ejp626 Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 I'm excited that the Harold Lloyd collection is finally coming out. I won't get it immediately, but within the next few years. It may have been discussed already but Criterion has confirmed that they will indeed be rereleasing Playtime in 2006, and there will be a Tati box set as well. Presumably this will be the 70 mm print. I think I heard that their Jour de Fete is (will be) superior to the British release in that it will have a b & w and color version of the film. I wonder if they will put out Traffik as well -- probably not. In any case, I just learned there is a site to buy the 70 mm version of Playtime already (from France), though I think I will wait. This is the site: Playtime from alapage I really didn't enjoy Playtime the first time I saw it, but I kept thinking about it. It kind of got under my skin -- why didn't I recognize it as a masterpiece? I do think it is a film that needs to be seen twice (at least), despite having almost no plot. I suppose a number of us feel the same way about late Coltrane or Ayler, that it really makes you work at it to understand what is going on, but there is a payoff once you reach that point. Seeing it in 70 mm in the theatre also helped in order to pick up on all the visual jokes and puns. In fact, now that I have visited France a few times (I never had been prior to watching Playtime), every time I see a French pharmacy (with the glowing plus sign) I think of Playtime where there is a glowing circle instead. Tati also has something to offer when thinking about how the French interacted with "modernity" in the 1960s -- something more profound than the modern world stinks, which is how he is typically read. Ah well, watch it if you get a chance and see if it is a movie that stays with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 It may have been discussed already but Criterion has confirmed that they will indeed be rereleasing Playtime in 2006, and there will be a Tati box set as well. Presumably this will be the 70 mm print. I think I heard that their Jour de Fete is (will be) superior to the British release in that it will have a b & w and color version of the film. I really didn't enjoy Playtime the first time I saw it, but I kept thinking about it. It kind of got under my skin -- why didn't I recognize it as a masterpiece? I do think it is a film that needs to be seen twice (at least), despite having almost no plot. I suppose a number of us feel the same way about late Coltrane or Ayler, that it really makes you work at it to understand what is going on, but there is a payoff once you reach that point. Seeing it in 70 mm in the theatre also helped in order to pick up on all the visual jokes and puns. In fact, now that I have visited France a few times (I never had been prior to watching Playtime), every time I see a French pharmacy (with the glowing plus sign) I think of Playtime where there is a glowing circle instead. Tati also has something to offer when thinking about how the French interacted with "modernity" in the 1960s -- something more profound than the modern world stinks, which is how he is typically read. Ah well, watch it if you get a chance and see if it is a movie that stays with you. ← Great News! Playtime is one of my all-time favorite movies, right near the top of my top ten. I agree that it's more than just a movie. It's really an essay on how to look at the world, a film that will re-wire your brain if you give it a chance. Definitely must be seen more than once, and on the big screen if at all possible. I hope that they do reissue Trafic, an underrated film in my opinion, with some big laughs, and thought-provoking as well. Sure, it's a retreat from Playtime in many ways, but nobody's gone further in that direction than Tati in Playtime. If Trafic had come before Playtime, it would have a much greater reputation (but then it wouldn't have had that great moon landing sequence). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 I recently bought the Val Lewton Collection boxed set, which was mentioned with much anticipation earlier in this thread. I will attest that this is great stuff, among the best "B-movies" ever; needless to say, much better than many "A-films." I had seen Cat People and liked it. And I had been blown away by the definitively downbeat The Seventh Victim, famous for featuring an ominous shower scene over a decade before Hitchcock'sPsycho. I had long heard of the legendary status of I Walked With a Zombie, but I was still mightily impressed by it after finally seeing it. Among other things, despite being a B-movie horror flick, it convincingly deals with the historical weight of slavery in the Western hemisphere -- a horror story if there ever was one. I Walked With a Zombie, ludicrous title and all, is up there with the best B-movies ever made. I'm talking Out of the Past, perhaps the definitive film noir, and the Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher western Ride Lonesome, which boasts one of the finest, most cathartic closing shots of any film ever. ...Zombie's closing shot rivals it, but in a way that is steeped with despair rather than triumph. The unpromisingly tited Curse of the Cat People is an inside look into the psyche of a very young girl trying to make sense of the world. James Agee, the first canonized film critic in American letters, was taken aback by the startling sensitivity of this supposed exploitation flick. In my opinion, it's upthere with Night of the Hunter as both a scary movie and as a portrait of childhood concerns. A great set, and I haven't even watched the last three films, which were vehicles for horror star Boris Karloff, one of my childhood idols. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 I recently bought the Val Lewton Collection boxed set, which was mentioned with much anticipation earlier in this thread. I had long heard of the legendary status of I Walked With a Zombie, but I was still mightily impressed by it after finally seeing it. Among other things, despite being a B-movie horror flick, it convincingly deals with the historical weight of slavery in the Western hemisphere -- a horror story if there ever was one. I Walked With a Zombie, ludicrous title and all, is up there with the best B-movies ever made. I'm talking Out of the Past, perhaps the definitive film noir, and the Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher western Ride Lonesome, which boasts one of the finest, most cathartic closing shots of any film ever. ...Zombie's closing shot rivals it, but in a way that is steeped with despair rather than triumph. ← Kalo, I got this set as well. My wife & I watched ZOMBIE Saturday night and enjoyed it so much that we watched it again last night with a friend. In fact, I was going to post about it today, but you beat me to it. I agree with everything you say--a stunningly good film, and rife with the theme of colonialism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 I recently bought the Val Lewton Collection boxed set, which was mentioned with much anticipation earlier in this thread. I will attest that this is great stuff, among the best "B-movies" ever; needless to say, much better than many "A-films." I had seen Cat People and liked it. And I had been blown away by the definitively downbeat The Seventh Victim, famous for featuring an ominous shower scene over a decade before Hitchcock'sPsycho. I had long heard of the legendary status of I Walked With a Zombie, but I was still mightily impressed by it after finally seeing it. Among other things, despite being a B-movie horror flick, it convincingly deals with the historical weight of slavery in the Western hemisphere -- a horror story if there ever was one. I Walked With a Zombie, ludicrous title and all, is up there with the best B-movies ever made. I'm talking Out of the Past, perhaps the definitive film noir, and the Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher western Ride Lonesome, which boasts one of the finest, most cathartic closing shots of any film ever. ...Zombie's closing shot rivals it, but in a way that is steeped with despair rather than triumph. ← Up there with Out of the Past and Ride Lonesome? Woah. Where has this film been all my life. Sounds like I should get this damn box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 So far we've watched three of the nine--CAT PEOPLE, I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, and THE BODY SNATCHER. Surprisingly, CAT PEOPLE has been my least favorite so far; well-photographed, with some good, suspenseful scenes (particularly the shot with the protagonist stalking her romantic rival and the sound of her heels suddenly disappears), but the story wasn't as compelling as I'd expected; or perhaps it was simply that I found it hard to feel sympathetic to any of the characters. Karloff is great in THE BODY SNATCHER, which has a truly horrifying ending. I can't wait to re-watch some of these with the commentaries turned on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 Robert Bresson's "Pickpocket" is being released next week on Criterion. Bresson is a master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Came out last Tuesday! Have the laserdisc, and it has great sound (Stereo, real, not fake stereo) and picture. Since this part of Fox's studio classics, I am sure it is better than ever, and will have many extras...which aren't mentioned on amazon. Also, Jackie Gleason plays the bassist, and the Nicholas Brothers are on hand as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 I too need to chime in and say how glad I am about the Harold Lloyd box set! Keaton is still my favorite silent comedian, but Harold is a close second. (Nothing against Chaplin at all, just the people I like to watch most..he's a close 3rd ) Years ago, when AMC was a movie channel, they ran a bunch of Lloyd films...missed most of them, but I remember so clearly a film where he is on he back of a fire engine going at speed down the road furiously grabbing the unreeling fire hose, to keep from hitting the pavement! (Anyone know the movie?) Like many, I have seen the famous clip from Safety Last, and saw the whole film many, many years ago. Still will make your palms sweat! TCM, in conjunction with his daughter, has run quite a few of his films the last coulple of years. They were already looking beautiful, with really nice listenable scores(Many a silent film has been turned off because of some lame ass score, bet I am not the only one here!) The Freshman, Speedy , Why Worry? his first talkie Welcome Danger are all excellent, but my favorite one so far(He made many more features than Keaton or Chaplin) is For Heaven's Sake Just inspired, smart, amazing, all the way through! At times, his characters have a somewhat meaner disposition than the other 2, and this makes his films hold up better for today's audiences, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 I saw a bunch of Lloyd's silent films at the Stanford years ago (thank God for that theater) and it made me a fan. I think if you read a lot about the silent comedy era, you get the impression that Harold Lloyd is a poor third to Keaton and Chaplin, but actually seeing good prints of his film may well change your mind. Like you, berigan, Keaton is still, and probably always will be, my favorite silent comedian, but Lloyd at his best is right up there. I just hope this new box has decent musical accompaniment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Berigan, the fire engine film is Speedy (I'm 90% sure). These films have been out of circulation a long time (even off TV), which is definitely one reason many people haven't heard of Harold Lloyd. The only thing I am a bit worried about is the webpage says that the films have all been reorchestrated. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much, but it would be a nice touch if the original music is on one channel and the new music is on another. It won't stop me from buying this eventually in either case. I'd say of these three figures (Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd) my favorite is Chaplin, at least in part because the arc of his work is so interesting. In my opinion, he's the only one to really have coped successfully with the "soundies" and he made some fairly dark comedies in his later years (M. Verdoux in particular). Limelight is definitely worth checking out as a document on the status of the old, forgotten actor who rises to the occasion one last time. Sure this has become a total cliche in films, but I believe it started with this film, which even has a part for Keaton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 I think City Lights and Modern Times are perhaps the only films to successfully meld the silent comedy aesthetic with sound. Chaplin stumbled with The Great Dictator however. He certainly had enormously more control over his career than Keaton, and it's fascinating to follow Chaplin through the early one-realers on up through The Gold Rush then the talkies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Berigan, the fire engine film is Speedy (I'm 90% sure). These films have been out of circulation a long time (even off TV), which is definitely one reason many people haven't heard of Harold Lloyd. The only thing I am a bit worried about is the webpage says that the films have all been reorchestrated. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much, but it would be a nice touch if the original music is on one channel and the new music is on another. It won't stop me from buying this eventually in either case. ← I'm pretty sure it is is Speedy too. What do you mean by the original music? Was music written especially for these and if it was are there extant scores? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 (edited) I'm pretty sure it is is Speedy too. What do you mean by the original music? Was music written especially for these and if it was are there extant scores? ← Good question. I meant the music extant on the previous release -- whatever played in the background when the movies were on TV in the 1980s/early 1990s and before. They certainly weren't completely silent. There probably is not a printed score in that sense (for the originals). I should add that the music being played on the TCM re-releases of the Lloyd films is almost certainly what is on these DVDs, so it's good to know that it is pretty decent, according to Berigan. I am just wondering what happened to the music from the much earlier release. Edited November 6, 2005 by ejp626 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 What would appear to be a good deal on the Lloyd 7 DVD box set: $59.22 + $1.00 shipping from Family Video. Anyone ever order from this outfit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 ← Good one! I love Chaplin. Bought Modern Times a couple months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 Good one! I love Chaplin. Bought Modern Times a couple months ago. ← I've been slowly working chronologically through all his films. (Many of the Keystones were painful to watch!) The Circus is going to arrive from Netflix today, and then it's onto City Lights & Modern Times). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 Good one! I love Chaplin. Bought Modern Times a couple months ago. ← I've been slowly working chronologically through all his films. (Many of the Keystones were painful to watch!) The Circus is going to arrive from Netflix today, and then it's onto City Lights & Modern Times). ← I found The Circus painful. Not one of his best moments for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 City Lights to me is his all time masterpiece, followed by Modern Times. City Lights is not only one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, but it contains one of the most memorable and touching love stories I've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 City Lights to me is his all time masterpiece, followed by Modern Times. City Lights is not only one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, but it contains one of the most memorable and touching love stories I've ever seen. ← Check out one of his shorts, "The Cure". (It's on vol 1 of the Mutuals DVD set.) Hysterical. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 I'm pretty sure it is is Speedy too. What do you mean by the original music? Was music written especially for these and if it was are there extant scores? ← Good question. I meant the music extant on the previous release -- whatever played in the background when the movies were on TV in the 1980s/early 1990s and before. They certainly weren't completely silent. There probably is not a printed score in that sense (for the originals). I should add that the music being played on the TCM re-releases of the Lloyd films is almost certainly what is on these DVDs, so it's good to know that it is pretty decent, according to Berigan. I am just wondering what happened to the music from the much earlier release. ← Here is the info on Robert Israel, who did 20 new scores for the Lloyd films...don't know what happened to the originals! http://www.flickeralley.com/fa_partners_03.html So, sounds like Speedy was the one with the fire engine scene! thanks! I must have only caught part of the movie then! Grandma's Boy to be on TCM on the 20th. Seems Chaplin was a fan of this film. http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/ThisMon...7C24008,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 City Lights to me is his all time masterpiece, followed by Modern Times. City Lights is not only one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, but it contains one of the most memorable and touching love stories I've ever seen. ← I would have to say my favorite as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 ← Missed the image before....a hell of a movie, ain't it? When Mitchum was really inspired(as he was in the original Cape Fear and Sundowners as well) he was as good an actor as you will ever see. What really amazes me, is that in both Night of the Hunter, and Cape Fear, even though he is evil incarnate, you almost root for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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