WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

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feaito

Post by feaito »

Moraldo, I had forgotten "Kind Hearts and Coronets"... What a film!!
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movieman1957
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Post by movieman1957 »

I saw "The Bourne Ultimatum" last night. My biggest complaint was with the theater. It was so loud my ears are still ringing.

The film itself was at times pretty clever. Damon is good. If it's possible there might be too many action sequences. Lots of shaky hand held camera shots that were annoying for me. Music that was not so much music as it was a sustained riff. Damon actually is beginning to look the age for the part. Nice to see Albert Finney too. The movie makes a nice travelogue. Spain, Italy, Morocco, England, oh and also NY.

If you enjoyed the first two I think you'll like this one too.
Chris

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Dana Andrews said prunes give him the runes...

Post by benwhowell »

I thoroughly enjoyed "Curse Of The Demon." Jacques Tourneur is s master manipulator of shadows and light...and psychological suspense. I am also glad that "The Demon" was shown. It totally looked like a demon from a book on "black magic" and it gave me quite a fright!
It was also fun to see those kids playing "Snakes And Ladders!" I wonder why the American version was "Chutes And Ladders?" Brought back memories of childhood playing that game and "Candyland."
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Moraldo Rubini
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Re: Dana Andrews said prunes give him the runes...

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

benwhowell wrote:I thoroughly enjoyed "Curse Of The Demon." Jacques Tourneur is s master manipulator of shadows and light...and psychological suspense. I am also glad that "The Demon" was shown. It totally looked like a demon from a book on "black magic" and it gave me quite a fright!
It was also fun to see those kids playing "Snakes And Ladders!" I wonder why the American version was "Chutes And Ladders?" Brought back memories of childhood playing that game and "Candyland."
I love this moody movie too. It's haunting! Come tell us more, Ben:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis/viewtopic.php?t=744
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Post by SSO Admins »

I haven't been to a theater in a while. I should go.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately, but I've watched a few movies. Recent viewings:

The Hatchet Man with Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young playing Chinese characters. Decent flick with a great ending.

The Avenging Conscience with Henry B. Walthall. Griffith's weirdest movie ever.

Un chapeau de paille d'Italie (The Italian Straw hat). A very funny French silent.

Currently I'm re-watching Hiroshi Inagaki's Miyamoto Musashi trilogy. I always enjoy this.
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Post by pktrekgirl »

I don't go to the theatre much anymore except for really huge scifi CGI-intense blockbusters that always look better on the big screen. So the last film I saw in the theatre was PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - AT WORLD'S END, which I LOVED.

Johnny Depp is by far my favorite among the 'current' movie stars - I think he is brilliant. And as an added bonus, Orlando Bloom provides some pretty breathtaking window-dressing. The CGI in this film is just tremendous, and I love the story.

As for classic film, I've been on a Dana Andrews jag, courtesy of TCM's Dana Andrews day, combined with my recent acquisition of FMC. Watched SPRING REUNION and ASSIGNMENT- PARIS the other day, and enjoyed both of them. And I plan to watch IRON CURTAIN which is coming on FMC during the next couple of days.

I also watched THE LATE GEORGE APLEY (1947) on FMC the other day. Have I mentioned how much I love Ronald Colman??? 8) The film itself was a bit slow...but Ronald Colman was simply BRILLIANT as usual, and made the whole thing immensely fun to watch. Perfectly cast, by the way - couldn't have picked an actor more suited to the role of 'Cousin George' than Ronald Colman.

I got a whole slew of Irene Dunne films in the mail from Europe yesterday...I'm gonna try and watch a couple of them later this week.
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White Hell

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

Last night I donned gloves, muffler and parka to watch Die Weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü ("The White Hell of Piz Palü"). Apparently directed by both Arnold Fanck and G.W. Pabst -- I seem to be attracted to collaborative works lately (see Les Enfants Terrible above). This silent film from 1929 is probably best known as one of the movies starring the Queen of Alpine flicks -- Leni Riefenstahl. Fraulein Riefenstahl, of course, is better known for directing her own works Triumph des Willens and the Olympiad movies for Hitler. She passed away only a few years ago, at the age of 101 and the DVD included an hour long interview with this very active centegenarian.

I first learned of the mountaineering genre when I saw Die Macht der Bilder: Leni Riefenstahl ("The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl"), and have been curious to see them. When Tower DVD collapsed I ransacked their sales and bought Piz Palü. It's an exercise in visual poetry; studies of the cold, snow, developing ice crystals, icicles and must have been very ambitious at the time. It seemed to be a throwback to the Romantic idea of the "sublime". The mountains are vast, seemingly alive and aggresively dominating man.

Apparently the film was rereleased in a sound version in 1935 and an excerpt of this poorly dubbed version is included in the supplemental material. At least the score was better suited than the competitive blare included on the silent version. At one point, a mountaineering rescue team ascends the brutal incline accompanied by a bolero. Bizarre choices.

Some of the photography is striking, especially the descent into the "white hell", littered with the broken bodies of fallen climbers. Night scenes, lit by torches in the snow. Gorgeous. Close-ups of faces as rugged and handsome as the Eiger itself. They had faces then.

The pace is slow; the plot, simple. Moody Gustav Diessl was the real star of this movie (besides the mountain itself). He made a number of pictures with Pabst. Has anyone seen the fantasy Die Herrin von Atlantis?
feaito

Three features in a day

Post by feaito »

Due to the fact that today's a national holiday in my country I could watch three films! Seize the day, they say!:

"The Rose Tattoo", a very good drama which earned Anna Magnani an Oscar for her splendid performance as an earthy Italian widow who finds love in the person of clownish Burt Lancaster. I think that the latter's character was a little bit too much, but I'm sure that's what the script called for and there's no denying of Lancaster's immense talent. Good performances too by Marisa Pavan, Ben Cooper and especially by lovely Virginia Grey and Jo Van Fleet. The film's Maganani's tour-de-force.

"East Lynne" A fine costume drama (with the last reel missing) starring the luminous Ann Harding, who's such a gifted actress that makes the most of her part. Conrad Nagel and Clive Brook co-star and are quite stiff, especially the former, although their diction is impeccable. Cecilia Loftus does a fine job as the Nagel's bitter sister. Wally Albright is very sweet as Ann's child and his scenes with her are very touching and believable. Fine art direction and good period atmosphere.

"Judgment at Nuremberg". A powerful, heart wrenching drama with top-notch performances by everybody involved. ENGROSSING. A must-see. Maximilian Schell is especially impressive. It was good to watch Kenneth MacKenna in a rare film appearance as one of the American judges.
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Post by pktrekgirl »

^ Wow! Very impressive! Especially since that last one is a way long film!

Happy holiday! :)
My wife said she'd help young people, ... That's what I'd do. Help young people, then buy a big motor home and get out of town.
~ Gary Cooper
feaito

Post by feaito »

pktrekgirl wrote:Happy holiday! :)
Thanks Beda!
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Post by benwhowell »

"Judgement At Nuremberg" is long, but I "hang" on every minute. It's on TCM saturday night...Can't wait! I love the scenes between Spencer Tracy and Marlene Dietrich. She is so beautiful in the movie. I'm sure Tracy must have been somewhat distracted by her beauty and her subtle flirtations as she explores his face as he talks to her. I wish they had worked together more often.
I've never been disappointed with Tracy. Enjoyed him very much in last night's TCM airing of "Father's Little Dividend." I guess the movie was made in one month (before Vincent Minnelli had to return to "An American In Paris.") I wasn't familiar with the whole Joan Bennett "scandal." Today-that kind of "scandal" would make a career...not hinder it.
"The Rose Tattoo" is a great movie. I love those Key West locations. Burt Lancaster is very sexy. It is a tour-de-force for Anna. Much deserved Oscars for Anna and James Wong Howe's cinematography. What a tribute that a famous playwright would write a role especially for you! Ironically, Maureen Stapleton originated the role on Broadway. Maureen also orignated the role of Lady Torrance in "Orpheus Descending." Anna played the role in the movie ("The Fugitive Kind.")
feaito

Post by feaito »

Ben,

I agree with you; I liked very much the scenes between Marlene, playing the dignified and aristocratic widow of a Nazi General who was condemned to death by an American Tribunal and Judge Tracy. She underplayed her role beautifully and looked quite ravishing considering she was over 60 at that point. In fact, Tracy was about her same age, but he looked considerably older, probably due to his ailments. I think that both had a good "mature" romantic chemistry. This film is so pertinent and timeless.

I also liked Lancaster's chemistry with Magnani. He was a strongly built man and played an outgoing-devil-may-care guy who was just right for her exuberant personality and curvaceous body. And the way she looked at him...her eyes said it all!
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Post by moira finnie »

I concur with you guys about the scenes between Tracy and Dietrich in Judgment at Nuremburg. The silences between them, his wonderfully seamed face, bowed back and manner of speaking, is such a beautiful contrast to her always erect posture and repetition of the line between men like her husband and the Nazis. You can see by the way she looks at Tracy and when she walks beside him, that she is perhaps thinking to herself, here, yes, once more is a man worthy of her respect and her inadequate attempt to explain her circumstances. It's very touching when he stops her, as are his repeated small acts of courtliness toward her.

Here's a vote for another slightly more over the top performance by Anna Magnani that you both might enjoy, along with The Fugitive Kind:

Wild Is the Wind (1957) directed by George Cukor, with Anna Magnani, Anthony Quinn, Delores Hart and Anthony Franciosa. It's a remake of an Italian neorealist film Furia (1947) and is about sheep ranchers, love, and marriage. Kind of a mess, but fascinating, and Magnani is a force of nature. If they only had Puccini to write the music for this, it could've been one heck of an opera.
feaito

Post by feaito »

moirafinnie wrote:I concur with you guys about the scenes between Tracy and Dietrich in Judgment at Nuremburg. The silences between them, his wonderfully seamed face, bowed back and manner of speaking, is such a beautiful contrast to her always erect posture and repetition of the line between men like her husband and the Nazis. You can see by the way she looks at Tracy and when she walks beside him, that she is perhaps thinking to herself, here, yes, once more is a man worthy of her respect and her inadequate attempt to explain her circumstances. It's very touching when he stops her, as are his repeated small acts of courtliness toward her.
Moira,

As usual, you expressed and summarized it beautifully.

Thanks for the recommendation regarding Anna Magnani. I taped some years ago her Italian film "Bellissima" and have not seen it yet.
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Viva Magnani!

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

I first fell for Anna Magnani when I saw her in The Rose Tattoo. I've been on a quest to see more of her work ever since. An Anna Magnani day one August would be grand. I love it when she pops up in Fellini's Roma.

Virginia Grey?! I fell for her with that close-up from The Women. She had more charisma in that behind the perfume counter scene than many of MGM's big stars. She should have been given top treatment. And I didn't realize she was in The Rose Tattoo. I have a copy of it, so will have to watch again with her in mind. Thanks for that heads up!

Last night I saw the documentary No End in Sight, an overview of the U.S. policies and actions in Iraq. What an excercise in frustration. One leaves the theatre overwhelmed and hopeless. Mismanagement, chaos, bungle after bungle. It's humiliating. I don't know what we can do; it's such a dark period in U.S. history.
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