by Sam Juliano
Scorching heat has greeted the official opening of summer here in the Northeast, though I’m sure the opposite scenario is unfolding down in Sydney, where Tony d’Ambra and his family are facing the onset of winter. On a personal note, I was thrilled (and teary-eyed) to watch my eldest daughter Melanie graduate from the eighth grade, while the strains of the school song “Oh Lincoln, Dear Lincoln” and Elgar’s traditional ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ were played by the school’s music teacher, Mr. Fred Fochesato.
Soccer fans are understandably down in the dumps after the USA elemination to Ghana, and similarly the loss by the defending champions Team Italy was an unexpected development. As of this writing England is still in the hunt, with a game against Germany set for later today. (well, England is now officially gone after losing 4-1).
Here at Wonders in the Dark, we are winding down with Allan’s 2000’s countdown, with a scant three weeks to go. Anyone still planning to cast a ballot should do so on the tab over the site header, though an extra week will be added after the #1 pick is revealed. (as per custom)
It’s been a very busy week on the cultural scene once again, with an off-Broadway show managed on Monday (Control) and four films in the Anthony Mann Festival at the Film Forum watched on Friday and Sunday (two double features). In addition, a few other new theatrical releases were part of the mix. Control was an unfocused mess of a theatrical staging which was basically reliant on profanity for shock effect as it featured some psychological role-playing.
Dogtooth * 1/2 (Saturday night) Cinema Village
The A Team * (Thursday night) Edgewater Multiplex
The Naked Spur (Anthony Mann Festival) Friday *****
Winchester 73 (Anthony Mann Festival) Friday *****
Raw Deal (Anthony Mann Festival) Sunday *****
T Men (Anthony Mann Festival) Sunday ****
The Greek DOGTOOTH is one of the more disturbing films of recent years, and it doesn’t have the exquisite artistry that Von Trier imparted to Antichrist. It’s a minimalist black comedy with irrational jolts and a disjointed narrative, and in the end it adds up to very little. Some laughs, but far more tedium and stomach-churning violence. Thanks, but no thanks.
THE A TEAM is a strong candidate for the year’s worst film. No plot, no meaning, nothing but gun fire and noice, and pedestrian choreography. As unoriginal as any multiplex film, and just about as brainless.
Then there’s the glorious Anthony Mann. Two double features over the weekend yielded two of the best Mann/Stewart collaborations with THE NAKED SPUR and WINCHESTER 73, are prime examples of the ‘psychological western’ while Mann’s arguably best film noir entries, RAW DEAL and T MEN were paired in a program of haunting narrations, expressionistic camerwork by John Alton and superb performances by Dennis O’Keefe, Claire Trevor and Marsha Hunt, et al. Three of the films are masterpieces, while the forth is solid.
The blogosphere boasts some pretty great stuff:
Ed Howard at Only the Cinema has penned a tremendous review of the 1956 science-fiction classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and his comment section under the review is equally fantastic: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2010/06/invasion-of-body-snatchers.html
Australian Roderick Heath (what a great name to boot!) is one of the internet’s best writers, (no surprise, as he’s an author) whether he’s considering film or literature, and two of his most recent essays bear this out. At his English literature blog, he is featuring an extraordinary piece on the Victorian era masterpiece, Middlemarch, by George Eliot: http://englishoneoworst.blogspot.com/2010/05/aspiration-and-actuality-george-eliots.html and his latest in a long run of film review masterpieces considers the John Lennon “bio-pic”, Nowhere Boy: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=5197
Dave Hicks’s ‘director’s series’ is one of the blogosphere’s biggest hits, and his latest impeccable post considers the man with the “touch” Ernst Lubitsch: http://goodfellamovies.blogspot.com/2010/06/18-brian-de-palma.html
The ever-reliable Andrew Wyatt at Gateway Cinephiles has penned a lovely review of Pixar’s Toy Story 3 that deserves one’s full attention: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2010/06/22/this-is-the-end-beautiful-friend/
John Greco has very fine capsule up at Twenty-Four Frames, over his fabulous California trip wrap-up post on a populat Cagney prison drama: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/each-dawn-i-die-1939-william-keighley/ and at his other wonderful blog, he has posted some breathtaking pictures from his recent trip to California: http://watchingshadowsonthewall.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/california-dreamin/
Kaleem Hasan’s follow-up thread on Raavanan has attracted a whopping 142 comments at his popular blogsite on Indian film and culture: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/a-circling-cue-in-raavanan/
‘Giallo Fever’ has gripped Troy Olson, as he prepares for the upcoming WitD horror film polling, which he will be co-chairing with Jamie Uhler and his brother Kevin. At Elusive as Robert Denby: The Life and Times of Troy, he has considered three Mario Bava essentials with his typical expertise and enthusiasm: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2010/06/giallo-fever-mario-bava-blood-and-black.html
Meanwhile, over at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies, brother Kevin Olson has been posting one great horror feature after another, as his excitement for the upcoming horror poll has moved into high gear. He asks here, ‘What really makes a great horror film?’: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/question-of-day-what-makes-good-horror.html
At Movie Classics, Judy has taken a brief break from her stupendous Wellmann series to spend some time with her beloved Bard, and she pens an excellent consideration of the Olivier As You Like It, the first British made adaptation to hit the screen: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/as-you-like-it-1936/ and has another excellent post up at her costume drama blog on the same subject, including urged suggestions for worthy film adaptations of Shakespeare: http://costumedramas.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/shakespeare-productions/
R.D. Finch at The Movie Projector has written one of his greatest essays ever on the aely 30’s musical masterpiece Love Me Tonight, (which features a glorious Rodgers and Hart score, and the gem ‘Isn’t It Romantic.’: http://movieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/06/love-me-tonight-1932.html
Michael Harford, the country’s most impassioned coffee purveyor, as always uses art and music to captivating effect at his brewery, and on the airwaves this weekend, for your approval is Ellen McIlwaine: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2010/06/all-to-you.html
Pat at Doodad Kind of Town, of film and theatre fame, is still headlining an engaging assessment of Mel Brooks’s History of the World Part II at her resurrected abode: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2010/06/hey-torquemada-whaddya-say.html
Longman Oz, that cultural Irish wonderkind continues to divide his time viewing films and attending theatrical stagings at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre (as yes there is music too!) and his follow-up reviews are always of the very top-rank, as is this film essay on Bronco Bullfrog, which he recently penned for “No Ordinary Fool”: http://noordinaryfool.com/2010/06/24/broncobullfrog/
Tony d’Ambra headlines a noir fiction piece titled Not Dark Yet inspired by Siodmak’s The Killers, Bob Dylan, and Jim Morrison: http://filmsnoir.net
With Dee Dee’s ultra-successful film noir series on film noir and interview with Tony d’Ambra completed, the prolific interviewer and lovely lady moves on to artist Christopher Stott’s art exhibition, which she will be featuring over the upcoming weeks at her place, which has moved away at least for a while from the darkest corners: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2010/06/taking-look-at-artist-christopher.html
Just Another Film Buff again is headlining what may well be the most successful posting -in terms of comments anyway- at “The Seventh Art” on an Indian film that has sharply divided viewers and critics, and which has generated some fantastic commentary, including that from the exceedingly gifted Qalandar: http://theseventhart.info/2010/06/18/ramayana-reloaded/
Jeffrey Goodman is till headlining his upcoming agenda at “The Last Lullaby” which moving closer to the shooting of Peril. http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2010/06/upcoming-agenda.html
Shubhajit has an extraordinary capsule up at Cinemascope on the Fellini decadent masterpiece La Dolce Vita that’s a must read: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2010/06/la-dolce-vita-1960.html
It’s ‘Orange Day’ on Maine Island, that beautiful Pacific Island home of the Creativepotager, Terrill Welch, and her ceaseless creativity: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/orange-day/
Jon Joseph Lanthier of Slant Magazine and ‘rottentomatoes’ fame a typically superb review headling at Aspiring Sellout of Oliver Stone’s new documentary South of the Border, that’s a must read: http://aspiringsellout.com/
Craig Kennedy is busy at the Los Angeles Film Festival, so we’re in a holding pattern, waiting for his report: http://livingincinema.com/2010/06/26/trailer-aussie-family-crime-drama-animal-kingdom/
Donophon’s outstanding series on Jean-Pierre Melville is currently headling the masterwork Army of Shadows at “The Long Voyage Home”: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2010/06/jean-pierre-melville-larmee-des-ombres.html
David Schleicher’s excellent review of the independent gem Winter’s Bone is still showcasing at “The Schleicher Spin”: http://davethenovelist.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/killing-kin-in-the-ozarks/
Over at Mondo 70, Samuel Wilson is posting a superlative review of Cash on Demand (1961): http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2010/06/cash-on-demand-1961.html
Tony Dayoub has penned a superlative and ultra-favorable assessment of Toy Story 3, where he poses some astute perception and ideas: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2010/06/movie-review-toy-story-3.html
Drew McIntosh, writer extraordinaire, has penned yet another top-drawer essay, this time on 1988’s Candy Mountain at “The Blue Vial”: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2010/06/candy-mountain-robert-frank-rudy.html
Dave Van Poppel’s excellent review of the highly-praised documentary Exit Through the Gift House is still headling at his documentary blogsite: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2010/06/exit-through-gift-shop.html
Jeopardy Girl is busy at the “London Fringe Festival” which will surely yield an unforgettable time: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/simply-having-a-wonderful-fringe-y-time/
J. D. at Radiator Heaven has written a massive revisitation of the comtemporary western favorite, Tombstone, whic is essential: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2010/06/tombstone.html
Adam Zanzie’s latest post is an exhausive and superlative review on Sidney Lumet’s The Hill: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2010/06/hill-1965_23.html
Stephen’s outstanding review of the Romanian Police Adjective is still headlining at his place: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/06/police-adjective.html
Alexander Coleman has resurfaced with a tremendous review on Scorsese’s Shutter Island: http://colemancornerincinema.blogspot.com/2010/06/shutter-island-2010.html
Jake Cole has penned a marvelous and exhaustive review of Toy Story 3, at his place, and it’s quite a favorable assessment: http://armchairc.blogspot.com/2010/06/toy-story-3.html
On the other hand, Ryan Kelly brings some issues he has with the film to the table in yet another superlatively-penned assessment at his place: http://medflyquarantine.blogspot.com/2010/06/childs-plaything.html
Ric Burke is still headlining his excellent review of Soderbergh’s Che Part 2 at his “Films of the Soul” blogsite: http://filmforthesoul.blogspot.com/2010/06/che-part-2-guerrilla-review.html
I just spent several hours compiling one of my more complex posts and went to publish it – only to discover I was signed out and the past two hours’ work had been lost. Better luck tomorrow I guess.
There is nothing worse in blogging than what just happned to you Joel. It’s happened to me too, and I do deeply feel for you. I know that even with precautions you can still get snake bit. It’s really tragic, as you’ll never get that time back. I’m very sorry.
Hey, could’ve been worse (though that was not my immediate reaction, heh). The post is about 50% images and if I’d lost those, it would be irretrievable. Plus, I wrote a good chunk of the post in a notebook beforehand – so I’ll only have to re-write the last part (and it can probably be improved in the process). Still, immensely frustrating – I’ll take another crack at it tomorrow; right now, I’m going to bed…
Anyway, remember everyone – save, save, save! (and back up, back up, back up!)
If I was worried about irretrievable time lost in the blogosphere though, I’d already be in trouble…!
Not only save, but invest in an external hard drive. You never know.
Guys, use the free Live Writer applet from M$ to prepare your post off-line and then upload the final document. All images will be automatically uploaded. Also, by pointing to your blog URL, Live Writer will pick up the CSS style-sheet and render your post as it will appear on the blog. Being off-line the process is a also a lot faster.
Hear, hear. I second Tony’s suggestion. Live Writer may be the only good thing Microsoft has ever done! It makes my things incredibly easy with Blogger.
I’ve got 2, Bob. No excuse! 😦
Btw, thanks Sam for the third (!) mention of Field of Dreams & congrats to your daughter!
Thanks very much for that Joel.
I hear ya Joel. It’s painful. But yeah, thank God the images weren’t lost. You’ll feel better tomorrow.
Thanks for the mention, Sam, but you accidentally posted my link twice (you’re missing the link to Ryan’s article). Also, you say “Michael” instead of Anthony Mann at one point.
But thanks again, and I probably agree with you on The A-Team more than my completely middling opinion on it lets on. Already I remember so little.
Jake:
Thanks so much for giving me the heads up on those two errors! I did revise them last night in fact. I feel sorry for Ryan, as it almost seems like I was doing that deliberately as a result of his middling review on TOY STORY 3. But Ryan is a remarkably bright young man, who has penned a brilliant piece, that’s hard to contest. I tried my usual bullying, mad-dog routine, but I realized I was being as ass. Ha! Ryan’s a prince of a kid.
That said, I am always screwing up the links, but forgeting to re-click.
Talk about great TOY STORY 3 reviews? You, Ryan and Andrew Wyatt are at the top. As is our own impassioned Marc Bauer!
Aye on THE A TEAM!
Thanks so much for the submission here my friend.
And I can’t believe I violated Anthony with Michael, since I am a non-fan of the latter! Putting it mildly! Ha!
Once again, thanks for the shout out Sam. Congratulations to your daughter and of course to the proud parents on the graduation. Onward and upward! The Mann double features must have been amazing, truly four great films! BTW for those of us outside of the NYC area TCM on Wednesday June 30th is saluting Mann with an eight film tribute (it is his birthday) starting at 6:15 in the morning through 10PM. Some of the films are The Naked Spur, Desperate, Border Incident, Side Street, Man of the West and a few others.
In the theater today we saw SOLITARY MAN (****) No one plays damaged, flawed characters better than Michael Douglas and here in this smart, cynical film he gives one of the best performances of his career. Despite his despicable ways his character Ben Klamen is charming and even after all he has done you still find yourself wanting to like him. Hopefully, Douglas will be remembered here come the award season.
At home I had a mini Warner Brothers festival …
Lady Killer – Roy Del Ruth (***1/2) James Cagney reteams with Mae Clarke, the pretty actress who received the grapefruit smack in the face from Cagney in “The Public Enemy.” For this film Clarke in one scene has a pineapple dropped into her lap and much more brutally Jimmy grabs her by her hair, drags her across the floor and tosses her out of his apartment! And it is all played for laughs. Cagney is his pugnacious, smart aleck self, driving the film in each and every direction. Director Roy Del Ruth keeps the film moving at a fast pace for the entire 75 minutes or so.
Each Dawn I Die – William Keighley (***1/2) It is Cagney versus Raft in the classic 1939 Warner’s prison drama. The film has all the by now standard prison themes you expect, the innocent man who was framed, the prisoner who is a snitch, the sadistic guard, the prison system that turns a good man bad, the prison break and the riot. It’s all there but what is most exciting is there is Cagney! Brash, cocky and full of himself, grinning confidently just the way we like him. A short capsule review is up at 24frames.
The Little Giant – Roy Del Ruth (***1/2) From Little Caesar to Little Giant. Just two years after Edward G. Robinson made celluloid history as Rico in Mervyn LeRoy’s “Little Caesar” he and Warner Brothers were spoofing his tough guy image in this little gem. The mix of slapstick and verbal humor, many that play on Robinson’s gangster screen image, keeps this film moving at a snappy pace. Mary Astor, Helen Vinson co-star.
City For Conquest – Anatole Litvak (***) City for Conquest is Warner Brothers version of a Joan Crawford tearjerker only with James Cagney as the long suffering self sacrificing Joan like character here called Eddie Kenny. The film feels like a hybrid of MGM soap meets Warner’s grit. Cagney is charismatic, Ann Sheridan is fine, Arthur Kennedy makes his film debut, Anthony Quinn in an early role and Elia Kazan in a rare acting role. An interesting if not totally successful mix of melodrama and grit that will keep Kleenex stock on the rise.
Also watched the following…
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid – Carl Reiner (****) More stars than there are in heaven, no I am not talking about MGM Studios but instead the 1982 Carl Reiner film, a loving, sometimes silly, sometime laugh out loud homage to film noir. Reiner and company do a fantastic job of matching classic scenes with Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck and many other from old films with Steve Martin’s Sam Spade like private eye Rigby Reardon and he did it before Woody Allen in “Zelig” and Robert Zemeckis in “Forest Gump.” Full review coming to 24 frames.
Pete Seeger: The Power of The Song – (Jim Brown)****Pete Seeger will be 90 years old this year and he is still singin’ out a warnin’ to his brothers and his sisters across this land. Jim Brown’s affectionate 2007 documentary uses the standard documentary format of talking heads, a mix of old and new clips in putting together Seeger’s story, but since Pete was there for so many of the most significant events of the 50’s 60’s and 70’s the film becomes not only a biographical look at the great folk singer but a history lesson as well. Interviews include Dylan, Baez, Springsteen, Natalie Maines and former Weavers Ronnie Gilbert and Lee Hays.
Pepe Le Moko (Julian Du (****1/2) Jean Gabin in another great screen role. As the charming romantic gangster Pepe Le Moko he out smarts and survives what seems like a squad load of police and their informers only to be done in by love and a woman scorned.
Thanks so much John for the well wishes and on your expected enthusiasm for the Mann Festival. I know if you were still living in NYC you’d be there repeatedly with bells on. That’s an excellent addition there with the TCM schedule!!!! Thanks for posting it here, and hopefully others can now get in the Mann frame of mind. I’ve decided to head over again tonight for three shorter, lesser known films, starting at 8:00 P.M. (the last begins at 10:45 P.M.) The TCM schedule is offering all the essentials, which will allow others who aren’t around here to be a part of it.
I also went with **** on SOLITARY MAN, and agree with your perceptive analysis there. It’s ironic that Douglas gives a great turn, and now is hounded by his ex wife for millions! It’s the best film he’s done in years.
Well, once again you have set the standard for film watching with this remarkable marathon run, that apparently includes a plethora of Jimmy Cagney’s. Of course I had seen your review for EACH DAWN I DIE, and agreed with your modest regard. As far as LADY LILLER and CITY FOR CONQUEST I’m close to your assessment, though I’m afraid I haven’t yet seen THE LITTLE GIANT (though I do admire Del Ruth and that slapstick underpinning). But who can fault you for going with Cagney at any time, to be truthful? Litvak’s MAYERLING is a masterpiece.
PEPE LE MOKO can either be a **** 1/2 or a *****, but you’ve sized it up perfectly! It’s a Duvuvier masterwork, and the Criterion DVD is great.
I adore Pete Seeger, and yes that is a fabulous documentary, though I am less fond of that Carl Reiner film. Still, I look forward to your upcoming 24 Frames review to refresh my memory.
A truly spectacular wrap, as always, my friend!
Congratulations to Melanie on achieving this important milestone!
Check out the proud parents 🙂
Thanks so much for the well wishes and for the sincere promotion Tony! It was certainly a special evening for all of us, especially for Melanie.
THE PICTURE OF SAM IN THE COWBOY HAT IS PRICELESS. I’m SURE EVERY HORSE WITHIN SHOUTING DISTANCE MADE FOR THE HILLS FEARING SPRAINED BACKS WHEN THEY SAW YOU COMING!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!! I CANT STOP LAUGHING!!!!!! IM A WRECK RIGHT NOW!!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!! Meet you at the watering hole on Tuesday for grub there, Sheriff!!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!
And this Dennis is a priceless and hysterical comment!!!!!! LOL!!!!
TOY STORY 3 (which I saw on Tuesday night with Sam a,d the kids) is a pure revelation. Coming from me this is high praise considering my marvel and admiration for the original 1995 film. The circle is complete and the finale not only ensures that the characters we’ve come to know, love and embrace are being gently and admirably put out to pasture. The ingenuity in the story set up and the small attention to details that have become a trademark to this series of films is at an all time high. But, going one further than the previous two installments, I found this one embued with the kind of nostalgia that rings true to farewells and new horizons. The animation is, as always, top notch and the voice work (particularly Ned Beatty as a bitter teddy bear) is on the mark. Ther is a damn good reason this film got such superlatively perfect write-ups… ITS THAT GOOD!!! PS-Dont forget, if you really wanna get outta here… YOU GOTTA GET THAY MONKEY!!! Easily one of the BEST of 2010.
Dennis, your effusive praise is in line with 98% of the critics, and it’s a sentiment I of course support down the line. Pixar continue to raise the bar, delighting the masses in the audience and critical ranks, while exasperating a tiny minority who are just dying for them to slip up. It appears their wait will be eternal.
Wow, what an eventful weekend Sam! Congrats on your daughter’s graduation, and also for catching that wonderful looking Mann Festival. It looks and sounds like you and your fam had a complete blast. He’s a director I really need to catch up with, and your lofty praises for the films you saw have me really looking forward to delving into his work.
I am still deeply divided on ‘Dogtooth’ myself. Of course you are right that it stands right up there with ‘Antichrist’ as far as disturbing recent films go. There was something about its stark minimalism that kind of drew me in; the predicament of these characters was so absurd and confounding, and their history and events that led them to their current situation so completely shrouded in ambiguity, that the deep sense of mystery it all conjured was enough to keep me interested throughout. But as you noted, the violence was almost unbearably harsh in moments, and their were definitely dull segments that seemed stretched merely to give the film a feature length running time. And I also had a problem with the ending, which flirted with Shaggy Dog status and felt somewhat unsatisfying. Still, I felt there were some highly interesting things at work here, and the movie felt difficult in a good way, like a Haneke or Von Trier work, though I’m not sure at all that a repeated viewing for me would land it in the company of those wonderful directors. Nevertheless I am curious to give this one another viewing at some point. It stayed in my head for many days.
Anyways, always love reading these Monday Morning Diary entries, Sam! As always, thank you kindly for the mention and the extremely generous words.
Drew, you and Longman Oz have given the very best and most reasonable assessments of DOGTOOTH that I’ve read on-line, so good in fact that I must second guess my extreme negative reaction as over-the-top. There’s no question the director was trying to concey something here, and the parody was palpable. I tend to get angry when I see scenes of excessive violence as part of a personal vision, yet I accepted Von Trier’s in ANTI CHRIST. I had a sickening feeling with this film, much like I had with Moodyson’s A HOLE IN MY HEART, yet i bought the political satire, SALO (which might be teh most nauseating film of all for so many) There is no rhyme or reason with some of my views, and I should see this again when it appears on DVD.
Thanks so much Drew, for the kind remarks and for the compliments on Melanie’s graduation (which I will pass on)
As to the Mann Festival, yeah it’s really something I won’t pass up, as it’s a rare opportunity. But nearly every important Mann film is available on DVD.
Thanks again, my friend.
Wow 5 kids. I have said this before but where you find the time for all your interests and responsibilities is near incredible.
Thanks as always Maurizio. I know it is a juggling act, and to be honest, I really have no business at all putting as much time as I do into this blogsite, which even includes “campaigning” in the school for comments from some of my fellow teachers (I’m sure you’ve noticed all the “wonderful writing Sam” and all that jazz by some non-bloggers who come here as a personal favor and some other “perks” Ha!) and the forfeiture of all my “prep” periods for the site. It can’t go on forever, but I’m certainly having some fun. I’m looking forward to that five-day seashore vacation (Wildwood, N.J.) in late August, as are all of us.
Incidentally, Lucille had the five kids from 1996 to 2002, meaning five kids in a little over 6 years! We were only married in 1995 (first marriage for both of us, and Lucille is nine years younger) so that was quick work. Ha!
Drew mentioned Antichrist above…..I was in SOHO on monday getting my mac fixed at the Apple store. As I began my journey to the F train, Willem Dafoe walked right by me. He is one intense frightening looking person. No wonder he gets to play so many heavies throughout his career. I swear he looked like he was getting ready to massacre a bunch of innocent bystanders. I should of directed him into the genius department at the Apple store. I could of pointed out some potential victims for his next murder spree. I decided to just go home and make sure my computer was fully functional instead. Congrats on your daughter’s graduation Sam.
Maurizio!!! Fantastic!!!!
Dafoe is one to see in person for sure! I am envisioning him in ANTI CHRIST as I read this now! I am also thinking of him in SHADOW OF A VAMPIRE and PLATOON. Thanks for that fabulous anecdote on it too! You probably should have tried to get his autograph.
Thanks very much on the congrats for Melanie, my friend.
Howdy, pardners! A great weekend for the family Juliano by the sound of things! Congrats!
Knowing of your dislike of both “Oldboy” and “The Headless Woman” already, I had suspected that you would not like “Dogtooth”, Sam. However, I am going to position myself in the “highly impressed” camp on this one. I think that there is a strong allegorical dimension to this downright disturbing yet hugely imaginative film that deserves and rewards repeat viewing. At the time, I described it as Chuck Palahniuk re-writing Pierre de Marivaux’s “La Dispute”. I still think that is about right!
With the astonishingly good weather here, I spent most of my time outdoors during the evenings (plus there is not much out at the moment after an amazing past three months). However, I was at a club on Saturday night where they screened Chaplin’s “City Lights” to the accompaniment of disco lights and all sorts of contemporary pop/rock music. Sort of surreal, but great to see this film on a good-sized screen!
Whoops! Thank you for the link, as always. Your descriptions are beyond flattering at the best of times and this goes further again. However, the truth is that I have been in a bit of a rut for a few weeks now and not putting enough care and consideration into what I am doing. Hence, one of the reasons why I plan to slow down over the next few weeks and write more “soft” posts for a time.
And you deserve to be called a wonderkind!
Ha!
Pardners indeed Longman! The kids are having a ball, even if I am making a fool out of myself!! Ha! Yep, you are the only one to figure out my taste, remembering that I didn’t care for OLDBOY and HEADLESS WOMAN. Jason Giampietro tells me it’s a severe flaw in my taste or aesthetic, and that he blames it on a lack of patience. This could be true. The killing of the cat with the hedge clippers was sickening, as was the self bashing of the face on several occasions, even with the parody worked in. Some much of the film was padding for these shock sequences. You make excellent points there with the allegorical underpinnings and the FIGHT CLUB connection, no question about it. I see 88% like or love this film in the professional ranks, so taste aside, I have clearly missed the boat.
CITY LIGHTS may well be my personal “favorite” film of all-time (with three others by Mizoguchi, Bresson and Ozu) and methinks it’s always great to see with these splendid embellishments. And you got to see it on the big screen, with is the best of all.
There is a Chaplin Festival beginning the day after the Mann festival ends here at the Film Forum. Again I will be there with bells on (having by that point ditched the ten-gallon hat!) They are opening with a six day rolling out of the restored CIRCUS.
Thanks as always my friend, for the fantastic submission here, always one of the best.
Thanks for the mention Sam. And do convey my congratulations to your eldest daughter. You must be a proud father right now. Also, great pics of you and your wonderful family there.
Here’s what I saw over last week (evidently, not much):
1) The Evil Dead
2) Evil Dead 2
3) The General
4) La Dolce Vita
5) Ekti Tarar Khonje (Beyond the Stars)
6) Dead Ringers (I’ll put its review up shortly)
Ok, so my short holiday is almost over. I’ll be leaving Calcutta for a quaint little hill-station called Shillong, located in Meghalaya (literally, a place covered with clouds), a state in the north-eastern part of India, in order to pursue higher studies which I’d mentioned here earlier. I’m quite certain my movie viewing and reviewing will get cut down quite drastically for the next 2 years.
But I hope I wont’t loose the friends and acquaintances I’ve made over the blogosphere, and ensure that my blog too will stay alive as long as I’m alive as I’ve invested too much of time, effort & above all passion to let it go without a fight.
I’ll put a post up saying essentially what I said here in my blog too.
This is quite the bittersweet reminder here Shubhajit, though your schooling is a million times more important than blogging. Still, as you rightly note, you’ve made some wonderful friendships here, and you’ve invested so much of your time and passion into this enterprise. And your work are been truly outstanding, and as prolific as anyone else out there. Your postings in fact are almost impossible to keep up with, and I say that in the best possible sense. Your recent Top 100 of the decade was one of the best of it’s kind, whether one agrees or disagrees with any of the selections. Yes, I dare say you will still be here, even with scaled down participation. And I wish you the very best my friend with your studies and re-location!
I have indeed seen all of your latest postings, except for the one that will soon go up. I love THE GENERAL and LA DOLCE VITA, and think those EVIL DEAD films are real scary! I’m sure they will place too in the upcoming horror poll.
We will miss you my friend, but I’m sure we’ll touch bases at Cinemascope in instances of some free time.
Thanks so much on your compliments for Melanie and the family!
Thanks a ton Sam for the kind words. Its been a pleasure knowing you and interacting with you. Deep within I too know that I might not be able to be completely away from my blog. I’ll try and put something up from time to time, even if my participation is heavily scaled down henceforth. Thanks again Sam.
You wanna be my agent, Sam? I’ll give you a 15% cut.
LOL Rod!!!!!
Where’s the contract?
Thanks for the link and the kind words, Sam. I got a hearty chuckle out of your capsule review for THE A-TEAM. heh! I figured as much on that one…
They couldn’t pay me to sit through that one!
Hey J.D. Believe it or not, there are some that like it. My friend Matt Lucas (whose taste almost always mirrors my own) liked it, and Joel E. at LIVING IN CINEMA, took me to task today for my harsh dismissal, saying it fell somewhere in the middle. So go figure. I’d be interested in knowing your response.
Thanks as always for stopping by.
I’d love to see ‘El Cid’ so don’t forget me if you are planning to go! Would have really dug seeing ‘The Naked Spur’ too.
I am trying to cope with the lack of air conditioning in this room. I may have to pull some strings. Ya hear me?
Give my best to my girl Mel.
Thanks for the well wishes for Melanie Frank. I’ll pass them on.
I’ll make sure to speak to the right people in the morning about that other matter! Ha!
EL CID will be screening on Thursday, July 8th. I’ll remind you as we get closer.
Thanks, as always my friend.
Boy, you really lowered the boom on Dogtooth. Perhaps you might think differently after you watch it again.
Why don’t you mention the Yankees? They rallied last night from 4 down in the 9th, and won it on a homer in the 10th. And they have the best won-lost record in the majors! You wonder why I don’t come around here that much anymore.
Aye, Joe, I feel far guiltier with my reaction to DOGTOOTH than I do with THE A TEAM, as at least the director was trying for something insightful, as opposed to what we got from A TEAM.
My bad on the Yanks. They are having quite a run, as last night extra-inning win over Joe Torre’s blueshirts was perhaps their most dramatic of the year.
Please don’t go away. I’ll be sure to mention the Bombers every week from now on! Ha!
Thanks as always my friend!
Thanks for the link, as always, Sam. I had fun watching those Bava’s and have also greatly enjoyed both BLACK SUNDAY and KILL BABY KILL this week (both of which I found greater than the two I reviewed). Bava’s skill with gothic imagery is perhaps unsurpassed (please, correct me if I’m wrong in making that statement).
It’s great that you got to see those Mann films and that you went in costume, to boot. The Mann westerns are some of my favorite movies of all-time. Those pictures are hilarious.
I’ll come back later and post my movie viewing from the past week. (My laptop that stores my list of movies is being repaired). Right now we are waiting for our daughter to get out of surgery for her cleft lip (all is going well).
Troy, you wouldn’t be wrong to say without reservation that BLACK SUNDAY is Bava’s masterpiece (for me this is probably a fact, though BLACK SABBATH, WHIP AND THE BODY and KILL BABY KILL push close) and I absolutely agree with you when you say that “Bava’s skill with gothis imagery is perhaps unsurpassed.” That is his forte, along with a richly exquisite color palette. Ironically enough, BLACK SUNDAY was Bava’s first film, and it remins for the majority as his best.
Even the hard-to-please Mr. Fish considers this as the Italian visual Marestro’s greatest film.
Thanks for the comments too on the Mann Festival. Well, it looks like I’m hooked, with doubles schedules for Wed., Thurs., and Fri. and more for next week. I make a piss-poor comboy though. Dennis is right! Ha!
PLEASE let us know how everything goes with that bundle-of-joy. I am sure all with be well, and you, tricia and Madelyn have our very best wishes!
MAURIZIO-Dont let SAM fool you. He’ll go to WILDWOOD for the week, but he’ll put up a fight. Once he does get down there he’ll search for a library and spend 99% of his time blogging on this Goddamned site while poor Lucille juggles 5 kid (make that 6 kids if you count her husband). In actuality, Lucille has confessed to me that she wishes Sam could swim as she was hoping for a fatal shark attack. If it weren’t for the glue in that house, and by glue I mean LUCILLE, the whole place would self implode.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are a card.
If this heat wave continues the air conditioned library is the place to be.
Man, I’m in need of seeing more Anthony Mann films. I think the only one I’ve seen is his Cimarron remake, and I remember having a pretty irritating experience with that movie. Glenn Ford was fine, but Maria Schell’s screechy French accent truly does eat you alive. Ugh.
Yep, I agree with both of you on SPARTACUS, though I find it (always) as an irresistible entertainment!
Adam, that CIMARRON you are speaking of here is being offered next week, but I’ll probably take a pass. As it is I am seriously tempted to go over tonight to see a triple-feature (all about an hour each) of Mann films most would never even bother with – “Doctor Broadway,” “Moonlight in Havana” and “The Bamboo Blonde,” though Tony is intrigued with that last noir. I am assuming you’ve seen the major ones, no?
Thanks as always for your most valued submission here my friend.
Oh, and of course Spartacus–but I don’t consider that a Mann film. Or, even a Kubrick film. I don’t know what Spartacus is.
Spartacus is like a bastard child of both of them. Not really legitimate but still existing. If anything it is really a Kirk Douglas movie. That is how I always look at it anyway.
Sam, first off congratulations on Melanie’s graduation. I know you must be very proud.
And thanks so much for the mention. It was a great week. Like so many others, I’ve been caught up in World Cup fever. What an awesome event, and I’ve really loved ESPN’s coverage this time around.
I’m oh so jealous of your Mann viewings. He’s one of my absolute favorites, too. In terms of my own movie-watching this week, I took in CAPTAIN BLOOD, TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE INFORMER, and SECRET AGENT. It was my first time seeing all but the Hawks film, and I now understand your love for this Ford film. What an incredible exploration of guilt and the consequences of betrayal. I was very moved.
Here’s to another great week. Thanks, Sam, for all that you do.
And Jeffrey, again I appreciate your effervescence and wonderful submission under this thread. Yeah, I do well remember you loved Mann from your previous countdown, and if you were in these parts, you’d be banging down the Film Forum doors to get in.
The World Cup did obssess many at this site (Maurizio, Jamie, Bob, Donophon, Allan and others) and just about everybody is disappointed with the outsting of the USA, England and Italy. In my town, which is now heavily Hispanic, there is enthusiasm now for Brazil and Argentina, and some kids in the summer school program were arguing today as to which team would go all the way! Ha! I can well see how you would involved with this event.
Aye on that expressionistic THE INFORMER, which I have always venerated. Allan thinks less of the film, but I always list it among Ford’s best. I do love all those other to varying degrees.
You are a prince of a guy Jeffrey. Thanks so much for the kind words on Melanie too! I am proud indeed.
Congratulations to Melanie! Sounds like good things will come her way! Great photos of the family too!
Some interesting outings for you this weekend. Guess I’d pass on Dogtooth and would never go near A Team. I continue to wonder why so many remakes? Where’s the creativity? But that’s just me, not making a blanket statement on anybody……….
BTW: “And I can’t believe I violated Anthony with Michael, since I am a non-fan of the latter! Putting it mildly! Ha!”
OK, call me coffee then………….we’re simply a product of those crazy mid fifties naming……….
Cheers!
Michael: Thanks so very much for all the kind words. Melanie is now the first of our brood to head on to high school, and the first to leave the school district where I teach and where my wife is a principle. She’s leaving the nest and the feelings are bittersweet.
LOL on the Michael joke!!! I like all Michaels, unless their last name is Mann!
Just kidding. Again I overact in describing a director many do love. I am certain you would NOT like either DOGTOOTH nor A TEAM, as I do think I know your taste well enough at this point. But the Mann films are another matter. You would delight in nearly all of em.
Thanks as always for brightening the landscape my friend!
Ha… when Sam sent me those wonderful pictures from the Film Forum, I told him that the one of him and his cowboy hat absolutely HAD to make the Monday Morning Diary!
Thanks for the link, Sam, I’m still having quite the blast with the directors series. It has allowed me to touch on a large number of films and directors in a short amount of time. Things should only get better as we move forward, as more heavyweights continue to come up. I’ll continue to play it close to the vest as to what I watched over the last week, so as not to give anything away.
What I did do this past week is go on a DVD spending spree. Now having all-region capability now means that I can troll through Amazon UK as well as the usual avenues, which has resulted in more purchases. Over the last two weeks I have gotten in, or ordered and am waiting on:
-Last Year at Marienbad Blu-Ray
-The Remains of the Day
-Premiere Frank Capra Collection
-Toy Story & Toy Story 2 Blu-Ray/DVD Combo
-Claude Chabrol Collection
-The Definitive Ealing Studios Collection 16 Disc Set
-Die Brucke (aka The Bridge)
-Come and See
-Rear Window Legacy Series
-Psycho Legacy Series
-Vertigo Legacy Series
Yes, I went on an extended spree… Most of these I have never owned and I re-upped on the three Hitchcocks because they are all time favorites with a lot of extras, plus they apparently have improved transfers.
Aye, Dave, you gave me the idea to post it at the site! The Mann Festival is obssessing me in a big way. I saw three films last night, and this afternoon (after the summer program, which ends at 12:30 P.M.) I am again heading over for THE HEROES OF TELEMARK.
The Director’s series is a big, big winner, and I concur that you should keep things silent the rest of the way. I could certainly pose a guess as to what the remaining choices would be, but I wouldn’t dare, as the suspense is all part of the fun. The quality of your writing and the overall presentation has been miraculous, and the enthusiasm of the commenters has added to the venture. The series has allowed you in indulge in many films, and there’s really no better discipline than the prep here.
God, you’ve made some fantastic additions there! You always take full advantage of the sales. That 16 film Ealing collection is quite the great acquisition! And yes, the Legacys are quality improvements, so I can’t blame you there either! I’m sure COME AND SEE will blow you away, although now that I think of it, you have probably seen it already. Nice with TOY STORY blu-rays too!
Terrific submission here Dave!
Sam,
Congratulations to Melanie on her eighth-grade graduation! That’s a great family picture, and I’m sure it was a proud and happy occasion for you and Lucille.
I had a whirlwind weekend, and as I write this, I’m only just getting around to watching the AFI Lifetime Achievement tribute to Mike Nichols, which I recorded on Saturday. Back in 2007, in one of my earliest blog posts, I’d suggested that Nichols was overdue for the lifetime achievement award, so I’ve been excited to see this.
I’m continuing my reading of David McCullough’s “1776,” and looking forward to some great arthouse openings over the holiday weekend: “Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinksy” and “I Am Love” both open locally on Friday.
Thanks so much for that Pat! Yes, it was most assuredly a joyful time for all of us, while a reminder that time is really moving on. Next year, the second child Sammy will be graduating as well.
I am most interested in hearing your reaction to COCO CHANNEL AND IGOR STRAVINSKY, which for the most part was a rather fascinating film about fascinating people. I have not seen I AM LOVE, though I think it is also opening locally here on Friday. I hope to see it, if I can scale back this latest Anthony Mann obssession! Ha!
Nichols is a master Pat, no doubt about it, and I agree the AFI award is well-earned. I hope to see an encore at your place on this landmark achievement.
Have a great upcoming holiday weekend, and enjoy what you get to. As always thanks exceedingly for the wonderful wrap, my friend!
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, and WitD readers,
My Lead-in : is a bit different this week Sam Juliano,
…First of all, congratulation once again goes out to your daughter, Melanie Juliano, and her being the first of your five children to graduate.
I have to also “echo” what other bloggers, have already said, and that is a very nice photograph of you and your entire family. (I really like the photograph of Sammy Jr. and Danny, because Sammy appears to be playful in this photograph. (Usually, he looks so serious or stoic in photographs…Well, at least to me he sometime look serious in some photographs, but not all the time.)
What a great photograph…Thanks, for sharing,
Sam, once again some very interesting films that you watched this week on your weekly quest to let your readers, know what films that you experienced at the theatre and on stage.
Now when it comes to the films that you watched…It appears as if the film(s) Dogtooth and The A Team…were pretty bad. (One star each…your opinion can’t get any lower than that except for a 1/2 and then a *)
Now, on the Theatre front :
What you have watched on Stage… Sam Juliano said, “Control” was an unfocused mess of a theatrical staging which was basically reliant on profanity for shock effect as it featured some psychological role-playing…”
Ah, it does not sound as if you were to “gaga” over the stage play Control neither.
Now, the Anthony Mann Film Festival… Hmmm… Let me start with…
The Naked Spur…My mère asked me to purchase The Naked Spur and Winchester 73 for her…, which I did…, but of course… (I have watched them too…great western with a “noir sensibility.” ( Both films had all the ” noir stars” in place too…
…James Stewart, (Vertigo, Rope,)
Dan Duryea, (Larceny, Crisscross, Too Late For Tears, Ministry of Fear, Scarlet Street and Woman in the Window.)
Stephan McNally, (Split Second, Crisscross,)
Robert Ryan, (On Dangerous Ground, The Set-Up, The Racket, and Crossfire.) and Shelley Winters. (Larceny, Cry of the City, and A Double Life.)
I must admit that I watched Mann’s Raw Deal only once and with abandonment too…Therefore, I must rewatch or revisit this film in earnest, but on the other hand, I have watched T- Men…on several occasion.
Last week I said, Sam, I must admit that I recently, watched Toy Story and Toy Story 2 (for the first time…this year) with somewhat “abandonment”…I must somehow rectify that and watch all three films again.
Oh! No, Sam Juliano, that is not good…this meant that I was talking on the phone, punching out letters on the keyboard or worse was in one room listening to the film(s) while in another room.
Films on the shelf:
…Sam, here is what happened on my “front”… I revisited Scorsese’s Shutter Island, Sherlock Holmes,(2009 version) Rebecca, and (a “B” film noir entitled Escape in the Fog) and I watched Anastasia, (The animated version) for the first time and Ratatouille again…
…Sam Juliano, I know you may think she is “losing” it… Oh! No, she is losing some her “marbles” watching Ratatouille, repeatedly… Or worse “flipping my bottom lip” repeatedly, while watching Ratatouille.
Oh! No, I’am looking at these animations from an adult, and from an artist perspective, and not through the eyes of a child or children. (See: Books on the shelf comment.)
Books on the shelf… author Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island still lead on my “online” bookshelf. Sam Juliano, I’am in the process of creating two animation blogs, dealing with the art of animation. (That is if “time” permits me to go ahead with this project.)
I’am also reading and have purchased several books on the art of animation…
…Music on the shelf:… Nope…not yet…with “yet” being the operative word.
Food … Hmmm…a very light touch…as usual.
Sports… No Comment…especially, when it comes to the World cup and France.
Politics…No Comment…
I guess that about wraps up my week in review for this week too…
By the way, Sam Juliano thanks, for mentioning…
…the “happenings” over there on my blog…as usual.
Take care!
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Once again my dear friend, you demonstrate amazing insights. Yes, my son Sammy rarely if ever shows any emotion in photos, and he does indeed come off as stoic, unlike Danny, who usually is smiling. Sammy does have his moments, but he is rather serious, intense and stubborn, as Allan observed himself during his two three-week visits to us in successive years. Thanks so much for the kind words on Melanie. We are all very happy, though a bit disappointed she didn’t make the honor platoon, as her final grade in math was only average. She apparently takes after me in that sense, as I was a terrible math student. Ha!
Yes, indeed on this week’s forgettable films and play, though a number of people are rightfully questioning my harsh assessment of both DOGTOOTH and THE A TEAM. At some point I’ll give them another whirl, though I can’t imagine my opinion will elevate all that much.
Great to learn that both you and mere are fans of the Mann-Stewart western collaborations, and yes, THE NAKED SPUR and WINCHESTER 73 are among the best of them all. Still this upcoming Friday’s double-feature of MAN OF THE WEST and THE MAN FROM LARAMIE will be a supreme highlight of the festival. I’m addicted, hook, line and sinker, as I saw three last night, have one for this afternoon, and six more over Wed., Thurs., and Fri. The prints have been exceptional, and therein lies a major reason for the resolve.
Tony d’Ambra is a huge fan of RAW DEAL, and after seeing it in this way, I can’t blame him. I understand you would want to see this again. And I quite understand what you are saying there about “abandon” in regard to the TOY STORYs!! Ha!
You are obviously, then, a big fan of T MEN!!! Nice.
Boy are you a big fan of RATATOUILLE! Well, again I am with you completely with that one–it’s unquestionably one of the Pixar masterworks. And I love REBECCA (both novel and film) and think highly of SHUTTER ISLAND as well.
You and I have some of the same “afflictions.” Ha! We move from one obssession to the next!!!! that said, i can’t wait to lay eyes on your animation blogs!!
As always thanks five times over for all you have done and will do, my very good friend!
Wow, you have had loads of response to this thread, Sam, which seems to get more popular every week. Congratulations to Melanie on her graduation, and great pictures of you and the boys in cowboy gear – the Anthony Mann festival sounds excellent.
Also thank you very much for the double plug and too-kind words, and for all your advice on Shakespeare films. Would you recommend the Kevin Kline version of ‘Hamlet’, which I’m guessing you might have seen on stage in New York? I noticed they have that one on DVD at the library and thought it might be interesting to compare with Branagh, Olivier and Tennant!
At the cinema, this week I was lucky enough to see a rare showing of a classic on the big screen in my home town, Ipswich – ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. Not all that many people went along, but those who did thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Not my favourite Hawks, but still a lot of fun.
I haven’t watched much at home in the last few days (apart from bits and pieces of tennis and football), but did see the Branagh ‘As You Like It’ (much better than the 1930s version – and I liked Kline as Jaques in this which made me wonder about his ‘Hamlet’) and another not-on-DVD 1930s Wellman. Not a pre-Code this time, but ‘The Light That Failed’ (1939), a wildly melodramatic Kipling adaptation starring Ronald Colman, Ida Lupino and Walter Huston, who are all great, especially Lupino with a Cockney accent.
Ah Judy, I was never able to secure tickets for the Kevin Kline HAMLET, though I had my sights set on it. That’s great though that is is available on DVD! I was thrilled to have the opportunity to add to the impassioned Shakespeare discussion (especially at your costume drama site) where many others showed impressive knowledge. Kline did get some very good reviews for his performance, though again I haven’t even seen this particular DVD as of yet. I agree that the Branagh rates ahead of the 30’s AS YOU LIKE IT (though despite the failings is still worth seeing).
Ah yes, GENTLEMAN PREFER BLONDES!! That’s a great one to see on the big screen, as it combines comedy and musical numbers delightfully. Of course Monroe (and Charles Coburn) are terrific, and one would be cynical indeed to find any serious faults with it. It’s certainly one of Hawks’ most popular films. I’ve never seen this on the big screen, but I can imagine the fun time you had seeing it in the immersive environment!
I look forward to reading your assessment of Wellman’s THE LIGHT THAT FAILED (1939) and continue to be amazed at your spectacular completism in this glorious venture.
I hope the British ouster at the hands of Germany wasn’t too disappointing, as the USA left as well the day before!
Thanks so much for the kind words about Melanie! We are all proud, of course.
The Mann Festival is yet another event aimed at drawing in obssessives like me!
Thanks as always for the wonderful and enriching wrap my very good friend!
Sorry you didn’t manage to see the Kline ‘Hamlet’ on stage, Sam, as I know you would have loved to – and many thanks again for your contributions to the Shakespeare discussion on my blogs! From your comments it sounds as if it would be worth checking out the DVD of this one.
I’m off to see an outdoor production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ tonight with my daughter, who is reading English at university and has to read the Bard’s whole works over the summer and see as many productions as possible – so she will hopefully be watching some of the movies you have recommended with me too.
Thanks also for the comments about Wellman – yeah, I’m still obsessed.
Judy, I’d love to hear (or read about) your reaction (and your daughter’s) to MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. That’s a wonderful course your daughter is taking and it’s a great discipline for her to check out the Bard’s canon! And it’s great for you that she has picked up your own excellent interests and taste if I may say so! The Wellman obsession is a glorious one!!!
7 people. A total of 5 phones in the house. You could call fifty times and nobody hears them ringing! GOD! SAM-MEET ME AT THE USUAL SPOT AT 530 PM!
Remember, Dennis, that we are all involved with the summer program. There isn’t anyone here to answer the phone until after 1:00 P.M.
5:30 it is.
Jamie, Troy and Kevin!!!!!
Check this out!
http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2010/06/lycanthropus-aka-werewolf-in-girls.html
Roderick Heath has penned a fantastic review (what else is new?) of WEREWOLF IN A GIRL’S DORMITORY (a.k.a. LYCANTROPUS) mentioning among other insights how it was a forerunner of sorts of the Italian Giallo cycle. I am not sure if you guys have seen this film, but I do remember it fondly, though I haven’t watched it in years.
Thanks Sam for the heads up. Upon compiling my horror list recently were I could really see my tastes emerge (and answering the questioned posed by Kevin recently), I’ve realized I’m not a big fan of werewolf films. I’m not sure why. This review is a good one and I’ve never seen this film.
A werewolf film from that era that I do like is the 1974 THE BEAST MUST DIE with Peter Cushing. An actual German Shepard plays the werewolf in a few scenes due to financial reasons. Pretty awesome.
I’ve gone through several drafts of my sci-fi list, hoping to put together something that’s representative of the whole spectrum of the genre, and not just my own personal tastes. That said, I have a feeling that I’ll have to do a bit of explaining when it comes to certain sub-genres which are usually viewed outside the boundaries of science-fiction– monster movies, space opera, alternate histories and even anime all tend to be looked at as kinda their own things, but in some cases they’re essential.
I remember THE BEAST MUST DIE quite well Jamie, and I do like it. I love those ‘who is the werewolf’ bookends especially.
Bob I am thrilled to hear of your preparation. We’ll be talking soon by instant!
Thanks for the nod Sam. I saw four movies in the theaters this week, all excellent and one of which (I think) is an honest-to-god masterpiece. It’s Alain Resnais’s Wild Grass, and had to be one of the most complex experiences I’ve had in a movie theater. The reason I have to add the “I think” is that, in some sense, I’m assuming it’s as good as I thought it was, as it was certainly compromised by the work of an inexcusably horrendous projectionist that in a more just world would have been shot. I’m going back to see it this weekend, but really it’s an incredible movie, completely insane and hilarious, and definitely in direct opposition to the Haneke-Breillat-Godard style of politicized polemics that’s very much in vogue in European cinema right now. It reminded me of Femme Fatale a lot, actually, although very different, and probably better (and I love that movie).
Also saw Toy Story 3, Winchester ’73 and The Naked Spur. It was incredible finally seeing some Mann on the big screen, and I agree with everyone in their over-the-moon assessments of the Pixar.
Donophon: Thanks for the tremendous comment!!!
And I am really really happy to hear you were at the Mann Festival!!!!! You saw that great opening double, and I need not add anything there, as you know as well as anyone how extraordinary those two are. I am actually leaving the house in minutes now to see THE HEROES OF TELEMARK, another festival feature.
I am equally excited to hear what you said about TOY STORY 3, as it’s a deeply moving animated masterpiece!
But I will hereby bow to your assessment of WILD GRASS, which I wanted to see badly this past weekend (but was foiled by the Mann Festival) I love Resnais and am amazed that his later films are as excellent as they are considering his advanced age. Interesting comparison with FEMME FATALE, and superb framing of the film, style and director. I am very excited. And you are seeing it a second time? Wow. Well, that tells me something!
You has an utterly PHENOMENAL week. Are you tempted to see THE MAN FROM LARAMIE and MAN OF THE WEST on Friday or Saturday? I’ll be there on Friday.
Thanks for the fantastic wrap my friend!
I’m leaving now, but just wanted to say that I hope I get a different projectionist for the Resnais!!!!
I hear ya!
Very Late, I know. Was on a break. Thanks for the pointer, as always, as always, as always, Sam.
A-Team? Ha. I saw Toy Story 3. Liked it very much. Have you seen this fake commercial by Pixar for the Lotso bear? hilarious!
Cheers!
Thats a really cute commercial JAFB, and thanks for sending it on!
I did figure you were taking a break, and frankly you deserved it after penning that extraordinary John Ford (Part 1) post!
Anyway, I am really thrilled to hear that you loved TOY STORY 3!
Welcome back my friend and thanks as always.
Hey Sam. I’ve found some time to get back with a quick mention of what I watched last week. It was mostly split up between a few early 80’s slashers, a couple giallo films, and some more of Mario Bava’s work. I intend on posting more thoughts on all of these on the blog later today.
First off, though, I finally had a chance to watch DON’T LOOK NOW, which I found to be absolutely perfect. Easy ***** rating for this. I just noticed Allan had an essay on it from the 70’s countdown, so I must read that.
While none of the slashers I watched were good, per se, all were definitely entertaining, often for the entirely wrong reasons:
PIECES *1/2
CURTAINS **
THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW **1/2
The giallo were both entertaining, if never outstanding:
THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH ***1/2
DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING ***1/2
The Bava’s, meanwhile, were both fantastic. Two of my favorites, even if there were some very minor issues (pretty much all related to the acting) I had with both:
BLACK SUNDAY ****1/2
KILL, BABY KILL ****
Troy: Thanks for returning here, with that assessment on DON’T LOOK NOW, which Allan loves far more than I do, but it is film that has maintained a tremendous reputation. As I stated I did love those two Bavas exceedingly (BLACK SUNDAY and KILL, BABY KILL) and I did see DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING (and own the Anchor Bay DVD) and regard it fairly well. I did not see THE STRANGE VICE though. The three slashers there are not familiar to me, but I will be looking at some during the course of the horror polling.
Likewise, I will check out your place!
Thanks again!
Oddly enough, I’ve revisited a few Bava’s and while I understand his reputation, his early Gothic works seem to just be exercises in ability over anything scary. Great atmosphere, sets and execution on tight budgets but little else. Count me as a BLACK SUNDAY denier, as it stands now I do not have it in my top 100 horror films which seems sacrilegious to classic horror fans.
I like both the giallo’s you cite (you know my love of Martino), and DUCKLING is the best Fulci I’ve seen, over even THE BEYOND for me.
I consider PIECES the best bad movie I’ve ever seen (or damn close). As I’ve said before that film, a few friends and some beer and you can thaw even the most pretentious of film fans around here. It’s really that enjoyable in its absurdity. The director of that one also did the glorious camp classic SLUGS, a great double bill if there ever was one.
I’m a big fan of THE BEYOND, though I know Kevin also prefers DUCKLING to it. I thought DUCKLING had a marvelous first 30 minutes and last 10 minutes, but the middle did nothing for me.
I’m starting to think I may be alone in my love of classic horror for the countdown amongst the four of us. I won’t claim that anything Bava does is truly scary, but I greatly admire his knack for creating atmosphere and perhaps I just value that ability more than some. Argento kind of falls in the same boat for me – he never really goes for building tension and fear as much as he embellishes things with a signature style and execution.
But back to your comment of “exercises in ability over anything scary.” I think one of the interesting things about the horror countdown will be specifically whether a movie can be rated differently as a “horror” film than it can as it stands on its own, judged against all films. Or in the case of BLACK SUNDAY, do you view it better if not comparing it to other horror films because of the craftsmanship and influence that is on display? Does that make any sense?
Yes Troy that does make sense. And it’s also the biggest reason why I didn’t really like the film. After all it didn’t scare me, or interest me in it’s attempt to evoke fear (lots of gore films don’t scare me but I like the attempts), so I did just judge it as a film… when I got to this point it became so similar to something like THE SCARLETT EMPRESS (watch both back to back and shots are the same more or less, things in foreground framing multi-layered background, etc) but not nearly as good in any way that I could tell.
That and I like horror films in the vein of art-horror that are generally very interesting, and very scary. Your mention of DON’T LOOK NOW contains this idea… though I don’t want to give away how high I rate that film (though you’ll be getting my initial list soon).
Jamie — I can completely see your point on how to “rank” these films and it’s been something I’ve been pondering since we began. I currently have one list for each of the methods I explained above, plus a list ranked just by enjoyment factor…how my final list ends up, I still haven’t quite figured out, but it will likely be some amalgam of all of these.
How many Anthony Mann films are you planning to watch in this festival, Sam?
Are you going over there tonight? I bet that print for “The Fall of the Roman Empire” will really be something to behold.
What about the Meadowlands Fair?
I see the Film Forum has a Chaplin Festival all set to go at the conclusion of the Mann. You’ll be best advised to get a hotel room if you’re smart. There may be something on Houston Street, so you’d just have to walk a few blocks.
Peter: They will be showing 32 Mann films during the run of this festival, which is in its 7th day today. They have shown 12 films so far, and I have seen every one. I am going to make a strong effort at seeing every single one, as the presentation and the prints have been spectacular, and the allure to examine a director on a big screen in this fashion is irresistible. Lucille has attended a few times, as have the kids, and they will be on board tomorrow night. Tonight I am indeed going to see GOD’S LITTLE ACRE and THE LAST FRONTIER. Tomorrow it’s the showcase double–MAN OF THE WEST and THE MAN FROM LARAMIE.
I was actually going to announce the Chaplin Festival over the next few days at WitD. That’s another I will be attending in force, though I have seen (like most at the site) some of these films dozens of times.
The hotel room isn’t such a bad idea! Ha! But I live close enough to the city to make the trips in!
Thanks, as always.