air of Disco deco so popular in the 70's" may be applicable, but that's a perspective no one had in 1974, at which time its stylistic faithfulness could be judged only against what had gone before. It's a long way from Faye Dunaway's beach bunny Bonnie and Clyde hair and makeup to her Chinatown penciled brows and finger wave, just as it had been from those of Claudette Colbert in Cleopatra, June Allyson's pompadour and square shoulders of Good News, Doris Day's spaghetti straps of Love Me Or Leave Me or Barbra Streisand's mod eye makeup and beehive in Funny Girl to what was being done in '74 in films such as MOTOE, the aforementioned Chinatown and The Great Gatsby, in which efforts were at least being made. Consider Ann-Marget and Tuesday Weld less than a decade earlier in The Cincinnati Kid, in which their mid-'60s glamor gave not even the slightest hint of what would have been appropriate mid-'30s style. Along the way, glimmers of more careful attention to style had been seen in films such as They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and Cabaret, and by '74, those efforts were rendering what, at the time, represented the most faithful recreations we had yet seen on the screen, so I'm entirely willing to cut a film like MOTOE as much slack as the ensuing four decades will allow. |
|
|
|
Post by snsurone on May 20, 2017 22:14:54 GMT
Well, if you put it that way, Dog--Melissa Joan Hart's hair style no way matches the Sabrina of the "Archie" comics.
LOL
There have been style "mistakes" since movies began: notice the Z-grade westerns with motor vehicles present?
Of course, MOTOE nowhere compares to those, but I'm willing to overlook a couple of errors for the sake of great storytelling.
BTW, have you ever seen pix of the real Bonnie Parker?
Duncan is more beautiful than she was!
|
|
|
|
Post by BATouttaheck on May 20, 2017 22:17:23 GMT
snsuroneDuncan is more beautiful than she was!Who in the world is "Duncan" ?
|
|
