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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 24, 2017 22:23:18 GMT
What classics did you see last week? (modern films are welcome too).
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 24, 2017 22:23:46 GMT
Finally finished Charlie Chaplin's Keystone shorts (unless someone can tell me where to view a complete copy of "A Thief Catcher"....the DVD and YouTube copies seem to be edited).
I only watched a single film during the week (and a short at that), largely because I was feeling extremely tired during the week. I was barely awake enough to watch a 30-minute TV sitcom, let alone a 90-minute film. As a result, my viewing was nearly entirely 1960s music TV shows and 1960s/1970s kids shows.
There were lot of films I wanted to watch...but couldn't because of my tiredness. For example, I wanted to watch the classic silent film "Gretchen the Greenhorn", as well as the notorious 1970s Australian film "Number 96" (based on the controversial TV series of the same name). I've only just started to recover from the tiredness. I've got got over 100 films on DVD/Blu-Ray I want to watch, including over 50 first-time-viewings....when will I get a chance to watch them?
Film:
His Prehistoric Past (1914, USA, 22 minutes) - 5/10. I love Charlie Chaplin's Keystone shorts, but this one left me bored and disinterested. It has very little plot and no laughs. It might have proven a lot better as a one-reel film instead of a two-reeler. This was his final Keystone short and it's a shame he didn't leave on a high note.
TV:
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 6 March 1965 (Australia, 52 minutes) - 8/10. Unlike most episodes, which consisted of lip-synced pop songs in the TV studio, this episode consists of a live concert kinescoped at Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. Performers include The Flies, Barbara Gibson, Merv Benton, Judy Jacques, Dinah Lee, Millie Small, and Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs.
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "Paddy Murphy" (telecast 14 February 1966, UK, 15 minutes) - 8/10. Stop-motion children's series....relaxing. It is set in a rural town, the kind of town where everybody knows everybody....
"Bagpuss" - Episode titled "The Frog Princess" (telecast 6 March 1974, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Melancholic children's series......
"The Clangers" - Episode titled "Music" (telecast 7 December 1969, UK, 10 minutes) - 8.5/10. Children's series....perhaps the first TV series about benevolent aliens? Perhaps ahead of its time.....maybe still so....
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 26 June 1965 (Australia, 46 minutes) - 7.5/10. A compilation of clips from earlier episodes, some of which have since been lost. Performers shown include: Crash Craddock, Dick Caruso, Marv Johnson, Brenda Lee, Bobby Rydell, The Diamonds, Teddy Bennett, Susan Barrett, Bobby Vee, Vicki Carr, Ray Peterson, Anne Mason, Duke Hazlett, Donnie Brooks, Wayne Newton, Adam Faith, The Treniers, Peter Paul & Mary, Sounds Incorporated, and Patsy Ann Noble.
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 3 July 1965 (Australia, 49 minutes) - 7.5/10. A compilation of clips from earlier episodes, some of which have since been lost. Performers shown include: Lucky Starr, The Bee Gees, Robyn Alvarez, Lionel Long, The Delltones, Rolf Harris, Lana Cantrell, Sandy Scott, Judy Stone, Col Joye, Bryan Davies, Rob E.G., Digby Richards, The Barry Sisters, Laurel Lea, Jimmy Hannan, Patsy Ann Noble, and The Allen Brothers.
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 24 July 1965 (Australia, 48 minutes) - 8/10. Entertaining episode of this pop music series, including the following performers: Normie Rowe, Judy Stone, Dig Richards, Tarrlita Kwan, Lucky Starr, Norma Shirley, Neal Webb, De Kroo Brothers, and Chips Rafferty (yes, really, though he fortunately doesn't sing. Rather, he recites a poem called "Not a Flamin' Kiwi").
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "Roger Varley the Sweep" (telecast 21 February 1966, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Relaxing and cute.
"Trumpton" - Episode titled "Miss Lovelace and the Mayor's Hat" (telecast 10 January 1967, UK, 14 minutes) - 7.5/10. This was a spin-off from "Camberwick Green". It is a stop-motion animation series set in a town in England. It was shown on the BBC as part of the "Watch with Mother" segment of the schedule. Although produced in colour (and very good colour!), it was originally telecast in B&W.
"Chigley" - Episode titled "The Balloon" (telecast 20 October 1969, UK, 13 minutes) - 7.5/10. The second and final spin-off from "Camberwick Green". Like the other two series, it lasted 13 episodes, repeated endlessly as part of the "Watch with Mother" segment of the BBC schedule.
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 18 September 1965 (Australia, 51 minutes) - 8/10. Very good episode of this pop music show. Performers include Merv Benton, Normie Rowe, Lynne Randell, Tony Worsley, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Jacki Weaver, Julie Allan, Hal Fenner, Ray Brown & The Whispers, and Janice Slater.
"Camberwick Green" - Episode titled "PC McGarry" (telecast 28 February 1966, UK, 15 minutes) - 8/10. The colour film stock is a bit blurry but quite beautiful.
"Trumpton" - Episode titled "Mrs Cobbit, the Ice Cream Man, and the Branch" (telecast 17 January 1967, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10. Condition of episode isn't the best, but considering how many times this show was shown, the condition isn't too bad.
"Chigley" - Episode titled "The Fountain" (telecast 27 October 1969, UK, 14 minutes) - 7.5/10. The quality of the colour film is not as good as "Camberwick Green" and "Trumpton"...
"Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 16 October 1965 (Australia, 51 minutes) - 7.5/10. Enjoyable episode with singers Little Pattie, Pat Carroll (not the U.S. actress), Bill & Boyd, Lee Sanders, Sandy Scott, and Freddie Paris.
"Trumpton' - Episode titled "Miss Lovelace and the Statue" (telecast 24 January 1967, UK, 15 minutes) - 7.5/10.
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Post by claudius on Sept 24, 2017 23:04:25 GMT
I too was limited in my feature-film viewings this week.
Late Sept 16 to this hour Sept 24
FRIENDLY PERSUASION (1956) Dir: William Wyler. A Quaker family in Civil War America try to live their lives as Confederate forces come closer. Starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Perkins. Warner DVD.
THE FORSYTE SAGA (1967) “In the Web.” Dir: David Giles. While Winifred deals with a returning Monty, Soames makes one more chance to reconcile with Irene, who has grown closer to Young Jolyon. Like "The Copper Beeches" in SHERLOCK HOLMES (1965), also with Suzanne Neve, this episode has a park bench with a web-like pattern, and both episodes deal with someone trapped, emphasizing the metaphor. Warner DVD.
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “P.O.V.” Dir: Kevin Altieri Detective Harvey Bullock, and two rookies (one of whom is Montoya, a regular) undergo a Rashamon-style interrogation when a stake-out gone wrong. Robbie Benson and John Considine guest-star. Warner DVD.
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “The Clock King” Dir: Kevin Altieri. Mayor Hill is targeted by a punctual time-obsessed man with a grudge. Dan Ratchin guest-stars. Warner DVD.
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) “The Last Laugh” Dir: Kevin Altieri. The Joker unleashes Mind-destructive Laughing Gas on Gotham. Efrem Zimbalist’s first time as Alfred. Warner DVD.
THE FORSYTE SAGA (1967) “Birth of a Forsyte” Dir: David Giles. The death of Queen Victoria symbolizes an end to the era, as death strikes Forsyte young and old. But life also comes as the marriages of Young Jolyon and Irene and Soames and his own new wife respectively lead to new Forsytes for the new century.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1977) “Steve Martin/Jackson Browne” The beginning of the third season (40 years ago this weekend) also debuts Martin and Dan Akroyd’s “Wild and Crazy Guys” and has John Belushi play Roy Orbison playing “Pretty Woman.” Jackson Browne, meanwhile, plays “Running on Empty.”
I also viewed MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000's presentation of the ROCKY JONES: SPACE RANGER TV-edit MANHUNT IN SPACE (on the anniversary of its premiere September 19, 1992), but my viewing was via Youtube. Although I frequent that site, I prefer the Titles on this board to be from a Cinema Theater, TV, VHS, or disc.
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Post by wmcclain on Sept 24, 2017 23:08:12 GMT
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 24, 2017 23:21:35 GMT
wmcclain I always love looking at the posters you post.
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 24, 2017 23:30:08 GMT
BECOMING WHO I WAS
Seen at the Vancouver Film Festival
Directed by Moon Chang-Yong and Jin Jeon, South Korea, (2017), 96 minutes
In 2016, the Freedom in the World report named Tibet as one of the most repressed countries in the world. Since China occupied Tibet over sixty years ago, hundreds of thousands of people have been tortured and imprisoned. Although the political conflict between China and Tibet plays a part, Moon Chang-Yong and Jin Jeon’s documentary Becoming Who I Was is not a film about the oppression of a minority but about the universal bonds of devotion and sacrifice, a connection that transcends country and religion. Winner of the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film (Generation Kplus) at the Berlin Film Festival and shot over a period of eight years, Becoming Who I Was is the story of a young Buddhist, Padma Angdu, who at age six is discovered by high-ranking lamas to be the reincarnation of a revered Tibetan monk.
Unlike the documentary “Unmistaken Child” by Nati Baratz, or Martin Scorsese’s film “Kundun,” we do not witness the process in which Angdu is designated by the lamas to be a Rinpoche, but accept the truth of the discovery. The film opens as eight-year-old Angdu is being brought up in a monastery in the isolated mountainous region of Ladakh in northern India. Though he is under the direction of a head tutor and must study hard and adhere to a strict regimen, Padma is an ordinary boy with an engaging smile, full of joy and playfulness who always stops to give his blessings to others. Sadly, however, because he has not been claimed by his former disciples in Kham, Tibet, Angdu is expelled from the monastery in Ladakh and must live with his godfather, the elderly Urgyan Rickzan, a lama and the only doctor in the village.
Urgyan sacrifices his practice in order to provide food and shelter for Padma, to make sure that he works hard on his studies, and to offer the dedicated concern of a teacher and substitute parent. Even though Padma has a higher rank than his guardian, the distinction never gets in the way of their relationship. When the boy becomes twelve, he and Urgyan decide to undertake the treacherous journey to Tibet to reconnect with his disciples at his old monastery. The journey, on foot, bus and train (and hitchhiking), becomes an odyssey of transformation. Though they encounter extreme weather conditions of cold and snow with frostbite on their faces, there is an atmosphere of serenity and their connection becomes deeper.
During a stop in a small village close to the border, the travelers are invited by a shopkeeper to come into her shop to warm up and Urgyan buys some colorful gloves for Padma. When the woman learns of their goal, however, she advises them not to continue because they will be turned back at the border and may be risking their life. Becoming Who I Was is about a pilgrimage but it is more than that. It is a story about a quest to discover our true identity, a longing for intimate connection, and the search for unconditional love. A film of understated beauty, the experience can best be described by the vision of Lakota Black Elk when he said, “And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.”
GRADE: A
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Post by howardschumann on Sept 24, 2017 23:31:43 GMT
THAT TRIP WE TOOK WITH DAD (Die Reise mit Vater)
Seen at the Vancouver Film Festival
Directed by Anca Miruna Lazarescu, Germany, Romania (2016), 111 minutes
In 1968, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubcek, ushered in a program of reforms that he called “Socialism with a human face.” The new “Action Programme” allowed greater freedom of speech, press, and travel, limited the power of the secret police, and raised the possibility of democratic elections. The achievement of these goals, however, was thwarted by the invasion of half a million Soviet troops and tanks and an occupation that lasted eight months. It was a revolution that never happened. Based on her family history in Romania and Germany, director Anca Miruna Lazarescu’s (“The Secret of Deva”) That Trip We Took with Dad puts us right into the center of the dramatic events unfolding in Europe and does so with suspense and engaging humor.
Caught in the middle are Mihai Reinholtz (Alexandru Margineanu, “California Dreamin”) and his brother Emil portrayed by Razvan Enciu in a breakout performance. The family is traveling from Arad, Romania to bring their sick father William (Ovidiu Schumacher, “The Beheaded Rooster”) to Dresden for an operation that is unavailable in Romania. The film begins in Arad where Mihai is a doctor who seems to have accepted life in Ceausescu’s Romania and acts as a reluctant informant for the Securitate, Romania’s repressive secret police. When his young brother Emil, an anti-Stalinist activist, becomes involved in an anti-Communist protest, however, Mihai provides a name to the authorities, but spares Emil whom he vigorously calls out and warns of the danger into which he is putting his family.
Lazarescu depicts the family’s journey to the GDR in their yellow Skoda with mordant wit. Emil plays the guitar and sings anti-Soviet songs, William yells at him never to sing the song again and berates Mihai for trying to prolong his life which he’d rather not. In Hungary Emil is surprised and happy that he is able to purchase Beatles and Rolling Stones albums, but sadly they are confiscated by East German border guards, though Emil tries to convince them that “Strawberry Fields Forever” is a hymn to collective agricultural production cooperatives. The humor does not last very long, however. Traveling in Germany, they meet up with Soviet tanks on the road heading towards Prague and are detained by the GDR authorities.
Forced to stay in an East German holding camp where Russian, Czech, German, and Hungarian detainees are at each other’s throats, Mihai tries to keep order until the groups are separated into different rooms. The Romanian detainees are thrilled to watch on TV as President Nicolai Ceausescu denounces the Soviet invasion, though they are unaware that his government would later become even more authoritarian and repressive than other Communist regimes. When Mihai meets Ulrike (Susanne Bormann, “Barbara”) a German countess who pretends to be pregnant, Mihai is offered the opportunity to come to Munich with her where his father can get the operation he needs.
With the Czech-German border closed, the only safe way to return is through West Germany, Austria, and Yugoslavia, bypassing the Russian-controlled countries and with the help of the Romanian Ambassador and some smuggled cognac, Mihai leaves with Ulrike. What Mihai finds in Munich is not what he expected, however. He moves into a commune with Ulrike that is filled with students vigorously vocalizing positions favorable to both East and West, some supporting Marx and Lenin and criticizing the West for the Vietnam War and the disparity between rich and poor, others blasting the Russians for their oppression of freedom in Prague. An idealist, Ulrike envisions a world where people can live together in peace and harmony, but her vision seems far away.
When Emil and his dad finally show up, ideology takes a back seat to practical realities as William’s condition takes a turn for the worse and Mihai and Emil are forced to weigh contradictory options to live in freedom or return home in spite of the obstacles. That Trip We Took with Dad is a thought-provoking film that brings us back to the days when freedom and human rights was still a dream for thousands of people living under Communism in Eastern Europe. It also brings into focus the fact that the fight against repression did not end with the dismantling of the Soviet Union. As blacklisted author Millard Lampell’s Cantata “The Lonesome Train” tells us, “Freedom’s a thing that has no ending. It needs to be cared for; it needs defending. A great long job for many hands, carrying freedom ‘cross the land.”
GRADE: B+
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Post by OldAussie on Sept 25, 2017 0:47:02 GMT
1st view -
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016 Documentary) A reminder that they were sensational live performers. 8.5/10
The Mummy (2017) - Couldn't get involved. 4/10
The Zookeeper's Wife (2017) - I love Jessica Chastain. 7/10
Tony Rome (1967) - Sinatra and friends provide undemanding entertainment. 6/10
Revisit -
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - Seems to glorify drug use and immoral and unethical behaviour. Otherwise, quite a lot of fun. 8/10
L.A. Confidential (1997) - A modern classic. 9.9/10
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Sept 25, 2017 9:38:04 GMT
I don't know if anyone cares, but I felt much better today and managed to watch 2 films and 3 TV episodes. I hope the tiredness that ruined last week for me is now gone. Hopefully I will get to watch additional films during the week (unless the tiredness comes back).
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Sept 25, 2017 11:23:52 GMT
Finished of the Ranown cycle of spare brooding westerns, excellent stuff
Buchanan Rides Alone – 8/10
Ride Lonesome – 9/10, the best of the bunch IMO
Comanche Station – 8/10
Westbound – 5/10, unofficial entry, a real let down after the canon films
The Wind Rises – 8/10, this could be my favorite Miyazaki film, at least Top 3, probably his most “down to earth”. Some of the visuals are truly amazing
April Story – 8/10, sweet, delicate and restrained sorta-romantic drama from Japan
Louie season 3, episodes 1-3
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Post by OldAussie on Sept 25, 2017 12:07:06 GMT
Finished of the Ranown cycle of spare brooding westerns, excellent stuff Buchanan Rides Alone – 8/10 Ride Lonesome – 9/10, the best of the bunch IMO Comanche Station – 8/10 Westbound – 5/10, unofficial entry, a real let down after the canon films I watched the Ranowns for the 2nd time earlier this year - Buchanan Rides Alone 8/10 Ride Lonesome 9/10 Comanche Station 8/10 Decision at Sundown 7/10 The Tall T 8/10 and unofficially 7 Men from Now 9/10 Haven't seen Westbound |
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Sept 25, 2017 12:21:40 GMT
Finished of the Ranown cycle of spare brooding westerns, excellent stuff Buchanan Rides Alone – 8/10 Ride Lonesome – 9/10, the best of the bunch IMO Comanche Station – 8/10 Westbound – 5/10, unofficial entry, a real let down after the canon films I watched the Ranowns for the 2nd time earlier this year - Buchanan Rides Alone 8/10 Ride Lonesome 9/10 Comanche Station 8/10 Decision at Sundown 7/10 The Tall T 8/10 and unofficially 7 Men from Now 9/10 Haven't seen Westbound Our ratings are very similar 7 Men From Now – 7 The Tall T – 7 Decision at Sundown – 6 Buchanan Rides Alone – 8 Ride Lonesome - 9 Comanche Station – 8 While not officially part of the cycle, 7 Men From Now is very much in the same vein. Westbound is a completely different film. Scott isn’t the same brooding loner and it lacks the “dark edge” of the other films. |
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 25, 2017 17:06:00 GMT
Hi all,along with (finally!) getting a new phone,I watched...  Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) 7 Largely filmed in Dorset, director Thomas Vinterberg replaces the dour darkness of The Hunt with a beautiful English countryside landscape,with Vinterberg reuniting with the Hunt's cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen to get down on the farm of rolling hills, a water colour palate,and the men offering Everdene their hearts in magic hour lighting. Separating from the crowd, Vinterberg uncovers Everdene's most inner feelings via smooth as silk tracking shots that close in on each subtle emotion that goes across her face. Giving this adaptation of Thomas Hardy's book more of a feminist slant, the screenplay David Nicholls displays a real precision in the dialogue of capturing Everdene's inner straighten, and refusal to be viewed as a damsel waiting for her prince charming. Kept to a brisk 112 min run time, (not the 119 IMDb say) the limitations of time lead to none of the men being as fleshed out as Everdene,with Michael Sheen giving more emotional depth to William Boldwood ,than appears on the page/dialogue.Joined by Sheen, Juno Temple and Matthias Schoenaerts, Carey Mulligan gives a magnetic performance as Everdene,thanks to Mulligan showing Everdene's startling femininity in close-up,and delivering the dialogue with a confident firmness that makes the maddening crowd go wild. The Death of Ocean View Park (1979) 5 Taking three days/three attempts to shoot,(a real 80-year-old roller coaster at Ocean View was actually destroyed) director E.W. Swackhamer & cinematographer Travers Hill actually get a fair bit of bang for their TV movie bucks,with Swackhamer gliding the camera along the burning roller coaster,and looking down on the ground covered in unlucky punters.Made for Playboy TV, the screenplay by John Furia and Barry Oringer avoids any raunchy action or Horror thrills from the "vision", for a tame Drama/Thriller tale,where Brady's concerns are lightly brushed aside. Giving the TV flick a shot of glamour, cute Diana Canova, (who is joined by a likable Martin Landau as Tom Flood)gives Brady a wide-eyed terror of life on a roller coaster. Lei'd in Hawaii (1970) 4 Appearing to be shot on location, the uncredited director flashes the movie with a hint of style via the use of outdoor locations giving the sex scenes a "holiday antics" atmosphere. Straddling between Soft and Hardcore, the director hilariously tries to give the sex a harder edge, with scenes such as a man having an orgasm from his legs being kissed! Running for under an hour,the uncredited writer never gets the story thrusting at an even rhythm,with there barely being a character outline given to anyone,on their holiday to Hawaii. The Office Wife (1930) 6 Made in the very early days of the "talkies", director Lloyd Bacon (with uncredited Michael Curtiz) and cinematographer William Rees are unable to hide the marks of the era,with loud creaks from the floor as the cameraman moves,and long dialogue scenes being shot in stage- bound wide-shots. Steaming up the screen for 58 minutes, Bacon and Curtiz step into the risqué world of Pre-Code with eye- catching dissolves over Anne Murdock's sexy legs,and some of the ladies being given a suggestive "butch" short haircut and one size too small suit.Torn from the pages of Faith Baldwin's the prize Cosmopolitan magazine serial, the screenplay by Charles Kenyon makes the office sizzle with playful, double- entendre dialogue tightening the romance between Fellowes and Anne. As the romance fizzes away, Kenyon dives into areas that would be lost in the Hays Code, as (most of) the office staff and their families are charmed by the feel-good Rom-Com infidelity of Fellowes,and the ladies are given the impressively modern sexual freedom that the men have. While they have a very noticeable age gap, Lewis Stone and Dorothy Mackaill give sparkling performances as Fellows and Anne,thanks to Stone's very funny manner of being tempted by an eyeful of Anne,smoothly blending with Mackaill making Anne a nervous flirt for an office romance. |
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Post by vegalyra on Sept 25, 2017 18:15:39 GMT
I watched the Ranowns for the 2nd time earlier this year - Buchanan Rides Alone 8/10 Ride Lonesome 9/10 Comanche Station 8/10 Decision at Sundown 7/10 The Tall T 8/10 and unofficially 7 Men from Now 9/10 Haven't seen Westbound Our ratings are very similar 7 Men From Now – 7 The Tall T – 7 Decision at Sundown – 6 Buchanan Rides Alone – 8 Ride Lonesome - 9 Comanche Station – 8 While not officially part of the cycle, 7 Men From Now is very much in the same vein. Westbound is a completely different film. Scott isn’t the same brooding loner and it lacks the “dark edge” of the other films. I agree with your rankings although I put Seven Men From Now a little higher (it's my favorite). I like the Tall T and Ride Lonesome a lot as well. The only one I wasn't a big fan of (and your ranking seems to parallel that) is Decision at Sundown. The story just wasn't very believable or interesting. It was neat seeing John Carroll though. I always liked him, especially in Flying Tigers. My only classic this week was "Ambush Bay" with James Mitchum and Mickey Rooney. Similar to tons of late 1960's/1970's WW2 films, it was well made nonetheless and the action was good. Mickey Rooney was definitely the best part.  |
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detour
Sophomore
@detour
Posts: 374
Likes: 236
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Post by detour on Sept 25, 2017 20:04:38 GMT
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Post by wmcclain on Sept 25, 2017 20:24:53 GMT
That's been on my want-list for a long time. |
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Post by manfromplanetx on Sept 25, 2017 22:51:21 GMT
Dangerous Curves (1929) I think this early talkie with Clara Bow may have been better with the sound switched off, in fact I probably would have preferred not to have experienced the adorable "IT" girl this way. I really like the Bow talkie, Call Her Savage from 1932, but here I think in only her second effort at sound film, she is uncomfortable in the role & glaringly,her style not yet suited to the new medium..
Svetáci , Men About Town (1969) . Czech, Dir. Zdenek Podskalský Three country plasterers come to Prague for a job, seizing the opportunity, away from home they pretend to be wealthy intellectuals. But they’re neither rich nor intellectual nor very well-mannered. All of their endeavours, even taking lessons in table manners, go comically awry. The trio are set up with three likewise working-class women who believe the men are rich, they have plans to fleece the them while trying to pass themselves off as refined ladies ... Absolutely delightful, light and charming, Highly Entertaining Czech Comedy Goben no tsubaki , The Scarlet Camellia (1965) Japan , Dir. Yoshitarô Nomura Got back this film having received a replacement due to a faulty disc. This is an exceptional film, a spellbinding crime drama, an epic dark tale of a woman's revenge...I am giving nothing away here. only 11 votes at IMDb .A stunning multi layered work from Nomura, a pioneer of Japanese film noir , He worked in several different genres, including musicals and jidaigeki (period dramas), but was considered most proficient within the mystery/thriller genre, adding to the narrative complexities Nomura weaves within his films, veiled criticisms on Japanese society Kaibyô Otama-ga-ike , The Ghost Cat of Otama Pond (1960) Japan, Dir. Yoshihiro Ishikawa Highly atmospheric , the cat spirit embodies the search for retribution that would let the dead rest in peace... Influenced by traditional Noh, the director manages to create the suspenseful foggy & mystical atmosphere required for the horror/ghost story. Combining moody lighting, backlit silhouetting, with an inspired use of primary colours especially reds and greens, with an effective musical score the film is visually stunning and Highly Entertaining . Abandon Ship AKA Seven Waves Away (1957) UK . Dir Richard Sale Abandon Ship opens with the focus on a derelict mine drifting aimlessly in the open sea. Moments later there's an explosion and shouts of "Abandon Ship!" in the distance. A voiceover declares that the super liner Crescent Star exploded one September 27 and sank in 7 minutes. Of the 1,156 souls on board, 37 survived. What follows is a harrowing brutal tale about a seemingly hopeless situation. Desperate survivors fill an overloaded lifeboat. The boat is built to handle 9 people, not 27. Tyrone Powers (Alec) is outstanding, he plays a ships officer who is given command of the lifeboat by the dying captain. As the situation deteriorates and the skies threaten a storm another dying officer stongly insists , "You've got problems, buddy. More than you know," . in an address overheard by the remaining survivors ... "He can't save all your lives. There are too many people in this boat!" More specifically, "He's got to put at least twelve over the side." And a final plea to his friend: "Alec, don't give food to the dead. They'll just drag you down to the grave with them. Save it for the living. It's your duty as master. Alec is confronted with a profound moral dilemma... An excellent film, the fear and desperation is palatable, great support cast Highly Recommended
Shetlandsgjengen , Suicide Mission (1954) Excellent on location shooting in the North Sea, A Norwegian film based on the true story of the illegal traffic across the North Sea from German occupied Norway to Shetland during World War II. Many of the cast in this exciting film were the actual crew members of the treacherous missions. . Kaidan yukijorô , Ghost Story of The Snow Witch (1968) Japan, Dir.Tokuzô Tanaka The lives of a master sculptor and his young apprentice are changed forever when they encounter a witch during a violent snow storm high in the mountain forest... Excellent. Matango (1963) Thanks to a recent rec by wmcclain, from the Director of Godzilla Ishirô Honda. Shipwrecked survivors slowly transform into mushrooms. when they become marooned on a deserted Island which had previously been a place of scientific research... Great Fun...  "You've got problems, buddy" !! 
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 25, 2017 23:18:12 GMT
Finished of the Ranown cycle of spare brooding westerns, excellent stuff Buchanan Rides Alone – 8/10 Ride Lonesome – 9/10, the best of the bunch IMO Comanche Station – 8/10 Westbound – 5/10, unofficial entry, a real let down after the canon films The Wind Rises – 8/10, this could be my favorite Miyazaki film, at least Top 3, probably his most “down to earth”. Some of the visuals are truly amazing April Story – 8/10, sweet, delicate and restrained sorta-romantic drama from Japan Louie season 3, episodes 1-3 The Tall T (1957) story by Elmore Leonard, screenplay by Burt Kennedy 10/10 Seven Men From Now (1956) screenplay by Burt Kennedy 9/10 Ride Lonesome (1959) screenplay by Burt Kennedy 9/10 Comanche Station (1960) screenplay by Burt Kennedy 9/10 Decision At Sundown (1957) screenplay by Charles Lang 6/10 Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) screenplay by Charles Lang 4/10 I am surprised to see “Buchanan Rides Alone” rated so high by so many. The title character (Randy Scott) doesn’t play much of a part in the story except as innocent bystander. He is gets kidnapped and almost killed about three times and each time he escapes through a lucky coincidence rather than any clever action of his own. He is mainly passive in everything that goes on up until the final shootout. I kept waiting for him to DO SOMETHING, fer cryin' out loud! |
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 25, 2017 23:19:51 GMT
1st view - The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016 Documentary) A reminder that they were sensational live performers. 8.5/10 The Mummy (2017) - Couldn't get involved. 4/10 The Zookeeper's Wife (2017) - I love Jessica Chastain. 7/10 Tony Rome (1967) - Sinatra and friends provide undemanding entertainment. 6/10 Revisit - The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - Seems to glorify drug use and immoral and unethical behaviour. Otherwise, quite a lot of fun. 8/10 L.A. Confidential (1997) - A modern classic. 9.9/10 Loved everything about the Beatles documentary. Hated everything about The Wolf of Wall Street |
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Post by OldAussie on Sept 25, 2017 23:50:58 GMT
Me too.
I felt guilty at enjoying much of it. Belfort is a scumbag.
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