|
Post by FilmFlaneur on Jul 25, 2023 20:39:33 GMT
The Battle of Britain - Second Flight. This is a fan edit of the original 1969 British film with the draggy romantic element between Plummer and Yorke excised, making the film tighter by 15 mins (still runs for 157' though) and using much more of William Walton's mostly rejected score (various music soundtrack options are included). The whole thing is now in high contrast black and white deliberately recalling in mood classic 50's war films, leaving only the striking 'aerial ballet' with Walton's memorable music supporting the action towards the end in colour, highlighting a much more moving sequence. There are one or two other changes too, but the result is a something which, thus treated, is here a true classic.
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Jul 25, 2023 23:49:36 GMT
The Battle of Britain - Second Flight. This is a fan edit of the original 1969 British film with the draggy romantic element between Plummer and Yorke excised, making the film tighter by 15 mins (still runs for 157' though) and using much more of William Walton's mostly rejected score (various music soundtrack options are included). The whole thing is now in high contrast black and white deliberately recalling in mood classic 50's war films, leaving only the striking 'aerial ballet' with Walton's memorable music supporting the action towards the end in colour, highlighting a much more moving sequence. There are one or two other changes too, but the result is a something which, thus treated, is here a true classic. Sounds ideal. I have no objection in principle to love stories in war movies. When listening to survivors it was often an important part of their memories, but they are so often done badly. The worst case is The Caine Mutiny, where if you wandered out to the restroom you might think you had returned to the wrong screen in the multiplex in error. Midway is another blunder. Our one in particular seemed as it had been parachuted into an already agreed script, so should be fairly easy to excise smoothly. Of course the film should always be watched with Walton's magnificent score, The vulgar rubbish provided by a 'pop' guru is an insult to those who gave their lives. Guy Hamilton was a prosaic director, but the 'Ballet in the Sky' is worthy of Powell and Pressburger. I am not the person to adjudicate the conversion to black and white because I think 90% of all colored movies would be better in black and white. The film's lasting value is the part it played in rehabilitating the reputation of Air Marshal Dowding. A crackpot in his private life, but Britain's greatest war hero, cruelly sidelined after the Battle he had done more than anyone to win. With hindsight, it is now generally thought that the Battle of Britain did not save England from invasion, because that was never really a serious option, but Dowding and his contemporaries did not know that.
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Jul 26, 2023 5:59:43 GMT
What bothers me about the Battle of Britain is Sarah Lawson is Robert Shaw's wife in it--and you only see the back of her head. Some role she had.
THE MACKINTOSH MAN 1973 - Paul Newman is a spy sent into a prison to bring out a communist agent, unaware that he is really bait to catch a politician. Despite an impressive cast and locations, what dooms this film to blandness is the lack of a protagonist who achieves things. Much like in Torn Curtain, Newman is reacting to what other people are doing rather than initiating anything. But even more of a problem is the co-star (Dominique Sanda) who is such a cold cucumber devoid of any personality that the surprise twist ending doesn't provide much of an impact. It fits totally in the trends of the era (i.e. the message is that your society sucks). You can see it coming a mile away if you watch enough films from this time. I am not convinced it's all Nixon's fault that they bombard you with the same dispirited message.
Premiered --you guessed it, 50 years ago today.
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jul 26, 2023 14:13:40 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Jul 27, 2023 6:05:33 GMT
REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER 1978 - A wandering transvestite is killed in Clouseau's car thus he is able to work "under the covere" while Dreyfus miraculously regains his sanity after thinking him dead. Herbert Lom was really good at comedy although I never think of him as a comic actor. I rate this weaker than the other two 70s Pink Panther films but it does have its moments. Maybe I will rewatch them all in reverse.
Clouseau: Now, this time *I'm* going to stand on *your* shoulders!
Cato: What good will that do?
Clouseau: Because I'm taller than you are, you fool!
|
|
|
Post by gspdude on Jul 28, 2023 1:57:51 GMT
The Devils(1971) This has been on my "to see" list for a while and today I came across a good quality stream on Archive.org. It's Ken Russell's film about political and religious corruption and hypocrisy in 17th century France. There's a long and chaotic orgy scene so probably not for the kiddies. Oliver Reed gives a particularly intense performance. 7/10.
|
|
|
Post by louise on Jul 28, 2023 11:23:00 GMT
Barbie the Movie (2023). It was quite funny, though gets a bit heavy towards the end. Ken was the best character.
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Jul 29, 2023 6:23:09 GMT
ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP 1944 -Final Chapters -- The bad guy learns the identity of the Black Whip right at the end by following her to her hide out but before she can be done in, her horse comes to the rescue. Unexpected ending but it worked for me.
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jul 30, 2023 3:27:41 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 2, 2023 21:53:59 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 5, 2023 14:24:35 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Aug 8, 2023 6:01:01 GMT
The French Connection 1971 - Crime pays. That is the message of the film. We get that stated very early when we see the drug dealer enjoying an expensive meal as Gene Hackman has to stand outside in the cold with stale coffee. There is a clear contrast between the lifestyle of Fernando Rey and those who occupy the lower tiers of crime and police. I have watched it a couple of times and always forget most of it. The reason I think this happens is because it is not character-oriented through dialogue and there is such a fast pace to it. The innovation of the movie was the handheld rapid action sequences which must have been exhilarating in a theater. There was the controversy about the edited sequence on Criterion which is ironic because the film does not present the police as positive role models at all. They are almost another kind of criminal gang who will create chaos and kill for their goals.
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 8, 2023 14:17:11 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Aug 9, 2023 6:47:36 GMT
SAMSON 1961 - Brad Harris in a red toga finds out the queen he was chummy with has been deposed, replaced by a dark-haired wench and her even more sinister advisor who has a crew cut and big ears. He falls in love with her servant girl who is a spy for a secret rebel group. In the end after three grueling tasks, a fight over a spiked pit with Alan Steel, and with the aid of the rebels, Samson is triumphant.
THE FURY OF HERCULES 1962 - Brad Harris in a red toga finds out the king he was chummy with has been deposed, replaced by a dark-haired wench and her even more sinister advisor who has a crew cut and big ears. He falls in love with her servant girl who is a spy for a secret rebel group. In the end after three grueling tasks, a fight over a spiked pit with Alan Steel, and with the aid of the rebels, Hercules is triumphant.
Yes, they were filmed back to back with the same cast in pretty much the same roles and even some of the same costumes and sets.
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Aug 10, 2023 6:54:49 GMT
CARRY ON CLEO 1964 - I can't believe how low brow and one track the humor in these Carry On films are.
"Hurry up!"
"I can't find a clean pitcher!"
"Remember you are in Egypt, all they've got are dirty pitchers!"
CARRY ON GIRLS 1973 - This was worse for lowest common denominator humor. They even did the mayor losing his pants joke twice and had the slide whistles on the soundtrack.
Feminist protestor holding sign that says "We want women's equality now, or bust."
"I've heard them all night long, doors banging ..."
"Blimey, when you've got young dollies around you have to expect a bit of banging."
Coincidentally, this last one was released this week 50 years ago.
Don't think I will be checking more out anytime soon. They were quite a pair.
|
|
|
Post by Feologild Oakes on Aug 10, 2023 14:38:33 GMT
I think its a good movie.
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Aug 11, 2023 7:18:45 GMT
So much for my pledge
CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER 1968 --This had quite bit of clever humor situation.
Captain Keene: We need that rope of yours to get over the wall.
The Fakir: I'm sorry, it won't work. Not without the magic words.
Sergeant-Major MacNutt: Come on, you'll be well paid.
The Fakir: Those are the magic words!
My favorite was where the servant hits the gong (like the distributor logo for the film) and
the Khasi of Kalabar says : I do wish you wouldn't keep doing that. Rank stupidity!
INTERRABANG 1969 -- Another one of those dreamy Italian "three women on a boat alone with a potential killer" stories. I would rate it "fair."
|
|
|
Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Aug 11, 2023 22:49:38 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Prime etc. on Aug 16, 2023 6:50:50 GMT
NIGHT TRAIN TO MILAN 1962 - Viewers of Jack Palance films might notice that there is "mild Jack" (The Big Knife, 10 Seconds to Hell) and "crazy Jack" (Barabbas, Torture Garden). Sometimes you get both in the same movie. This is one of those. He's an SS doctor who is recognized on a Christmas eve train ride and desperately seeks to avoid capture. Not really a "war fugitive on the loose" movie--it's more like a quasi adaptation of the crucifixion, except Jesus is a Nazi doctor who made prisoners run naked in snow. Unbelievable as it may seem. Somewhat uneven tempo but surprisingly sympathetic to a guy who admits he did experiments on war prisoners. "We had jobs to do. We were soldiers. What about the thousands of German soldiers who were dying on the Russian front, freezing to death from frostbite. We had to find out why, why they died and couldn't resist the cold. Those were our orders." On the train he meets a thinly-disguised Mary Magdalene- a bored housewife (Yvonne Furneaux) who says "I feel sorry for men who are on the run. To tell the truth, I find it exciting being with a Nazi murderer." She flirts--this is a real line, honest: "So, tell me, how would I be treated if I was in your concentration camp?" Unfortunately the film's full potential is hampered by someone else doing Palance's voice which is a shame because he really does have an emotive rant in the train car about war and morality and provides some classic Jack mad cackling too. We miss the full Palance effect. It goes for a touching finale though involving his mother waiting at the train station for her son. It's possible this was redubbed at some point in the 70s because I could have sworn a character uses a four-letter word. Not a trip I will soon forget.
|
|
|
Post by Feologild Oakes on Aug 16, 2023 20:37:22 GMT
|
|