What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017)

Matthew the Swordsman Elite Member @wolfswordsman Posts: 10,995 Likes: 2,346	What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 4, 2017 23:33:38 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 4, 2017 23:33:38 GMT Please tell us what classics you saw last week. Modern films are welcome, as well .
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wmcclain Junior Member @wmcclain Posts: 4,031 Likes: 9,078	What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 4, 2017 23:42:43 GMT spiderwort likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by wmcclain on Jun 4, 2017 23:42:43 GMT
	Capsule film reviews: Strange Picture Scroll

Matthew the Swordsman
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 4, 2017 23:42:49 GMT

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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 4, 2017 23:42:49 GMT

Many of the films I watched during the week are extremely short silent films from the 1890s and 1900s. I also watched some corporate-produced films. There was also a couple of WW2 propaganda films, a travelogue, a classical music TV special, and other things.

Things linked to on YouTube are either uploaded by the copyright holder, or else are public domain.

Film:

The Home Owner (1961, USA, 22 minutes) - 8/10. Yes, an advertising film, but it stars Buster Keaton, who provides a good deal of lulz. This film was created to promote a new suburban neighbourhood in Arizona, but more important is Buster, who inserts many gags into the film. It isn't among his best films by any means, but it does show that Buster could still make audiences laugh even in his later years. It's also interesting to see scenes of early 1960s suburbia, with its housing, it shops and its bowling alley.

The Splendour And The Peaks (1962, Australia, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. Short documentary in Eastmancolor, showing some beautiful national parks in Tasmania.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P31OvamKew

The Triumph of Lester Snapwell (1963, USA, 21 minutes) - 8/10. More lulz with Buster Keaton, in a "Kodak Informational Film", showing the history of photography, culminating with the swinging new Kodak Instamatic 100 camera. We see dangerous early photography, then the introduction of the first Kodak in 1888, a Vest Pocket camera of the 1920s, a Star-series camera of the 1950s, and then finally a ultra-modern 126 film camera for the 1960s. All of which is told very an amusing time-travel story in which Buster Keaton tries to take photos of his girlfriend. The film is done without dialogue (although narration appears) and feels surprisingly like a silent film. To those who think that all corporate-produced films are junk, this and "The Home Owner" may make you feel otherwise.

West of Inverness (1939, UK, 9 minutes) - 7/10. Extremely low-budget short documentary, showing a rural area in Scotland. Very interesting from a historical standpoint. It appears on the DVD "West Highland", where it is taken from a 9.5mm Pathescope print.

Mrs T and Her Cabbage Patch (1941, UK, 12 minutes) - 7.5/10. Not "entertainment", but a fascinating relic of WW2, showing meals served in the days of rationing.

Dustbin Parade (1942, UK, 5 minutes) - 7.5/10. WTF-worthy WW2 propaganda cartoon about recycling. Delightfully weird.

Service for Southend (1957, UK, 10 minutes) - 1/10. Terrible. I would give it zero stars if I could.

The Seaspeed Express (1980, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Despite the low production values and horrible film stock, I enjoyed this short, which is about the Seaspeed hovercraft.

Wisdom of the Wild (1940, UK, 12 minutes) - 7.5/10. For the first 8 minutes or so, this appears to be a nature film, but it's actually a WW2 propaganda short about food rationing. Strangely it is very entertaining.

The Miller's Daughter (1905, USA, 13 minutes) - 5/10. A lot of the earliest silent dramas were of works familiar to viewers of the period, and would have made sense to them, but modern viewers unfamiliar with those works will have a hard time understanding them. This is an example of that, and I admit I couldn't follow the story, but there are some nice touches to the filmmaking technique.

Train Wreckers (1905, USA, 11 minutes) - 7.5/10. Action-packed drama that is still entertaining. This is pretty much the 1905 equivalent of a popcorn flick, and what's wrong with that?

Women Fetching Water from the Nile (1897, UK, 1 minute) - 7/10. You either love or hate 19th century cinema. I love it! Here, we have some women walking past a wall in Egypt, to fetch some water using the pots on their heads. Maybe not entertaining in the usual sense, but it captures a time long gone, which is what makes it interesting.

Fishermen and Boat at Port Said (1897, UK, under 1 minute) - 6/10. Fish being thrown out of a boat, in Egypt. Not among the better shorts of this period.

Cupid at the Washtub (1897, UK, about 30 seconds!!) - 7/10. Amusing comedy. It did provide a laugh.

Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass. (1904, USA, 2 minutes) - 6.5/10. This short depicts a bunch of people, going down the river on canoes. It's not bad, but goes on for far too long.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG6Cribdkao

Dance, Franchonetti Sisters (1897, USA. under 30 seconds) - 7/10. It's amazing just to watch a dance by actual vaudeville entertainers of the 19th century.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkVbrfHFAZY

Ameta (1903, USA, about 30 seconds) - 8/10. One of those ever-popular "serpentine dance" films, a kind of film that was once extremely popular.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3bPgc4bGm8

A Trip to Berkeley, Cal (1906, USA, 3 minutes) - 7.5/10. A simple film, depicting the view from a tram as it travels down a road. Quite fascinating little slice of life from 1906.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBslZUau0NE

A Wayfarer Compelled to Disrobe Partially (1897, UK, about 40 seconds) - 7.5/10. Amusing comedy film, pretty cool. It provides a laugh.

The Launch of H.M.S. Albion (1898, UK, slightly under 2 minutes) - 8/10. I just love these glimpes into Victorian life. This was also an early disaster film.

A Switchback Railway (1898, UK, about 40 seconds) - 8/10. I just love watching Victorian people having fun. This short depicts a sort of early rollercoster, and everyone on it seems to be having a ball.

Sirdar's Reception at Guildhall (1898, UK, 1 minute) - 7.5/10.

Life of an American Policeman (1905, USA, 14 minutes) - 7/10. Early attempt at drama.

Police Chasing Scorching Auto (1906, USA, 3 minutes) - 8/10. Well-made brief drama.

Pilot Boats in New York Harbor (1899, USA, about 50 seconds) - 7/10. Several boats go by. Nothing more, nothing less.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YFri9dthTY

Buffalo Police on Parade (1897, USA, about 30 seconds or so, I don't know) - 7/10. Does exactly what the title suggests.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyp9zoierkc

A Favourite Domestic Scene (1898, UK, 1 minute) - 7.5/10. Amusing comedy involving a pillow fight. Quite fun.

Tommy Atkins in the Park (1898, UK, 1 minute) - 7.5/10. Amusing little comedy. Gee, park benches sure do appear in a lot of silent films!

Come Along, Do! (1898, UK, about 50 seconds) - 6/10. Unfortunately, being partially lost makes it hard to enjoy this comedy.

A Victorian Lady in Her Boudoir (1896, UK, 1 minute) - 7/10. Perhaps the first smut film? Well, not exactly....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDw4z1PIJoQ

The President's Carriage (1903, USA, under 2 minutes) - 8/10. Who cares about the president, I just loved seeing the old cops and old buildings. A real joy to watch.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjuHQxB0lzc

As in a Looking Glass (1903, USA, 1 minute) - 6/10. Weak comedy, fails to provide any laughs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ft5Rv1_zI

A Kiss in the Tunnel (1899, UK, 1 minute) - 7/10. Interesting but kinda pointless.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vdb79xXMWg

Linkspan (1956, UK, 24 minutes) - 8/10. A documentary about ferry services may sound boring to you, but this is actually quite fascinating.

Testing a Rotary (1904, USA, under 3 minutes) - 7/10. Interesting actuality short, but too long.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmiLZNVRvZU

Television:

"Two of a Kind" - Episode telecast 7 July 1962 (UK, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10. Sketch comedy series with the duo of Morecambe and Wise. This episode has some laughs (some risque by early 1960s standards), and also features musical guests The Beverley Sisters and Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen. There is a spoof of "The Flintstones", a sketch about (not) flying on an aeroplane, and a routine with a paper bag. The only part I didn't like is a sketch about football, which didn't make sense to me since I don't follow sports.

"BP Super Show" - Episode telecast 8 August 1964 (Australia, 27 minutes) - 8/10. A short concert by classical pianist Artur Rubinstein, produced in the TV studio of Melbourne station GTV-9. This was one of his very few TV performances.

"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 19 October 1963 (Australia, 50 minutes) - 8/10. Entertaining episode of this pop music series. Performers include: Johnny Rohan, Laurel Lea, Colin Ifield, The Bee Gees (yes, they were already around by then), Pat Carroll (not the U.S. actress), The Joy Boys (who appear in a proto-music video), Doug Owen, The Delltones, as well as visiting American singer Al Martino.

"State Trooper" - Episode titled "Red Badge of Death" (USA, 24 minutes, telecast 25 September 1956) - 7.5/10. Enjoyable episode of this crime drama series.

Internet:
CRS-11 Hosted Webcast (webcast 4 June 2017, USA, 34 minutes) - 7.5/10. Webcast of the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket. Pretty interesting to watch.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuZBOUMsYws

Unknown medium?:
New Decimal Coin Designs (1964, Australia, 4 minutes) - 7.5/10. Short discussion on the introduction of new coins to Australia. Maybe dull to most people, but I love coins, so this fascinates me. Unfortunately, I have no idea how this was distributed (film? TV? both?)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnmp-da-U6E

Progress the Ogress.

howardschumann
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 4, 2017 23:51:56 GMT Nalkarj, spiderwort, and 3 more like this

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Post by howardschumann on Jun 4, 2017 23:51:56 GMT

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, U.S, (1942), 99 minutes

In celebrating the 75th anniversary of the release of Casablanca, it is easy to overlook another anti-Nazi film, Ernst Lubitsch’s “screwball” comedy To Be or Not To Be, a film that skewered the Nazi cause with equal effectiveness. While not as dramatic or filled with memorable lines and patriotic songs, To Be or Not To Be, like Casablanca, the film features two main Hollywood stars, Carole Lombard and Jack Benny and a love triangle in which romance must be subordinate to a greater cause. Set in Poland just before the German invasion of September 1, 1939, the film opens as a mustachioed man bearing a close resemblance to German Chancellor Adolf Hitler is seen walking alone in the streets of Warsaw.

This Hitler, however, turns out to be the actor Bronski (Tom Dugan), a bit-player impersonating the Fuhrer in a play being put on by a Polish theatrical group. Is Hitler “by any chance interested in Mr. Maslowski’s delicatessen?” teases the narrator in the opening segment. “That’s impossible—he’s a vegetarian!” Responding to all the “Heil Hitler” salutes, Bronski asserts “Heil myself” as he walks through an open door. Bronski is playing a secondary role to the famous Polish actor Josef Tura, played by Jack Benny, then a radio star whose trademark straight face and deadpan humor marks the film.

Tura’s wife Maria, also a popular Polish actress, is played by Carole Lombard who was to meet a shocking death in a plane crash in January, 1942 shortly after the film was completed. In the film, Maria is two-timing her actor husband by romancing a young flyer Lt. Sobinski (Robert Stack) who falls “head over heels” for the actress. The running gag in the film is that whenever Josef is playing Hamlet and delivers the line, “to be or not to be,” it is a signal for Sobinski to get up from his seat in the theater and go backstage to meet Maria in her dressing room. It appears that Tura is more upset about his speech being interrupted than what happens behind the curtain.

The sudden Nazi invasion, however, puts all romantic trysts on the back burner and the mood shifts to solemn. The plot now becomes more involved with espionage and patriotism than acting when Sobinski, now a pilot for the Royal Air Force, discovers that respected Polish professor Siletski (Stanley Ridges) is a double-agent working for the Nazis. When the Lieutenant returns to Warsaw to eliminate the traitorous professor, Maria and Josef team up to help by launching an elaborate charade to trick the unsuspecting Nazis. While the film takes its name from the famous line in Hamlet, Shylock’s monologue from the Merchant of Venice, spoken in front of Nazi swastikas, is recited by Jewish actor Felix Bressart, “Have we not eyes? Have we not hands, organs, senses, dimensions, attachments, passions?” he asks the Nazis, “If you poison us, do we not die?”

It is a noteworthy plea for tolerance in the days of rabid anti-Semitism even though the line “Hath not a Jew eyes?” is not spoken. According to Thomas Doherty writing in Tablet magazine, “the word “Jew” was seldom heard on the Hollywood screen, even in war-minded scenarios where the topic of anti-Semitism was front and center.” He also quotes film historian Lester D. Friedman saying that “The studio bosses were always—even at this point—afraid of thrusting Jews into the spotlight.” Whatever the reason, To Be or Not to Be is marked with the genius of one man, the great Jewish director Ernst Lubitsch who said, “What I have satirized in this picture are the Nazis and their ridiculous ideology,” and that the tone and temper of the film “cannot leave any doubt in the spectator’s mind what my point of view and attitude are toward these acts of horror.”

While the film is a broad and biting satire, from the beginning of production in November 1941 to its completion on December 24th, however, events made sure that To Be or Not to Be, as well as Charles Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, was no longer a laughing matter.

GRADE: A-

LOVE ACTUALLY

Directed by Richard Curtis, U.S., (2003), 135 minutes

What one heart can do for another heart is there any beauty in the world that can match this? - Hafiz

Not being a huge fan of romantic comedies, I felt somewhat dubious about watching Love Actually, but I was enrolled almost immediately after the film began. With all the hatred going on in the world today, it was gratifying to see a film that is all about love - falling in love, being in love, and falling out of love. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, the film is not only about the ecstasy of young love but about love in all forms, between brothers and sisters, parents and children, and even best friends. Performed by a great ensemble cast that includes Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Rowan Atkinson, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Marlene McCutcheon, and others, It is often silly and over-the-top but its British laid back humor keeps it from being sappy and the film has a freshness and vitality that makes you think (at least for a moment) about going out and seeking to find or renew the experience one more time.

Of course, Love Actually is primarily a comedy but it has enough moments of genuine heartfelt emotion in which tears are not inappropriate. The story takes place in the weeks before Christmas which is a season where love and peace are supposed to be more than just New Age clichés. While there are a lot of characters to keep track of, several relationships stand out. There’s the love between the widowed Daniel (Neeson) and his 11-year-old stepson, Sam (Thomas Sangster) who provides advice to the boy who has “fallen in love” with a girl at school who does not even know that Sam is on the planet. We also look in on the life of Britain’s new Prime Minister (Grant) who bears a strong resemblance to Tony Blair. Grant plays the PM in the suave sophisticated British manner of another Grant – Cary, as he pursues his secretary Natalie with some significant reservation.

In another, the PMs sister, Karen (Thompson) is afraid her husband Harry (Rickman) will leave her for an attractive coworker, Mia (Heike Makatsch). The office also knows that two of their coworkers, Sarah (Laura Linney) and Karl (Rodrigo Santoro) are in love but are too inhibited to let the other know. One of the best realized segments is about Billy Mack (Nighy), a washed-up rock singer who is trying to save his career by promoting what he acknowledges to be an awful pop-song remodeled for Christmas. Yes, there is more, perhaps too much more, but for me it was so heartwarming and endearing that it could have kept going until it covered all the romances in the world. Can I say that I loved it? Yes - actually.

GRADE: A-

Last Edit: Jun 5, 2017 2:49:13 GMT by howardschumann

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OldAussie
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 4, 2017 23:53:30 GMT

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Post by OldAussie on Jun 4, 2017 23:53:30 GMT

1st view -

Passengers (2016) 6/10 Decent entertainment.
Don't Breathe (2016) 4/10 Home invasion movie and the audience is supposed to feel sympathy for the invaders?
Twilight (2008) 3/10 Low expectations proved too high. Mediocre on every level.
Mississippi Grind (2015) 7/10 Character study of gamblers owes more than a little to Altman's California Split.

Revisits -

To Catch a Thief (1955) 8.5/10
Vertigo (1958) 9.5/10
3:10 to Yuma (2007) 7/10 Pretty good remake.
True Detective (2014 TV Series 1) 9/10 Even better the 2nd time.

manfromplanetx
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 5, 2017 2:27:00 GMT spiderwort likes this

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Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 5, 2017 2:27:00 GMT

Highlights from my past week of Classic Film ... all Highly Recommended
Vesna na Zarechnoy ulitse , Spring on Zarechnaya Street (1956) Russia,Director Marlen Khutsiev, Feliks Mironer

http://sovietmoviesonline.com/covers/129.jpg

Midaregumo , Scattered Clouds (1967) Japan Director Mikio Naruse

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q65S4qUnO3w/VgqttKii9PI/AAAAAAAANiA/FzsmkQTWWmc/s1600/Scattered%2BClouds%2Bposter.jpg

Blekitny krzyz , Men of Blue Cross (1955) Poland, Director Andrzej Munk

https://pxhst.co/avaxhome/9d/35/0037359d.jpeg

Kradetzat na praskovi , The Peach-Garden Trespasser (1964) Bulgaria, Director Vulo Radev

http://imagensubida.historiasdepoca.es/79957.jpg

Kanawa , The Iron Crown (1972) Japan, Director Kaneto Shindô

http://rarefilm.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Kanawa-Kaneto-Shindo-1972.jpg

Last Edit: Jun 5, 2017 6:15:26 GMT by manfromplanetx: spell

Matthew the Swordsman
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 5, 2017 2:58:09 GMT

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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 5, 2017 2:58:09 GMT

Jun 5, 2017 2:27:00 GMT manfromplanetx said:

Saw
Vesna na Zarechnoy ulitse , Spring on Zarechnaya Street (1956) Russia,Director Marlen Khutsiev, Feliks Mironer

I saw that several years ago and enjoyed it. Might re-watch it sometime.

Progress the Ogress.

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 5, 2017 2:58:12 GMT howardschumann, Nalkarj, and 1 more like this

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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2017 2:58:12 GMT

Catching up with a back-log of television series but still have time for a few classics.

We Were Strangers (1949) Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro Armend

If you view this film as an action-movie rather than as a drama then you will be fairly satisfied as the characters are fairly one-dimensional and quickly thrown together into the urgency of meeting the deadline for the conspiracy plot. Jennifer Jones is the revolutionary love interest and she only manages to excel at looking pretty and confused most of the time and I did not buy into the rushed love-affair ending. But I did enjoy the movie, even with the few plot holes, good enough- 6/7

Academy Award-winning director John Huston's epic drama stars John Garfield as Tony Ferrer, a passionate Cuban revolutionary who's determined to set in motion a coup d'état to depose the Machado, the country's current regime. When he hears that state officials are set to converge at a funeral, he lays out what he thinks is a foolproof plan to assassinate them, but as always, things don't quite work out according to plan. Jennifer Jones costars.

The Wild Bunch (1969) William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson

What else could be said about this violent western masterpiece that tells a brutal yet beautiful tale of the ending of the old west, it is Peckinpah's directorial symphonic masterpiece, the pacing of the film is sublime, just when he slows down the action and you start to want more, he anticipates your every mood and delivers that much more, the acting, cinema-photography, set-design, story, script, characters, spectacular- I can't find a flaw in it- 10

Director Sam Peckinpah's brilliant 1969 Western epic tells the story of a bunch of aging outlaws, led by Pike Bishop (William Holden), whose botched plans to pull off one last job forces them to collude with a crooked Mexican general (Emilio Fernández) -- leading to ugly bloodshed. Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson and Jaime Sánchez co-star in this special edition, which includes never-before-seen outtakes and three exclusive documentaries.

Frenzy (1972) Jon Finch, Alec McCowen, Barry Foster, Billie Whitelaw, Anna Massey

Frenzy is a great-late Hitchcock film, what makes it really tick is the screenplay that can be absolutely graphic on one hand and filled with devious black-humor on the other, this is really difficult to pull off and the writers deserve the applause because in the wrong hands it could of been crass instead of brilliant and sharp. The actors are totally first-rate British pros and Jon Finch and Barry Foster make a great on-screen pairing. Just a few Hitchcock touches, the panning away down the staircase to increase the suspense of the impending murder was really effective but overall it seems that he just wanted to let the actors fill the canvas while he expertly frames every shot. 8/9

Unemployed London bartender Richard Blaney (Jon Finch) is suspected of killing his ex-wife in a string of serial strangulations in this Hitchcock thriller. Viewers learn early on that Bob Rusk (Barry Foster) is really the murderer, and suspense builds as Rusk's strangulation spree continues. Police inspector Oxford (Alec McCowen) must bear his wife's attempt at gourmet food as he tries to solve the case, doubtful that Blaney's the strangler.

My summer hobby is to acquire various books on Film History,

A World of Movies 70 years of Film History by Richard Lawton. This is a pictorial history of film till 1974 (published date). Filled with some gorgeous B&W plates that are worthy of framing close to 400 pages of film outtakes and movie stars with short captions.
Just a great way to browse for movies.

Last Edit: Jun 5, 2017 3:01:53 GMT by Deleted

manfromplanetx
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 5, 2017 6:13:00 GMT

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Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 5, 2017 6:13:00 GMT

Jun 5, 2017 2:58:09 GMT Matthew the Swordsman said:

Jun 5, 2017 2:27:00 GMT manfromplanetx said:

I saw that several years ago and enjoyed it. Might re-watch it sometime.

Its a popular re-watch here at our place especially for Mrs x, a teacher herself
The winter ice melts, romance blooms with the coming of spring, symbolic of the uplifting mood of the times, created by the Khrushchev Thaw, fabulous music throughout, all round great entertainment
Russian classic films are an enriching delight.

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 5, 2017 17:21:44 GMT

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Post by snsurone on Jun 5, 2017 17:21:44 GMT

I saw JUST A GIGOLO, which I didn't like.
To be honest, I can't understand how Billy Haines ever became a movie star; he couldn't act his way out of the proverbial paper bag, and he had all the sex appeal of a wet dish towel!

But after that one, I saw the original version of WATERLOO BRIDGE, which was much better.
IMO, Mae Clarke is one of the most underrated actresses in film history.
She deserves more credit than being the recipient of the grapefruit-in-the-face delivered by Jimmy Cagney.
And it's interesting to see Bette Davis in a small role three years before she became a genuine star in OF HUMAN BONDAGE.

marianne48
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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 6, 2017 2:31:59 GMT

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Post by marianne48 on Jun 6, 2017 2:31:59 GMT

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)--a rewatch, one of those films to visit every few years that never gets old.

Paris Blues (1961)--nice scenes of Paris, a great musical performance by Louis Armstrong, and Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier convincingly fake playing their instruments. Also features one of the earliest instances of the phrase "It is what it is,"
which was annoyingly meaningless back then, too.

Last Edit: Jun 6, 2017 2:32:53 GMT by marianne48

The doors made me do it!!

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 6, 2017 20:15:08 GMT Nalkarj, spiderwort, and 1 more like this

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Post by mikef6 on Jun 6, 2017 20:15:08 GMT

To Have And Have Not / Howard Hawks (1944). You can hardly blame Warner Brothers for trying to cash in on their mega-hit “Casablanca” (1942) by repeating its success with some of the same stars and similar stories. They tried to capitalize with “Passage to Marseille,” but with little success. For THAHN, they turned Hemingway’s novel into another story with Humphrey Bogart as an American ex-pat who minds his own business in Vichy controlled French territory (Martinique Island in the Caribbean) – shades of Rick Blaine. But what became of the film was not a shadow of the previous film, but another enduring masterwork all on its own. Of course, this is the one where 19-year-old Lauren Bacall in her debut role met 45-year-old Humphrey Bogart leading to a marriage that lasted until Bogie’s death in 1957. Bogart plays Harry Morgan who owns a deep sea fishing business. He is helped by Eddie (Walter Brennan), a loyal friend but an unreliable alcoholic with little short-term memory. Bacall plays Marie (who Morgan immediately nicknames “Slim”) who is broke and stranded on the island but has never lost her saucy insolence. Morgan, not given even the briefly spoken backstory of Rick Blaine, finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the cause of the Free French who are opposing the German occupation. Always quick with the disclaimer that he is only in it for what he is being paid, he keeps taking bigger and bigger risks, finally committing himself totally to the war effort. It is one of Bogie’s top 5 performances. But in addition to the suspense and romance stories, Hawks builds a world inside the restaurant slash hotel where most of the action is set. Marcel Dalio, who played Emil the croupier in “Casablanca,” now owns the Martinique café and is a leader in the Free French resistance. Dan Seymour, formally Abdul the bouncer at Rick’s and later Johnny Rocco’s bartender in “Key Largo,” is the police chief but no friend to the freedom fighters (and has a terrible French accent). Best of all is the eatery’s band led by singer, songwriter, and Big Band leader Hoagy Carmichael. One for the ages.

The Godfather / Francis Ford Coppola (1972). TCM's broadcast to theaters of "The Godfather" - for its 45th anniversary. The movie is so perfect, all of its pieces – casting, locations, acting, set design, editing, et.al. – fitting together so precisely, that it all seems so natural, is seems that the decisions made were all instinctively correct. But nothing could be further from the truth. The tumultuous - if not chaotic - production history of “The Godfather” is as legendary as the film itself. The final product is something of a miracle, a rare "instant classic" that actually turned out to be one.

Xi you: Xiang mo pian (Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons) / Stephen Chow (2013). Some more Chow-mein from this director (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle) who sticks with his signature mixture of comedy, thriller, coming-of-age, martial arts action, and more that a small dollop of horror. In this one, set in the past of an imaginary China, a young novice demon hunter Xuan (Zhang Wen) goes about with a nursery rhyme book hoping that these simple poems will turn demons to good. The only reason he doesn’t get his head ripped off right away is because he meets up with Miss Duan (Qi Shu, “Millennium Mambo”) who can destroy demons with her magic rings. Because of the young man’s meddling, the powerful Hog Demon is released and begins to track Xuan and Duen. They need the help of an even stronger force so they begin a search for the Monkey King, a demonic primate who the Buddha has confined to a cave for 500 years. Chow manages to balance all these elements so that there is no tonal dissonance and it all comes to an agreeable conclusion….but, the Big Climax, the last 20 to 25 minutes, meant to dazzle, just seems to go on and on and on. For me, this would be a case of less is more, but if CGI spectacle is your Thing, then enjoy.

The Love Witch / Anna Biller (2016). This intriguing but not entirely successful indie film – a satire of both ‘60s B-horror and modern male/female relationships – is shot in bright, if not gaudy, primary colors on costumes and interior rooms. Elaine (Samantha Robinson) is a modern witch who just wants a traditional love match where the man is manly and she can be submissive. Even though a friend warns her that she is giving in to the male dominated patriarchy, this is what she wants. Things go wrong, though, when she plies men with her potion; instead of taking charge, they become weepy, needy, clingy pests. And then they die. “The Love Witch” is carried along on its attitude rather than a series of jokes. Unfortunately, not all the satire works. The all-nude dancing of the coven in the woods, instead of looking silly like I think the film intended, just falls flat. Even about a dozen naked people can not make it interesting. Still, for something minor and a little off-beat, you could do worse. Robinson is particularly good and sells it by playing completely straight, no winking at the camera or exaggerating for comic effect. Exteriors were shot in and around the coastal twin cities of Eureka and Acarta in northern California.

Last Edit: Jun 7, 2017 0:38:36 GMT by mikef6

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 6, 2017 22:46:06 GMT OldAussie likes this

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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 6, 2017 22:46:06 GMT

I know this may seem strange, but I've been archiving this thread series via the "Wayback Machine" function of the Internet Archive website. I'm certain some historically interesting aspects appear on these threads (maybe, for example, people in 50 years from now will enjoy seeing TCM mentioned or something like that, just I enjoy seeing DuMont mentioned in old newspapers). It is a shame it was not possible to archive the IMDb version via the Wayback Machine.

Progress the Ogress.

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 7, 2017 1:10:00 GMT Nalkarj likes this

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Post by mikef6 on Jun 7, 2017 1:10:00 GMT

Jun 4, 2017 23:51:56 GMT howardschumann said:

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, U.S, (1942), 99 minutes

In celebrating the 75th anniversary of the release of Casablanca, it is easy to overlook another anti-Nazi film, Ernst Lubitsch’s “screwball” comedy To Be or Not To Be, a film that skewered the Nazi cause with equal effectiveness. While not as dramatic or filled with memorable lines and patriotic songs, To Be or Not To Be, like Casablanca, the film features two main Hollywood stars, Carole Lombard and Jack Benny and a love triangle in which romance must be subordinate to a greater cause. Set in Poland just before the German invasion of September 1, 1939, the film opens as a mustachioed man bearing a close resemblance to German Chancellor Adolf Hitler is seen walking alone in the streets of Warsaw.

This Hitler, however, turns out to be the actor Bronski (Tom Dugan), a bit-player impersonating the Fuhrer in a play being put on by a Polish theatrical group. Is Hitler “by any chance interested in Mr. Maslowski’s delicatessen?” teases the narrator in the opening segment. “That’s impossible—he’s a vegetarian!” Responding to all the “Heil Hitler” salutes, Bronski asserts “Heil myself” as he walks through an open door. Bronski is playing a secondary role to the famous Polish actor Josef Tura, played by Jack Benny, then a radio star whose trademark straight face and deadpan humor marks the film.

Tura’s wife Maria, also a popular Polish actress, is played by Carole Lombard who was to meet a shocking death in a plane crash in January, 1942 shortly after the film was completed. In the film, Maria is two-timing her actor husband by romancing a young flyer Lt. Sobinski (Robert Stack) who falls “head over heels” for the actress. The running gag in the film is that whenever Josef is playing Hamlet and delivers the line, “to be or not to be,” it is a signal for Sobinski to get up from his seat in the theater and go backstage to meet Maria in her dressing room. It appears that Tura is more upset about his speech being interrupted than what happens behind the curtain.

The sudden Nazi invasion, however, puts all romantic trysts on the back burner and the mood shifts to solemn. The plot now becomes more involved with espionage and patriotism than acting when Sobinski, now a pilot for the Royal Air Force, discovers that respected Polish professor Siletski (Stanley Ridges) is a double-agent working for the Nazis. When the Lieutenant returns to Warsaw to eliminate the traitorous professor, Maria and Josef team up to help by launching an elaborate charade to trick the unsuspecting Nazis. While the film takes its name from the famous line in Hamlet, Shylock’s monologue from the Merchant of Venice, spoken in front of Nazi swastikas, is recited by Jewish actor Felix Bressart, “Have we not eyes? Have we not hands, organs, senses, dimensions, attachments, passions?” he asks the Nazis, “If you poison us, do we not die?”

It is a noteworthy plea for tolerance in the days of rabid anti-Semitism even though the line “Hath not a Jew eyes?” is not spoken. According to Thomas Doherty writing in Tablet magazine, “the word “Jew” was seldom heard on the Hollywood screen, even in war-minded scenarios where the topic of anti-Semitism was front and center.” He also quotes film historian Lester D. Friedman saying that “The studio bosses were always—even at this point—afraid of thrusting Jews into the spotlight.” Whatever the reason, To Be or Not to Be is marked with the genius of one man, the great Jewish director Ernst Lubitsch who said, “What I have satirized in this picture are the Nazis and their ridiculous ideology,” and that the tone and temper of the film “cannot leave any doubt in the spectator’s mind what my point of view and attitude are toward these acts of horror.”

While the film is a broad and biting satire, from the beginning of production in November 1941 to its completion on December 24th, however, events made sure that To Be or Not to Be, as well as Charles Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, was no longer a laughing matter.

GRADE: A-

I quite enjoyed your review of “To Be Or Not To Be,” a true classic. Since first seeing it many years ago, I have occasionally been visited by a strange notion – Jack Benny as Hamlet. I’ve never been really sure if the very idea is fascinating or appalling. As the fates sometimes have it, just a day or two before your review went up, I read an essay on this film by critic Kenneth Turan. In it he quotes Benny quoting Lubitsch. According to Jack the director told him, “You are not a comedian. You are fooling the public for 30 years. You are fooling even yourself. You are an actor; you are an actor playing the part of a comedian, and this you are doing very well.” So, if Jack is an actor, could he have played Hamlet – or maybe funny Shakespeare like Benedick or Petruchio or Falstaff (in Merry Wives)?

Or is it all too silly to contemplate?

Hey, maybe a thread on the most unlikely Shakespeare casting?

“Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.”

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What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017) Jun 7, 2017 2:50:06 GMT Nalkarj and mikef6 like this

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Post by howardschumann on Jun 7, 2017 2:50:06 GMT

Jun 7, 2017 1:10:00 GMT mikef6 said:

I quite enjoyed your review of “To Be Or Not To Be,” a true classic. Since first seeing it many years ago, I have occasionally been visited by a strange notion – Jack Benny as Hamlet. I’ve never been really sure if the very idea is fascinating or appalling. As the fates sometimes have it, just a day or two before your review went up, I read an essay on this film by critic Kenneth Turan. In it he quotes Benny quoting Lubitsch. According to Jack the director told him, “You are not a comedian. You are fooling the public for 30 years. You are fooling even yourself. You are an actor; you are an actor playing the part of a comedian, and this you are doing very well.” So, if Jack is an actor, could he have played Hamlet – or maybe funny Shakespeare like Benedick or Petruchio or Falstaff (in Merry Wives)?

Or is it all too silly to contemplate?

Hey, maybe a thread on the most unlikely Shakespeare casting?

Hey, thanks very much. Somehow I can't think of Jack Benny as a Shakespeare character but it is not a totally implausible idea. He was great at almost anything but I still can't picture him without Rochester or Dennis Day. Your excellent review of To Have and Have Not reminds me that I want to see this again after many years.

"Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”- Buddha

What Classics Did You See Last Week? (29 May to 4 June 2017)

Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 4, 2017 23:33:38 GMT

Post by wmcclain on Jun 4, 2017 23:42:43 GMT

Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 4, 2017 23:42:49 GMT

Post by howardschumann on Jun 4, 2017 23:51:56 GMT

Post by OldAussie on Jun 4, 2017 23:53:30 GMT

Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 5, 2017 2:27:00 GMT

Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 5, 2017 2:58:09 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2017 2:58:12 GMT

Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 5, 2017 6:13:00 GMT

Post by snsurone on Jun 5, 2017 17:21:44 GMT

Post by marianne48 on Jun 6, 2017 2:31:59 GMT

Post by mikef6 on Jun 6, 2017 20:15:08 GMT

Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 6, 2017 22:46:06 GMT

Post by mikef6 on Jun 7, 2017 1:10:00 GMT

Post by howardschumann on Jun 7, 2017 2:50:06 GMT