I Just Watched...

[dianedebuda]

Did you go to Warren G Harding Elementary School?

Yes from grades 2-8. Grades 7-8 were in the same building that Shep used; grades k-6 were in a new brick, 2-story building across the street. At that time, it was the largest grade school in Indiana. Since I lived less than a mile from the school, had to walk home and back for lunch. Can't even imagine that being required today.

[HoldenIsHere]

Supposedly there's now a statue in Hammond of Flick with his tongue stuck to the flagpole.

I saw that! It's outside at the flag pole at a Welcome Center for tourism, believe it's in Indiana.
We'll be seeing The Christmas Story House while in Cleveland next week-even though I dislike the movie, MrTiki likes it.

Thanks, TikiSoo.

I looked it up, and, yes, there is a bronze statue of Flick outside the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond.

[dianedebuda]

BE SURE TO DRINK MORE OVALTINE.

Now that I can relate to.

[Allhallowsday]

CAT PEOPLE (1942)

[jamesjazzguitar]

CAT PEOPLE (1942)

I only watched parts of Cat People, but I did see the scene in the photo, and I made a 'wow' comment to myself about this stunning visual.

I also want to give Kent Smith some credit. This screen persona was perfect for the role.

[Allhallowsday]

CAT PEOPLE (1942)
...
I only watched parts of Cat People, but I did see the scene in the photo, and I made a 'wow' comment to myself about this stunning visual.

I also want to give Kent Smith some credit. This screen persona was perfect for the role.

KENT SMITH is perfect for the part of Ollie. JANE RANDOLPH is also perfect. I also like the "sequel" CURSE, maybe more.

[Allhallowsday]

THE HUNGER (1983) after CAT PEOPLE, never realized it's TONY SCOTT's first film. What does it all mean? I saw the film when it was new, and it totally buzzed me onto something I'd just discovered: RAVEL. MAURICE RAVEL piano music is my favorite, the piece played in the film (twice) is Le Gibet the2nd movement of the Gaspard de la Nuit. High style film, not much substance with really sheety "people".

[TikiSoo]

I just finished watching About Elly '09 an Iranian film suggested on this thread. It has high marks & our SSO poster loved it, but I didn't enjoy it as much.

It's basically a story of an ensemble family spending time at a vacation house on the Caspian Sea, when one of the members disappears. Most of the story is around that mystery. I liked the story but especially liked the setting-the sound of the waves crashing on the beach rocks and the dusky colors of the sea & sky made quite an engaging atmosphere.

Watching the men play sports, the children discovering the joys of the beach, the women bonding- it all looked just like my family summer vacations except everyone in this movie was better looking.

There was nothing lost in translation, not language or attitude but I pretty much found the "mystery" was handled kind of stupidly. Maybe Iranian culture is too different from US culture, but I thought the charactors reacted wholly illogically, jumping to conclusions & lying to others about it.

But it's a well loved movie, just not for me I guess. Glad I saw it though.

[Detective Jim McLeod]

Dressed To Kill (1980) TCM On Demand- 5/10

A psychiatrist (Michael Caine), a housewife (Angie Dickinson) and a hooker (Nancy Allen) are terrorized by a razor wielding psycho.

One of Brian DePalma's Hitchcock rip offs, mostly of Psycho but has elements of Vertigo and Spellbound. He also borrows from his own movie Carrie, The early wordless scenes with Angie Dickinson are beautifully done, 21 years after Rio Bravo and she looks more gorgeous than ever. However, I think the film is more style than substance. The second half of the film is not as good, Nancy Allen and especially Keith Gordon do not have the charisma to carry off the rest of the story. And Allen is nowhere near as sexy as Dickinson. The final sequence nearly won me over but not quite.

[Masha]

A Bride for Henry (1937)

A spoiled heiress is stood-up at the altar. She attempts to avoid rumors and scandal by dragging her lawyer into the ceremony and marrying him.

This is a very fun little romp! Anne Nagel and Warren Hull carry the roles well and have a reasonable amount of chemistry. The dialogue is often brisk and witty. The situational comedy is quite appropriate in tone and style.

7.8/11

This movie is available for viewing for free on: TubiTV.

Serenity (2005)

I am sure that most here will remember my rattling on continuously on the: TCM forum about what a wonderful, thought-provoking and complex-but-coherent this is.

I am mentioning it here only to make others aware that it is now available for viewing for free on: TubiTV.

[Detective Jim McLeod]

Black Christmas (1974) Tubi-6/10

A mad killer hides in a sorority house and starts killing the girls.

9 years before A Christmas Story, director Bob Clark made this even more twisted Yuletide film. I had seen this before yet I did not recall much of it. It was interesting for some of the cast. Two of the stars had appeared in a pair of iconic 1968 films- Olivia Hussey (Romeo And Juliet) and Keir Dullea (2001 A Space Odyssey ). Other notable actors are John Saxon as the cop on the case, Margot Kidder as sharp tongued sorority sister (she was in another cult horror film Sisters the year before this) and Andrea Martin before SCTV.

There is no real graphic violence but there are some obscene phone calls that are very foul and disturbing. It is worth seeing if you are a fan of 1970s horror.

[Allhallowsday]

...Black Christmas (1974) Tubi-6/10 ...
9 years before A Christmas Story, director Bob Clark made this even more twisted Yuletide film...
There is no real graphic violence but there are some obscene phone calls that are very foul and disturbing. It is worth seeing if you are a fan of 1970s horror.

Maybe the early suffocation scene is graphic but not gory. That rocking victim at the very end is also disturbing. BOB CLARK had a talent for Horror films, he also directed CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS (1972) and my favorite '70s Horror DEAD OF NIGHT (1974).

[Cinemaspeak59]

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) In this second Hollywood adaptation of James M. Cain’s novel, the filmmakers are free of the production code. This freedom is used mainly for showing graphic sex scenes and violence, but mostly sex. Jack Nicholson throws Jessica Lange on top of the counter, all noisy, loud and mechanical. (I’ve seen so many of these lovemaking scenes, they’ve become dull, and seem to exist to fill screen time.) The impressive production design is appropriately bleak. Nicholson and Lange are great actors, but their performances here are remote and detached. They lack the chemistry, earthiness and vulnerability of John Garfield and Lana Turner. David Mamet’s terse screenplay lowers the drama. Director Bob Rafelson made different artistic choices than the team behind the 1946 adaptation, befitting the times, and lack of restrictions. The 1981 version is commendable, but I prefer the 1946 one.