Scorching heat and humidity have descended on the Northeast, and weathermen are predicting the NYC area will be recipient to 100 degree temperatures by week’s end. With 4th of July barbeques, seashore respites, (and indoor relaxation to escape the discomfort) the summer is certainly in full throttle for those of us residing in the Northern Hemisphere.
The WitD 2000’s countdown has really hit the home stretch, with a little over two weeks remaining, and some of the most contentious threads ever greeting some of Allan’s recent high-profile choices. Voters who are waiting till the final weeks to enter ballots are urged to commence with the process, though it is normal practice to allow six days extra after Allan’s #1 choice is unveiled.
With the elimination of Italy, the US, England, Brazil, and Argentina, World Cup fans must now decide whether to root for Holland (who reached the finals twice in the 70’s) the mighty Germans, or the marginal favorites, Spain. (there can’t be any serious Uruguay fans out there now, right?)
I’ve had the most torrid moviegoing week ever, as a result of the Film Forum’s Anthony Mann Festival, which I’ve been attending regularly. Hence, in theatres I’ve seen fifteen films this week:
Wild Grass **** (IFC Film Center) Saturday evening
I Am Love **** 1/2 (Montclair Claridge Cinemas) Saturday afternoon
Dr. Broadway *** 1/2 (Anthony Mann) Monday evening
Moonlight in Havana *** (Anthony Mann) Monday evening
The Bamboo Blonde *** (Anthony Mann) Monday evening
The Heroes of Telemark **** (Anthony Mann) Tuesday evening
Devil’s Doorway **** (Anthony Mann) Wednesday evening
Border Incident **** (Anthony Mann) Wednesday evening
God’s Little Acre *** 1/2 (Anthony Mann) Thursday evening
The Last Frontier *** (Anthony Mann) Thursday evening
The Man from Laramie ***** (Anthony Mann) Friday evening
Man of the West ***** (Anthony Mann) Friday evening
Cimmaron *** (Anthony Mann) Monday, 7/5, afternoon
Bend of the River **** 1/2 (Anthony Mann) Monday, 7/5, evening
Thunder Bay **** (Anthony Mann) Monday, 7/5, evening
I will withold further commentary on the Mann films, as I am planning a comprehensive post on the entire festival about a week after it concludes. I am aiming to watch all 32 films as it now stands. I will say, however, that as expected (as as already known from television and DVD and video viewings over the years) that both The Man from Laramie and Man of the West are supreme masterpieces, with the former still my choice as Mann’s greatest film. Even Sammy and Danny loved watching those two!
Resnais’ Wild Grass amply demonstrates the great director still possesses some uncanny skills, and this stylistic mind-beder that stirs the emotions while challenging the intellect with a consideration of the depth of feelings. The Italian I Am Love is an unabashed tear-jerker crafted exquisitely with a soaring operatic intensity and an unforgettable performance by Tilda Swinton. My WitD colleague Bob Clark mentioned yesterday that he did like I Am Love considerably.
So what did you all do over your three-day weekend?
Around the blogosphere we have many great things headlining:
Dave Hicks’s noble venture, where he examining the ‘Top 30’ directors of all-time at “Good Fellas” continues with inspired choices and a few surprises. Here’s his recent post on his #14 choice, the British icons, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger: http://goodfellamovies.blogspot.com/2010/07/14-archers-michael-powell-emeric.html
John Greco has again penned a superlative review on a film noir landmark. John Huston’s seminal heist classic The Asphalt Jungle at “Twenty-Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/the-asphalt-jungle-1950-john-huston/ Meanwhile, over at his second blog, “Watching Shadows on the Wall” he is featuring phototography by Robert Frank: http://watchingshadowsonthewall.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/the-americans-by-robert-frank/
At Movie Classics, lovely Judy Gaeter has been checking out Shakespeare film adapatations, which continuing her incomparable coverage of early American cinema titan, William Wellman. She is headling a review of the Olivier As You Like It at MC: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/as-you-like-it-1936/ and she speaks about her plans to visit Stratford-von-Avon (not far from her Ipswitch home) to take in a production of The Winter’s Tale at her costume review blogsite: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/as-you-like-it-1936/
Just Another Film Buff has followed up his magisterial treatment of John Ford’s earlier films with yet another brilliant multi-part post on the middle to later films. It includes of course most of the seminal director’s masterpieces. Is as essential a post as you’re likely to find anywhere by anyone: http://theseventhart.info/2010/07/03/the-westerns-of-john-ford-part-22/
Writer Extraordinaire Roderick Heath continues to headline his magnificent essay on George Eliot’s Middlemarch at his exquisite “English One O Worst” literature blog- http://englishoneoworst.blogspot.com/2010/05/aspiration-and-actuality-george-eliots.html, while at his film blog “This Island Rod” he is featuring Fast and Furious in the lead spot. http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/ He has also penned a remarkable essay on the classic television series The Prisoner with Patrick McGoogan: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=5277
Over at Ferdy on Films Marilyn Ferdinand has penned a typically excellent review on a rarely-seen 1950 classic, Lost Holiday: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=5318
Shubhajit Lehiri’s departure (at least temporarily) from the blogging scene and from posting his trademark extraordinary capsules at his Cinemascope home has deprived the blogosphere of a vital (and tasteful) voice. He explains his plans here, which may include frequent appearances: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2010/06/small-note.html
Dee Dee has officially gone on hiatus at Noirish City (Darkness Into Light) and while it’s a sad occassion for her readers, it a well-deserved respite for all that she done for so many. She indicates she’ll return, but for now, it’s important that she take advantage of some R & R. Have a great summer, my dear friend: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2010/07/taking-breatherfrom-noirishcity-but-i.html
At FilmsNoir.net Tony d’Ambra is featuring a post of Jean Renoir’s celebrated film noir La Nuit du Carrefore, with a telling Rosenbaum quote and a marvelous screen cap display: http://filmsnoir.net/films/the-origins-of-noir-the-case-for-the-policier.html
Longman Oz, our resident cultural wonderkind, continues to raise the bar with his typically insightful and authoritative reviews on theatre, film and music, (and he’s an exceedingly well-read chap too, unsurprisingly!) and his latest creative essay is on another production at Dublin’s Projects Art Centre, one of the busiest theatrical venues in Europe: http://noordinaryfool.com/2010/07/02/neverawfullylongtime/
Fecund lifelong film fan R.D. Finch is nearing his second anniversary at The Movie Projector, and Alta Rigaud interviews the California native, yielding some fascinating revelations about the writer’s tastes and motivations: http://movieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/07/interview-with-author.html
On holding pattern for what is sure to be a fantastic one-week John Huston blogathon from August 5 to 12 at Icebox Movies Adam Zanzie has a terrific review up on Sidney Lumet’s The Hill at his place at present: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2010/06/hill-1965_23.html
Ed Howard has an extraordinary review up at Only the Cinema on Fassbinder’s World on a Wire, which is available on a superlative Region 2 Second Site DVD: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2010/07/world-on-wire.html
Our dear friend Pat resumed her blogging several weeks back, and it’s business as usual at Doodad Kind of Town, where her latest post is a discussion on some recent at-home watching of Mel Brooks flicks. As always it’s engaging, quality stuff: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2010/06/hey-torquemada-whaddya-say.html
Troy Olson has been preparing for the upcoming horror polling with viewings of all sorts of goodies, and as always he provides superlative capsules and screencaps at “Elusive as Robert Denby: The Life and Times of Troy”: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2010/07/fun-with-bad-horror-movies-part-1.html
Brother Kevin Olson is also posting with excitement for the horror poll, examining the genre from many angles, the latest of which is a comparison of American and Canadian ‘slashers’ at “Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies”: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/question-of-day-which-is-better.html and he just posted an excellent piece on the Canadian slasher My Bloody Valentine, which is one of his best: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-of-slash-my-bloody-valentine.html
Jeffrey Goodman has vowed to post shorter pieces over the summer, chronicling his movie watching, while he simultaneously moved closer to the completion of his new film, Peril. He’s a busy man, and a prince of a guy!: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2010/06/upcoming-agenda.html
Indiana’s most delightful and animated citizen, Michael Harford, has been trying to cope with the heat himself as of late, but he’s always providing his appreciative readers with his own special blend of image and music at his popular Coffee Messiah blogsite: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2010/06/staying-this-side-of-creative.html
If you really want to get a full dose of excitement and creativity, you only need to check out the eternal wonderments on display at Mayne Island, and it’s spectacularly creative resident Terrill Welch (a.ka. Creativepotager) who is always upping the ante for blending art with a hands-on appreciative of nature and the glorious outdoors: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/mayne-island-summer-group-show-part-2/
David Schleicher has won a major writing award for a short story he published! Kudos from all of us at WitD!: http://davethenovelist.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/the-ballerina-in-battery-park/
Craig Kennedy issues considerable praise for the Michael Douglas starrer Solitary Man as the lead-in for his ever-popular weekly Watercooler thread at “Living in Cinema”: http://livingincinema.com/2010/07/05/the-watercooler-solitary-man/
Andrew Wyatt at Gateway Cinephiles has captured the essence of the critically-praised inde hit Winter’s Bone is a marvelous capsule: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2010/06/29/quick-review-winters-bone/
Dave Van Poppel has written a superlative review of Winter’s Bone, a realist film he discusses in effusively-favorable terms: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2010/06/winters-bone.html
Tony Dayoub plays ‘catch up at the movies’ in his latest overview of what’s out there at “Cinema Viewfinder”: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2010/07/catching-up-at-movies.html
Donophon’s ongoing series on Jean-Pierre Melville is showcasing an excellent capsule review on Le Circle Rouge at “The Long Voyage Home.” http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2010/06/jean-pierre-melville-le-cercle-rouge.html
Drew McIntosh, ever the prowler for unheralded or forgotten gems, has his typically fecund work on display in a rare review of 1988’s Candy Mountain at “The Blue Vial.” It’s a must-read for all serious film fans: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2010/06/candy-mountain-robert-frank-rudy.html
Samuel Wilson has completed an exciting facelift at Mondo 70, where he is currently headling an outstanding review of Sidney Pollack’s The Yakuza (1975): http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2010/07/yakuza-1975.html
Kaleem Hasan continues to lead the way at his ever-popular Satyamshot blogsite in Indian film, culture and politics: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/santosh-sivans-urumi-with-prithvi-and-genelia/
Jon Lanthier is is still headlining with his exceptional review of Oliver Stone’s South of the Border at Aspiring Sellout: http://aspiringsellout.com/
J.D. at Radiator Heaven has composed a stellar piece on Unfaithful, a Diane Lane starrer from 2002 that was actually a remake of La Femme Infidele by Claude Chabrol: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2010/07/unfaithful.html
Dan Getahun is back, and his lead post is a thoughtful piece on the latest critical disaster by M. Night Shyamalan: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2010/07/why-you-should-see-last-airbender.html
Our friend Stephen at Checking on My Sausages has taken some summer time off as of late, but his excellent divided response to the Romanian Police, Adjective is still headling for now: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/06/police-adjective
Jake Cole has written a spectacular review of Kiarostami’s Close-Up, which is probably the best essay I’ve ever read on this particular film from anywhere: http://armchairc.blogspot.com/2010/07/close-up.html
Jeopardy Girl talks about many things at her personal blogsite, but it seems once you start reading her candid revelations you can’t stop: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/varathane-smells-like-peace-and-quiet/
Film Doctor has a hodgepodge of fascinating tidbits in his “Independence Day Links” column at his place: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2010/07/independence-day-links.html
Jason Bellamy has penned his typically thoughtful preparatory lead-in to what will be a full review in the near future on the critically-lambasted new film by M. Night Shyamalan: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-bent-after-last-airbender.html
At “Little Worlds” Hokahey has a fascinating consideration posted on Mysterious Island, based on the novel by Jules Verne: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2010/06/mysterious-island-jules-vernes-little.html
Considerably? I don’t know about that. I admired its craft, absolutely. It was one of the most beautifully shot, edited and scored films I’ve seen recently. Viewed apart from its narrative, the film is a masterpiece. All of the story didn’t work for me at all, though– I was unable to detect any chemistry between Swinton and her lover, and therefore couldn’t really wrap my head around all the melodrama. Can you really call it a tear-jerker if the character’s motivations are so remote they fail to ellicit any tears? Mind you, I wouldn’t necessarily mind seeing it again, as a pure sensory experience, and that’s the important thing.
Well Bob, those narrative reservations are what caused me to pull back a bit on what was still a very favorable estimation on your part. There was a deep humanity in the film and well-drawn intimate characters that for me enabled it in the end to wield surprising emotional power, regardless of the remoteness of the motivations. Very fine response here.
Thanks once again for the shout out Sam, it is always appreciated. Well, I had a hell of a week that was buys but a lot of fun. Things started on Wednesday when a friend and I went to see Eric Clapton at an outdoor venue here in Cincinnati and had a blast. Roger Daltrey opened for him and was pretty good and then Clapton himself was great to see again. His show wasn’t quite as good as the first time I saw him, but it was still a lot of fun. I had to use the next day off work to recover from a few too many beverages during the show! LOL
Then on Saturday I became an uncle for the first time when my sister-in-law gave birth to birth to my niece. So that happening understandably took over the entire weekend!
Movie watching, though, was also done as I have had a number of days off work. So I caught up on an old favorite in Rear Window which still, in my eyes, remains as the best movie ever made. I never tire of it. I also watched the first two films in the Premier Frank Capra Collection, American Madness and It Happened One Night. I am finding that since I have become a fan of other comedies of the 30s and 40s – films I used to rarely get into – I am now much more receptive to Capra in general. I still don’t find It Happened One Night to be nearly as good as its reputations, but American Madness really impressed me. It seems an overlooked gem, as I had no clue about before buying it in the collection. I thought it was great and one of my favorite Capras that I have seen (only It’s a Wonderful Life and possibly The Bitter Tea of General Yen would go ahead of it for me).
Then today I began digging into the Ealing Studios box set that I got a week ago. I am only a few films in, but here are some quick ratings of what I have watched thus far:
– Kind Hearts and Coronets: either 8/10 or 9/10, so I suppose doing a compromise of 8.5/10 would be accurate!
– Passport to Pimlico: 7/10
– Dead of Night: 9/10 and pushes very close being a perfect 10
Kind Hearts was the only one of these that I had previously seen, so it was fun to watch that one again. I really, really like it, if not quite as much as others (I seem to remember that you, Sam, consider it to possibly be the greatest British film ever made, no?). Dead of Night was spectacular… really amazing to watch this evening. Why I put it off until now to watch I have no clue. But it alone makes the box set purchase successful.
I finished the Peckinpah bio that had briefly sidetracked me from Robinson’s Chaplin biography. The Peckinpah book was a great read and I have now returned to the Chaplin volume. So, all in all, a crazy but great week for me!
What kind of beverages Dave? Diet-cokes, no?
Ha! Boy the Clapton concert must really have been terrific, especially with that Daltry lead-in! Thrilled that you had such a great time there! I hope he played “I Shot the Sheriff” particularly.
Congratulations on that joyful birth, Uncle Dave!!! So I’m figuring you are the ‘baby’ in your family! Best wishes to all!!!
The other Capras I would be in the top rank would be MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, LOST HORIZON and MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, and I agree with you that IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is not as good as its reputation. AMERICAN MADNESS is indeed one that deserves re-evaluation! That was a great indulgence you had there!
Dave, KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS is in my viewing the greatest film comedy (yeah, it’s a dark one!) ever made from any country, and it pushes close to THE THIRD MAN as the greatest British film. Your rating of it and of the most brilliant omnibus film ever, 1945’s DEAD OF NIGHT is one I can very much appreciate. PASSPORT is fine, but it’s easily the weakest of the three, considering you have two all-time masterpieces there. The Michael Redgrave ventriloquist segment was the most brilliant in DEAD OF NIGHT, methinks. (John Greco talked about this recently in his review of MAGIC.)
When you are done with the Chaplin (congrats on finishing the Peckinpah!) you must tackle Jeanine Basinger’s definitive book on Anthony Mann, which predictably I’m reading now. Ha!
Thanks so much for this passionate, spectacular wrap, my good friend!
Phew! That’s a lot of films for a week! I am yet to see Resnais’ film, but Doniphon’s superb capsule forces me to do it ASAP.
Glad to see that you are going strong on your Mann retro, Sam. I hope it’s all 35mm prints and not DVD projections. Thanks as usual.
Belated July 4th wishes to Americans out there!
JAFB:
Oh yes, every print in this festival is 35 MM, and nearly every one has been rich and pristine, a real treat to bwehold. The Film Forum has never used DVD projection in it’s 40 year history as New York’s premiere revival house, and therein lies the intense desire to check out as much as one can in those hallowed halls. I know you are a huge fan of the western my friend, and you would appreciate this festival as much as anyone.
Aye, Donophon’s capsule on WILD GRASS is quite an incentive. I’m not quite where he is with this film, but I’m close enough. It’s a remarkable achievement for the 87 year old cinema icon.
Thanks as always for the thoughful response my friend.
Ironically, JAFB, this afternoon’s double feature included the only instance in the festival thus far where the corresponding DVD of a film turned out to be superior than the 35 MM print. (The Criterion THE FURIES) there was a lack of clarity in the FF print, but as I say this is a singular instance, as in all other cases it’s no contest by a distance.
Sam I may go to The Film Forum to see The Furies on the 7th. It depends if some plans I have to see Spain vs Germany with friends fails to materialize. I will be rooting for Spain to win it all. In my heart though I fear Germany’s pedigree and ability to win will have them raising their 4th cup in victory. I have been rewatching films from this decade at a furious pace. I will soon unleash my third definitive draft of the 2000’s poll. My top 25 is finally set and without any doubts or lack of sureness. I will say that The Fountain just missed coming in at 27!!!
One interesting anecdote from this past weekend……Me and my girlfriend decided to go to the movies last night as we drove by Cobble Hill Cinema in Brooklyn. We had not planned the theatre beforehand, so we had no idea what pictures were screening. Nothing great was playing but I was leaning towards the Joan Rivers documentary. Somehow she was in the mood for a comedy so we decided on Grown Ups. Oh my @#$@#@ god!!!!! We left after 30 minutes of the most dreadful garbage ever put on the big screen. I was teasing her the whole way home for subjecting us to such low brow nonsense (yes there are fart jokes). The funny part is she found the whole scenario amusing and hilarious. Four years ago I made her go see Lady In The Water with me and she still bothers me about it. This was her revenge on my uninspired choice from the distant past. Adam Sandler needs to be executed. The man makes Eddie Murphy look like Luis Bunuel!!!!
Maurizio!!!!!
Re-check your dates. THE FURIES and THE TIN STAR are NOT playing tomorrow (July 7th) but rather they are screening TODAY (July 6th). I will in fact be attending the 1:30 P.M. showing of THE FURIES and the 3:35 P.M. of THE TIN STAR today, as at night I want to be home for our weekly Tuesday night pasta gathering. Tomorrow, THE GLENN MILLER STORY and STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND will be screened, and I’ll be there for the evening shows. (My wife and eldest daughter will be attending the Lady Ga Ga concert at Madison Square Garden, so it’s a convinient drop off and pick up scenario enroute to the Forum.
Also, Germany and Spain do NOT play today. They play tomorrow (Wednesday). Today Uruguay takes on Holland.
“Adam Sandler needs to be executed. The man makes Eddie Murphy look like Luis Bunuel!!!!”
Hahahahaha Maurizio!!!! I quite agree, and extend my condolences on that lamentable waste of time. Your girlfriend meant well I’m sure, but that was a losing proposition from the get-go. Of course few here or anywhere would argue that point. Ha! The Joan Rivers documentary was excellent, perhaps the best documentary of the year. In any case LADY IN THE WATER is still a more interesting choice than that “comedy.” I wonder if you are planning to see the latest Shyamalan film?! I actually did like done of his films: THE VILLAGE.
I look forward to the final revision of the 2000’s!!!
Thanks as always for the wonderful and engaging re-cap my friend!
Yeah I somehow mixed up the dates for The Furies. For some reason I thought it was playing tomorrow. I knew the Spain game wasn’t today but didn’t realize that The Furies was.
I’m not a fan of any M. Night Shyamalan films. Not sure why I wanted to see Lady In The Water in the first place. There had to be some insane quirky reason floating around in my head. Seeing Grown Ups was a totally spur of the moment decision, based more on her not being in the mood to see a documentary. We both regret that choice as we discovered with some internet research that the Joan Rivers doc is getting really good reviews.
Why, Sam, I happen to be a Uruguay fan! (Just kidding, but it’s funny…I did do a HUGE report on Uruguay in middle school — so it will always hold a special place in my heart – ha!)
Thanks for the shout out.
Dee Dee – you will be missed! Come back soon! Enjoy your R & R!
I continue to re-watch the entire TWIN PEAKS television series (for what is probably the fifth or sixth time watching every episode in order) as part of my summer hibernation — and even more so than any other time, the first two episodes of Season Two are especially jarring and disturbing (among the creepiest things Lynch has ever directed and I’m still shocked twenty years later they were ever allowed to air on network TV) — It’s clear these early eps in Season Two are what turned off a lot of people to what had been up to that point a highly rated water-cooler show – and of course the inevitable “reveal” episode (poor poor Maddie) is what put the nail in the coffin for the series. But, man, I still get giddy as it builds up to that mind-blowing Red Room cliffhanger at the series’ end! How’s Annie indeed!
Also caught on DVD:
Clash By Night – ***1/2 – minor Lang, but still entertaining and moody as hell, though the third act is a snoozer.
The Last Station — *** — An overacted period-piece that is highly watchable but nothing special.
Seraphine — **** — Great, beautifully photographed biopic (loved the paintings) that is ultimately weighed down by the inherent generic conventions of the true story (though I loved the closing shot).
Oh, and I caught a fireworks show (in Trenton of all places) so there were a few moments outdoors (at night of course).
That’s right David, you live close to Trenton. A nice place, except for that ‘gentleman’ who presides over the State house. You know, the one who is so fond of teachers and education?!? I bet that was a glorious fireworks display though! Congratulations again on that short story of yours being recently published!
I guess I can’t argue with your assessment on that Lang, though I see we are not in agreement on THE LAST STATION, which began tediously but developed into a film with valid emotion. That final death scene in fact, was one of 2009’s most memorable scenes in the cinema. That score by Russian composer
Sergei Yevtushenko was one of the year’s best, and both Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren were in prime form. I want to watch this again soon to make sure it holds up. But alas, you stand with a number of others on the film, which seemed to attract a wide gamut of reactions. I did love SERAPHINE (and knew you would love and appreciate those paintings!) and thought Yolande Moreau gave what may have been the best female performance last year (with BRIGHT STAR’S Abbie Cornish)
As far as TWIN PEAKS, who could argue with just about everything you say there. This landmark show never fails to provide new revelations with every new viewing. That alone is a sign of greatness.
Thanks for this superlative and joyous wrap, my friend!
Sam, don’t even get me started on Christie! ahgakjhgajhgajhjghajkhkg! But this is no place for politics 🙂
Let’s just say if he had run against a demon-possessed goat, I would’ve voted for the goat.
LOL David!!!!
That’s music to my ears!!!!
Jaykers, Sam, we will know when you are on holidays, as they will be announcing cinema closures across New York when your family is not around to support them!
Bob’s summation above of “I Am Love” is pretty similar to my own. That lovemaking scene was an atrocity, though, of excess lily gilding! However, knowing what you thought of “Vincere”, Sam, I was pretty sure that you would go for this in a big way!
I saw “Wild Grass” this week too. It was fine for the most part. However, I would stop short of top marks, as the film never quite seemed to know what it wanted to be. Now, that could well be the effect that Resnais wanted and he has earned the right to come up with anything that he wants to at this stage. However, I just felt a bit empty towards it by the end.
Oh, have any of the New Yorkers on this site seen “Brooklyn’s Finest” please? I fully appreciate that it is nothing special. However, I would still be interested in what locals think of this depiction of their city (and that neighbourhood, in particular), as I think there was an earnestness at the heart of the narrative, even if the film could not walk past a cliché without groping it with reckless abandon.
Finally, thanks for the hopelessly kind words as always Sam.
Oh, I also wanted to say that I saw “Striking Distance” on the television one very lazy night. I was going to turn it off until I realised that it must have helped to form the basis for McNulty’s character in “The Wire”. Other than that, an utter turkey.
Allan, what do you say on “Striking Distance?”
Yeah, STRIKING DISTANCE is a stinker, pretty much using every generic “cop who doesn’t play by the rules” cliche, but it does have Denis Farina, John Mahoney, Tom Sizemore, and Andre Braugher in supporting parts, which always makes for a fun viewing experience. If I remember right, they all get to swear and yell at Bruce Willis about how he needs to clean up his act, which is good for a laugh.
Plus, it’s directed by Rowdy Herrington, he of ROAD HOUSE fame, so that’s worth something, no 😉
I’m with you on the McNulty thing, though. In fact, are there any other movies/shows where harbor patrol is at the forefront? I can’t think of any.
I caught the late 80’s early 90’s BAD INFLUENCE with James Spader and Rob Lowe (and strangely enough the cinematographer was Robert Elswit who shot THERE WILL BE BLOOD, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, ect) it’s such a fun little piece of entertaining trash. I loved movies like that as a teen, that era was full of cop films and neo-noirs like that.
That reminds me– there’s another 80’s trashy movie starring James Spader I’ve only caught bits and pieces of, but would love to see from start to finish. “Jack’s Back”, from the director of the trashtastic “Road House”.
I watched a film with James Woods a few weeks back called COP from 1987. I though of you when it ended Bob, as in ‘Man this is one that Bob would love, or at least enjoy’. It’s slightly like your neocon wet dream/nightmare RED DAWN that it plays both angles (though there is quite a left bent too), either way I think you’d love it, it’s quite fun. It’s readily available on dvd/vhs.
Just so there’s no confusion, my preference for “Red Dawn” doesn’t have anything to do with my own political bent. For the most part, I’m slightly to the left of Karl Marx, but I always like to find stuff that people from either side of the aisle can get behind and enjoy. I really dug the shortlived show “Jericho” for that reason– even though its villains were Blackwater-style mercs and Halliburton-esque corporations, it always had a very nicely apolitical stance about it. Still, one of the main reasons I love the prequels is its political side, so I’m not immune.
Oh I understand this Bob and I know you aren’t a neocon, I just appreciate that you can like a trash sort of film regardless of what it purports politically (others here are unable to get over themselves). COP is all over the place in almost a DIRTY HARRY kind of way with some liberalism. It’s fun to watch James Woods chew scenes like this, he was having a blast.
In fact, are there any other movies/shows where harbor patrol is at the forefront?
Troy – the only show that springs immediately to mind is an Australian TV drama called “Water Rats” that used to be broadcast on late night Irish television. It was nothing special. There has to be more though – seems too obvious an idea!
On shows about harbour patrols, there was a short-lived UK series on the BBC from 1999- 2000 called ‘Harbour Lights’, starring Nick Berry, who used to be in the long-running show Heartbeat. If memory serves, ‘Harbour Lights’ was a bit soapy and not all that successful, but gave a big boost to tourism on the Dorset coast as the scenery looked gorgeous!
I thought I’d also seen a bad movie about a harbour patrol, but am now realising that I think it was a bad movie about divers – and what’s more I don’t remember who was in it, so will give up on that one!!
Hahahaha Longman!!! I like that opening comment about the cinema closings!!! I guess that’s part of starting up with festivals. After you see a few the desire to try and see them all becomes an obsession. But truthfully it is not healthy nor considerate to fall pray to this, regardless of how much one loves films. Would you know a good psychiatrist I can speak to?
Well that lovemaking scene was part of the film’s sexual appeal, but yeah you and Bob are right. And yes, you again had me figured right after I embraced that Bellochio film earlier this year. Both VINCERE and I AM LOVE are heavily stylistic too. (and in a very good sense) I find it interesting that the year’s two best performances by a leading actress this year were in Italian films. (Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Tilda Swinton, the latter dominating I AM LOVE rather remarkably).
Longman, perhaps our resident Brooklyn native Maurizio Roca has seen BROOKLYN’S FINEST, but I’m afraid all has been mum on this film since it released. Yeah the reviews weren’t so hot, though I appreciate those positive insights.
I wouldn’t have Resnais’s film in my Top 10 Longman, mind you, but I thought he did exactly what he wanted to do with no rules. There were a few instances where I was with you, and I can’t say that everything worked.
Thanks as always for brightening this thread, my fecund friend!
Thanks Sam! Er, it’s been hovering around 91 with humidity, 95-96 with hotter days to come. I see it will hover near 100 your way ; (
15 films in a week? You must be on vacation! Look forward to the over all review.
We made a clean sweep of our yard and trees despite the heat and watched:
Clash Of The Titans, which made me think of the Harryhausen (sp) films and wanting to see them again. This was OK, but wouldn’t watch it again.
Saw also Cold Souls and enjoyed that one and will see again at some point.
Stay cool! Cheers!
Hey Michael! Yeah, I’m afraid we are mutually baking! Yep, they are saying maybe 102 here today! I will certainly be cranking up my air conditioning en route to the city this afternoon during the peak of teh heat. I give you a lot of credit for your bravery in tackling yard work in these conditions. We’ve had to hire a few to remove all the weeds in our yard just last week, but if anyone tackled this today they’d surely get heat stroke.
Yeah, TITANS is fair enough for a single viewing, but it’s not one to return to unless you have a blu-ray player and disc. It does indeed remind of the Harryhausen films. COLD SOULS is a reasonably interesting film.
Aye, drinking plenty of water is a good idea too!
Thanks for the wonderful wrap, my good friend!
Sam, thanks again for the mention. The weather in FLA. has been wet (for the past five or six days) especially over the weekend, so much of my time has been indoors. I have been spending time on one of my latest projects, converting old slides into digital photos . I have also been reading a Hitchcock memoir called “It’s Only a Movie”, decent enough but you are better off sticking with Donald Spoto’s books on the master, and of course writing and watching movies.
Looking forward to your Mann summary.
Please Give (Nicole Holofcener) (***1/2), an entertaining solid comedy/drama filled with quirky well written characters. Holofcener definitely has a good ear for dialogue and characters in general, especially women. Though some of the characters are nasty, their reasons are deep rooted reasons in their life experiences. They are not cardboard cut outs nasty for the sake of being nasty. You walk out of this movie feeling you know these people or people exactly like them. Good sophisticated stuff.
Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper)*** – I was disappointed with my latest viewing of this seminal work of the counter culture of the sixties. The film seems dated and naive and worst of all is Fonda’s character Wyatt who is full of muddled holier-than-thou dialogue like “You do your own thing in your own time” and “we blew it.” The film is filled with travelogue like scenic shots of the southwest and second rate Fellini style surrealism during the acid trip in New Orleans. “Easy Rider” some forty years later comes across as a mixed bag, the soundtrack is still great, Nicholson’s George Hanson still remains one of his best performance but all in all the only true revolutionary aspect of this movie is Laszlo Kovacs stylist cinematography that broke new ground at the time.
Toots (Kristi Jacobson)**** – Filmmaker Kristi Jacobson, portrait of her Grand Dad, New York most famous saloon keeper/restaurateur Toots Shor is so much more than just a portrait of her legendary relative, it is a portrait of New York City when the City was the center of the world, in entertainment, sports, the arts and the mob. Wonderful and interesting lifestyle that is now long gone.
The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston)****1/2 One of the first caper movies and still remains one of the best. Soderbergh should have sat down and studied this film before doing his Ocean films. As you mention a review is currently up at 24frames.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (John Huston)***** Another Huston film and simply one of the best of American cinema. An excellent study of greed and paranoia with two outstanding performances by Walter Huston and Bogart. A full review will be coming up at 24frames.
Jeopardy ( John Sturges)***1/2 Barbara Stanwyck and a crazed killer played by Ralph Meeker are matched up against each other in this tightly filmed thriller. At 69 minutes no time is spared on niceties. A down and dirty little thriller. Full review coming soon at 24frames.
No Name on the Bullet – ***1/2You would not expect a psychological tense western from a second feature starring Audie Murphy but that is what you get in this western directed by Jack Arnold. A terrific script though you keep wishing it was Eastwood in the role instead of Murphy,
Crime in the Streets (Don Siegel)***1/2 – A terrific 50’s JD gang film. John Cassavetes, Sal Mineo (straight from Rebel Without a Cause) and Mark Rydell. The opening gang fight scene and its immediate aftermath are still strong stuff. The two biggest problems with the film is that it is studio bound and it shows badly plus an ending that goes soft after an hour and 40 minutes of tough talk. James Whitmore also stars as a too good to be true committed social worker. Overall this is better than most JD films from this period.
Once again John you have set the standard on weekly movie watching! (not even to mention reading and involvement in other projects like the slide/photo conversion) Remarkable!
John, I couldn’t agree with more on Ms. Holefcener’s film, and the perceptions you pose here. They are indeed unlikeable, but you do feel you’ve known them (or people like them!)
I haven’t seen TOOTS or NO NAME ON THE BALLOT, though I know of them, and much appreciate the excellent capsule recaps.
Hurray on that EASY RIDER reevaluation. That film has definitedly dated in a big way, and what once was a defining cultural statement during aturbulent time, is now rather corny and distancing, despite the very good performances. I honestly can’t watch that film anymore, and you are right be be candid here!
The real TREASURE of this wonderful recap is of course THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, which you rightly annoint one of the crowning glories of American cinema, and John Huston’s greatest masterpiece, even with THE MALTSE FALCON, THE DEAD and THE ASPHALT JUNGLE in the mix. I’ll be watching for your review on it and in fact I’ll be over to Twenty Four Frames this evening after dinner, and the afternoon festival films.
I don’t remember having a problem with the ending of CRIME IN THE STREETS but yeah it is studio bound, and I am with you on that star rating.
And I’ll also be looking for the review on JEOPARDY, which I might go with four stars on. But more likely I’ll go with your rating. Barbra Stanwyck as always is incomparable.
As far as THE ASPHALT JUNGLE, well it needs no validation from me. I guess I give the slight edge to THE KILLING and Melville’s LE CERCLE ROUGE, but it’s all semantics so to speak.
Thanks for this spectacular report, always riveting and always deeply appreciated John!
I think I’d much rather have that wet weather that you are having! Ha!
Thanks for the shout-out. I just saw an Anthony Mann pic yesterday – Fall of the Roman Empire which I found rather ponderous and ridiculous. I enjoyed the second half more than the first though; Christopher Plummer seemed to enjoy chewing up the lavish scenery as a decadent Commodus.
Joel:
I have also seen THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, but the ultimate viewing will be at the Film Forum a week from Thursday on the closing day of this festival. Your reaction is shared by many, but in recent years the film’s reputation has risen, with a number (including Martin Scorsese, who feels it’s one of Mann’s best films) praising the film’s intimacy and beautifully framed and textured cinematography by Robert Krasker, who’s a wizard in the snow , and despite some excesses, it’s an exquisitely mounted epic, one of the best of its kind, with that eternally fascinating canvas and period on display. It’s not quite as good as EL CID (which contends for the best epic film of all-time) but it’s a remarkable achievement. Both Allan and I are big fans to varying degrees.
There are very nice shots – the wintry German landscapes in particular come to mind – but the dialogue was embarrassing – either wooden enunciations of (supposed) emotion (a particularly banal exchange about love shared between Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd early in the film comes to mind) or endless speeches about stoicism and liberty. The mise en scene was also a bit staid for my tastes, so that even when the shots were pretty they were rarely exciting. On the other hand, Alec Guiness got away with everything short of murder (or those half-narrated, half-spoken philosophical reflections, which even he couldn’t pull off) and Plummer was a ball. Plus, I can’t say I mind looking at Sophia Loren for 3 hours, no matter how silly her lines.
The plot, while utterly ridiculous and ahistorical, was also quite fun – indeed I came to the movie through a description in a book I’m reading, From Plato to NATO, which uses it as an example of the “Grand Narrative” mentality that dominated American intellectual history in the midcentury, of which Will Durant was a prime exponent (Durant, who was a technical advisor and apparently heavy script doctor to the film, also wrote an engaging “Story of Philosophy” which I’m reading now). I always enjoy films which are based upon myths or especially newly invented counter-myths, and the film has a lot to offer in that regard, what with its barbarians-turned-Romans and Empire-of-liberty constructs.
It would probably be pretty rewarding to experience on the big-screen; and I’m intrigued by El Cid too, I’ve always had a soft spot for Heston.
Thanks for the mention, Sam. I’ve been studying Breakfast at Tiffany’s in both book and movie form now that I’ve read (and enjoyed) Sam Wasson’s Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.. Also, I liked The Crazies on DVD.
Film Dr: I’d love to read about your findings as to the comparisons of Capote’s work with the film version. Some people I know love the film, but some others feel quite the opposite. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle myself.
THE CRAZIES is a popular DVD in this house. Ha!
My wife is actually reading this book right now (for its feminist message) and likes it quite a bit. I will get to it after she is done. I believe Wasson has also written a book on Blake Edwards which is fairly new.
Hi, Sam! Thanks for the mention of me and Rod, whose logomania keeps us both busy. He just posted something on Phaedra on English One-O-Worst, BTW, that’s must-reading.
My holiday weekend was five days long and full of a lot of nothing. Puttered around the house doing a lot of cooking and cleaning, and spent a lot of time in the garden as well, enjoying the appearance of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers on the branches.
On the movie front, we watched The Snake Pit, one of the better films dealing with mental illness; Quai des Orfevres, a ravishing crime prodecural; It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, which gave me a mad, mad headache; Matilda, a terrific children’s movie that I identified with (the egghead kid, not the horrible parents); and a lot of Dr. Who.
Marilyn: Allan will love to hear about those DR. WHO viewings, as he has endlessly promoted the series the past few years. (but with good reason, methinks.)
LOL on “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” giving you headaches!! I can’t say I blame you as that one is badly dated. I took my kids to Teaneck, N.J. last year to see it at night and the excessive length and rather lugubrious pacing put them to sleep! I like some other films by Stanley Kramer though, but I know for many this one has not stood the test of time. Tracy was a delightful goof though. I agree with you on what you say there about THE SKAKE PIT, which features that excellent de Havilland performance and I am with you lock, stock and barrel on QUAI DES ORFEVRES, that extraordinary policer.
Aye, I do love MATHILDA too, and note that clarification! Ha!
Rod is a machine, there is no doubt about it. I saw that Racine piece earlier today, and think it a fine literary follow-up to the cinematic treatment he gave THE TROJAN WOMAN at Ferdy-on-Films a few weeks back. I remember that play from years ago, but am far more familiar with Moliere (as is the case with most of us). I’ll be adding my two cents.
Geez, you have limitless energy to attend to those vegies! Homegrown tomatoes can’t be baet and Lucille and I are egg plant addicts!! Especially “eggplant parmigiana!” I am assuming the heat in the Windy City has topped the 90’s so stay cool my very good friend!!!
Thanks for the great wrap as always!
Limitless energy? Hardly, but I really enjoy growing my own food. I’m really a rank novice at gardening, but Shane isn’t and has taught me a lot. The endless task is weeding, of course, and the heat has been oppressive. But the little ones won’t last without a drink of water, so out we go. I replanted the kale we harvested with romaine lettuce. I love Caesar salads!
Ha Marilyn! I figured Shane has something to do with this! We love Caesar salads here too, but we are too lazy to make our own so wind up at various local eateries!
My logomania’s been logging out of late.
Thanks for the shout-out Sam! Your visits to VONF are appreciated!
And thanks to you Dave for stopping by. I enjoyed the WINTER’S BONE piece immensely, as I do see it as one of teh year’s best films.
Wow, Sam, that’s an amazing clip you’ve been on this week. And all in the name of Mann. Such an honorable cause, in my book!
Thanks for the incredibly kind words. As for my own movie-watching, this week has been SABOTAGE, RICH AND STRANGE, THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND, MY MAN GODFREY, OSAKA ELEGY, and MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN. Although I enjoyed them all, I definitely would choose the Mizoguchi as the most affecting. His mastery of the medium and feel for humanity always astound me.
Thanks, Sam, for all your amazing work. You’re a real inspiration.
My friend, YOU’RE the real inspiration for a bevy of reasons! Thanks so much!
Well, luckily for me my summer schedule, my close proximity to Manhattan (only minutes from either the Lincoln Tunnel or George Washington Bridge) and a long-suffering wife who tolerates the obsessions, made this and other festivals a reality. Actually Lucille and two my kids have been along for the ride several times since it started.
I can’t argue with your choice of Mizoguchi’s THE OSAKA ELEGY as the best of that lot (as you say it’s an affecting humanist work) by one of our greatest artists. I also deeply love STORY OF THE LATE CHRYSANTHEMUMS, SANSHO THE BAILIFF, LIFE OF OHARU and UGETSU, but I know you do as well. I must say I do love MY MAN GODFREY and that delightful Capra film as well, and couldn’t say anything against those Hitchcocks. Some have expressed mixed reaction for teh Ford, but I’d say I like it well enough, even though it’s hardly in his top tier.
Again thanks Jeffrey for being a prince of a guy, and best wishes for the work ahead!
Sam, I envy you your ongoing overdose of Mann, especially your imminent dates with El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire on the big screen. I have plenty of reservations about the latter, but I’d love to see it in a theater anyway. Is the Forum showing The Great Flammarion? That’s the earliest Mann I’ve seen (1945) and he’s already quite good.
As for me, apart from reviewing some Hammers from the Icons of Suspense collection my most promising activity was probably picking up the Criterion RED DESERT, which I hope to have a chance to watch this week. On the obscure side, I saw an interestingly noir-inflected technicolor saga of the War of 1812, Edward Dmytryk’s MUTINY, from a public-domain DVD collection. Oddly for such a film and such a setting, the British hardly factor into the story, which is about greed dividing an American crew and a femme fatale (Angela Lansbury!)turning the first mate against his captain. And it ends with a submarine attack. It’s probably idiosyncratic enough to merit a full review, but we’ll see.
Samuel: THE GREAT FLAMARION will be screened three times on Monday July 12th at 1:30, 4:40 and 7:50 in a double bill with STRANGE IMPERSONATION at 3:10, 6:20 and 9:30. I will be there for the latest shows of both, and I must say I am as excited about FLAMARION with this promised quality print as I am for any of the remaining films. Of course REIGN OF TERROR is another I am salivating for.
I know you are a huge fan and scholar of the epic, and know how musch you adore EL CID. The Film Forum will surely be mobbed on Thursday for that screening, as it’s only be done twice that day, so an early appearance is a must. I like ROMAN EMPIRE more than you and Joel, but I understand the issues. I also well remember the great review you penned on it at Mondo 70.
I bet you’ll love that Criterion Antonioni; it’s a beautiful disc (and film) though for many as cryptic and as distancing as ever. I have never seen that War of 1812 film, though I am always fascinated by that period, and although I love Dmytryk, I can’t remember that idiosyncratic film.
Thanks for the great comment here my very good friend!!!
Jesus SAM! that’s one helluva intake of films in one fowl swoop. my stamina was great (about 10 years ago) but i think i’d have burned out by the second night!!!!! Lucille must be thrilled at all the private time this has created for her (LOL!!!!!).
ALSO: I finallly got my computer up and running again and am now functioning at normal capacity with the help of ROADRUNNER. My E-Mail is also back and, if any of you out there need to get ahold of me through E-Mail my address is: Kubrickkrazy1@yahoo.com
Great news there about the PC!
JOHN GRECO-I have to agree with Sammy on this one. I recently saw a pristine DVD print of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE and, without going too overboard, i also regard this as Huston’s masterpiece. Matter of fact, not only do i see it as the high-watr mark for Huston, but it was most definately the best American film of that year and contained Bogarts finest turn in fron of the lense.
Dennis – Cannot disagree with your points. I wholeheartedly agree, Huston’s best film, a stunning adaptation.
HELP!!!!! I just got my computer up and running. Connected to the web with Time Warner ROADRUNNER cable. HERES THE PROBLEM: Everytime I go to leave a comment, the comment appears but just above it it says YOUR COMMENT IS AWAITING MODERATION. What do I do to leave comments here and not get that message???? HELP! I need the big brains!!!!!!
By god Sam, 15 movies!!! I really envy your getting to watch so many films.
Thanks a lot for the mention Sam. Yeah, I’ll certainly try and do something as and when time permits. In fact, there are two movies, masterpieces really, that I had watched before leaving Calcutta – Some Like It Hot & Manhattan. In fact I’ve written the review of the Billy Wilder film, yet haven’t gotten around to posting it. Will do it soon. I’ll also try to find some time during the next few days and get Manhattan done with too.
In the meantime, I’m suffering a bout of sleepless nights… not out of choice, though. Such is the nature of this course.
Thanks so much Shubhajit, but 15 films a week is rather the exception than the norm, especially in a theatre! Ha!
It’s great to see you still posting, even as I know you will soon be immersed in what you are setting out to do. I still feel better to see your name, but I am being selfish here. Believe it or not Shubhajit, I am not much of a fan of SOME LIKE IT HOT, as I’ve stated at other blogs, but I know that it has to be me. The Woody Allen film on the other hand is one I readily admit is a masterpiece, and I’ll be watching Cinemascope for the reviews on both.
I do feel for you my friend, as I know this won’t be easy to get used to in the beginning. But this is your future.
Great hearing from you my very good friend! Hang in there.
Sam — thanks for the link. I actually spent most of a day putting together the youtube videos on my last two blog posts — the things I choose to waste my time on…
I finished up my horror movie watching for the time-being. I saw:
THE CHURCH **** — I’m a sucker for this Soavi film and even though I know it’s not as good as rate it, I enjoy it nonetheless. Sort of a Bava meets Argento, as it has gothic imagery mixed with a slick sheen and otherworldly ambiance. In fact, I liked it much more than the generally more revered…
CEMETERY MAN ***1/2 – a beautiful looking film, with several standout setpieces, but the whole thing falls on its face in the last third, where the themes of life, love, and death brought up earlier don’t come to a fully satisfying conclusion.
NEW YORK RIPPER * — crass, vile trash, Fulci can’t even get good mileage out of the seedy aspects of late 1970’s NYC. Lots of boring, plodding police procedural in between the bloody bits.
HAXAN ***** — Just fantastic in so many ways. Part documentary, part recreation of historical events, part drama, part comedy, part scathing treatise on the Church, part Hieronymus Bosch painting come to life. This film has it all — women kissing Satan’s bottom, babies being eaten, urine being thrown from pots, and Satan getting his groove on with a man’s wife while the husband is sound asleep. Did I mention I loved this film?
No more horror movies for a few weeks for me, as I need to cleanse the palette. The next few weeks are going to be taken over by catching up on a few more of the 2000’s movies I need to see so I can submit a semi-competent ballot.
Troy: That’s great to be able top put together the corresponding You Tubes!
I don’t seem to remember THE CHURCH, so I probably didn’t see it, but it sounds like one to check out before compiling a ballot for the horror poll. “Bava Meets Argento?” Sold.
I think HAXAN is one of the early great silent masterworks, and yes you have provided all the right qualifications! Yeah I’d say you love it just a bit! Ha! This would appear to be a given on any horror listing too.
I own that awful NEW YORK RIPPER, which may well be the worst film Fulci has ever made. Complete junk. And I think that’s a fair enough assessment of CEMETERY MAN there.
I am wondering Troy if you have seen CITY OF THE DEAD (a.k.a. HORROR HOTEL) yet. I’d love to hear what you think of that one.
Yeah, you need to diversify before moving back for the poll. Otherwise, it’s too much of one thing!
Thanks my very good friend for the typically great wrap!!!
Sam — I will watch CITY OF THE DEAD before I submit my final list. You’ve mentioned that one to me before and it sounds like it’d be right up my alley.
Finished watching DOWNFALL tonight and am about to start THE NEW WORLD for the first time since it was released, so consider my palate cleansed…
Thanks for the help Sammy!
No problem, Dennis!
Thanks very much for the link, Sam, especially kind since I’m being hopeless about blogging at the moment. That Anthony Mann festival sounds amazing – as is the number of films you have taken in. I will look forward to reading your piece about it.
I’ve seen a couple of live stage productions this week, an open-air touring production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in a park in Ipswich and an amateur company’s production of ‘Rent’ – enjoyed them both. We had perfect weather for ‘Much Ado’ and were able to sprawl on a rug and tuck into a picnic while watching!
Also saw ‘Shrek Forever After’ at the cinema, which unfortunately my son insisted on seeing in 3-D, raising the cost – I liked this a lot more than I expected to, nonetheless, and thought it was far better than the third instalment of the franchise. At home on DVD I watched the Edmund Goulding movie The Great Lie (1941) starring Bette Davis and Mary Astor, which is wild melodrama but right up my street, and the Laurence Olivier ‘Hamlet’, which I loved all over again.
Judy: With the summer in full flower, I’d say it’s difficult to muster up the energy and right frame of mind for blogging, and I must admit I force myself on days when my mind is drifting elesewhere. For some reason I find the autumn to rejuvenate the blogging resolve. But truth be said you’ve actually been doing extremely well as of late, and the Shakespeare plans are really teh envy of everyone, as you are in God’s country there my very good friend! I’m sure you’ll have your next post up soon enough. As far as the Mann, I bet you’d like today’s screening of THE GLENN MILLER STORY with James Stewart, (though I’m sure you’ve already seen it) and tomorrow’s of EL CID. Jeanine Basinger’s volume on Anthony Mann is really an essential companion volume to the festival, as it’s the only in depth study that’s ever been done on Mann. Thanks for the kind words about the planned post.
The open air picnic for the Bard’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is divine stuff, and I know it’s great family ‘quality time’ to Judy! I wish I were there! Similarly, I’m sure that amateur production of RENT was marvelous too, as Jonathan Larsen did write a great score there about NYC Bohemians beset with all kinds of angst and social problems. I love the show myself, and am happy you thought it most worthy!
From now on you must put your foot down with your son (coming from spineless Mr. Softy here) when he insists on going to those more expensive 3D screenings) as they add practically nothing to the experience, as I again was reminded when we saw TOY STORY 3 in that incarnation. It’s now a clear money making proposition. But I do agree with you that overall SHREK FOREVER AFTER wasn’t all that bad. I actually think it’s better than Part 2.
THE GREAT LIE is irrestible. I don’t blame you!
Thanks for the tremendous, engaging wrap my wonderful friend!
Thanks for checking back in to my temporarily dormant blog, Sam. I see you didn’t get to see Airbender just yet, but alas, if and when you do I look forward to your report! All best to you during the hot spell out east…
Hey Daniel! Great hearing from you!
What with my festival activity with Mann (and Chaplin after that) I may not get to it, but then again it’s a multiplex film that will be easy to negotiate. Aye on the heat. Supposedly there will be some rain soon to cool things off a bit.
Thanks for stopping over my friend, and trust all is going real well.
Sam, there will always be a few that might not believe you’ve seen all the Anthony Mann films, unless you furnish some kind of proof. Knowing you as long as I do, I know you are the genuine article and a true maniac and see everything you claim to see. I wish I could see El Cid with you, but tomorrow night I am booked.
That Chaplin festival that follows the Mann really looks great too!
I hope to see three or four of the Chaplins. But I always say that.
Frederick, I have saved every single ticket stub from this festival (except for the one on opening night when I saw THE NAKED SPUR and WINCHESTER 73, which seems to be lost–but I have actual photos from that first day, which I showcased at the site) and am planning to display them in a picture that will run with my comprehensive feature discussing all the films. Ticket stubs at the Film Forum, though, only feature the name of the first film of the double feature you are watching. Hence yesterday, when I saw THE FURIES and THE TIN STAR, the stub says only THE FURIES, as that’s the first paid title. But yeah I have the proof and intend on displaying it.
Thanks for the kind words my friend. The Chaplin festival will be yet another glorious opportunity, no matter how many times one may have seen this films on DVD or on tape or television.
Sam, that’s great that you got to see all those Manns, I was able to catch Winchester and Naked Spur last week knowing I probably wouldn’t be able to make it back into Manhattan for the rest of the festival, and I very much envy you seeing Man Of The West on the big screen, as it’s one of my five or so favorite westerns. Glad you liked Wild Grass too, though I think your underselling it, and after seeing it twice I’m positive it’s a great, great film; one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time, and a new favorite.
And a heads up–I’ve got a pretty big project lined up for The Long Voyage Home. Gonne finish the Melville countdown with Un flic in a day or two and take a week or so off. Then I’ll be back with a fairly massive porject that will mean daily posts for the next two months. I’m very excited about it.
Thanks for the very kind words Donophon. Luckily for me I’ve really gotten into a daily ritual with this festival, and am really appreciating the superlative quality of the 35 mm prints. You yourself got a great look at those first two masterpieces. Barring any last minute responsibilities or time conflict, I do believe I will make all 32, although the final day, July 15, will offer a stamina-testing double feature of the very long THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE and MEN AT WAR back-to back. It’s been one of the most enthralling experiences I’ve ever had on the movie scene, and first and foremost I thank my wife Lucille will working with me on this goal. (as she always does)
You have me trying to guess what the new project at THE LONG VOYAGE HOME will be. Initially I was thinking ‘western’ but then I thought you’d probably want to surprise your audience. The western poll at WitD by the way, may follow the one on horror, so we are looking at early November. But good luck with the planned (prolific) posting. I’ll certainly be there with bells on.
I will ponder further on WILD GRASS, but I do like the film quite a bit, even if for me there are others this year I rate above it.
Thanks for the spectacular response my friend!
Don’t worry, it has nothing do with westerns, and I’ll be holding out for that. I was wondering, though, if you would want me to do some sort of daily countdown at WITD for the poll, my fifty favorite westerns or something in the spirit of Allan’s decade countdowns? It’s totally your call, and I don’t want to seem like I’m pushing anything on you, but I think it could definitely inspire interest for a genre I know some find kind of dull.
Aye Donophon, a prime intent will definitely be to convert some of the disinterested!!!
Well to be perfectly honest, it is completely YOUR call. The western poll is due to commence on or about November 7t, so it can be done in any of the three methods you just posed. You will make the final decision, and any other decisions connected to this poll. I see any of those three working quite well.
Sam it is now long past the long weekend that Canada celebrates on July 1st. However the weather is perfect here on the coast. We have been slow getting summer but now the sun is here with 80 degrees and still cooling off in the late evenings – one of the blessings of being near a large body of water.
There is a large paliated red-headed woodpecker cackling outside this morning (these are the ones that woody woodpecker was modeled after).
I tend to not watch movies for the better part of the summer weather preferring long evening walks and late dinners served outside. But I love reading what you are watching:)
CP, as a native New Englander I hear you. Personally, I’m more of a beach bum but I do agree that summer days are best spent outdoors – if one’s not in a city. That said, at the end of the day, after swimming or walking or surfing or whathaveyou, it is nice to settle into a chair and watch a movie – indeed more enjoyable than if such an experience follows a day or evening of being stuck inside.