Now watching...

[brownie]

Berigan, I must be in a minority but I never cared much for Joan Crawford. Her

grand acting leaves me cold usually. Liked her in Nicholas Ray's 'Johnny Guitar'

where she was outbitched by Mercedes McCambridge! In glorious color!

[BERIGAN]

Berigan, I must be in a minority but I never cared much for Joan Crawford. Her

grand acting leaves me cold usually. Liked her in Nicholas Ray's 'Johnny Guitar'

where she was outbitched by Mercedes McCambridge! In glorious color!

I agree with you for the most part, a Woman's Face and Above Suspicion are worth watching though...Johnny Guitar has always sounded very interesting(Women playing the typical male roles and all) but she looks too weird!

Her looks changed drastically, if you see her in the early thirties, she looked like a different woman! Ok, from a 1929 film, but still...

[brownie]

Different indeed. Even her name was different then. Wasn't she still going under her French sounding name Lucille LaSueur (The Sweat in our language) when this was taken?

[ghost of miles]

Last week my wife & I watched THE WOMEN (1939).  Interesting comedy with an all-female cast, centered around the reactions of several women who find out their husbands are cheating on them.  It's black and white, but during a fashion-show sequence it suddenly bursts into glorious Technicolor... for no apparent aesthetic reason that I could figure out, other than showing off.  The ideology of it was kind of crazy, too--really progressive on occasion, really essentialist most of the time.

All the leading ladies in the film (Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and others)

were afraid of the 'glorious' Technicolor process that MGM was trying to push.

The Technicolor system was still in its infancy at the time.

The ladies who felt safer with the way they were photographed in black and

white won.

The MGM executives just threw in that Technicolor fashion show to promote

their new system.

Interesting talk about the Women and Technicolor....The Women (Recently on DVD with an alternate fashion show sequence, I haven't seen it, just read about it) Can't make up it's mind, early feminist tale, or women are animals, bitches, as Joan Crawford alludes to....but still a lot of fun!

Speaking of Joan, she is in the "classic" The Ice Follies of 1939, which has a big Technicolor scene as well....Never really thought about it before, but MGM seemed a bit late on the bandwagon of Color...I think The Wizard of Oz was their first full length Technicolor film.....other studios had full length films earlier(WB with Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938, the beautiful The Garden of Allah from 1936-which seems to be out of print already? )It was very expensive to shoot a film in Color...an interesting site I found on the web with lots o info on color and film in general....

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/oldcolor/t...echnicolor1.htm

Berigan, we've got the DVD, but we haven't watched the alternate black-and-white sequence yet. I'll have to check out that film-site--sounds interesting. As for Joan Crawford, I couldn't believe that the never-seen husband was cheating on Norma Shearer with her. Even putting aside the supremely-important issue of fidelity, I thought that Norma Shearer was much more attractive.

The Crawford flick that I want to check out, though, is MILDRED PIERCE. I read James Cain's novel not too long ago, and I can definitely imagine her in that role.

[catesta]

I been watching the Sopranos on DVD obsessively for the past week or so. I'm done with the first season and halfway through the second.

How 'bout that Paulie Walnuts?

Welcome aboard.

Paulie is the shit!

Have you watched the episode yet, when he and Sylvio are beating the motel dude on the head with the bell?

[Johnny E]

I been watching the Sopranos on DVD obsessively for the past week or so.  I'm done with the first season and halfway through the second.

How 'bout that Paulie Walnuts?

Welcome aboard.

Paulie is the shit!

Have you watched the episode yet, when he and Sylvio are beating the motel dude on the head with the bell?

Yeah. That was funny. That was the jewish guy who was trying to get part of his father in-law's hotel in order to let his daughter out of the marriage.

These guys are ruthless killers but you can't help root for them. It's like Clockwork Orange in that way. Makes me feel guilty...in a good way

[ghost of miles]

I've been having a craving to go back and watch some of the classic Universal horror flicks that I always used to see on our local late-Friday-night fright flicks feature (hosted by a character named "Sammy Terry"--get it, yuk yuk). Picked up a copy of the OOP DVD of THE MUMMY (1932, with Boris Karloff) and watched it last night, and it really held up. Great atmosphere, and Karloff's performance really carries the picture. Our library here has most of the cheesier followups on VHS, and I'll probably give some of those a viewing (THE MUMMY'S HAND, THE MUMMY'S TOMB, etc.; but if you come across the DVD of the original for a reasonable price, I highly recommend picking it up. There's a good documentary (albeit with a corny title, "Mummy Dearest") and some of the usual DVD extras:

[Simon Weil]

I've been on a minor Russian kick, watching Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev a few nights ago and then Battleship Potemkin, the day after. I'd never seen either (although I am a big Tarkovsky fan) and found both suitably amazing. The Odessa steps scene in Potemkin, which is legendary, is justly legendary, I can report.

Last night, I watched Tin Cup (couldn't take any more serious)...

Simon Weil

[BruceH]

Been watching the new DVD of Mr. Show (third season). "The time is now, we have the technology, science can wait no longer, children are our future, we can, should, will, and MUST blow up the moon!"

[Free For All]

The Odessa steps scene in Potemkin, which is legendary, is justly legendary, I can report.

I always thought that the shoot-out scene on the steps in the "Untouchables" was a direct rip-off of the Odessa steps scene from Potemkin, mostly because of the presence of the baby carriage. I remember studying Potemkin in an Intro to Film course in college (a long time ago) and it always stuck w/me as a great film. What some of these early film makers did w/o the technology we have now (like story telling) is really amazing.

[Simon Weil]

The Odessa steps scene in Potemkin, which is legendary, is justly legendary, I can report.

I always thought that the shoot-out scene on the steps in the "Untouchables" was a direct rip-off of the Odessa steps scene from Potemkin, mostly because of the presence of the baby carriage. I remember studying Potemkin in an Intro to Film course in college (a long time ago) and it always stuck w/me as a great film. What some of these early film makers did w/o the technology we have now (like story telling) is really amazing.

I'll have to check the Untouchables again; my memory is a bit hazy. Also in my hazy memory are vague recollections of babycarriages in other films - because it is such an archetypal image of innocence. I mean counterpoising that with the relentless advance of the rifle-men ruthlessly shooting everyone down is a great coup, in terms of powerful contrasts. I think that might be a source of the great power of the scene, the abrupt contrasts, coupled with the lightning-fast editing, the move from peace to the chaos rushing down the steps....

Also I think the vigour of the scene comes partly from Eisenstein's ideological position. I suppose he was a true believer in the Revolution (at the time) and wanted to evoke that in scenes of comparable power. I think it does make a difference that, having something to believe in. It doesn't have to be Revolution, just some individual credo that is properly thought out. I think a lot of film-makers today don't have that. Basically just making films from a desire to make big bucks.

And also I don't think this is a time of great belief.

Simon Weil

[Jazzmoose]

The wife and I caught Open Range last weekend. It's not bad, but I can't really recommend it. It's a decent grade B western; nothing more. Hey, at least she didn't drag me off to see the next "Waterworld" or whatever.

My choice next; I think it's going to be American Splendor...

[Jazzdog]

I recently picked up Glengarry GlenRoss. I watched the first 20 minutes of it or so the other night and there is as much dialouge in that space of time as some movies have in thier entirety. It got me kind of missing Jack Lemmon as his scenes with Kevin Spacey are pure movie magic!! It also got me thinking of all the good work Ed Harris has done over the years. Can anyone recomend his film Pollock?

Anyways, I can't say enough good things about this film...and I haven't even gotten to the REAL good stuff yet.

[Free For All]

I recently picked up Glengarry GlenRoss. I watched the first 20 minutes of it or so the other night and there is as much dialouge in that space of time as some movies have in thier entirety. It got me kind of missing Jack Lemmon as his scenes with Kevin Spacey are pure movie magic!! It also got me thinking of all the good work  Ed Harris has done over the years. Can anyone recomend his film Pollock?

Anyways, I can't say enough good things about this film...and I haven't even gotten to the REAL good stuff yet.

Great film. Also great music- wasn't it James Newton Howard or something like that? The opening theme is so "noir"- Wayne Shorter and some great visuals. Also the closing version of Blue Skies w/Al Jarreau and Bob Sheppard. I had to buy that soundtrack, probably will also get the DVD eventually.

[Robert J]

It also got me thinking of all the good work  Ed Harris has done over the years. Can anyone recomend his film Pollock?good stuff yet.

I just took out the Pollock film from my library. It was entertaining, well acted and decently shot. Unfortunately it was the narrative that Harris could not hold together tightly.

We never know why he was so troubled, though it points to his family. There are no flashbacks, just adulthood.

You can tell Harris is cherishing every minute in this "labour of love". I think he was working 10 years on it - all because Harris' dad remarked once that his son looked like the painter.

Edited September 19, 2003 by Robert J

[Adam]

I recently picked up Glengarry GlenRoss. I watched the first 20 minutes of it or so the other night and there is as much dialouge in that space of time as some movies have in thier entirety. It got me kind of missing Jack Lemmon as his scenes with Kevin Spacey are pure movie magic!! It also got me thinking of all the good work Ed Harris has done over the years. Can anyone recomend his film Pollock?

Anyways, I can't say enough good things about this film...and I haven't even gotten to the REAL good stuff yet.

There's a place in the extras you can go to see a bunch of people delivering Alex Baldwin's big speech in various languages. It's quite amusing. It might be a hidden thing; I forget now.

[Adam]

The Odessa steps scene in Potemkin, which is legendary, is justly legendary, I can report.

I always thought that the shoot-out scene on the steps in the "Untouchables" was a direct rip-off of the Odessa steps scene from Potemkin, mostly because of the presence of the baby carriage. I remember studying Potemkin in an Intro to Film course in college (a long time ago) and it always stuck w/me as a great film. What some of these early film makers did w/o the technology we have now (like story telling) is really amazing.

I'll have to check the Untouchables again; my memory is a bit hazy. Also in my hazy memory are vague recollections of babycarriages in other films - because it is such an archetypal image of innocence. I mean counterpoising that with the relentless advance of the rifle-men ruthlessly shooting everyone down is a great coup, in terms of powerful contrasts. I think that might be a source of the great power of the scene, the abrupt contrasts, coupled with the lightning-fast editing, the move from peace to the chaos rushing down the steps....

Also I think the vigour of the scene comes partly from Eisenstein's ideological position. I suppose he was a true believer in the Revolution (at the time) and wanted to evoke that in scenes of comparable power. I think it does make a difference that, having something to believe in. It doesn't have to be Revolution, just some individual credo that is properly thought out. I think a lot of film-makers today don't have that. Basically just making films from a desire to make big bucks.

And also I don't think this is a time of great belief.

Simon Weil

And now try to find Chris Marker's "The Last Bolshevik" (uh, oh, it might be "Grin Without a Cat") in which, among other things, he does a brief analysis of that scene, showing how it is false, etc. His interest is how media constructions of the Russian revolution become our memory & knowledge of events, even if they are false.

[Simon Weil]

....

Also I think the vigour of the scene comes partly from Eisenstein's ideological position. I suppose he was a true believer in the Revolution (at the time) and wanted to evoke that in scenes of comparable power. I think it does make a difference that, having something to believe in. It doesn't have to be Revolution, just some individual credo that is properly thought out. I think a lot of film-makers today don't have that. Basically just making films from a desire to make big bucks.

And also I don't think this is a time of great belief.

Simon Weil

And now try to find Chris Marker's "The Last Bolshevik" (uh, oh, it might be "Grin Without a Cat") in which, among other things, he does a brief analysis of that scene, showing how it is false, etc. His interest is how media constructions of the Russian revolution become our memory & knowledge of events, even if they are false.

It's bound to be false. No revolution occurs in those wonderful, heroic, black and white terms. It's the archetype of revolution as seen by Eisenstein. I ain't got any view about what the Russian revolution was like except it wasn't very nice (understating violently). It's the filmic construction we're talking about here.

Eisenstein presented it the way he did because he believed in the validity of the Revolution, in which he took part. We don't have to, just as we don't have to believe in the validity of Christianity to enjoy the Sistine Chapel.

And there are a million other examples including some from Jazz.

Simon Weil

[Brandon Burke]

This week: Goddard's Breathless, Spirited Away, I am Kurious Yellow/Blue, The Larry Sanders Show (Season One), Sports Night (Complete Series). Laugh all you want about that last one but there's something very endearing about that show and I don't know what it is. Either way, I like it.

[ghost of miles]

THE STRANGER (1946) with Orson Welles. Not based on Camus' novel--rather, a story about a Nazi Holocaust mastermind hiding in a New England town. A strained plausibility at times, but great noir nonetheless. With Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young; picked it up for about $6 at Borders as part of the www.oldies.com series, which reprints a lot of B-movies from the 1930s-60s for cheap.

[RainyDay]

I watched the movie "28 Days Later" last night and managed to miss the last three minutes of the movie. It was okay but a bit too gruesome for my taste. Anybody know how it ended?

I also watched the beginning of the "Fabulous Baker Boys," which is a favorite. I love the music (but not Michelle Pfeiffer's singing). I bought the soundtrack which has some good stuff on it.

[BruceH]

This week: Goddard's Breathless, Spirited Away, I am Kurious Yellow/Blue, The Larry Sanders Show (Season One), Sports Night (Complete Series). Laugh all you want about that last one but there's something very endearing about that show and I don't know what it is. Either way, I like it.

The Larry Sanders Show rules!

What did you think of Spirited Away?

[BERIGAN]

THE STRANGER (1946) with Orson Welles... picked it up for about $6 at Borders as part of the www.oldies.com series, which reprints a lot of B-movies from the 1930s-60s for cheap.

Yeah, see a lot of Oldies.com films everywhere. Interesting titles, but the Pre Basil Rathbone Sherlocks that I grabbed were really poor quality, audio synchronization was way off...how was the quality on this film?

EDIT...strangely enough, Oldies.com is the film side of Collectables, which does not deal with crappy source material, actually pays for rights...but then again, the cds are not 5-6 bucks either!

Edited May 17, 2004 by BERIGAN

[ghost of miles]

Berigan, quality on THE STRANGER was okay, what you'd expect for $7. Another one in that series I want to pick up is SCARLET STREET (1945), another noir title with Edward G. Robinson...

Last night watched NIGHT AT THE OPERA and DRACULA (orig. Lugosi version) from newly-arrived boxsets. Sound on DRACULA wasn't very good, although watching it with the 1999 Phillip Glass score (performed by Kronos Quartet) was actually pretty cool. Sometimes those modern scores imposed on old movies don't work well for me... but in this case, the fit was good.

Tonight it's DRACULA (Spanish version) and maybe a Wolfman flick.

[Shawn]

Well I stopped at Suncoast yesterday on the way home from work and picked up a few things. Was very excited to see that Warner Bros. has finally gotten around to relasing some more of the Hammer Films titles they have rights to. Picked up Dracula Has Risen From The Grave and Taste The Blood Of Dracula (both with Christopher Lee). I've seen these movies a hundred times since I was a kid but never widescreen prints so I'm pretty excited about checking them out. That's on the schedule for tonight. Plus I bought the DVD of The Final Countdown (remember, Kirk Douglas movie about a aircraft carrier that goes through a time warp and ends up in WWII).

Also planning on checking out Ghosts Of The Abyss on PPV, I've always been a Titanic buff since I was a kid so this is going to be right up my alley.