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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 17, 2017 23:15:00 GMT
What classics did you see last week? (modern films are welcome too).
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Post by wmcclain on Sept 17, 2017 23:15:47 GMT
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 17, 2017 23:18:17 GMT
The films I watched included five Charlie Chaplin comedy shorts, while the TV episodes I watched included two TV episodes featuring footage from a 1965 rock concert.
Film:
Dough and Dynamite (1914, USA, 28 minutes) - 8/10. Funny Charlie Chaplin comedy. Rough slapstick, and done more cleverly than usual. I wish someone would do a modern TV sitcom along the lines of a Keystone film comedy (would make a welcome change from the tiresome pop culture comedies so common these days).
Gentlemen of Nerve (1914, USA, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. More fun with Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Chester Conklin, and Mack Swain.
His Musical Career (1914, USA, 13 minutes) - 7.5/10. Yes, another Charlie Chaplin comedy short. These things are addictive!
Entry of the Scots Guard Into Bloemfontein (1900, UK, under 1 minute) - 8/10. Real-life footage from the Boer War. Consists of marching soldiers. Fun.
His Trysting Place (1914, USA, 20 minutes) - 7.5/10. More fun with Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain, and Phyllis Allen. Lots of slapstick comedy. This is one of many comedies that Charlie did that was set at a park.
Getting Acquainted (1914, USA, 13 minutes) - 8/10. More more fun with Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain, and Phyllis Allen. This is one of those Keystone "park comedies", which are poorly regarded, but usually provide me with amusement.
TV:
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 13 February 1965 (Australia, 50 minutes) - 8/10. A rather terrible quality kinescope. This episode of the pop music show features Dinah Lee, Sharon Black, Janice Slater, and Phil Lanham. Also, via excerpts from an unidentified British TV program, there are songs from Roy Orbison and Julie Rogers.
"Bod" - Episode titled "Bod and Breakfast" (telecast 2 November 1975, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Enjoyably simplistic children's show. The episodes were made up of various segments. Only 6 episodes survive in their entirety (and 1 of those only as an off-air copy), the other 7 episodes only exist in incomplete form (missing the "Alberto Frog" and "Snap" segments). The reason is because the BBC junked a lot of the mastertapes of their 1970s children's shows during the early 1990s.
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "Dr Mopp" (telecast 24 January 1966, UK, 14 minutes) - 7.5/10. Children's stop-motion series, depicting everyday life in a country town. Honestly, this show is more realistic than anything on HBO or AMC. Plus, this episode was shot on stunning colour film....just a shame it was originally telecast in B&W.
"Chigley" - Episode titled "Bessie to the Rescue" (telecast 13 October 1969, UK, 14 minutes) - 7./10. Another stop-motion children's series, and a sort of sequel to "Camberwick Green".
"State Trooper" - Episode titled "The Paperhanger of Pioche" (telecast 2 October 1956, USA, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10. Enjoyable episode of this crime drama series set and filmed in Nevada. This episode is about a woman who is writing cheques which bounce.....
"State Trooper" - Episode titled "Meeting at Julias" (telecast 9 October 1956, USA, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Entertaining episode of this crime drama series. I like how it has a degree of location shooting, with part of the episode shot in Virginia City, Nevada. A welcome change from the studio backlots commonly used at the time.
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 27 November 1965 (Australia, 51 minutes) - 7/10. This episode was shot in a theatre and consists of a live rock concert. Performers are Max Merritt & the Meteors, Lynne Randell, Jade Hurley (who collapses on stage!), Ray Brown & The Whispers, Paul Wayne, Merv Benton, Bryan Davies, and Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs. Also appearing is an audience of SCREAMING teenagers, whose constant SCREAMING ruins the show. A shame.
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "Farmer Jonathan Bell" (telecast 31 January 1966, UK, 16 minutes) - 7.5/10. I wish I could live in the kind of close-knit rural town depicted in this BBC children's show.
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "Captain Snort" (telecast 7 February 1966, UK, 15 minutes) - 8/10.
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 8 January 1966? (Australia, 51 minutes) - 7/10. More footage from the rock concert mentioned above, including Paul Wayne, Max Merritt and the Meteors, Jade Hurley, Lynne Randell, Bryan Davies, Ray Brown & the Whispers, Digger Revell, Merv Benton, and Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs.
Additional:
Watched clips from the 13 June 1970 episode of "Brian Henderson's Bandstand". Despite being the 1970s, it was still a kinescope!
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 17, 2017 23:24:13 GMT
On 9/11 I watched   and   They helped (a little) |
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 17, 2017 23:27:49 GMT
SAMI BLOOD
Directed by Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Norway, Denmark (2016), 110 minutes
Guatemalan Indigenous Leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu Tum said, “We are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle, or zoos. We are people and we want to be respected.” Unfortunately, however, Indigenous people have been the subject of racism and discrimination throughout history. Massacres, forced-march relocations, the "Indian wars", death by starvation and disease form a depressing legacy of man’s inhumanity to man. Inspired by the personal experience of director Amanda Kernell’s grandmother, the deeply moving Sami Blood is about what Kernell has called an “untold” story and a “dark chapter” in Swedish history. She is referring to the oppression of the Samis, also known as Lapps, an indigenous people who live in the far northern areas of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia.
Shot by cinematographers Sophia Olsson and Petrus Sjövik, the film is set in Sweden in the 1930s when the rising tide of nationalist fervor dominated Europe and led to the Nazi’s embrace of Eugenics and the theory of the master race. Sami Blood opens in the present day, however, as ninety-year-old Christina (Maj Doris Rimpi) returns to Lapland with her son and granddaughter to attend the funeral of her estranged sister. Traditional yoik-singing does not prevent Christina from becoming morose and withdrawn, retreating to a hotel by herself. The film then flashes back eighty years to the time when Christina (Lene Cecilia Sparrok), then known as Elle-Marja, was a precocious 14-year-old girl living with her sister Njenna (Sparrok’s own sister Mia Erika) and her recently widowed mother (Katarina Blind), engaged in reindeer herding.
As in the US and Canada where Native children were sent to residential schools where their language, religion and cultural beliefs were often the object of ridicule, the sisters are sent to a special boarding school where they learn the hard lesson that the world regards them as lesser human beings. The Sami girls are dismissed by local Swedish teens as “circus animals” and “filthy Lapps,” and are subject at school to being measured and photographed to prove a physical basis for their inferiority. While singled out for her learning ability by her deceptively supportive teacher, Christina (Hanna Alstrom, “Kingsman: The Secret Service”), Elle-Marja’s inquiries about becoming a teacher meets with the reply that Sami’s have small brains and are not capable of functioning outside of their own community. “Studies have shown that your people can’t get by in town… you have to stay here or you’ll die out,” she says.
In spite of her humiliation, Elle-Marja is able to dream of a more productive future. It is a future, however, that will cause her to turn her back on her family and her heritage, a betrayal that will mark her entire life. In one scene, Elle Marja, who is trying to pass herself off as a “normal Swede,” blurts out to her sister, “Get away, you filthy Lapp.” When she meets Niklas (Julius Fleischlanderl, “Young Sophie Bell”) a good-looking Swedish boy from Uppsala who does not know that she is Sami, her dreams of escaping from the school begin to become real. After her mother refuses to sell a reindeer in order to pay for the education Elle-Marja requires to become a teacher, she changes her name to Christina and pursues her relationship with Niklas.
Showing up at his upscale home, Christina untruthfully tells his mother that Niklas said that she could stay with them. In spite of their growing connection which includes staying overnight in his room, he does not defend her when his mother discovers her to be a Sami and she is asked to leave. She remains determined, however, to start a new life regardless of the barriers she faces. Though Sami Blood covers familiar ground, the pain caused by discrimination can never be routine. What elevates the film to a different level, however, is the quiet but fiercely determined performance of Lena Cecilia Sparrok as Elle-Marja/Christina. While the film is about oppression, it is not a polemic but a human document that transcends the limitations of its environment and makes a universal statement about the longing to fit in, the fear of isolation, and the conflict between the life we are born into and the one we choose for ourselves.
GRADE: A-
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Post by claudius on Sept 17, 2017 23:32:00 GMT
Late Sept 10 to this hour Sept 17
THE FORSYTE SAGA “In Chancery” Dir: David Giles. The second novel leads to the breaking of the relationships of Young Jolyon (his bipolar wife Helene dies from a fall), Winifred (her husband runs away with a Spanish dancer), and Soames (desperate for a child, he sees a chance with another woman, which means divorcing Irene; that is easier said than done).Warner/Turner/BBC Video DVD
SHERLOCK HOLMES (1965) “The Copper Beeches” Dir: Gareth Davies. A governess seeks Holmes’ help over her curious employment. Guest-starring Suzanne Neve (Holly in THE FORSYTE SAGA, Mina to Denholm Elliott’s Dracula, and Belle to Albert Finney’s Scrooge). BBC Video.
102 MINUTES THAT CHANGED AMERICA (2008) A collection of civilian videos taped during the World Trade Center Disaster (A college girl’s mood-changing reaction, Times Square’s reaction, a shot of an empty WTC lot where an instrumental of “She’s always a Woman to Me” is being played, etc.). VHS recording of a History Channel Broadcast on the 10th anniversary in 2011.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES “Joker’s Favor” Dir: Boyd Kirkland. Mark Hamill’s Joker (a last-minute replacement that went well) makes his ‘introduction’ (his actual debut episode “Christmas with the Joker” would be broadcast later), terrorizing a man into being in debt to him. Guest-starring Ed Begley Jr. and Arlene Sorkin (as Harley Quinn). Warner DVD.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES “The Cat and the Claw Part 2” Dir: Dick Sebast. The continuation of the premiered episode has Batman and Catwoman face the female terrorist Red Claw. Adrienne Barbeau and Kate Mulgrew guest-star. Warner DVD
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (1961) Dir: Vittorio Cottafavi. Referred to by this episode as the last of the Hercules films (actually HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN came later, and there is the original HERCULES for next season) has the strongman (Rex Parks, who would reprise the role for HERCULES AND THE HAUNTED WORLD), now married with a teenage son, fights Antinea and her Atlantis supermen. Another highlight- both in terms of film and in terms of quips- in the season (broadcast on September 12, 1992), although this presentation cut out a lot of material: Hercules being persuaded by his wife to stay home (with son Hylus and King Androcles doing something about that…), Hercules defeating the mutinous crew and the subsequent storm that leads to his adrift situation (unexplained in this presentation), and Hercules’ reunion with the brainwashed Androcles (hence his later comment about his friend’s affliction). Also noted as Gypsy’s one time with the gang (doesn’t last long). Shout Factory DVD.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2010) “Birth of Pain” Nagato continues his tragic story. VIZ Media DVD
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “Pretty Poison” Dir: Boyd Kirkland. Writer Paul Dini transforms Poison Ivy from plant-loving Messalina into a plant-loving Environmentalist, with plans to kill Harvey Dent for his destruction of nature. Diane Pershing and Richard Mull guest-star. Warner DVD.
THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO (1979) Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. Monkey Punch’s crude-but-likeable thief Arsene Lupin III heads to the Duchy of Cagliostro to discover a counterfeiting ring and rescue an innocent girl (from his past) from an evil Count. This, the second of the Lupin films, was an early Anime experience for America (footage would be used for the 1980s Arcade game “Cliff Hanger”, it was released on VHS by early-Anime distributor Streamline Pictures and DVD by Manga Entertainment before the turn of the century). I viewed this at my local Cinema as a special showing (to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lupin); to my amazement, they used the older Streamline dub (with Lupin called ‘Wolf’) instead of the newer Animaze/Manga dub. There was also an interview by Monkey Punch who comments about his affection for the film (I was surprised; I was under the impression he hated the film because of its lighter, more heroic characterization on his creation). I also viewed the Animaze dub on Manga Entertainment DVD.
THE FORSYTE SAGA (1967) “The Challenge” Dir: David Giles. As Soames and Winifred undergo their divorces (with Soames hypocritically pushing his sister while finding it difficult to let go of Irene), love blossoms between Winifred’s son Val (Jonathan Burns) and Young Jolyon’s daughter Holly (Suzanne Neve), much to the chagrin of her brother Jolly (a young Michael York), leading to a fateful bet considering the Boer War. Warner/Turner/BBC Video DVD.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “Nothing to Fear” Dir: Boyd Kirkland. Batman encounters the Scarecrow, who opens up feelings of failure over fulfilling his father’s legacy. Has the classic “I am Vengeance. I am the Night. I am Batman!” line. Henry Piloc II, Kevin McCarthy, and Clive Revill (his final as Alfred, before Efrem Zimbalist Jr. took over) guest-star. Warner DVD
THE GENERAL (1927) Dir: Buster Keaton and Carlyle Bruckman. Buster Keaton’s Civil War Comedy Epic turns 90 this year. I viewed this like the PBS 1970s THE SILENT YEARS presentation, using Orson Welles’ introduction (from the Kino DVD) and watching the Killiam-William Perry scored version (from Republic Home Video VHS). I also viewed the Thames Silent-Carl Davis print on Kino DVD.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “Be a Clown” Dir: Frank Paur. The Mayor’s neglected son runs away with the Joker. Warner DVD.
BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “Appointment at Crime Alley” Dir: Boyd Kirkland. Making an appointment to Crime Alley (the anniversary of his parents’ murder), Batman has to rescue Dr. Leslie Thompkins and keep Roland Daggett from destroying the neighborhood. Scripted by Gerry Conway (whose comic credits include killing off Gwen Stacy and- for a time- Norman Osborn, getting Daredevil and Black Widow together, breaking up the Justice League of America, co-creating the Punisher, Power Girl, Firestorm, the Spider Clone, Commander Steel, and Jason Todd Robin), adapted from Denny O’ Neil’s “No Hope in Crime Alley.” Diana Muldar, Ed Asner, and Jeffrey Tambour guest-star.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2010) “The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki” Finishing his tale, Nagato asks for Naruto’s response. Viz Media DVD.
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 18, 2017 0:46:38 GMT
SAMI BLOOD
Directed by Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Norway, Denmark (2016), 110 minutes Oh, Howard, this sounds heartbreaking, but wonderful and profoundly important. Thank you for the great review. I must see this, though I suspect it will be a hard one to watch. I have some Native American heritage in me and am quite aware of atrocities like these. The Rabbit Proof Fence was heartbreaking enough, but this one sounds like it will even be worse. Thank you so much. It is a good film and if you can see it, I think you would enjoy it, if that's the right word. So many of the abuses of Native people are now coming to light, although endured for a long time. This is the start of the Vancouver Film Festival and there are several films about the subject. I might see one called "Indian Horse" which depicts a similar situation in Canada. |
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Post by OldAussie on Sept 18, 2017 1:22:01 GMT
All revisits -
First Blood (1982) It would be a pity if the dire sequels detracted from this very good action movie which actually has an intelligent plot and characters. Stallone is very good. 8/10
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Slick but brainless. 4/10
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) Funny and tragic "based on a true story". 8/10
Shane (1953) My DVD died so it was a good excuse to buy the Blu-ray which seems to have restored the original aspect ratio and the booming gunshots in the sound mix. A classic. 9/10
Alien: Covenant (2017) 4/10
The Paradine Case (1947) 6/10
The 39 Steps (1935) 8.5/10
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 18, 2017 2:21:48 GMT
Umi Ga Kikoeru (Ocean Waves) / Tomomi Mochizuki (1993). A puzzling teen romance/coming-of-age anime from famed Ghibli Studio. The high school in the remote coastal town of Kochi gets a new transfer from Tokyo. The new girl, Rikako, is very stand off-ish and the other girls think she is stuck up from being from the Big City. Nevertheless, Taku and his best bud Yutaka both fall hard for her even though she won’t give them a glance. On the Junior class trip, however, Rikako approaches Taku, and asks for the loan of a large sum of money, saying that she has lost all her cash. He gives her the money but it looks like he will never get it back. During another of Rikako’s crises, Taku impulsively flies off to Tokyo with her. She looks to me like she is shaping up into the ultimate high school femme fatale. I kept waiting for her comeuppance or for Taku to finally see her for what she is. Not to be too specific about the ending, but Taku maintains his romantic feelings through high school and beyond. I was perplexed by what was going through the minds of the film’s writer and director.
Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit / Ken Burns (2014). This 30-minute documentary, shown several times daily at the Visitors’ Center in Yosemite National Park, was produced for the Yosemite Park Conservatory. It is not on Burns’ filmography at the other database but may contain some material from Burns’ 6-episode series on the U.S. National Parks from 2009. In his usual style of casual narration (by Burns, himself) and sentimental period music, he deftly covers the history of Yosemite using archive photographs and talking heads. The major white pioneers who publicized the area and lobbied for laws protecting the environment are sketched: e.g. Galen Clark, John Muir, and Ansel Adams. This film alternates with another 30-minute program ("The Spirit of Yosemite") that gives more attention to the native peoples who occupied Yosemite for 8,000 years before the white settlers arrived - the major U.S. invasion period being during the gold rush following 1848 when the American natives were decimated and removed. So now you know where My Lovely Wife and I took our Fall getaway this year and why I only have two movies to report this week.
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Post by manfromplanetx on Sept 18, 2017 4:09:19 GMT
A couple of excellent pre-code gems with Kay Francis, 24 Hours (1931) also starring Clive Brook and Miriam Hopkins a racy slice of 30s life with a focus on a group of characters , a pair from high society and a pair much further down the social ladder, during the 24 hour period .. Girls About Town (1931) Kay Francis and Lilyan Tashman star as women who work as escorts entertaining rich businessmen . Lots of romantic fun, an excellent support cast features Joel McCrea & Eugene Pallette. Kay Francis looks beautiful wearing some lovelyTravis Banton outfits, undeniably pre-code, lots of lingerie & sexual innuendo. A couple of very good Australia films starring Wendy Hughes Boundaries of the Heart (1988) and Careful He Might Hear You (1983) Wendy Hughes highlights these two films, each feature two totally different character types, each with complex emotional issues. Hughes was an exceptional actress, a beautiful woman her captivating portrayals are wonderful entertainment At zijí duchové! Long Live Ghosts! (1977) Czech, Dir Oldrich Lipský An absolutely delightful comedy fantasy from Lipský , a group of children stumble upon a ghost in the old castle ruins. The oldies want to develop the castle site but forces join together to stop the plans.... The outstanding children actors are so natural, the music is wonderful a treat for young and old ! Suna no utsuwa , The Castle of Sand (1974) Japan, Dir. Yoshitarô Nomura Nomura's stunning film is a crime procedural like no other . Superbly crafted this multi dimensioned film is dynamic cinema, the evolving search and mystery of a murdered man unfolds into a dramatic and compelling human story.... Nise daigakusei , A False Student (1960) Japan, Dir. Yasuzô Masumura A university student fails another attempt to at the entrance exam. Unable to face the backlash from expectant family and friends Hikoichi lies pretending he has passed and even starts taking classes. But serious consequences start to mount from his lie My 15th Masumura for the home library is yet another spellbinding film from this master Japanese director.. Enchanting Ayako Wakao stars as the leftist student leader, this film is certainly no comedy as described at IMDb it is a dark drama which intensifies for poor Hikoichi as the story unfolds...  . |
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Post by vegalyra on Sept 18, 2017 14:03:08 GMT
I was studying most of the weekend, but I did managed to watch about halfway trough Barry Lyndon. Very slow film but I'm enjoying it so far. I'm at the intermission.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 18, 2017 14:50:56 GMT
Hi all,along with finishing Jussi Adler-Olsen gripping Nordic Noir book Mercy,I saw: Films of 1939: French trio: Henri-Georges Clouzot-written Sci-Fi The World Will Shake 9  Taking a rare journey into Sci-Fi for this era of French cinema,the adaptation of Francis Didelot and Charles Robert-Dumas's novel by Henri-Georges Clouzot and (what appears to be a pseudonym) J. Villard combines man overstepping the mark in science,with a sharp allegorical horror. Whilst not a Film Noir, Clouzot wraps the characters in the pessimism of the genre, as the discovery of their "death date" causes the patient to lose the will to live,and Durand (somewhat) genuine vision for how the machine can be used, become engulfed in the commercial possibility of handing out death certificates. Turning the machine on when the government was becoming sticker on censorship as the horrors of WWII appeared, Clouzot and "Villard" give the Sci-Fi a harsh allegorical edge. Littering the screen in front pages on the recession of 1937- 1938,the writers reveal the vast wealth divide in Durand's treatment of the elite on the machine, which gets destroyed by the united workers fearing the machine is killing their livelihood. Keeping the Sci-Fi rooted in the present, director Richard Pottier & cinematographer Robert Lefebvre have infectious fun building the machine of tomorrow,with the flickering lights and bulky design giving the device a warm,old fashion Sci-Fi feel. Counting down the clock of death, Pottier gives Durand's creation a brooding atmosphere, as tightly held close-ups stylishly move aside into the shadows, as each customer meets the end of their countdown. Reuniting in the excellent 1946 Film Noir La foire aux chimères, Erich von Stroheim and the beautiful Madeleine Sologne both give marvellous performances as Emil Lasser and Marie-France Lasserre, with Stroheim filling Emil with a grave, concerned manner over the machine,whilst Sologne turns Lasserre's care-free love for Durand into lingering doubt,as the machine takes control of his life. Bringing the machine to life, Claude Dauphin gives a fantastic performance as Durand,which avoids "Mad Scientist" white hair by Dauphin giving Durand a simmering lack of empathy,which causes the world to shake. The Rules of the Game 10 Carrying the title of being one of the greatest films ever made, co- writer/(with Carl Koch) co-star/producer/ directing auteur Jean Renoir (whose son Alain Renoir was one of the cinematographers)gives the film a surprisingly lively atmosphere,with lavish tracking shots spanning the closed-off bourgeois lifestyle. For what was then the most expensive French film of all time,Renoir puts every penny on screen,with a rich depth of field vision highlighting how detached the guests are from the oncoming shadow of WWII. Never openly mentioning WWII, (which did not stop the movie from getting banned for "Demoralising" the public) Renoir casts an atmosphere of anxiety across the entire film,from a soulless hunting party shown by the camera running over the grounds as if they are a battlefield,to a chillingly covered in shadows being unable to hide the emotionless state the guests have towards death and murder. Starting the writing with the play Les Caprices de Marianne a major influence in the background, the screenplay by Renoir and Koch retains stage origins in the dialogue having the smoothness of a Comedy stage play that has turned sour,as the razor sharp punch- lines are turned into arrows dissecting the bourgeois life. Only writing a third of the screenplay fully (with the rest being a detailed outline that allowed the cast to come up with their own dialogue)the writers and cast mercilessly tear apart the dying days of the bourgeois, in the coiled state that all the characters only care about their own affairs, leaves disruption from the outside world being something they can all dismiss out of hand. Taking the role after Pierre Renoir had to leave to work on stage and Michel Simon was unable to find a gap from his projects lined up, Jean Renoir gives a marvellous performance as Octave,with a welcoming manner Renoir uses to capture the wickedly satirical mood of the piece. The woman of every man (and woman's) dream on the estate, Nora Gregor (who sadly died age 47 in 1949) gives a magnetic performance as Christine,whose masculinity Gregor uses to make Christine the dominate bourgeois on the estate,as the games begin. Julien Duvivier's The Phantom Wagon 10  Doubting Édith's chances of her help being accepted, the graceful Marie Bell gives a very good performance as Maria,with Bell expressing Maria's concern each time Édith offers her help. Keeping her hands out no matter how many times Holm's pushes them away, Micheline Francey (who sadly died at just age 49) gives an angelic performance as Édith,whose warmth Francey keeps vivid even when all else is snowed in. Sweeping aside all attempts to help him get on the right path, Pierre Fresnay (who reunited with Francey in Le Corbeau) gives an explosive performance as Holm,whose drunken anger Fresnay sends out rolling with the punches,that bruise the heart Édith wants to free. Making his last work in France before fleeing from the oncoming Nazis, the screenplay by co-writer/(with Alexandre Arnoux) director Julien Duvivier (whose brother Pierre was Assistant Director) adapts Selma Lagerlöf's with a striking optimism of there being light at the very end of this long period of darkness. Dressing Édith in purity, the writers weave a rich Melodrama mood, which shines in Édith's attempts to grasp Holm from the darkness, and a heavenly final note. Whilst bringing more light into his work than usual, Duvivier is still unable to fully leave his auteur dark paradise theme,as Holm's burns all he holds dear like a Film Noir loner,and the creaking sound of the Phantom Wagon's wheels crack open all of the washed-up dead-beats lining the streets Édith is trying to save. Set during the Christmas/New Year season,director Julien Duvivier & cinematographer Jules Kruger beautifully capture the season with a snowy, somewhat Gothic Horror vibe of ultra-stylised tracking shots over the snow-covered roofs and pavements being shadowed by the ghostly presence of the Wagon. Giving the Fantasy a flavour of his outstanding Film Noir, Duvivier follows Holm's into his pit of dead- beats with dazzling crane shots coming down to the earth of Holm's and all the other lost souls that haunt the town,as the Phantom Wagon stops. My first ever Hungarian film (and first IMDb review the movie has gotten) Halálos tavasz (1939) 8  Adapting his own soon to be banned novel, (with the film also being banned during WWII) writer/director László Kalmár & cinematographer Árpád Makay elegantly sow regal Drama with abrasive Film Noir. Entering an extended flashback, Kalmár and Makay pen István's final days with ultra-stylised dissolves that are splashed across István's broken eyes. Offering István a tempting taste of what could be, Kalmár gives Edit and Józsa's surroundings a pristine appearance,which burns at the edges from the heated Drama of István. Opening with István's suicide,the screenplay by Kalmár gives the extended flashback an impressive unpredictability, by smoothly transforming István's playfully flirty first encounters with Edit and Józsa into consuming obsession, and heartless outbursts. Tempting István at every sighting, Katalin Karády gives an extremely alluring performance as Edit,whilst Éva Szörényi perfectly captures the care-free quality of Józsa. Unable to escape from Edit and welcome the love of Józsa, Pál Jávor gives an excellent performance as István,with Jávor pushing every deadly spring of István forward. Nordic Noir duo: Out of Thin Air (2017) 7 (doc) Going from 1974 to the present day, director Dylan Howitt blends archive footage with tasteful re-constructions. Making the voice- overs reading the diary entries of the six suspects the main focus, Howitt brings the fading days of Iceland's innocence back in drab 70's colours,with a careful obscuring of the actors faces helping to place the viewer in the shoes of the speaking suspect. Deconstructing the case with interviews from Erla Bolladottir,still serving police officers and extracts from the diaries of the other five suspects, the "open" state of the case leads to the conclusion becoming blurred with the horrific "interrogation" methods the police used criss-crossing with the failed attempts to appeal the convictions,as the ice fails to break False Trail (2011) 8 With one of the main themes of the genre being the police taking on the corrupt business elite, the screenplay by Stefan Thunberg & Björn Carlström give this staple of Nordic Noir a bare-knuckle twist,by making the police themselves be corrupt. Smartly limiting links to the first film to brief mentions that add depth to Bäckström's coming out of the wilderness,the writers make Torsten an attention-grabbing psychopath,whose swagger with a badge can't stop Bäckström chipping away at a macabre murder mystery, or the writers unveil disturbing family secrets hidden in Nordic Noir shadows. Confronting everyone against director Kjell Sundvall and cinematographer Jallo Faber rural coloured backwoods, Peter Stormare fires on all cylinders as Torsten, with Stormare making him a snarling rogue,whose rapid-fire mouth is matched by his casual use of brutal violence. Haunted by his last case, Rolf Lassgård gives a great, worn-down performance as Bäckström, who lashes out at the frustrations of the jammed mechanics that is the police, but is balanced out by Lassgård with a Noir loner single mindedness to uncover the true trail. Other flicks: Sunday (1997) 7 For a title shot in the US with two non-American leads using fake US accents and the film itself only being on DVD in France,co-writer (with James Lasdun)/director Jonathan Nossiter fittingly goes for a peculiar atmosphere,with the indoor scenes being shot in cramped camera angles that bring a tight closeness to Oliver/Delacorta and Vesey's relationship. Making his first non-documentary work, Nossiter retains the grit in his fiction debut via taking inspiration from the American New Wave and shooting on the streets of Queens New York. Subtly slipping in an ingenious twist ending,the screenplay by James Lasdun and Nossiter keep the dialogue wonderfully brittle,as Oliver / Matthew Delacorta vagueness over his identity allows Vesey to paint their relationship/ the "homeless man" into the corner that she sees fit. Bravely appearing naked in sex scenes, Lisa Harrow and David Suchet each give impeccable performances as Vesey and Oliver / Matthew Delacorta. Openly stating the pity she feels for him in front of his face,Harrow gives Vesey an expressive bohemian vibe,which strikes a fuse when Vesey learns left-field secrets about Oliver / Matthew Delacorta. Playing his real identity constantly in doubt, David Suchet shines in his timed exchanges with Vesey,and a fumble nature in revealing personal info at the end of the week. |
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 18, 2017 15:33:54 GMT
Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit / Ken Burns (2014). This 30-minute documentary, shown several times daily at the Visitors’ Center in Yosemite National Park, was produced for the Yosemite Park Conservatory. It is not on Burns’ filmography at the other database but may contain some material from Burns’ 6-episode series on the U.S. National Parks from 2009. In his usual style of casual narration (by Burns, himself) and sentimental period music, he deftly covers the history of Yosemite using archive photographs and talking heads. The major white pioneers who publicized the area and lobbied for laws protecting the environment are sketched: e.g. Galen Clark, John Muir, and Ansel Adams. This film alternates with another 30-minute program ("The Spirit of Yosemite") that gives more attention to the native peoples who occupied Yosemite for 8,000 years before the white settlers arrived - the major U.S. invasion period being during the gold rush following 1848 when the American natives were decimated and removed. So now you know where My Lovely Wife and I took our Fall getaway this year and why I only have two movies to report this week. Hope you enjoyed your getaway. I haven't been to Yosemite since my kids were young but I have some very nice memories. It's a lovely place and I'm sure Ken Burns did it justice. |
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 18, 2017 16:00:22 GMT
A couple of excellent pre-code gems with Kay Francis, 24 Hours (1931) also starring Clive Brook and Miriam Hopkins a racy slice of 30s life with a focus on a group of characters , a pair from high society and a pair much further down the social ladder, during the 24 hour period .. Girls About Town (1931) Kay Francis and Lilyan Tashman star as women who work as escorts entertaining rich businessmen . Lots of romantic fun, an excellent support cast features Joel McCrea & Eugene Pallette. Kay Francis looks beautiful wearing some lovelyTravis Banton outfits, undeniably pre-code, lots of lingerie & sexual innuendo. A couple of very good Australia films starring Wendy Hughes Boundaries of the Heart (1988) and Careful He Might Hear You (1983) Wendy Hughes highlights these two films, each feature two totally different character types, each with complex emotional issues. Hughes was an exceptional actress, a beautiful woman her captivating portrayals are wonderful entertainment At zijí duchové! Long Live Ghosts! (1977) Czech, Dir Oldrich Lipský An absolutely delightful comedy fantasy from Lipský , a group of children stumble upon a ghost in the old castle ruins. The oldies want to develop the castle site but forces join together to stop the plans.... The outstanding children actors are so natural, the music is wonderful a treat for young and old ! Suna no utsuwa , The Castle of Sand (1974) Japan, Dir. Yoshitarô Nomura Nomura's stunning film is a crime procedural like no other . Superbly crafted this multi dimensioned film is dynamic cinema, the evolving search and mystery of a murdered man unfolds into a dramatic and compelling human story.... Nise daigakusei , A False Student (1960) Japan, Dir. Yasuzô Masumura A university student fails another attempt to at the entrance exam. Unable to face the backlash from expectant family and friends Hikoichi lies pretending he has passed and even starts taking classes. But serious consequences start to mount from his lie My 15th Masumura for the home library is yet another spellbinding film from this master Japanese director.. Enchanting Ayako Wakao stars as the leftist student leader, this film is certainly no comedy as described at IMDb it is a dark drama which intensifies for poor Hikoichi as the story unfolds... . Hi Planet X! I first want to say thank you for the Juhyo No Yoromeki rec,which has just arrived in the post today. Seeing you tantalizingly call it a "crime procedural like no other" I was wondering what was the main aspect of Castle of Sand that stood out to you most? |
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Sept 19, 2017 12:17:33 GMT
It's been a weird/busy week so I didn't get to my usual quota of movies. Finally got around to watching Pan's Labyrinth, which is not a child's fantasy tale at all, but not quite a horror movie either. It's definitely a feast for the eyes and imagination. Guillermo Del Toro rejected offers to film it in english, he had his vision and wanted to stick to it. There's some cruelty in this film, so that's why I wouldn't say it's a fantasy film for the kids, and do kids even wanna read subtitles, I don't think so. But film buffs will love it. I read that Del Toro invited Stephen King to see it with him, King got physically uncomfortable during the scene where The Pale Man chases a young girl. If you've made Stephen King get creeped out, you've done your job. |
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Sept 19, 2017 12:40:21 GMT
It's been a weird/busy week so I didn't get to my usual quota of movies. Finally got around to watching Pan's Labyrinth, which is not a child's fantasy tale at all, but not quite a horror movie either. It's definitely a feast for the eyes and imagination. Guillermo Del Toro rejected offers to film it in english, he had his vision and wanted to stick to it. There's some cruelty in this film, so that's why I wouldn't say it's a fantasy film for the kids, and do kids even wanna read subtitles, I don't think so. But film buffs will love it. I read that Del Toro invited Stephen King to see it with him, King got physically uncomfortable during the scene where The Pale Man chases a young girl. If you've made Stephen King get creeped out, you've done your job.  I saw Message From the King, a Netflix action revenge movie, seemed like a 70's blaxploitation movie in many ways. Surprisingly good, Chadwick Boseman is a star on the rise. I remember him from some NBC summer series called Persons Unknown, a bunch of people are trapped within a small town and being observed.   Sleeping Giant is a Canadian movie about three young teenage boys vacationing at Lake Superior for the summer. What better time to watch it than the summer. It totally reminded me of the summer's I'd spent hanging with my cousin and his friends at the beach where my father's family had a summer place. If you watch it, you'll know it's Canadian by the thick Ontario accents all the kids have. But I would recommend it, it takes some turns you're not expecting.  Night Train works hard to recall other great train thrillers, I found the idea to be good but it kinda went off the rails towards the end. Thanks folks, I'm here all week!  Still, I've seen far worse, and maybe I was just expecting a different outcome.  And then, the last movie I watched was GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a documentary about these lady wrestlers who had a show in the 80's and 90's. It was the basis for the new Netflix show, GLOW, which is a fictional account of their lives. I lived through the 80's and I don't recall ever hearing of their show, at all. Maybe I did and wasn't interested at the time. Having watched all of GLOW, I decided to view the documentary. It shows how it all began and where the ladies are now. Many have lingering health problems. There was a reunion at the end. It got a little emotional. You can sort of tell what people were used as characters in the TV show, none were outright being portrayed though.  |
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 19, 2017 16:30:12 GMT
It's been a weird/busy week so I didn't get to my usual quota of movies. Finally got around to watching Pan's Labyrinth, which is not a child's fantasy tale at all, but not quite a horror movie either. It's definitely a feast for the eyes and imagination. Guillermo Del Toro rejected offers to film it in english, he had his vision and wanted to stick to it. There's some cruelty in this film, so that's why I wouldn't say it's a fantasy film for the kids, and do kids even wanna read subtitles, I don't think so. But film buffs will love it. I read that Del Toro invited Stephen King to see it with him, King got physically uncomfortable during the scene where The Pale Man chases a young girl. If you've made Stephen King get creeped out, you've done your job. I saw Message From the King, a Netflix action revenge movie, seemed like a 70's blaxploitation movie in many ways. Surprisingly good, Chadwick Boseman is a star on the rise. I remember him from some NBC summer series called Persons Unknown, a bunch of people are trapped within a small town and being observed. Sleeping Giant is a Canadian movie about three young teenage boys vacationing at Lake Superior for the summer. What better time to watch it than the summer. It totally reminded me of the summer's I'd spent hanging with my cousin and his friends at the beach where my father's family had a summer place. If you watch it, you'll know it's Canadian by the thick Ontario accents all the kids have. But I would recommend it, it takes some turns you're not expecting. Night Train works hard to recall other great train thrillers, I found the idea to be good but it kinda went off the rails towards the end. Thanks folks, I'm here all week! Still, I've seen far worse, and maybe I was just expecting a different outcome. And then, the last movie I watched was GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a documentary about these lady wrestlers who had a show in the 80's and 90's. It was the basis for the new Netflix show, GLOW, which is a fictional account of their lives. I lived through the 80's and I don't recall ever hearing of their show, at all. Maybe I did and wasn't interested at the time. Having watched all of GLOW, I decided to view the documentary. It shows how it all began and where the ladies are now. Many have lingering health problems. There was a reunion at the end. It got a little emotional. You can sort of tell what people were used as characters in the TV show, none were outright being portrayed though. was one of my favorite films of 2015. This is some of what I said about it. "In Sleeping Giant there is no looking back, only the immediacy and visceral impact of a powerfully real experience. Brilliant performances by the three young men fully capture the lived-in quality of people coming-of-age right before our eyes. It is a film that feels as if you are watching it in real time and when the realization that our lives can change in an instant hits you in the gut, you wish it was just a movie rather than a familiar experience. It is not a comedy about lovable misfits such as “Kings of Summer,” but an expression of growing up in all its reality and in all its cruelty." |
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Sept 21, 2017 12:36:57 GMT
It's been a weird/busy week so I didn't get to my usual quota of movies. Finally got around to watching Pan's Labyrinth, which is not a child's fantasy tale at all, but not quite a horror movie either. It's definitely a feast for the eyes and imagination. Guillermo Del Toro rejected offers to film it in english, he had his vision and wanted to stick to it. There's some cruelty in this film, so that's why I wouldn't say it's a fantasy film for the kids, and do kids even wanna read subtitles, I don't think so. But film buffs will love it. I read that Del Toro invited Stephen King to see it with him, King got physically uncomfortable during the scene where The Pale Man chases a young girl. If you've made Stephen King get creeped out, you've done your job. I saw Message From the King, a Netflix action revenge movie, seemed like a 70's blaxploitation movie in many ways. Surprisingly good, Chadwick Boseman is a star on the rise. I remember him from some NBC summer series called Persons Unknown, a bunch of people are trapped within a small town and being observed. Sleeping Giant is a Canadian movie about three young teenage boys vacationing at Lake Superior for the summer. What better time to watch it than the summer. It totally reminded me of the summer's I'd spent hanging with my cousin and his friends at the beach where my father's family had a summer place. If you watch it, you'll know it's Canadian by the thick Ontario accents all the kids have. But I would recommend it, it takes some turns you're not expecting. Night Train works hard to recall other great train thrillers, I found the idea to be good but it kinda went off the rails towards the end. Thanks folks, I'm here all week! Still, I've seen far worse, and maybe I was just expecting a different outcome. And then, the last movie I watched was GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a documentary about these lady wrestlers who had a show in the 80's and 90's. It was the basis for the new Netflix show, GLOW, which is a fictional account of their lives. I lived through the 80's and I don't recall ever hearing of their show, at all. Maybe I did and wasn't interested at the time. Having watched all of GLOW, I decided to view the documentary. It shows how it all began and where the ladies are now. Many have lingering health problems. There was a reunion at the end. It got a little emotional. You can sort of tell what people were used as characters in the TV show, none were outright being portrayed though. was one of my favorite films of 2015. This is some of what I said about it. "In Sleeping Giant there is no looking back, only the immediacy and visceral impact of a powerfully real experience. Brilliant performances by the three young men fully capture the lived-in quality of people coming-of-age right before our eyes. It is a film that feels as if you are watching it in real time and when the realization that our lives can change in an instant hits you in the gut, you wish it was just a movie rather than a familiar experience. It is not a comedy about lovable misfits such as “Kings of Summer,” but an expression of growing up in all its reality and in all its cruelty." Very well stated! That whole lived in quality you speak of, all the boys were at the exact age their characters were, no casting older for younger here. And the two boys playing cousins were actual cousins in real life. The no-star cast made you feel they could be even more real. The jealousy of the cousin of his cousin being friends with someone else suddenly was very real, I've experienced it, seems like the writer/director must have as well. |
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 21, 2017 16:42:53 GMT
Sleeping Giant was one of my favorite films of 2015. This is some of what I said about it. "In Sleeping Giant there is no looking back, only the immediacy and visceral impact of a powerfully real experience. Brilliant performances by the three young men fully capture the lived-in quality of people coming-of-age right before our eyes. It is a film that feels as if you are watching it in real time and when the realization that our lives can change in an instant hits you in the gut, you wish it was just a movie rather than a familiar experience. It is not a comedy about lovable misfits such as “Kings of Summer,” but an expression of growing up in all its reality and in all its cruelty." Very well stated! That whole lived in quality you speak of, all the boys were at the exact age their characters were, no casting older for younger here. And the two boys playing cousins were actual cousins in real life. The no-star cast made you feel they could be even more real. The jealousy of the cousin of his cousin being friends with someone else suddenly was very real, I've experienced it, seems like the writer/director must have as well. Curious as to how you came to see this film. |
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Post by jeffersoncody on Sept 22, 2017 5:15:49 GMT
I saw Message From the King, a Netflix action revenge movie, seemed like a 70's blaxploitation movie in many ways. Surprisingly good, Chadwick Boseman is a star on the rise. I remember him from some NBC summer series called Persons Unknown, a bunch of people are trapped within a small town and being observed. MESSAGE FROM THE KING - which was shot on location in Cape Town (standing in for L.A.), South Africa - was a nice surprise. I enjoyed it too. Check out Boseman, as Jackie Robinson, in 42 and, as James Brown, in GET ON UP. |
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