Paramount in the 1970s: Upcoming MoMA Series, August 21-September 15, 2024

[Swithin]

Paramount in the 1970s

https://www.moma.org/calendar/film/5721

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City will be presenting a festival of Paramount films from August 21- September 15.





https://www.moma.org/calendar/film/5721

[CinemaInternational]

I wonder from what hat they pulled the idea of showing The Secret Life of Plants from. Surely, there were other Paramount 70s titles they could have shown in its place, like The Day of the Locust, Paper Moon, Murder on the Orient Express, Darling Lili, The Duellists, Islands in the Stream, The Last Tycoon, Face to Face, Starting Over.....


Still, that Citizens Band choice is wonderful.

[Swithin]

I wonder from what hat they pulled the idea of showing The Secret Life of Plants from. Surely, there were other Paramount 70s titles they could have shown in its place, like The Day of the Locust, Paper Moon, Murder on the Orient Express, Darling Lili, The Duellists, Islands in the Stream, The Last Tycoon, Face to Face, Starting Over.....


Still, that Citizens Band choice is wonderful.

I agree that the lack of The Day of the Locust, one of the great films, is an oversight.I wonder whether they chose The Secret Life of Plants as a gimmick, since they will show it in the MOMA Sculpture Garden.

[I Love Melvin]

I guess the inclusion of the two Godfather movies precludes The Conversation (1974) being shown, which is too bad because it's one of the best movies of the 1970's from any studio. And why Mandingo? The program is so heavy on crime and action that it would seem to be a necessary change of pace to include some of cinemainternational's suggestions. I'd also propose Lady Sings the Blues (1972) as an alternative. I'm not sure how well Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) has kept its reputation over the years, but I wouldn't mind seeing it on there as a palate cleanser after all the rough and tumble.

[Swithin]

I hope to go to the two Godfather films, because I have never seen either on the big screen.

[Swithin]

So today, at long last, I finally saw The Godfather on the big screen. Nearly three hours of cinematic bliss, so many familiar lines that I thought the audience was going to speak them along with the actors. I will see The Godfather Part II on Tuesday. I've seen all The Godfather films and extra bits before, but not recently and never on the big screen.

What I was reminded of today was the little homages to other films, e.g. Moe Greene's shattered lens to the woman in Potemkin; Barzini's falling down the steps also to Potemkin as well as to Cagney at the end of The Roaring Twenties. I expected Gladys George to turn up and say: "He used to be a big shot."

One choice I don't understand: Why did Coppola select "Manhattan Serenade" as the background music when Tom Hagen was flying to Los Angeles? It's such a New York piece. But the whole score, original and adapted, is brilliant.

https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/9821

[Swithin]

Today I saw The Godfather Part II on the big screen at MOMA. At 202 minutes, it's even longer than the merely 175 minute original. But the time flies by. A magnificent film, some say better than the original, but, though I loved it, I prefer the original.

Part II has a similar template, opening with a festive occasion; and, near the end of each film, having a climax that intercuts a sacred event with brutal, violent ones, but the films are quite different. Part I is brighter, with a bit more warmth; Part II darker, thanks largely to the descent of Michael Corleone. Part II is also more episodic, with grand interludes focusing on the young Vito, brilliantly played by Robert De Niro.


Robert Di Niro in Godfather Part II

I've never seen Mandingo, which shows up in the series tomorrow afternoon and Friday evening. It sounds intriguing, but the schedule isn't convenient, though I might pop down for the first hour or so tomorrow.

https://www.moma.org/calendar/film/5721