by Sam Juliano
The heat and humidity continues to linger as we move towards the middle of September and the start of the autumn season. The New York Film Festival is around the corner, as is the opening of the Metropolitan Opera Season. The NFL schedule has commenced, and just weeks remain in the Major League Baseball schedule. Movie fans are gearing up for what is traditionally the finest part of the year, and here at Wonders in the Dark the comedy countdown continues along with one-fourth of the reviews already posted. Like last year’s musical countdown, the page views and comments have registered impressively, and practically every submission has been top-drawer.
Dee Dee’s work on the John Garfield petition continues to attract comments from all over the world, and one needs only to click on the sidebar link under the iconic actor’s picture to take you to the report page that has featured regular updates. Dee Dee, Barbara LaMotta and Lori Moore have worked miracles over the last several months, and I’m confident they will be rewarded with an announcement.
With school starting, it has been a hectic time for my entire family (the kids beginning their high school and grammar school schedules, Lucille planning for her first principal meetings with her teachers, and Yours Truly commencing with a new literature program for middle schoolers) and I’ve had to put a bit of a halt on the French Old Wave Festival, attending only two films there since the Tuesday Morning Diary of September 4. The decision was easier still when I realized that I had already seen all but one of the films I decided to take a pass on, several even on the big screen in past festivals. This freed me up to spend time and home and to aggressively tackle the television shows I had started a few weeks back.
Lucille and I watched:
Compliance **** (Saturday) Landmark Cinemas
La Bete Humaine **** 1/2 (Saturday) French Old Wave at Film Forum
Carnival in Flanders **** (Friday) French Old Wave at Film Forum
The two Old Wave titles I watched brought the total to 16 that we managed at the Film Forum, though as mentioned most of the films on the schedule have been previously seen. COMPLIANCE is a kind of docudrama about a phone scam by a thrill seeker that at time really hits the mark and shows just how clueless some lower-rung job-holders are; LA BETE HUMAINE is a 1930′s Renoir classic, and Jacques Feyder’s period piece CARNIVAL IN FLANDERS is as ever a delightful work.
Where I really made head-way this past week was at my basement plasma, where I completed Season 2 of The Wire, taking in the last six episodes, and then attacking Breaking Bad with abandon, watching against all odds, the complete second and third seasons, totaling 26 episodes. Combined that’s 32 episodes for the two shows, meaning about 28 hours of television over six days. Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad is one of the most engrossing shows I have ever seen, and I am amazed that I will soon be starting Season 4. (I actually just finished the first episode of Season 4, and it was a knock-out. The show is starting to have The Godfather’s epic scope and moral complexity. I’ll have more to say at a later time about both series. I plan to start The Wire Season 3 soon as well.
As to the links, I re-printed last week’s scroll exactly as it was an changed some of the links closest to the top, and a few others below. But many bloggers didn’t update anyway, and as I say this was a particularly hectic week:
John Greco has penned a wonderfully engaging review of Roy Ward Baker’s “Don’t Bother to Knock” at Twenty Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/dont-bother-to-knock-1952-roy-ward-baker
Samuel Wilson has penned a marvelous piece in his ‘Pre-Code Parade’ series on “The Match King” with Warren William at Mondo 70: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2012/09/pre-code-parade-warren-william-in-match.html
Jon Warner takes a penetrating look at Robert Bresson’s “L’Argent” at Films Worth Watching in an essential essay: http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2012/09/largent-1983-directed-by-robert-bresson.html
Judy Geater has penned a superlative review of the 1935 Hollywood version of “David Copperfield” at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/david-copperfield-george-cukor-1935/
Th ever-effervescent Laurie Buchanan’s latest post at Speaking From the Heart takes a look at a longer sheltered sideline. The post is aptyly titles “To Sling or Not to Sling”: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/to-sling-or-not-to-sling/
At FilmsNoir.net Tony d’Ambra makes a terrific case for James Wong Howe’s shadowy cinematography as a vital component in the classic Dashiel Hammet sourced screwball noir comedy “The Thin Man”: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-thin-man-1934-james-wong-howes-noir-counterpoint.html
At Ferdy-on-Films Roderick Heath has written a collosal, brilliant essay on Georges Franju’s Judex”: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2012/judex-1963/15739/
R.D. Finch has once again offered moviegoers a top-drawer review at The Movie Projector with an excellent essay on Frank Capra’s “Lady For A Day”: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2012/08/lady-for-day-1933.html
Shubhajit Lahiri has posted a terrific review on Chris Marker’s “La Jetee” at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2012/09/la-jetee-1962.html
Stephen Russell-Gebbet has posted quite an original take on “The Dark Knight Rises” at Checking on my Sausages: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-dark-knight-rises.html
David Schleicher has penned a spirited review of John Hillcoat’s “Lawless” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/09/02/bootlegging-brothers-and-chastain-in-lawless/
At Scribbles and Ramblings Sachin Gandhi features a terrific report on the showing of Indian cinema in the Sight and Sound poll: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2012/08/indian-films-in-sight-sound.html
At The Seventh Art our friend Just Another Film Buff (Srikanth) has penned aterrific capsule review of “All Tha Jazz”: http://theseventhart.info/2012/09/09/ellipsis-64/
David Lawrence, thjat erudite and personable educator from the U.K. features a poster of a Hammer classic at his new site Musings and Meanderings: http://1mouth2ears.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/movie-posters-1-dracula-has-risen-from-the-grave-1968/
At Exodus 8:2 Jaimie Grijalba continues with his “100 Days of Terror” with a terrific review of 2001′s “Jason X’: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2012/09/100-dias-de-terror-n-42-jason-x-2001.html
At the Creativepotager’s blogsite “The Artist Studio Floor Show” again brings the beauty of Terrill Welch’s paintings in glorious focus: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/3890/
At Darkness Into Light Dee Dee is featuring the work of the esteemed writer Andrew Katsis, who takes a penetrating look at the 1940 Hawks screwball classic “This Girl Friday”: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-word-according-to-my-writer-andrew.html#.UB8tyU2PXW4
In Tokyo, the exceedingly talented ‘Murderous Ink’ turns his scrutinizing focus on a Miziguchi classic “The Lady of Musashino” at Vermillion and One Nights: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2012/08/musashino-landscape-that-never-was-part.html
Brandie Ashe happily announces a “Singin in the Rain” giveaway at True Classics: http://trueclassics.net/2012/08/10/singin-again-plus-a-giveaway/
Joel Bocko has a lovely presentation up at The Dancing Image entitled ‘Art on the March…a visual mixtape”: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2012/07/arton-march-visual-mixtape.html
Craig Kennedy features the actress Jane Wyatt in his ‘birthday series’ at Living in Cinema in her beloved role as Spock’s mother Amanda in “The Long Voyage Home”: http://livingincinema.com/2012/08/12/star-trek-iv-the-voyage-home-1986-jane-wyatts-100th-birthday/
Food for thought on the nature of friendship by Mark Twain leads up at the always creative Coffee Messiah’s blog: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2012/08/click-to-enlarge-keep-away-from-those.html
Ed Howard has penned a fantastic piece on Ernst Lubitsch’s ‘Die Pup’ at Only The Cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/09/die-puppe.html
Terrill Welch talks about the significance of blog writing and reading at the Creativepotager’s blog, where she again features another magnificent painting she completed: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/does-anyone-read-blogs-and-does-it-matter-that-you-write/
Sachin Gandhi offers up a terrific review of James Sallis’s “Driven” (the sequel to “Drive”) at Scribbles and Ramblings: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2012/08/driven.html
Roderick Heath has posted a terrific new review on “Chronicle” at This Island Rod: http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2012/07/chronicle-2012.html
At Patricia’s Wisdom, a visit to the doctor’s office could result in some astute observations in a post titles “Fever Pitch”: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2012/09/fevered-pitch/
J. D. LaFrance offers an expanded version of his superlative comedy countdown “Slap Shot” review at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2012/08/slap-shot.html
The esteemed Film Doctor takes a scholarly look at the new “Total Recall” movie: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-fall-enslaves-us-all-film-doctors.html
Adam Zanzie has posted a terrific “alternative Sight and Sound list at Icebox Movies: http://www.iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-alternative-sight-sound-list.html
Jason Marshall has continued his superb coverage of 1942 at Movies Over Matter with a wonderful post on his Best Actor choice for that year: Chishu Ryu: http://moviesovermatter.com/2012/08/09/chishu-ryu-in-there-was-a-father-best-actor-of-1942/
Peter Lenihan has posted an arresting screen cap display of Murnau’s “Phantom” at The Long Voyage Home: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/
At Doodad Kind of Town Pat Perry’s splendid contribution to the For the Love of Film Preservation blogothon is on Hitch’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”:http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2012/05/hitch-does-rom-com-for-love-of-film.html
At The Blue Vial Drew McIntosh leads up with “off the Wall” which brings “Silver Load” and the great John Alton into focus: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2012/06/off-wall.html
At The Last Lullaby, the ever delightful filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman takes a look at part sixteen of his long running quartet series: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2012/04/favorite-four-part-sixteen.html
Stephen Russell-Gebbett at Checking on my Sausages again offers up a brillinatly-creative feature on ‘Sport as the Perfect Fiction”: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/08/sport-is-perfect-fiction.html
Tony Dayoub takes a look at the summer’s Barnes and Noble 50% off sale for Criterion collectots at Cinema Viewfinder: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2012/07/criterion-summer.html
Greg Ferrara at Cinema Styles talks about the Colorado shootings in a moving feature: http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-dark-knight-shooting-in-colorado.html
Jeopardy Girl talks about her “least favorite film” at her wonderful new series at “Th Continuing Saga of Jeopardy Girl”: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/2-my-least-favourite-film/
Hokahey takes a fascinating look at both “Total Recall” films at Little Worlds: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-two-worlds-of-total-recall_5.html
Dave Van Poppel has a tremendous batch of short reviews up at Visions of Non Fiction on the Toronto Film Festival: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com
Quick rundown –
In theaters I saw Samsara – beautiful on digital projection, hypnotic when it’s not political, otherwise annoyingly political – ***1/2
On DVD/Netflix I watched -
Friends With Kids – **1/2 (what the hell? started out sophisticated, devolved into trash)
Through a Glass Darkly – **** (classic Bergman)
For my pre-Master PTA retrospective, I re-watched
There Will Be Blood – ***** (gets better each time)
Punch Drunk Love – *** (gets worse each time, three stars is being generous and, god, I really hated the lighting in this amongst other things)
Thanks for the heads-up on SASARA David! I’m in no rush. FRIENDS WITH KIDS was mediocre at best, yes, but THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY gets a fiver from me. Love those Andersons crossing in the night going in different directions! The former is better of course. As always, much appreciated my friend!
I just wanna say it’s weird to finally catch up with you, Sam Juliano. I see your comments on movie blogs for years. Goodfellas blog(whatever happen to that guy!?), House Next Door, Scanners, etc. Should’ve figured you had a blog of your own!
Thanks so much for stopping by Jeremy! I have seen your name around and well, and have been enriched by your comments. Dave isn’t active at his blog, but he stops around here regularly. I shre this blog with several others. Thanks again!
Whew! Even with all that’s going on with school, winding down from the trip to Chicago and getting the kids prepped for classes, it’s amazing that you still have the kind of energy to fit in movies in the city and a 24+ hr marathon of THE WIRE and BREAKING BAD.
Myself? I’ve been dilligently ripping through the first and second seasons (repeat viewing of the first) of the Scorsese produced HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE (that I got on Blu-Ray for a song from AMAZON).
Still, even though my attitude about the show has raised in favor a bit since that deadly first run I gave it when the first season originally aired, I have many reservations about it in total. Sure, the show is dazzling eye candy with it’s lush cinematography, dead-on period recreation, costume design and art/set direction. I think the writing is very good and the performances, save one, seem to be on the money (Micheal Pitt as young Jimmy Darmondy and Oscar nominee Micheal Shannon being the stand-outs). However, as hard as I try, I just cannot seem to warm up to a show that is so coldly plotted and devoid of any real human evocation. The show is brilliantly plotted, excells in character development, but the whole thing is rendered hollow as there seems not to be a single character in the film/show that you can identify with or, gulp, feel for.
To top it all off, the lead character, Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, one of the most calculating a despicable “gangsters” on the show, is given a lackluster treatment from the usually terrific Steve Buscemi. He walks through the show looking tired and polishes off his lines as if he were reading them from cue-cards. Add to this that Thomspon is supposed be a very imposing character when his temper or aggrevation gets the best of him or a scene, and the slight framed, rather pathetically ugly, Buscemi loses the character for lack of believability instead of delivering his usual “Unbelievable” performance.
I mean, I like BOARDWALK EMPIRE. I just don’t love it.
Glad to see you getting so excited over THE WIRE and becoming a new TOTAL FAN of BREAKING BAD. Your praise for BREAKING BAD (exuded through hours of email conversations with me, Allan and Maurizio) only makes me feel vindicated in my quest to turn as many people on to what I think is one of the two or three best english speaking television shows of the past three decades.
I told you.
Once you start watching, you NEVER want to stop.
All Hail The King!
Long live HEISENBERG!
Good to hear you are working your way through BOARDWALK EMPIRE Dennis. I’ve watched some of the first season, and will at some point commence with it. I getthe ‘like’ but don’t ‘love’ sentiments. I plan to watch a few more BB episodes tonight in fact. Don’t know if I can really rally behind Heisenberg’s metamorphosis at this point! Ha! Have a great week!
Sam,
Thank you for the mention.
It is intersting to read your reactions to these TV series you mentioned here. I have only seen a few episodes of BREAKING BAD, but the series seem to be one of the kind, particularly with the superb performance by Bryan Cranston. Being an engineer, I find some of the stuff amusing, sometimes hilarious. But BREAKING BAD is well-conceived and throughly researched and such dents are minor. Some other shows with high-tech wizardry are definitely breaking many laws of physics, chemistry and just common sense. I am planning to see it when it becomes available here.
I saw another generic Hollywood multiplex feature this week, SAFE HOUSE. It wasn’t as bad as I expected (again, you see, I have such a low expectation for multiplex movies). Well, the plot is generic, actions and dialogues are standard fare, but at least it has Denzel Washington.
I put up another post at my site. I hope you will love it. Here’s a trivia for you. Miyazaki’s MY NEIGHBOR, TOTORO was coupled with THE GRAVES OF FIREFLIES to create a double bill during the initial release back in 1988. Yeah, these two films of all the animations in Japan. TOTORO was considered as a movie for pre-schoolers, hence that aweful song. I used to live near the kindergarden/elementary school, and once in a while, they blasted this devilish song on seven in the Sunday morning. It’s their Sunday party or picnic or whatever, and these pre-schoolers cheerfully sang that tune.
Over and over.
It’s a living hell.
So take care,
MI
Both those anime features are Ghibli films, which explains the double feature, which by the way nearly ruined the studio, because what child in their right mind would want to see “Grave of the Fireflies”? It was thanks to the sale of “Totoro” toys that Ghibli survived.
Bob, you are absolutely right, TOTORO not only saved Ghibli, but it made the studio big. The guy who happened to go to see this double bill once told me that mothers who took their kids to the theater choked up at the end of THE GRAVES, then suddenly their kids cheerfully started to sing that TOTORO theme song. He said it was as surrealistic as a Buñuel film.
Though marketing it alongside “Totoro” is all kinds of stupid, I admire the fact that Ghibli was willing to make a serious, sobering picture like “Fireflies”, and miss that side of them for the past twenty years or so. Takahata’s second picture, “Only Yesterday”, is a great straight drama, and “Whisper of the Heart” a wonderfully downplayed film, but they’ve been pure fantasy since then, for the most part (there’s “Ocean Waves”, but it’s a minor effort). The next Ghibli feature, “From Up on Poppy Hill” signals a return to that kind of realism, and Miyazaki’s next proposed film as director, a biography of the Japanese air-plane engineer who designed the infamous Zero fighter, sounds even more promising yet.
Good for those kids, singing after the bleakness of “Fireflies”.
MI—
As an engineer, I can well imagine you finding much of the technical side of BREAKING BAD quite amusing. Even somewhat contrived. But as you point out it’s a show that hits almost all the right notes. Cranston is extraordinary and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman is terrific as well. Agreed on SAFE HOUSE. Yes Washington is the one selling point for sure there. I am happy to hear you have a new piec up and I will soon be investigating a VERMILION. Great tosee Bob responded to your query!!! Nice. Thanks as aways my friend!
Sam –
The back-to-school adrenaline is clearly humming at the Juliano household — it sounds like a veritable hive of activity!
The academic year is when HolEssence traditionally sees an increase in student-aged clients as the “not working to his/her potential” notes slowly start making their way home to parents.
Your basement plasma definitely got an extensive workout this past week – Whew!
This week we watched “Umberto D.” – Extraordinary, while quite possibly vying for The Most Heartbreaking movie I’ve ever seen. I think I singlehandedly went through a box of tissue. Ohhhhh, and his dog Flike…
Aye Laurie! It’s buzzing for all of us! Yep,once those parental notes start, it’s time to ignite the fires! Our school this year has some huge classes of 32. That always challenges the teacher. Yes the plasma was working overtime, and there’s still more to watch! I am thrilled tohear you and Len watched De Sica’s UMBERTO D, which is one of the most moving of all films. And no wonder you went through a box of tissues. Flike at the end was heartbreaking indeed. Have a great week my friend!
Good morning, Sam!
Wow, even when you have a busy week, you manage to see a lot – my hat is off to you!
COMPLIANCE is intriguing to me (and, of course, not playing any of the suburban theaters right now.) I’m hoping to catch it at some point.
I got to see King Vidor’s classic THE CROWD on the big screen at the Music Box Theater in Chicago this weekend, with live organ accompaniment. It’s kind of thrilling to be in an old-fashioned space like that, part of an audience responding with appreciative laughter and heartfelt tears much as audiences in 1928 must have repsponded. I had not seen THE CROWD before – it is churlish of me to say that Vidor stacked the emotional deck with a very heavy hand at times? Even so, a wonderful experience overall.
I also started to catch up with the current rom com scene in an effort to get back to business at my site. CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER was a bittersweet and beautifully played film, with a wonderful, delicately calibrated performance by Rashida Jones (who also co-wrote). We’ve seen a gradual resurgence of ambivalence and suggestions of not-so-happy-ever-after in the better romantic films of the last couple of years, even if some of them eventually lose their nerve and revert to standard formula (I’m thinking of GOING THE DISTANCE, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT and LIKE CRAZY). CELESTE AND JESSE… is the most sustained and successful of the lot. This is a topic I’m hoping to address in more detail on my site.
We took advantage of OnDemands “before it’s in theaters” feature to watch the upcomoing satire BUTTER, I’ll have more to say about that one at my place in the future, but let’s just say a lot of talent and promise that doesn’t fully deliver. Finally we wrapped up the weekend by kicking back with WEDDING CRASHERS, a favorite, mindless pleasure for both Marlon and me.
Hope you and the whole WITD group have a great week.
Thanks Pat! This time it was indoor motivation at play, and a DARK SHADOWS-like clamoring to watch the next episode. Two GREAT television shows! COMPLIANCE seems to be platformed.
THE CROWD is one of my all-time favorites, an you saw it in the best possible way with the piano accompaniment! I do think Vidor came by his emotions honestly, but silent era dramatic hysterionics are exaggerated almot be design. So I completely understand your point there. I hope they have THE WIND lined up soon as well. I look forward to your new planned post on CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER and of your determination to rev up DOODAD KIND OF TOWN. Agreed completely on WEDDING CRASHERS, though I haven’t see BUTTER. On another front expect an e mail from me very very soon. Have a great week my friend!
Sam, the television marathon you completed is unbelievable. I guess you provide proof of what it means to get hooked on something and set everything else aside. The only difference this week is that it was done under your own roof and not at the Film Forum. If I may ask, what will the new literature program comprise?
That is indeed the differentiation Peter! Ha! There are certainly advantages to being home, and what with school back in session it will occur more often!
The new literature program with be the teaching of various novels and short stories collections including:
Anne Frank
Bless the Beasts and Children
The Pearl
Where the Red Fern Grows
Hachet
Shane
The Call of the Wild
and others. Teching lit is always more fun than teaching writing.
Have a great week my friend!
Amazing performance, Sam. I still haven’t figured out your formula, so for now I’ll say it is obsession in the best sense. I’ve seen endless testimonials from Dennis on ‘Breaking Bad’ so it’s persuasive that you have followed up in kind. Hope your new schedule is to your linking.
Do you think the Yanks will hang on?
Yes, obsession is an appropriate word Frank! I’m excited by my new position, yes, and Dennis has hit th bulleye this time. It’s 50-50 on the Yanks’ prospects I’d say. Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always.
Hi Sam,
Glad you enjoyed Compliance. I think it’s one of my favourites of the year so far. Very creepy and oddly believable. I read an article after the screening explaining that the film’s events did actually take place, although in separate incidents. I think Anne Dowd was just excellent in her portrayal of the clueless manager. Hope all is well!
Good to hear you saw it’s better qualities Dave, as some others here have voiced some difficulties, sights seen and unseen. Dowd was fantastic yes! The true story aspect was chilling indeed. Thanks as always my friend, and have a great week!
Sam, it just so happens that TCM ran Carnival in Flanders last night, so it’s now on my DVR queue — I’ll let you know what I think. Over the weekend I watched Burmese Harp for the 1956 poll. Thought I might hate it for a while and that the whole singing soldiers thing would get insufferable fast, but once it became clear that we wouldn’t see them fight the whole war that way it improved quickly. I like Fires on the Plain better but Harp definitely has its virtues.
Pressed on with Fejos but The Last Performance confirmed my suspicion that once saddled with an actual plot the director of Lonesome would have problems. His disinterest in said plot is all too obvious, and Fejos appears to have spent his time looking for opportunities to move the camera dramatically. He’s more interested in the behind-the-scenes working of the theater, but since this actually has little to do with the story it adds little to the film. But if Performance is a dud I’m still looking forward to Broadway because the clips I’ve seen suggest that getting a new toy — the big camera boom — energized the director again.
Finally saw Mark Rydell’s Harry and Walter Go to New York, a famous flop of my childhood that I was always sort of interested in seeing. Where’s Warren Beatty when you need him, since this looks like a cross between two films he hadn’t made yet: Ishtar and Reds, — it even has Diane Keaton as a radical journalist. And like Beatty and Hoffman apparently James Caan and Elliot Gould wanted to be Hope and Crosby for a picture. They’re both game, Caan especially, but they never manage to change from actors to clowns, as such a story needs. It’s a bad movie, but its clumsy enthusiasm and a pictorially impressive production help it grow on you regardless.
Speaking of comedy, I glutted myself on TCM’s first wave of Keystone shorts, the studio’s centennial being one of the station’s features this month. Despite some seriously FUBAR DVR scheduling that often cut you off mid-picture, it was instructive if not always entertaining. Funny thing was, the opener was not a Keystone but D. W. Griffith’s The Curtain Pole from 1909 with Sennett starring, and it was actually one of the night’s funniest pictures. Its utter simplicity worked in its favor, and Griffith actually showed some decent comic timing in terms of building up anticipation for a gag. As for Sennett’s own work, I was impressed most by the work of Ford Sterling as the hyper-exaggerated villain of Keystone’s mock melodramas. He really pops as a personality on screen like few if any had before. Those films are also key to establishing Sennett’s approach to police, which emphasizes their futility rather than their threat and takes it to absurd heights with a superabundance of futility. It definitely was a different world a century ago when Sterling could be shown massacring an entire detail of police (in more than one picture) and it’s meant as a gag. Yet Sterling’s stylings and the overall parodic context make it hard not to laugh.
Sticking with comedy, Good Morning is definitely the funniest Ozu movie I’ve seen, and that’s no joke. This’ll be my next review so I’ll limit myself here to again emphasizing how stylized Ozu’s work is — color really brings that out — and noting that the man missed his calling by not making a Japanese Our Gang series — he’s that good with the kid actors.
Saturday’s storms really cooled us off up here, Sam. I hope you get relief soon enough!
This is really an award-worthy submisson Samuel–engaging, filled with stellr analysi and judgements and ever-enthusiastic. I am very appreciative to have it here! I just got called out of the house on an important matter, but I willbe happy to address this ASAP.
And Jaimie’s excellent submission as well.
Samuel— THE BURMESE HARP came within a hair or even closer of being named my favorite film of 1956. In fact if I did it today I think I would chosse it. Ha! But happy to hear in the end it was memorable for you. That musical score was sublime and moving. I also like FIRES ON THE PLAIN but not quite as much. Still with Ichikawa those are definitely the two biggies. Love that suggestion there of the ‘Japanese Our Gang series’ from Ozu! And I do definitely agree that GOOD MORNING is the funniest film by the director. Enjoyed readfing your appraisal of the TCM Sennett retrospective and of the approach to the police. I never saw HARRY AND WALTER GO NEW YORK, but could certainly relate to the nostalgia that surrounds the viewing, even if it’s a low-brow enterprise. REDS was the onle very fine Beatty you mention here. Sorry to hear about Fejos’ THE LAST PERFORMANCE. I do have the Criterion blu-ray, but haven’t gotten to it yet. I completely see where you are coming from there in regards to Fejos’ favoring of the abstract, and how it brings out his best work, as opposed to the narrative uncertainties. It’s been hot and humid, and I’m hoping for that relief over the weekend my friend! Many thanks as always!
Hey, Sam and Samuel –
Speaking of TCM, last week Ben Mankiewicz, substituting for Osborne, hosted the evening with Mack Sennett/Mabel Normand shorts, and the night culminated around 2 a.m. in the first feature-length comedy ever made, the Sennett-produced, uber-slapstick ‘Tillie’s Punctured Romance’ (1914) featuring Chaplin, Normand, Mack Swain and, the piece de resistance, “one of Ringling’s elephants” cracks Normand, that uproarious battleaxe, the U.S.S. Marie Dressler, who manages the steal the picture out from under the slap shoes of Chaplin’s little blackguard tramp and his sidekick Normand — like stealing sugar from an infant.
This tale of a rube (Dressler), an heiress from Yokeltown transplanted to the big city, where Chaplin and Normand plot to bilk her of millions, is pure antique melodrama, but Dressler flutters, widens her eyes, sticks out her tongue, fires a gun and arabesques drunkenly like one of Disney’s pachyderms dancing Ponchielli’s ‘Dance of the Hours’ in a tutu. There’s able support from Chaplin and Normand, but it’s Marie’s inspired miming that owns ‘Tillie’s Punctured Romance’, an essential comedy that I shamefully neglected to put on my Comedy Countdown. A must-see for Dressler fans.
Yes Marc Dressler is a proven scene-stealer! I know TILLIE’S PUNCTURED ROMANCE quite well, own it on DVD (and LA and tape before that) and fully concur with your glowing assessment here! It’s not easy to steal a picture from Chaplin, in fact it’s ne’r high impossible, but Dressler has done it. Thanks for talking about it here! John Greco had mentioned the Sennetts on this thread as well! Have a great week my friend!
Sam, I’ve just read Buster Keaton’s autobiography ‘My Wonderful World of Slapstick’ (written with Charles Samuels) where he calls Dressler “the greatest comedienne I ever saw (until Lucille Ball appeared)”.
Heady praise, indeed.
Indeed Mark, indeed! You have me running off right now to investigate the autobiography, which I have not read to this point!
Hello Sam and everyone!!!
Well, you sure are in a television mode these past weeks! Ha! Well, it is true that many people consider this to be the golden age of television, and while I consider “Lost” one of my favorites if not my favorite TV series of all time, I rarely go out to watch these products, main reason being that I like to have a narrative experience that is complete, and I can get that in a much shorter time watching a movie, a miniseries or reading a book, while the series require a lot of your time, as you mention, 28 hours is not something easy to get when you want to keep writing and watching movies, reading and all.
Anyway, bickering aside, it’s good to know that Breaking Bad gets your seal of aprooval, and I will definitely watch it… once it ends next year. Ha!
I had a week of work that made me advance on my script, and that’s pretty much it from my end on these days. My week movie wise:
- Motorway (2012, Pou-Soi Cheang) *** It’s being compared as the hongkonese Drive, and while they are miles appart, I can see how many people see it that way. I’ll say more about this one soon enough.
- The Shiver of the Vampires (or Strange Things Happen at Night) (1971, Jean Rollin) **** My first Jean Rollin film and it was a hoot, entertained all the way through, I posted a review of this one at my site yesterday.
- Ghost on Air (2012, Cheng Ding An) **1/2 A movie that tries to be scary, but manages to come up with some mood, but no scares, even if they are promised. I’ll have more to say about this one, again, soon enough.
- Ace Attorney (2012, Takashi Miike) ****1/2 Wow! What a surprise this was! An entertaining film all the way through. I’ll say more about this film this wednesday!
- The Social Network (2010, David Fincher) ****1/2 I rewatched this film recently as it played on HBO. I was surprised by how well this hold up after these two years of history and facebook history have passed. It’s a marvel to see this young actors play the characters, and I truly believe this is one of the best and youngest ensembles put on film for the past 15 years or so. Andrew Garfield is superb in every moment of its dorky character, and the Eissenberg persona is just amazing as Mark Zuckerberg. Great stuff.
- Castle in the Sky (1986, Hayao Miyazaki) **** I watched this and thought it was a beauty, animated incredibly and with wonderful colours. Maybe I expected something else besides that, because the script was poor and needed a rewrite urgently. It felt as if devoid of any purpose for the characters to do what they end up doing in the film, then it becomes way too long, focusing too much on the action sequences that actually do not develop any characters, instead of actually managing to tell a good story.
That’s all, thanks and have a good week!
Indeed Jaimie. Watching marathon television shows requires a daunting investment of time. While I did find that time over the past two weeks to take on THE WIRE and BREAKING BAD, it will grow progressively more difficult as we move through the fall and winter, as this is the time the quality films are traditionally showcased. I have blu rays sets of DEADWOOD, ROME and CARNIVALE waiting to checked out, though I have watched several sepisodes of the first two years back. But yeah, as you say if you want to watch shorts and feature films, and write and shoot, well the television series is not really viable. But I like LOST too. My family was so involved with that as it unfolded every week. Yep, I agree that THE SOCIAL NETWORK and CASTLE IN THE AIR are strong stuff, and deserve in the four star range. Of the others I only saw the Rollin and I agree, but you have me intrigued by the Miikes, one of which you just reviewed here yesterday. I do need to check your horror countdown as we move through the creme de la creme. Have a great weekend my friend!
The situations filmed in Compliance have occurred at least 50 times in the USA over the past decade Sam. We can scorn “lower rung job holders” and feel flabbergasted at their gullibility, but perhaps the bigger problem is the fact that all societies are expected/instructed to trust and become subservient to authority figures without hesitation throughout every walk of life. Will try to see this one when I get a chance.
It seems Breaking Bad has grabbed you more forcefully than The Wire at this point. I’m amazed you saw so many episodes in such a short period of time. I personally will be tackling Treme and Justified next. I’m a few seasons behind, but look forward to catching up with both those shows.
Didn’t go to the movies at all this week. Did the 55 mile portion of the NYC Century bike tour though… and I’m feeling it.
As I told you in email, I did see Hillcoat’s Lawless about two weeks ago which I found formulaic and empty. The only real virtues in the film (IMO) was the great bluegrass cover of the Velvet Underground’s White Light/White Heat and the cinematography.
…and that’s what the film is actually about.
Maurizio—
I thought COMPLIANCE was expertly crafted but yes, it did become somewhat grueling after a while, and it’s hard to believe the clueless nature of some of these people. What you say there about societies is fascinating (and telling). Both series have grabbd me, but to this point, yes, it is BREAKING BAD especilly that has had me riveted. It has now taken on an epic moral scope to rival THE GODFATHER films. I watched that many episodes because I was staying back from the Film Forum aside from Harold Lloyd and one or two others, and I was incredibly motivated to keep going. I was jolted by Gustavo’s violent act in episode 1 of Season 4, and plan to watch two more after my response to you here. I look forward to your response to TREME AND JUSTIFIED. Wow, congrats on that marathon bike tour!!!! That’s a mighty accmplishment for sure! Yep I remember the e mail on LAWLESS. I still haven’t seen it, though I may to compare notes withyou and with Jamie.
Have a great week my very good friend and many thanks as always!
Sam,
Just starting to dry out from a rain filled humid weekend. Every time I step outside lately I turn into a wet sponge but that is Florida at this time of the year.
On the film front… I watched some of the Mack Sennett shorts that were on TCM including RECREATION, THE KNOCKOUT and THE ROUNDERS.
The Words (**) Too many words and too many layered stories. What we have is a story within a story within another story that by the end of the film leaving one hazy and unsatisfied.
Employee Entrance (***1/2) A terrific per-code with Warren Williams at his slimmest as a ruthless corporate manager of a large department store with the hots for the beautiful Loretta Young.
Too Late Blues (***1/2) John Cassavetes second film is hindered by a mediocre performance form Bobby Darin as jazz musician tormented by his cowardness and a false purity to his art.
Three on a Match (***) Of three childhood friends Ann Dvorak, the other two being Joan Blondell and Bette Davis, had it all but her life freefalls into sex and drugs (but no rock and roll!). Decent enough pre-code. Humphrey Bogart has a small role as a hood.
Cell 2455 Death Row (***) Decent, if nothing special, low budget tale of rapist and robber Caryl Chessman. The film is based on his biography and is purported to an accurate account of his life. Though the filmmakers changed the character’s name to Whittier the opening credits reflect the film is based on Chessman’s book. Also of note is the name Whittier was Chessman’s middle name. Directed by low budget ace Fred Sears. William Campbell gives a good performance. Vince Edwards has a small role as a thug.
Mad Love (****) Visually stunning, expressionistic and effective horror tale of mad Doctor Gogol who falls in love with an actress who is married to a concert pianist. When her husband’s hands are crushed in a train accident she demands the doctor operates. The ‘good’ doctor decides to replace the pianist hands with those of a killer. Peter Lorre gives an excellent and creepy performance as the fetish and love obsessed doctor.
Yep John I know that kind of weather is the domain of the Sunshine State. Hopefully the weather will be changing over in the coming weeks, not that it’s any kind of a consolation now! I hven’t see CELL 2455, whic you say is decent enough, but have seen all the others. Completly agree that MAD LOVE and EMPLOYEE’S ENTRANCE are the creme here (love both) and am no fan of that particular Cassevetes for your reason and a bit more. I din’t see THE WORDS either, though it appears I haven’t missed much, but love the Mack Sennetts! Thanks as always my friend! Have a better week wit the weather!
I was able to watch Compliance at the end of last month, but can’t say I enjoyed it. Of course it’s not necessarily a film viewers are supposed to enjoy, but it just left me cold. It felt like the filmmaker cared more about the excruciating details of the incident rather than actually go further into how an incident so appalling could actually happen. The ending especially infuriated. But I have only seen the film once, and will most likely give it a second viewing before going into a more thorough review.
Also wonderful to hear you’re going into two of the greatest television shows of the this young century (The Wire being, in my opinion, the hands down best television show of this century).
I had not heard about this film until I saw Sam mention it here on his Monday Morning Diary this afternoon. Reading up on it a bit, I discovered it has rung up a fair amount of polarizing opinions from theater patrons. Seems like a multitude of viewers have actually walked out halfway through the picture and jeered demonstratively. I assumed only Malick (and maybe Von Trier) could summon up such contrasting opinions from audiences these days…
Cronenberg, too, apparently. A few people at the screenings of “Cosmopolis” I saw got up and left midway through the film.
Good rule of thumb– if somebody out there doesn’t hate a movie, there’s probably not much there to love in it.
Bob, that’s a most interesting way to put it! Ha!
Anu—
COMPLIANCE is well-made but absolutely difficult to warm up to. Can’t argue that! THE WIRE and BREAKING BAD are indeed both fantastic. I hope to finish both soon and I’ll hav a summary report. Thanks very muc my friend!
Maurizio, what you heard is true. Some people were walking out at the Landmark showing I attended!
Thanks for the mention Sam and the great support. Yes it has been a hectic week over the last week with Holly starting her second year of preschool. She does not make the cutoff here to attend kindergarten. That and of course now ballet starts for her this week and swimming lessons for Laura. We’ve also been busy in the yard and with house projects and of course football is in full gear. Needless to say I only managed a few films. I enjoyed A Night to Remember, which was an understated dramatization of the Titanic. Also my favorite of the week (and one of my favorites of the year so far) was Paul Fejos’ Lonesome. Which is cute as a button! My goodness it’s just a joy of a film. Loved it Loved it Loved it! I have worked up an essay on it that I hope to post in the next few weeks if I can manage. You were right though, it is a tremendous masterpiece. So like I said more crazy-ness this week and I will be watching the kids myself this coming weekend so will be completely exhausted. Still, I will be watching In Which We Serve and This Happy Breed. Have a great week Sam!
Jon, great to hear about the school and dancing classes for Holly and Laura. That towers over all the other news you relate here! But yes the NFL season hs commenced and he in the NYC area it was a win for the Jets and a loss for the champion Giants. Soon the yard duties will abate of curse. Thrilled to hear that spectacular regard and assessment of LONESOME!!!! It is joy incarnate, and the declaration of LOVE IT three times in a row is well deserved! Looking ahed to your essay needless to say! Enjoy those Lean! And I too love A NIGHTTO REMEMBER. Best wishes this week to all the Warners!!!
Wow I know those busy week – return to regular scheduled programing regimes go – My partner is on his Columbia Basin Bicycle Tour with his friends and I and Zip are maintaining the home front and gardens. Apples, apples, apples….I am still celebrating my late August birthday with a trip to the Film society to see Intouchables which made me laugh and was a delight – especially with 4 returning to home turf friends.
I also watched the whole 3 seasons of a Canadian series called Slings and Arrows and it was funny and light and yet I saw some great Shakespearian Segments of plays performed by some great Canadian actors that just truly held my attention amidst the silly story line.
I have had a huge slow down in books coming in…but am still reading from my own collection and being turned onto some amazing Political reads such as my current choice Senator Bernie Sanders THE SPEECH – what a wow
We have a new Italian Restaurant in town, with a 3 page Gluten Free menu! and fabulous homemade noodles. I have not been there for 2 visits and a great bottle of wine…Too expensive for most occasions, but made my youngest drive across the state to take her friend there to eat….
Hope it is a great school year….for everyone.
Oh yes! am watching several documentaries too – I think you would like Knives over Forks……I know Lucille would be interested as they cover schools and children a great deal….
Nothing wrong with apples Patricia! You know the old phrase…….”an apple a day keeps the……” Ha! The only type of apple I like is the sour granny smiths, which I believe are generally the most popular with most. Now the blueberries will get very expensive what with autumn upon us. Your partner is quite a biker! Yet another Tour! Nice. I will investigate SLINGS AND ARROWS, while fully understand that split verdict. THESPEECH sounds most interesting, especially at this time. Will tell Lucille about KNIVES AND FORKS tonight, and that new Italian restaurant has been duly noted. When I visit the Pacific njorthwest I’m there! Ha! Have a great week my friend!
Oh my! it is FORKS OVER KNIVES and the work is I have noW ( not not) been…. it is late!
Ha Patricia! One of those eh?
All the best for the new term, Sam – sounds pretty hectic but I see you have still managed to pack in loads of viewing! Here’s wishing a good week to you and all at Wonders.
I’ve just seen the Belgian film ‘The Kid with a Bike’ on the big screen, first choice of the season for my local film society, which I’m hoping to support more this year, work permitting. A great film and an astonishing performance by the young boy in the lead role – also interesting to see this one with ‘Bicycle Thieves’ fairly fresh in my mind.
Only managed to take in one old film at home this week, the John Ford pre-Code ‘Air Mail’ (1932) which I thought was very good, with sharp dialogue and more torrential rain than a Wellman film – Ralph Bellamy actually has top billing and gets the girl for once, though Pat O’Brien steals some of his thunder!
Must also just say yay to Andy Murray – I stayed up for part of his match last night, which went on well into the early hours for viewers in the UK, but couldn’t stay the course for the whole as I have work today!
Thanks so much Judy! Things are starting to settle now, and I hope things will soon settle in. THE KID WITH THE BIKE is one of my favorite films of the year. Terrific, and definitely worth that comparison with BICYCLE THIEVES. Ha! “More torrential rain than a Wellman film!” Now THAT is a real lot of rain! Yes, Andy Murray deserves big congrats! Have great weekend Judy!
Sam, thanks a lot for the mention. Seems you had a hectic week. The same has been the case with me on the professional front. In fact, I’ve managed to watch just 1 movie this past week, Antonioni’s L’Eclisse. I’m planning to take a mini-vacation during Sep-end and Oct-beginning, and take a trip to my home. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up on my relaxation. But, that said, there are nearly 3 weeks to go before that – so can’t afford to relax just yet. By the way, I’m currently reading a renowned American fiction, which I presume you might have already read – Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. Of what I’ve read so far, I’m quite liking it.
Shubhajit—
Good luck on the professional front! I have indeed read Warren’s ALLTHE KING’S MEN years back! Outstanding work! I even like the 1949 film. And I also love that Antonioni! Have a great week, and hope you are able to negotiate some free time my friend!
‘Tis the season of movie lists, and last night after watching ‘L’Avventura’ again I decided to make my own short list of my all-time favorites. So…in random order:
‘The Battleship Potemkin’
‘Citizen Kane’
‘Breathless’
‘L’Avventura’
‘La Grande Illusion’
‘Rashomon’
‘Nashville’
‘Sherlock, Jr.’
‘Tokyo Story’
’8-1/2′
‘Raging Bull’
‘Dr. Strangelove’
‘Satantango’
‘The Gold Rush’
‘Some Like It Hot’
‘Smiles of a Summer Night’
‘Persona’
‘Au Hasard Balthazar’
‘Pierrot le Fou’
‘The Tree of Life’
‘The 400 Blows’
‘M’
There, now I feel much better.
Mark—
My own list would include many of these! This is certainly a banner list that should make you feel better!!! Great job!
Sam, apologies for the late reply. It’s been unusually busy here.
Of course, I am equally a fan of Renoir’s LA BETE HUMAINE but still need to see Feyder’s CARNIVAL IN FLANDERS. Definitely one I really want to catch.
I actually haven’t seen anything these last couple of weeks, but I’m doing something about that very, very soon!
Hope you’re having an awesome week. Thanks so much, Sam, for all that you do!
Jeffrey, as always thanks so much for your unwavering support! I’m sure you will love Feyder’s film, and know well you are a big fan of LA BETE HUMAINE. I completely understand you have been very busy, and know you’ll soon get some time for viewing. I appreciate all you have done my friend. Have a great weekend!