Movies

[Stuart Galbraith]

34 minutes ago, Rick said:

Indeed! It would be bad if this Rich got the flu.

https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/american-thunder?srsltid=AfmBOop8Rx0PEJSI5PD1AkfuPvYz-yx88tpmwYhS-7oXMi63hPcObQbZ

That would indeed be a sad day. Well perhaps he can change it to George, just like Patton.

[Stuart Galbraith]

8k restoration of Metropolis free to watch on YouTube. You're welcome.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Man, after reading all the buzz about Metropolis, I tried watching a DVD made from a damaged film copy.

From a conceptual point, I get it; from an entertainment/thought-provoking standpoint, it was all too tiresome.

Most arthouse films to me have less value than the Bugs Bunny cartoon doing Wagner.

[Stuart Galbraith]

It depends what version it is. Most of the versions Im used to from the 80's had several scenes cut, making the plot a muddle (although the cut that was scored by Queen was very entertaining). About 10-15 years ago they found some footage that had been in a can for 90 years and was not in good shape, but had several scenes that had been lost. Thats what you can see here with the lines on them. In time they will probably even fix that with AI.

Personally, I love it. Right here, every film about a distopian future, from Logans Run, to Bladerunner, to Megaopolis, had its start. HG Wells hated it. But of course was largely about the inevitable progression of mankind, whereas of course I think 100 years later, we know far better that Metropolis is probably a lot closer to it.

Whilst we are at it, make time to watch 'Pandora's Box', if only for a 23 year old Louise Brooks scorching up the screen. Man I dig her hair.

 

[Stargrunt6]

I'm 2/3 into the criterion Apocalypse Now, and I feel you @Ivanhoe.  It's not arthouse but it's close, with it's on the nose symbolism. 

[Ivanhoe]

38 minutes ago, Stargrunt6 said:

I'm 2/3 into the criterion Apocalypse Now, and I feel you @Ivanhoe.  It's not arthouse but it's close, with it's on the nose symbolism. 

The difference being the actors all had the right stuff, and the dialogue was really tight (and the editors didn't eff it up). Most arthouse is, IMHO, about concept rather than delivery. Few can do both.

One of my  criteria (nopunintended) for a top-100 movie is that during multiple viewings, the details hold up. Dialogue, inflection, timing, facial expressions, etc. When every moment in a scene is tight, for example the interview between Leon and Holden in Blade Runner. The visuals are compelling, but the dialogue, man. A great director makes the viewer forget there was a director or DP.

Speaking of which, there are numerous classics I need to revisit. Not the least of which includes: Sunset Boulevard, Midnight Cowboy, American Graffiti, Unforgiven.

If you're looking for something completely different, The Conversation starring Gene Hackman. Extremely slow pace, but a very interesting movie.

I haven't seen the original yet, but the Hollywood version of The Departed was surprisingly good. With all the A-listers I was expecting a mess.

A movie I didn't like at the time was The Americanization of Emily. Felt unnatural for Jim Rockford to be a coward. Recently I read a bit written by someone in the business who asserted that Garner's acting in it was some of the best ever. So I need to give it another try.

Another slow movie that kept my attention was Lost In Translation. Acting was good, directing/editing was better.

[Ssnake]

I think Metropolis is best seen as an inspiration for futuristic cities like Tolkien's work was for the Fantasy genre.

It was an absolutely monumental undertaking at the time with the set construction and armies of extras.

But, yes, we don't make dialogs like that anymore, and for good reason. The message of the film is, well, very simple for it runtime to deliver it. The acting is very muth theatralic like most films of the period, as most actors came from theater, and acting schools prepared exclusively for the stage.

All of this doesn't help the film today.

At the same time, you suddenly realize where most dystopian cities of classic science fiction films were invented.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Metropolis aged better than many that came after it. For example, Well's Wings over the World in 'Things to Come' looks, to modern eyes, distinctly fascist.

 

As for the acting, very few actors from the silent world made it into the speakies. Brooks did for about 5 years or so, and so did Chaplin. But very few others did, including Brigitte Helm whom to her credit apparently rejected Goebbels advances.

I think you have to understand how they did acting in the silents and just roll with it. For audiences that were used to stage acting or nothing, they probably thought nothing of it.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2024 by Stuart Galbraith

[bojan]

LA confidential, Usual Suspects, Things to Do in Denver When You are Dead are golden trilogy crime movies of the '90s.

[TrustMe]

22 minutes ago, bojan said:

LA confidential, Usual Suspects, Things to Do in Denver When You are Dead are golden trilogy crime movies of the '90s.

You missed out Seven (1995)    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_seven 

 

 

 

 

[Stargrunt6]

2 hours ago, TrustMe said:

You missed out Seven (1995)    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_seven 

 

 

 

 

You can have all the Seven that you want...

 

That movie had nothing going for it but shock factor. The villain wasn't that interesting. Pitt and Freeman did do good performances though. I found the story shallow. 

[TrustMe]

2 hours ago, Stargrunt6 said:

You can have all the Seven that you want...

 

That movie had nothing going for it but shock factor. The villain wasn't that interesting. Pitt and Freeman did do good performances though. I found the story shallow. 

I thought that it was unique with an interesting twist at the end.

[Yama]

I feel 7 was one of those movies which were good for one view, but don't have much of a rewatch value. It was cool and memorable, but it rides on the mystery, and once it's resolved, tension is gone. 

[Stuart Galbraith]

I prefer the 70's and 80's, which is when we got movies like these.

 

[bojan]

1 hour ago, Yama said:

I feel 7 was one of those movies which were good for one view, but don't have much of a rewatch value. It was cool and memorable, but it rides on the mystery, and once it's resolved, tension is gone. 

I was thinking the same, but IMO no, it is quite good for watching again, it is just quite different when you watch it for a second time.

I have watched 7 for a first time in the Franch cinema in... I think January 1996. Thing that I was not aware of was that French dub movies and I did not know any French... So I basically watched silent movie and "spoiled" it, revealing ending etc...

About decade later, I have decided to watch it again, not having any hopes about liking it... and was pleasantly surprised.

It is definitely not on the level of Things to do.../LA Confidential /Usual Suspects, but it is very good movie that deserves to be seen for a second time.

On 10/13/2024 at 8:21 AM, Ssnake said:

...At the same time, you suddenly realize where most dystopian cities of classic science fiction films were invented.

Sometimes, very rarely I miss a like button on TN.

[Ssnake]

Get Carter is Peak Revenge Film, though The Limey came close, and High Plains Drifter earns at least an honorable mention.

 

And yes, the Long Good Friday I tend to watch every third Easter weekend.

[Stuart Galbraith]

The thing Im impressed by with The Long Good Friday, is quite how prophetic it all was. They are walking around London docklands, boasting about how the whole area will soon be rejuvinated, even host to the 1988 olympic games (which came true, albeit over 30 years later). They predicted the IRA getting involved in organised crime and shakedowns (A company my father worked for was Irish owned, and reportedly subject to such shakedowns). It predicted a move from organized crime to more legitimate interests by London criminals, which came true. Much of the money for the Brinks Matt robbery was filtered into building London property, which was booming at the time. And it predicted the end of large British gangster enterprises as defined by the Krays or Richardsons, which, through drug networks, have largely been displaced by more multinational crews.

If you like this, Its worth reading Ted Lewis's 'GBH', which if you can get by the supernatural element, touches on very similar themes of a criminal reaching his end, and what I think is some of the best British criminal noir writing ive ever read. (I think Long Good Friday actually lifted large elements for the first half of the film, not least the pub bombing)Ted Lewis previously had written 'Jacks Return home', or 'Get Carter' as it was known when it was filmed. All very circular.

Not seen The Limey, but I like Terrance Stamps work so Ill get around to it im sure. High Plains Drifter is my favourite Eastwood film (well, barring perhaps Firefox, largely because im a Craig Thomas fan).

[Stargrunt6]

On 10/13/2024 at 12:18 PM, TrustMe said:

I thought that it was unique with an interesting twist at the end.

And there's nothing wrong with liking it. I hope I didn't seem overbearing. 

8 hours ago, Yama said:

I feel 7 was one of those movies which were good for one view, but don't have much of a rewatch value. It was cool and memorable, but it rides on the mystery, and once it's resolved, tension is gone. 

Pretty much.  It's also why the sequels after the first Predator movie didn't quite land.

[TrustMe]

5 hours ago, Ssnake said:

Get Carter is Peak Revenge Film, though The Limey came close, and High Plains Drifter earns at least an honorable mention.

 

And yes, the Long Good Friday I tend to watch every third Easter weekend.

Get Carter is my favourite Michael Cain film. I have it on 4K.

[TrustMe]

Just now, Stargrunt6 said:

...And there's nothing wrong with liking it. I hope I didn't seem overbearing. ..

 

No problemo. If we all thought the same life would be boring  

[Stuart Galbraith]

1 hour ago, TrustMe said:

Get Carter is my favourite Michael Cain film. I have it on 4K.

Not that's something I'm going to have to get....

Watched civil war about a month ago. A very powerful piece of cinema.

[Ssnake]

Yeah, Captain America kicked ass.

 

 

 

 

 

😜

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

This is a good one, premise takes a little getting used to, but it makes perfect sense in the end. Raymond Massey and David Niven are particularly  good.

Worth looking up Powell and Pressberger films, invariably worth watching.

[Ivanhoe]

Tatiana Maslany steps in it again;

I really enjoyed the first two seasons of Orphan Black, but Maslany seems insistent on hamstringing her career.