The Silver Screen Oasis

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN


Edgar G. Ulmer 1904 - 1972

EDGAR G. ULMER. We normally think of him in terms of bookends, two film classics at the high and low end of the spectrum: "Detour" ( 1945 ) and "The Black Cat" ( 1934 ) but he's had a long and varied career.



There will be a retrospective of some of Ulmer's work on January 10 - 18 at NYC's Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunim Monroe Center. ”A FILMMAKER AT THE MARGINS” will present seven of Ulmer’s lesser-known films. "Beyond The Time Barrier" documentary: "Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen" "The Light Ahead" "Murder Is My Beat"[/b] ( w/ill-fated bombshell Barbara Payton - I can’t wait! ), "The Naked Dawn" "People On Sunday" and "Ruthless" are on tap. If you click onto the young photo of Ulmer above, you can see the entire schedule, or click onto the individual photos below for a more detailed synopsis of each of his films.



I have two New Year’s Resolutions. One is to drink more water. ( Gaaah! I’ve got to be healthier. ) And my other resolution is to see more movies. I’ve given films short shrift for a while because I was working on a project of my own. But that project’s done, and I have ideas fermenting. What better way to help get those creative juices swirling around my brain again, but by seeing some of today's films...and the tried and true classics. I’ve now come to appreciate Judy Holliday after seeing “The Marrying Kind” and “Born Yesterday.” And I’m glad I was pressed into giving her a chance. So now...let me drink in more Ulmer. And as soon as I quench my thirst, I’ll be ready to use the big girl's glass and read Moira’s take on one of those films - “Ruthless” ( 1948 ) - which you can read either here at the Oasis or on her blog.



A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE A THE OASIS!

Somehow I think movies will go down a lot easier than me eating healthier.

CineMaven, you are so lucky to live in the NYC area to enjoy such great movie programming on the big screen. I hope that you have a chance to write about the films that you get to see at Lincoln Center. I'd love to hear more about the quality of the prints, your impressions of the acting, writing, production values, and any interesting comments you hear by those who introduce the movies.

I wish that they were showing Ulmer's Carnegie Hall (1947), which is kind of a bio of the landmark featuring great music, of course, but also Marsha Hunt, whose (most consistent) leading man in that movie is...Frank McHugh! (not the usual pick, huh?--but quite an interesting choice, as F.Mc. was in Back Street (1941) too).

The new book that appears to have inspired this upcoming event, Edgar G. Ulmer: A Filmmaker at the Margins by Noah Isenberg, is the TCM choice for their Book Corner this month too. More here:
http://www.tcm.com/this-month/book-corn ... rgins.html

You lucky duck! A Top 15 (if not Top 10) director in my book. Having seen 28 of his films - about half of his output - he's never failed to entertain and he more often than not astounds.

Nice, varied program. I've not seen any of his Yiddish films, so I'd be especially interested on your reaction to that one.

Hi there Moira and ChiO. I'm feeling pretty lucky. And also... ... taking NYC for granted. I haven't really availed myself of all that movies offer me here. But I hope to change that in 2014. I'm looking forward to this festival. It'll be a bit of a sacrifice though. Friday night is my drinking night. But awwwww, anything for classics.

[u]ChiO[/u] wrote:You lucky duck! A Top 15 (if not Top 10) director in my book. Having seen 28 of his films - about half of his output - he's never failed to entertain and he more often than not astounds....

Ahhhh yeah, I remember your list from a few year's back:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... 519#p91519 :

Re: NEW POLL! The SSO Favorite Director
by ChiO » Wed Sep 14, 2011 10:27 pm

Yes! Let the games begin!

The first three were easy. The next seven were just an issue of order. Then it got tough.

1. Orson Welles (you were expecting, maybe, Stanley Kramer?)
2. Carl Th. Dreyer
3. Jacques Tourneur
4. Samuel Fuller
5. Max Ophuls
6. Nicholas Ray
7. John Cassavetes
8. Edgar G. Ulmer
9. F.W. Murnau
10. Michael Powell (includes credits as "and Emeric Pressburger" and "The Archers")
11. Robert Bresson
12. Erich von Stroheim
13. Dougals Sirk
14. Ozu Yasujiro
15. Anthony Mann

And from February 25, 2013:

Speaking of German film artists in the U.S....

!0 Favorite Edgar G. Ulmer Films

1. Detour
2. The Black Cat
3. Bluebeard
4. Strange Illusion
5. The Naked Dawn
6. The Strange Woman
7. Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
8. Murder Is My Beat
9. The Man from Planet X
10. Carnegie Hall

I was tempted to list Hannibal, but it would have been purely a sentimental pick because I haven't seen it since its 1959 release. How did Ulmer get those elephants to cross the Alps? I bought into every minute of it.

While in San Francisco in May visiting and watching Dewey Noir, I purchased a copy of Hannibal and watched it upon arriving home. How did Ulmer get those elephants to cross the Alps...in the snow?

ChiO wrote: How did Ulmer get those elephants to cross the Alps...in the snow?

See for yourself. Here's the movie to judge for yourself...and learn some Greek via the subtitles too:
[youtube][/youtube]

Friday night is my drinking night.

So, CM, at the bar you frequent, do they have 2-for-1 specials on water? I hear that water is the new beer for 2014.

What? They didn't include THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN?

Friday night is my drinking night.

[u][color=#4040BF]ChiO[/color][/u] wrote:So, CM, at the bar you frequent, do they have 2-for-1 specials on water? I hear that water is the new beer for 2014.

Oh no you don't ChiO. You're not tricking me. I'm a Native New Yorker. No way water is the new beer:



...Next you'll be asking me to paint your white picket fence. Or go to a Greek restaurant.

That chocolate covered cherry looks sooooo good. Never heard of that one. I like girly drinks. My resolution for this year is to learn to like whiskey.

W.C. Fields had it right:

"Say anything that you like about me except that I drink water."

"Somebody's been putting pineapple juice in my pineapple juice!"

"You can't trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it."

"I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it."

Ha....if you mix it with a Coke, you should be fine little girly!!! ( Stay away from beer with pine needles...or meat! )

I amended my post just to include some words of wisdom from my guru.

I was really fascinated by thoseScottish beer guys, adding things like yarrow and scotch broom to their brew, but beer and I don't get along so the idea of meat drippings in it positively made me ill. I didn't even tell you about the brew they SAT IN NAKED.

My resolution for this year is to learn to like whiskey.

Then I guess that eliminates Scotch (without the superfluous "e").

Might I suggest Woodford Reserve, a bourbon I've gotten hooked on that's the best thing to come out of Kentucky since...well, the best thing ever to come out of Kentucky (sorry, RR).

Five glugs, a bit of sweet vermouth, 3-4 dashes of Angostura bitters, shake with ice & pour into a cold martini glass. And, since you're girly, garnish with a brandied cherry.

Then, sip as you watch:

[youtube][/youtube]

W. C. Fields also said something like "I always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snake bite. I also carry a small snake." Cine-Manhattan, don't New Yorkers go to Greek restaurants? No gyros? No souvlaki? That's some pretty good food! We don't see it in "Non-Louisville" Kentucky (Louisville being the only REAL city!). Our ethnic varieties are Mexican, Asian and pizza!

Woodford Reserve? Never heard of it! I don't drink, but I used to. The best thing to come out of Kentucky is Secretariat! The world's greatest athlete!

I thought that this essay by biographer Noah Isenberg entitled "Permanent Vacation: Home and Homelessness in the Life and Work of Edgar G. Ulmer" might be of interest.