Jeremy Juliano sits in 'Coward's Corner' seat in lobby at Manhattan's Film Forum at showing of William Castle's 'Homicidal'
by Sam Juliano
Labor Day barbeques, autumn leaves, NFL Football, the fall semester at college, a new school year and the opening of the symphony hall and opera seasons are within grasp, as yet another summer has expired in seeminly speeded-up fashion. Those of us lucky enough to enjoy some time off from work can at least approach the new season with some renewed vigour. Maybe?
For those keeping an eye on the various site postings, as always there’s some great stuff out there. Marilyn Ferdinand’s terrific review on Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (2006) at Ferdy-on-Films has attracted a comment from director Cecelia Peck (the daughter of Gregory Peck) in strong appreciation for Ms. Ferdinand; Jason Marshall continues his impressive countdown of the cinema, reaching 1934 as of this writing at Movies Over Matter; at The Last Lullaby, affable filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman has a very popular post up on “Film Books on My Desk” which will have many resuming their cinema studies in print. Tireless John Greco has posted some more Anthony Manns (along with some other vintage early 60’s cinema) while at Movie Classics Judy Geater relentlessly pursues film icon William Wellman, while keeping the Bard in hand.
Jamie Uhrer has officially launched the horror poll at Wonders with a fantastic review of his own #50 runner-up, a late 70’s entry titled Blue Sunshine, which Allan continues with his inspiring coverage of classic Japanese cinema with some brilliant capsules. Joel Bocko’s Godard feature, Stephen Russell-Gebbett’s moving tribute to fallen Japanese animation genius Satoshi Kon, Bob Clark’s review triptych including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and a well-received tribute to artist Terrill Welch in the blogger series, all brightened up the pages at our home base.
A torrid weekend schedule at the theatres again occupied the lion’s share of waking time in these parts, but the new festival at the Film Forum, The Return of William Castle (which opened Friday night) is the culprit, as my family was taken along for a quartet of films of the 50’s horror gimmick master, including a fully-rigged theatre (which included a “Cowards Corner” chair in the lobby) and a personal appearance from the director’s daughter Terry, who flew in with her husband from San Francisco for the festivities and a red-carpet treatment from Film Forum head honcho, Program Director Bruce Goldstein. Sunday’s showing of House on Haunted Hill included a moving skeleton gliding across the ceiling of the theatre at the film’s climax, in the same way it was done back in 1958. For Mr. Sardonicus it was a “punishment poll” introduced before the end of the film by Castle himself, and the audience results on Sunday were overseen by Film Forum employees. I will have a full mega-post on William Castle in two weeks at WitD, relating my experience with this festival. Meanwhile, on Wednesday evening, on the next to last day of the 3D Festival, a sold-out crowd (many were turned away too) gave the theatre one of its biggest nights with Roy Ward Baker’s rarely-seen 3D vehicle (with Robert Ryan) of Inferno. Lucille and I managed three recent films on top of the festival stuff (which included the latest weekend Ozu)
I also managed three recent films on top of the festival stuff (which included the latest weekend Ozu) With school starting on Wednesday, there can be only one more week of this “drop-everything else” kind of insanity, but that will be enough to manage most of the Castle offerings, including the vital Castle noir, When Strangers Marry (1944).
We watched:
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World ** (Tuesday night) Edgewater multiplex
The Milk of Sorrow **** (Saturday night) Cinema Village
Animal Kingdom **** 1/2 (Saturday night) Landmark Cinemas
Inferno **** (Wednesday night) 3D Fest at Film Forum
Homicidal *** (Friday night) William Castle Fest at Film Forum
Straight-Jacket *** (Friday night) William Castle Fest at Film Forum
Mr. Sardonicus *** (Sunday afternoon) William Castle Fest
House on Haunted Hill **** (Sunday afternoon) William Castle Fest
Early Summer ***** (Sunday morning) Ozu Festival at IFC
Marilyn Ferdinand is surely on Cloud Nine this week, as she received a comment from director Cecelia Peck, (daughter of actor Gregory Peck) under her extraordinary review of Peck’s Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing. It’s one of this famed Chicago blog’s proudest moments: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=5922
One of John Greco’s grandest reviews ever at Twenty Four Frames by way of content, writing, production information and insider anecdotes considers Robert Aldrich’s Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Fans of the film must get over there pronto! Even non-fans for that matter!: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/whatever-happened-to-baby-jane-1962-robert-aldrich/
Judy at Movie Classics continues to work her way through the prolic career of William Wellman, and her reviews get better and better and better. This week it’s The Conquerors, recently released on Warner Archives DVD: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/the-conquerors-1932/
Just Another Film Buff continues to unearth some of the most unknown and obscure films on the cinematic landscape and this 2005 Austrian “silent” film is given the typical brilliant treatment here by this gifted writer: http://theseventhart.info/2010/08/28/flashback-83/
Filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman has struck a chord with his superlative post at The Last Lullaby on “The Film Books on my Desk.” He broaches some great volumes here for cineastes: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2010/08/film-books-on-my-desk.html
Samuel Wilson continues his stellar coverage of Japanese master Yoshishiga Yoshida with his excellent review of the director’s Escape From Japan (1964). It’s over there at “Mondo 70.: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2010/08/escape-from-japan-1964.html
Jason Marshall continues his exquisite consideration of the cinema’s best films and performers in a year-by-year delineation, and in 1934 (at Movies Over Matter) he named Harry Bauer and Ruan Ling-yu as the year’s Best Actor and Actress: http://moviesovermatter.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/best-actress-of-1934-ruan-ling-yu-the-goddess/
Tony d’Ambra has highlighted one of noir’s most celebrated scenes (from Anthony Mann’s Desperate) and has sized it up perfectly at FilmsNoir.net: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/consummate-noir-artistry-a-scene-from-anthony-manns-desperate-1947.html
In Tokyo, our resident expert in Japanese cinema, “Murderous Links” has a fascinating review up on his place, Vermillion and One Nights, on a musical directed by Masahiro Makino: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2010/08/jazz-operetta-in-edo.html
On Friday, September 3rd, Terrill Welch’s solo art exhibition will be staged, and all indications are that it will be a smashing success. It’s all discussed over at the Creativepotager’s blogsite: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/bring-your-cheque-book/
One of Michael Hareford’s most creative posts ever is titled “Flux-a-Bet” and the surrealistic images are intriguing, the concept fascinating. It’s there at the Coffee Messiah’s blogsite, where one is always in for a surprise: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2010/08/flux-bet.html
Longman Oz, writing in Dublin, has imparted his lyrical gifts in his review of an intriguing Irish film titled Beautiful Kate, (which hasn’t yet opened stateside): http://noordinaryfool.com/2010/08/30/beautifulkate/
Roderick Heath has penned the finest review I’ve yet read anywhere on the recent re-make of Clash of the Titans at “This Island Rod”: http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2010/08/neither-outright-disaster-i-expected.html
Jon Joseph Lanthier, the Bay area’s resident writer of incomparable greatness, Slant Magazine treasure and a gentleman of terrific personality has penned his piece de resistence folks, and it’s a massive feature in French New wave filmmaker Eric Rohmer: http://aspiringsellout.com/
Stephen Russell-Gebbett, who earlier this week penned an eloquent tribute to fallen Japanese animator Satoshi Kon for Wonders, now has posted one of the most creative ideas in his consideration of the use of “Coca Cola in the Cinema.” It’s over at “Checking on my Sausages”: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/08/coca-cola-as-symbol-in-world-cinema.html
Shubhajit continues to post amidst some acute educational responsibilities, and his capsules remain of the top-rank, including his most recent on Bertolucci’s 1900: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2010/08/1900-novecento-1976.html
David Schleicher has again imparted his usual insights into a very well-penned review of the Australian Animal Kingdom at The Schleicher Spin. Dave is not sold on the film, despite pointing out the attributes: http://theschleicherspin.com/2010/08/29/animal-kingdom/
Kevin Olson has a brand new sophisticated look at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies and he is continuing his splendid consideration of the cinema of Oliver Stone with his latest a review of Wall Street: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/oliver-stone-wall-street.html
Andrew Wyatt has authored a penetrating review of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World at ‘Gateway Cinephiles’ that’s a must for anyone who has seen the film: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2010/08/17/up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-b-a-start/
Jamie Grijalba has penned a very bold review at his Exodus 8 blogsite that’s well-worth a look. I won’t divulge the contents! Hit the “translate” button on the upper right and you are in business: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2010/08/dabide-no-hoshi-bishojo-gari-1979.html
Troy Olson, at Elusive as Robert Denby-The Life and Times of Troy, asks ‘Where’s the Content? when explaining the relative dearth of material at his blogsite the past few months, but he then talks about some fantastic ventures in the works: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2010/08/where-content.html
Daniel Getahun has posted an interesting piece on social-networking at “Getafilm” has again showcases the themtic diversity of his site: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2010/08/social-network-ahead-of-its.html
The Watercooler is up and running at Living in Cinema, where Craig Kennedy, its tireless proprietor, speaks of the encroaching autumn and staying away from multiplexes this week: http://livingincinema.com/2010/08/29/the-watercooler-getting-set-for-fall/
There are some gorgeous screen caps up at Peter Lenihan’s (Donophon) new site, The Shock of Glimpsing, which should be accessed: http://theshockofglimpsing.blogspot.com/
J.D. has an exhautive, superbly-penned essay up on The Relic at “Radiator Heaven.”: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2010/08/relic.html
Kaleem Hasan has some striking images up from the Indian show “We Are Family” up at Satyamshot: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/image-from-we-are-family/
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
Jason Bellamy and Ed Howard have again collaborated on a fantastic discussion in their Conversations series. This time the subject is Todd Haynes: http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/2010/08/the-conversations-todd-haynes/
Up in Toronto, Dave Van Poppel speaks with excitement on the Toronto Film Festival at Visions of Non-Fiction: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2010/08/tiff-2010.html
R.D. Finch at The Movie Projector has written a typically exceptional review on Anthony Mann’s war film Men in War, the director’s own favorite film: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/08/men-in-war-1957.html
The Film Dr. says The Last Exorcism is deliberately amaterish at his intellectually inspired place: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2010/08/in-order-to-believe-in-god-you-have-to.html
The ever-prolific Jake Cole stands alone in the frequency and length of his posts. His lates movie piece is on Brian DePalma’s Carrie: http://armchairc.blogspot.com/2010/08/brian-de-palma-carrie.html
Terrific news at Cinema Viewfinder as Tony Dayoub will be hosting a Cronenberg blogathon in early September: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2010/08/cronenberg-blogathon.html
Our Canadian friend Jeopardy Girl is headed to the Toronto Film Festival, wouldn’t you know it! At WitD, we look forward to her ever-astute report. Her enthuasism here is palpable: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/tiff/
Joseph Demme has returned with a spiffy new facelift at Cinexcellence with an exciting new Fall/Winter roundup: http://www.cinexcellence.com/?p=802
Dave Hicks is back, after his move to Columbus, and his new post features the “also rans” in his Director’s Countdown: http://goodfellamovies.blogspot.com/2010/08/directors-series-wrap-up.html
The John Huston blogothon, manned by the tireless Adam Zanzie was a smashing success. The latest post at Icebox Movies is Adam’s own superlative essay on Heaven Knows Mr. Allison: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2010/08/heaven-knows-mr-allison-1957.html
Matt Lucas has penned an excellent review of the new film Brotherhood, playing at the Cinema Village at From the Front Row: http://fromthefrontrow.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-brotherhood.html
At The Blue Vial, Drew McIntosh is playing the screen cap meme game started by Joel and Stephen, and he’s gathered together some truly great stuff: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2010/07/curiosity-killed-image-gallery-meme.html
Jason Bellamy and Ed Howard have again collaborated on a fantastic discussion in their Conversations series. This time the subject is Todd Haynes: http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/2010/08/the-conversations-todd-haynes/
Our longtime friend, Anu, has a post up on deceased comic book icon Harvey Pekar, complete with a famous monologue from American Splendor: http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/harvey-pekar-1939-2010
And there’s our beloved Dee Dee, who remains lurking to brighten up this place in her own incomparable way, a fact we were just reminded of after her superlative addition to the Charles Chaplin post….
Juliano brood at weekend showings of William Castle Film Festival at Film Forum
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Writers/Founders
Ha. Lovely opening still. Thanks for the pointer, as usual, Sam. I’d love to hear your thoughts on The Milk of Sorrow.
I watched VISAGE last week. Really liked it. I thought Tsai was more assured and uncompromising than ever.
Hey JAFB, thanks so much for the kinds words and super-fast response!
I liked THE MILK OF SORROW and found it mysteriously hypnotic, and ethnocentrically fascinating. I don’t think it was as transformative as it sought to be, and its allegorical underpinnings weren’t supported by consumation, still it’s an unforgettable tapestry and some unforgettable images.
I have not seen VISAGE yet, JAFB, but am most interested!
Thanks as always my friend.
Sam – love the “Coward’s Corner” pic!
Here’s my weekend rundown flick-wise:
It was an Aussie marathon as I saw THE SQUARE (a wicked **** neo-noir melodrama featuring a stunning Claire Van Der Boom) on DVD while catching ANIMAL KINGDOM (a sometimes brilliant, sometimes frustrating ***1/2 crime flick) in the theaters.
Also on DVD, I saw:
CITY ISLAND — ***1/2 — I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this family dysfunction comedy/drama though at times it verged on sitcom sentimentality. Emily Mortimer remains on my favorite supporting actresses.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – * – I tuned out and began multi-tasking after about twenty minutes. Does anyone find it ironic that Tim Burton’s last good film was ED WOOD, and now he makes films that are almost as bad as Ed Wood’s? Had I been able to watch the entire thing, it might be in the running for the year’s worst.
Thanks so much David, for your comment on Jeremy’s photo there! Ha!
Well, as I expressed elsewhere I was riveted with THE SQUARE, an excellent contemporary neo-noir, while I was blown away by ANIMAL KINGDOM, mentioning as much in the summary above. That’s really an inspired pairing there, and your own review of the latter is excellent.
I also was surprised how much I liked CITY ISLAND, and appreciated Ms. Mortimer and others there. My summary rating is close to yours as well.
I liked ALICE a bit more, but I assure you that you are not alone, with many dismissing it without looking back. However, I did like SWEENEY TODD quite a bit.
Thanks as always for the fabulous wrap my friend.
Sam, thank you so much for the incredibly kind words.
Your pace continues to be staggering, and yet very inspiring. For once, I was able to sustain a pretty good clip myself. My movie-watching was TOBACCO ROAD, MEET JOHN DOE, MAN HUNT, BALL OF FIRE, PAPER MOON, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, EASIER WITH PRACTICE, and 49th PARALLEL. I was glad to have seen them all. But the Bogdanovich particularly affected me. I was absolutely in awe of young Tatum’s work in the film. I also felt that at its best, Bogdanovich really captured some moments of deep, Fordian melancholy.
Here’s to another excellent week, Sam. Thanks for all the friendship, and simply awesome cinephile spirit.
Jeffrey: It is a weeky treat to have you stop by here, and your kidness is in a class by itself.
You negotiated a splendid lot there, and while I can’t blame you for pinpointing PAPER MOON (Bogdonovich’s THE LAST PICTURE SHOW is my personal favorite film of the 1970’s) I must say I am a big fan of BALL OF FIRE, MAN HUNT and MEET JOHN DOE particularly. Excellent observation of the “Fordian melancholy” in the film. You have really been on a rollas of late, and I very much appreciated that great post at THE LAST LULLABY on the great cinema books.
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Didn’t have a chance to watch any Yoshida’s today. Leaving early in the morning for my 5 day New England vacation. I’m bringing my computer but will most likely be absent from these parts until the weekend. I did see quite a few films earlier in the week after seeing none last week.
The Color Of Pomegranates ****
9 Songs *
The Killer Inside Me ** (Winterbottom is a hack)
The French Connection *** (This one has not aged well)
To Live And Die In LA **1/2
Vormittagusspuk: Ghosts Before Breakfast ****1/2
Menilomantant ****
Twin Peaks Pilot ****
The Prestige *****
Emak Bakia ****1/2
Anemic Cinema ****
Those Kino Avant Garde collections are wonderful.
I woudln’t call Winterbottom a hack, Maurizio, though his best films are certainly not the two you mention above. IN THIS WORLD is excellent, JUDE is a solid, visual interpretation of an unfilmable Hardy novel, THE CLAIM is an underrated Hardy transposing to the American Rockies, and his handling of the early CRACKER episodes was superb.
Of course, we are in agreement on THE PRESTIGE and have exchanged pleasantries.
Hey Maurizio have a great time up there! Are you stopping off in Boston? They have a mean New England clam chowder here:
http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/
We were there several years ago. But I think you said you were stopping up in Maine. I’m sure either way you will have a terrific time! Maybe you’ll even run into Joel! Ha!
I haven’t seen ANEMIC CINEMA, EMAK BAKIA nor Vormittagusspuk: Ghosts Before Breakfast, but I’ve written them down! My favorite of the rest is Paradjanov’s beautiful THE COLOR OF POMOGRANATES. I agree with your disdain for THE KILLER INSIDE ME, and I have always seen THE FRENCH CONNECTION as grossly overrated.
Please let me know how your trip goes my good friend! Enjoy.
Isn’t Anemic Cinema awesome? I have been musing about an all-time canonical list for myself, albeit with a balance between favorite/great – no guilty pleasures, but at the same time no movies I respect but don’t have a “zing!” reaction to in my gut. One troubling aspect of such listmaking is the apple/orange quality. It doesn’t seem quite fair to elevate something as winning as AC above an excellent longer film which, biting off more than it can chew, doesn’t quite make the leap to greatness – yet the conclusion that some of these quickies are perfect in and of themselves is inescapable. I’ve been tempted to a “cheat” approach in which I bunch together a bunch of similar-style shorts (either by auteur or era/movement) but as I’d also definitely plan on isolating some shorts as single entries I’m not sure this would work (unless it’s organized by director – I’d have no compunction including “several films by the Quay Brothers” as one entry, oddly enough). On that Kino disc, my other favorites are La Retour a la Raison and Rhythmus 21. I really love the music they used on the DVD as well – on all 3 of these films, it seems an integral part of my enjoyment (although I enjoy them with the sound off too as well).
Is the TP pilot a return visit or a new adventure for you?
Oh and great to hear you saw Color of Pomegranates; I saw Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors and was wowed, though I heard CoP is even better.
Joel, both SHADOWS and COLORS are masterpieces of the cinema. I adore them myself!
Hey Sam, like JAFB, your thoughts on THE MILK OF SORROW are sought! ANIMAL KINGDOM seems reasonably well received after the weekend, but I do not recall seeing a release date for it here yet, and I do not give two hoots for Scott Pilgrim and whatever it is that he is against!
Thanks for the link, naturally! While many Irish have turned up in Australia via prison ships, emigration, and 1-year travel visas, I am not sure how much credit that we can really take for BEAUTIFUL KATE though! 🙂
Elsewhere, I saw the following in cinema:
MOTHER – I know that you were not keen on this, but I definitely liked it. It may not have had the sparkle and magic of other recent South Korean films, but I still found a lot to enjoy and consider in it.
PYJAMA GIRLS – I am not sure if this phenomenon has reached North America yet. However, in Ireland and the UK, many working class girls like to wear lurid coloured pyjamas as day wear. It causes real annoyance and whole radio programmes, etc. have been given over to their sloth and so forth. Anyway, this Irish (definitely not Australian!) documentary went to look at this (decidedly) superficial issue and ended up becoming a for more thoughtful and insightful work altogether.
THE LEOPARD – No introduction needed. This was the newly restored version. Astonishing, of course.
Anyway, whilst I may well be around during the week, this is my last Diary entry for a few weeks. I am off on my holidays!
Yeah, knew there was another thing. I have had problems with Gmail this weekend. They embedded a new phone service into the offering and my computer now crashes every time that I open the page. Like 1995 all over again.
Longman: I definitely was intoxicated and ravished by the ethnocentric fabric of THE MILK OF SORROW, but I am not altogether sure it’s allegorical underpinnings were fully transcribed. It was a technically accomplished film that included some striking images, but it was also at times an endurance test. Still, I’d say it’s a 4/5 film with some definite promise on repeat viewings.
LOL on BEAUTIFUL KATE!!!!!!! Yes I lost it there, Longman! Ah well, what else is new? I am red-faced again.
I’ll have to watch MOTHER again. It seems that I (and one other blogger I respect) are the only ones who didn’t love this. You would have shocked me if you said you didn’t like it to be honest!
No, the PYJAMA GIRLS “phenomenon” has not reached these shores yet (maybe Allan knows of it?) but I like the description of this documentary and of course that quip that it’s definitely not Australian!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll be watching for this to splash ashore.
Yes THE LEOPARD needs no intoduction, elaboration or embellishment. It’s a Visconti masterwork that I just upgraded to blu-ray a few weeks ago during the B & N Criterion sale. We are on the same page here in a big way!
Enjoy your holidays Longman. I’ll definitely be checking up at NO ORDINARY FOOL, and following your illustrious exploits. Your appearance here is always deeply appreciated!
It’s always quite a weekend undertaking for you and the family. Amazing all the films you are able to watch.
The 3D festival reminded me of a small independent theater in SF we had gone to, where I had taken the kids to see the 3 Stooges and WC Fields. They loved it, and although 3D is fun on occasion, with the push for new films going that way, not sure I will see many of them in the future.
Started watching the recently released on DVD Max Headroom. It came and went in the 80s and remember only being able to see a few.
Some amazing scenes and dialog. It was ahead of it’s time and shows when you are reminded of folks walking around with digital/phone cameras today. Not to mention the state of reporting (or non reporting if you get down to it).
Thanks for the mention and it’s always quite the list of bloggers you look in on.
Cheers!
Thanks so much for that anecdote Michael! Although this current week will yield another batch of films watched (I saw three more one-hour shorter Castle films last night for example, and tomorrow the entire family will see MACABRE and THIRTEEN GHOSTS) in addition to a stage play on Saturday night and THE TINGLER on Sunday (and WHEN STRANGERS MARRY on Thursday), there will be drastic pullback in the weeks to come for an assortment of reasons. But it is time to join the world of nomal people!
I know that the Three Stooges had several of their shorts filmed in 3D, one of which was PARDON MY BACKFIRE (which we saw on the first day of the 3D Festival here) and I could only imagine the fun your kids had with the Fields! Michael, I have never seen Max Headroom to be honest! I will investigate that now.
Thanks as always for brightening up this thread immeasurably my friend!
Thanks again for the plug Sam. The Castle festival looks like a lot of fun. His “13 Ghosts” was the first 3D film I ever saw in a theater. God , what cheesy glasses they had back then. Great pic of the family in front of the FF.
My own highlight of the week was yesterday afternoon’s attendance (on my own) to the Tampa Theater for the showing of Lang’s restored version of METROPOLIS (*****) with live accompaniment on the Wurlitzer Theater organ by Dr. Steven Ball who also prior to the film spoke about the score. Also on hand to introduce the film was Dr. Margit Grieb who teaches courses in German film at the University of Florida and gave an historical background on the film and its restoration process. Hope to have something up on this soon at 24frames. Despite the rain a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Also watched the following…
Get Low (Aaron Schneider) **** Excellent performances push this film up the ladder. Interesting mix of human emotions including loneliness, lost love, forgiveness and redemption. Duvall should be considered come award season.
The Boy With Green Hair (Joseph Losey) **** Losey’s first directorial work. A parable about a young boy (Dean Stockwell) with green hair chosen to spread the word that “war is not good for children and other living things.” Interesting enough, some 15 years later he would make “These Are the Damned” another parable in a science fiction setting about children and war.
The Man From Laramie (Anthony Mann) ***** Mann’s final collaboration with James Stewart is one of his best in a series of superb westerns he directed in the 1950’s. A full review coming to 24 frames.
Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (Norman Foster) **1/2 – Another decent enough Moto adventure. Here Moto poses as an archaeologist working in Cambodia helping the government put down a rebel uprising. Some silly comedy is interspersed among the action along with “B” film actress Rochelle Hudson who has a beautiful left shoulder (ha!) that she bares. Hudson is probably best remembered for her small role as Natalie Wood’s mother in “Rebel Without a Cause.”
Go, Johnny, Go! (Paul Landres) **1/2- A tough film to rate because as a straight film it is horrible with poor acting, a practically non-existent script and low production values maybe deserving of 1/2 *, BUT as a piece of Rock and Roll history with rare performances of early rockers it is a must. The highlights include Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran, The Flamingos, and Harvey Fugua of Harvey and the Moonglows. Like all of Freed’s films the plot is simple, an excuse to string together a lot of rock and roll performances. Jackie Wilson shows why he was the Michael Jackson of his time, the man had the moves.
The Mortal Storm (Frank Borzage)****1/2 – Powerful film dealing with the rise of Hitler in Germany and the affect on one family. Famous for being one of the first American films to deal with what was happening in Nazi Germany at a time when the U.S. was still neutral. Still packs a powerful punch! A full review will be coming up at 24frames.
Hotel Berlin (Peter Godfrey) ***1/2 The final days of Third Reich as seen through the eyes of a multi character story. Sort of a “Grand Hotel” for Nazi’s, not surprising since both stories are based on novels by author Vicki Baum. With Raymond Massey Andrea King and Peter Lorre in excellent performances. Made in 1945, the film is filled with Allied propaganda expressing assurances that the Nazi machine will be destroyed never to rise again. The film was released in March of 1945, less than two months later Germany surrendered.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)****1/2 Wes Anderson’s film is as eclectic as the music he choose for the soundtrack (The Ballad of Davy Crockett to Burl Ives to The Rolling Stones). Really enjoyed this, have to thank my wife for selecting this one. A witty film for adults and kids.
John:
I’ll be seeing THIRTEEN GHOSTS (and MACABRE) tomorrow night at the forum with my “contingent” Purportedly the original glasses will be distributed. And they have quite a gimmick ready for the weekend showings of THE TINGLER.
You had a Sunday for the ages for sure there John!!! Seeing METROPOLIS with Dr. Ball’s accompaniment, and Dr. Grieb’s insights is the ideal way to appreciate this towering masterwork, and this crosses over into the “event” category! I know you will have a fantastic piece up at your place and I’ll keep watch.
I’ll certainly have much to say at 24 Frames on THE MAN FROM LARAMIE, which is my absolute favorite among the Manns, though I see from that rating you are fully in accord. This will surely make for one of your great ones!
Yes on GET LOW, I am completely in agreement with every point you make, as I am with Frank Borzage’s great THE MORTAL STORM (reviewed just last week by marilyn Ferdinand in fact at her place) and I concur that it’s still a powerful films these decades later! HOTEL BERLIN gets a dead-on assessment here too, though I haven’t seen MR. MOTO nor the Landres film, sorry to say. I’m a little less enthusiastic than you on FANTASTIC MR. FOX, but I love Dahl, and see a lot of great aspects. I’d still go with *** 1/2 and must give it another viewing soon. I saw it originally at the Sony Theatre on Broadway north of Lincoln Center.
THE BOY WITH THE GREEN HAIR is very good–you are right on–and I am quite the fan of Losey’s work in general.
This is a spectacular round-up, chronicling yet another fantastic week in Greco country! Thanks as always my friend, and REALLY look forward to those reviews on METROPOLIS and THE MAN FROM LARAMIE!!!
Thanks, Sam. It is a great set…
Aye Joel, a real keeper!
My highlights of the weekend:
a) Watched Huston’s The Dead (1987). Yet to comment on Sam’s piece. Will do later tonight.
b) Commented on JAFB’s latest piece on a silent film.
c) Played one of my favorite open world games, MAFIA. The mood of its world is unshakable. Rich characters and maintains a singular tone (for which, it rates above GTA series IMHO) Superb ending too.
d) Watched my football team, Arsenal FC beat Blackburn 2-1. Pretty sweet to see Allardyce’s pug face after the loss. Among our rivals, Chelsea and United might have won but both City and Spurs lost by narrow margin, 1-0. Tevez missed that unmissable chance, while Wigan’s keeper played a blinder. Liverpool (a club that I have immense respect for, despite Gerrard could get away with crime in Ref’s eyes) looking uncomfortable despite winning 1-0, Real (Mourinho, Ronaldo, Perez – Axis of Evil) only managing a draw. Front three of Barca on the scoresheet while playing well. Finally, Ronnie magic for Milan while Pato (Duck) impressed, as new signing Zlatan was also introduced to the fans..
Dualist, thank you as always; I will return to respond to you, John, Longman and a few others either late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Dualist: This is utterly fantastic! Thanks so much for this diverse account of your week, and I am definitely intrigued with this game MAFIA (never played it, but am a lifelong lover of RISK and was for many years an avid chess player, and lover of CLUE and STRATEGO). Thanks so much for account of the Arsenal win over Blackburn, 2-1. I didn’t realize you were British, Dualist, but I am assuming this particular passion makes this seemingly apparent. And what a fascinating account no less!
I read that great comment you placed at JAFB’s place too!
Thanks again my good friend!
Thanks for the mention/comment Sam! I can’t wait for the Herzog documentary. There is also a documentary on Canadian environmentalist icon David Suzuki that I forgot to mention. During a recent poll, he was voted the 5th greatest Canadian of all time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Canadian
It will be an interesting look into his private life as he is mostly seen speaking on global issues.
Wow, that’s quite a ranking Dave! I’ll be keeping watch at your place for a festival re-cap!
Thanks as always for stopping by, and for that great link!
William Castle Fest with skeleton gimmicks!
That’s how you should enjoy films. It must have been quite an experience.
Thank you for mentioning my post, by the way.
Along with reviews, I will do my best to introduce relatively unknown Japanese films and filmmakers.
Also, I will try to bring some new perspectives on well-known Japanese films with questions like “What is Mamiya’s favorite lunch in ‘Late Autumn’?” (A. Eels) and place them in social context.
I have finished the book by Tadao Sato, a very prominent Japanese film critic and historian, “Cinema and Roar of Artillery”. It relates the history of Japanese filmmakers and producers in China during 30s and 40s. Someday, I should write about the films by Fumio Kamei, a Japanese Documentary director during 40s and 50s. He made anti-war documentaries sponsored by Japanese military government during WWII. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? And there are many Chinese films during 30s and 40s under Japanese Occupation and/or against Japanese Occupation. They seem to be very very interesting, and I should see them.
It seems like “Late Spring” week at IFC. Enjoy.
Murderous Links:
It is really our honor to have you here!!! Your background in all areas of cinema is incredible, much less in William Castle! Ha! I will be checking in at your place for your continuing examination of Japanese cinema, and for the plan you will be following there. Everything you say about the Sado volume, and of Fumio Kamei is fascinating, and I’ve love to read what you impart there! I am also happy to hear there may be more Chinese gems that are awaiting us, held back because of the occupation. Over the past few years, we’ve been moved by the likes of THE GODDESS, THE PEACH GIRL and LITTLE TOYS among others.
You are a godsend to us my friend, thank you.
And yes, LATE SPRING, one of the most magnificent of all films will be on display this weekend at the IFC. I will be there will bells on! Ha!
Great work here Sam, the Castle marathon seems like a real hoot because they are going all out.
STRAIGHT-JACKET is absurd, but just giving it three stars doesn’t give it justice (though it’s probably certainly a 3 or 3.5 star film).
Jamie you are quite right there. Somehow, using star ratings for William Castle just don’t cut it, as his films are purposefully campy, and adversive to a quality rating kind of barometer. But HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL passes the test in any way one can pose.
Thanks my very good friend!
Ate at the terrific LA VOLARE on W 4th and 6th Avenue in the Village for a co-workers birthday. While just a short turn from totally traditional Italian fare, the decor and demeanor of the place was first rate and, upon looking the restaurant up in the NY Times restaurant review is a little out of the way place that could easily go mainstream should the owners decide to move to a more prime and attainable location. I was pretty wrecked after dinner having banged down two very dry/dirty Vodka martinis and an entire bottle Bolla. By the time the dessert cart came, my friends mother and I shared home-made Tira-Misu and, my favorite, traditional Italian RICOTTA cheesecake laced with pine-apple, the group was yelling “stick a fork in him, he’s done”. LA VOLARE was a wonderful place to get totally blitzed in… Oh, and the food was spectacular too!!!!!
Well Dennis, I will trust you to guide us to this place on our next mutual city venture! I am talking about the food of course.
Thanks as always my very good friend!
If the weather doesn’t turn deadly hot, I will be taking both Danny and Sammy (Sam’s kids) into Manhattan tomorrow on a comic-book expedition. Danny has shown major hints in the talent of drawing and we’re hell bent on making it to Utrecht art supplies to pick up graphite pencils and other tools that will help reinforce his focus on PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE… A waltz through MIDTOWN COMICS and, possibly, FORBIDDEN PLANET is a possibility before “the psycho three” get down to a totally un-healthy lunch in the grease pit of their choice…
Dennis it’s fantastic that you feel the need to get a child who likes to draw comic books and art supplies. God (who doesn’t exist) bless you.
I drew comics as a kid too because I learned to draw, but for every one comic book I owned I wish I had also be exposed to ‘art’ too. Just a thought, maybe I could construct a book of color copies for the youth of paintings that are applicable? My painting instructor in collage: ‘You learn to paint by looking at paintings’.
Again though, a very fantastic, worthwhile endeavor you guys have undertaken here.
I second what Jamie says on the comic book expedition!
Well, Dennis kindly purchased a LEGO Harry Potter game for the kids on this expedition! Many thanks for friend!
Sam, it seems that those Castle films should really only be watched with all the silly gimmicks that came with them. Of his films I’ve seen 13 GHOSTS, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, and MR. SARDONICUS, all of which are fun, though obviously a bit slight. I can’t remember on SARDONICUS what the two endings were, so I’ll look forward to your reviews.
Troy: The gimmicks are indeed the best way to appreciate these films, as that is precisely the way they were unveiled in theatres and part of their fabric. I know there is humor and hokum here, but it’s all part of the fun.
Thanks as always my friend!
I agree with Sam that “House on Haunted Hill” is the one single Castle film that is an unquestionable classic. “The Tingler” is the solid runner-up.
How is it Sam, that you managed to watch that Ozu film and two Castles in the same day? Don’t tell me you took the kids to see Ozu, now?!
Just one more day and we’ll all be back in prison.
Yep, Dave, I’d add WHEN STRANGERS MARRY (which I will see on Thursday) as one of Castle’s greatest films too.
Well, to answer your query, I took the entire family over at 10:30 A.M. I went in to see EARLY SUMMER, while Lucille and the kids had breakfast and visited a nearby city park. After the Ozu, I walked the three blocks from the IFC to the Film Forum to meet up for the Castle double-feature.
Hope you have a favorable schedule this year my friend!
Sorry, but Castle and classic do not only not belong in the same sentence but not in the same paragraph. He churned out shit. He made one solid films, WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, two or three just about watchable horrors mentioned above and the rest abysmal.
As much as I find several of his films fun, and generally disagree with you (somewhat) on horror I’m in rather supreme agreement with you here.
I personally find STRAIGHT-JACKET and THE TINGER etc fun, but they’re are rather poor films. Though one shouldn’t steer clear of him either.
For YOU they are shit, not for all the fans and programmers worldwide, horror and cult film afficianados and those who desire a respite for the grueling philosophical masterpieces you feel are the only films in the world worth watching. The name of the game is FUN, and Castle was a consumate showman, who has not been forgotten, as this sold-out Manhattan retrospective has proven. WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, THE TINGLER, MR. SARDONICUS, HOMOCIDAL, 13 GHOSTS, MACABRE, STRAIGHT-JACKET and the WHISTLER films are all deserving of festival runs! You said the same thing about John Waters, the man who directed the treasures, FEMALE TROUBLE, DESPARATE LIVING, PINK FLAMINGOS and HAIRSPRAY. I won’t go there again.
Let’s see what Orson Welles and critical icon James Agee think of
WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, now that we’ve broached it.
(1944) Kim Hunter weds glove salesman Dean Jagger after their first date, then hears there’s a gloved strangler on the loose. But old flame Robert Mitchum is there to help. Shot in 7 days for $50,000, but “better acted than Double Indemnity and Laura” (Orson Welles). Approx. 67 minutes.
6:35 ONLY
“Hitchcock was never more low-rent than this early B-movie sleeper.”
– J. Hoberman
“I have seldom seen one hour so energetically and sensibly used in a film.”
– James Agee
that and the Corman MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (a film I know Allan likes) I revisited for the horror countdown and consider garbage. A lot of this stuff is trash(y) so we really need to offer quite a bit of leeway… as Sam beautifully does here.
Sam, the critics I can trust but Orson, love him though I do and as generous as he was to others, was a very hurt man who did put many other directors and films down, sometimes evasively other crudely. He loved Keaton, Lubitsch and Ford but disliked Bergman, Mamoulian and others who had long and varied careers. Didn’t even watch 2001 because it was too long!
Sam – You weren’t kidding when you said you were going to feature my review. You stun me with your generous TWO mentions! Thanks!
As I am just back from vacation, not much viewing has ensued. In Victoria, BC, I got a chance to see the Iranian film “Women without Men,” which looked beautiful but didn’t quite come together for me. We also saw an interesting production of Shakespeare’s “Henry V” at Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, BC. Here in Skokie, the village held its annual Backlot Bash, in honor of the fact that Skokie was, during the silent era, a stand-in for frontier towns in early Essanay films. My pal and silent-film accompanist extraordinaire Dave Drazin did his usual superlative job at the piano accompanying films shown in the history Skokie Theatre. I saw a rare D.W. Griffith film, “The Little Tease” among other silent shorts. During “The Sawmill,” a young girl was bouncing in her seat with excitement as Harry Semon and Oliver Hardy cut up (literally) on screen. It’s nice to see the next generation of silent buffs in the making.
Marilyn, my pleasure. That was a great honor for Ferdy-on-Films!
I never got to WOMEN WITHOUT MEN, but I suspected (in view of what I had read) that issues prevented it from coming together.
That is quite an amazing series of experiences you’ve taken in on the trip, and having Dave Drazin along is really fantastic!!! Any production of HENRY V would fascinate me, much less the one you saw there on the beach! Awesome. Seeing THE LITTLE TEASE was another incomparable experience, and I appreciate that anecdote about the little girl bouncing up and down during THE SAWMILL. If silent cinema can take hold with today’s youth, well there is nothing more wonderful than that!
Welcome back my very good friend!
Sam, you have learned from the master, the William Castle Festival has its effects and it can be seen in the link to my blog, and I feel honored, such a gimmicky way to promote my musings! Bad jokes aside, I wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart for this, you and all the writers of this blog have been an inspiration for me and my blog. You have left me speechless, I announced it to all those who cared, that I was a feature link in a famous blog, now I have proof so my friends can comment on my blog more often (it’s the only way to know if I’m doing it good… well and this).
But enough, let’s see what you saw:
– I think many people are gonna dislike Scott Pilgrim and some are gonna love it, I haven’t seen it myself, but I tend to think that people who don’t like it are way too harsh (no offense Sam).
– I have a soft spot for William Castle, even if I’ve only seen one of his movies, “The Tingler”, and it’s one of my favorite Price movies (the trip, the idea of the tingler itself, the cheap yet amazing effects, the color scenes, etc). If they play “The Tingler” in the fest, I really wish I were there, because that would mean buzzing and moving seats! I’m a sucker for gimmicks (not 3D). Nevertheless, there are no ratings for most of the movies you saw, are you still thinking about them?
Well, my week has been full of fun work, yet tiring. I spent all Friday’s afternoon filming the director of the Drama Club I act in, talking about his acting career and about the Club itself. It’s for a 3 minute exercise and I’m editing it as I write this in the burocratic univeristy computers.
Movie wise, I saw:
– Centurion (2010, Neil Marshall) ***1/2 Well, this was kinda fun, and by kinda I’m really generous, I admired the cinematography for the most part. The rest was mindless bloodshed, which was entertaining at parts.
– Duel (1971, Steven Spielberg) ****1/2 I’m surprised, this movie is really good and very interesting, first because of its simple and straightforward plot and then its success, considering it almost doesn’t have any dialogue in it. Great work for Spielberg.
– Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind (1984, Hayao Miyazaki) ***** Although many consider it an environmental message, I took it more as an anti-war statement. Amazing colors and creatures, great stuff from Miyazaki, as always.
– My Own Love Song (2010, Olivier Dahan) **1/2 The least we say about this, the better. Zellwegger act is good and she sings well, that’s all, move on.
– Ecstasy of the Angels (1973, Koji Wakamatsu) ***1/2 As you can see, I’m still at it. Working up on this movies. This was saved by the ending, which was amazingly experimental. The color scenes were fine, specially with the contrast with the black and white ones. A fine entry, but it could be better.
– ‘Girl of Time’ or ‘The Girl who Cut Time’ or ‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’ (1983, Nobuhiko Obayashi) ****1/2 Another adaptation from the novel of the same name that inspired the anime version. This one lacked a strong ending, but still it was touching and the color schemes are very impressive, usual stuff for the director of Hausu.
Reading wise, this week again I read a lot, but didn’t finish one book.
Plays and stuff, even if I do go to a drama club to act, I don’t usually go to the theater to see any plays, unless it’s for free, like this time. I saw CANCÚN, a raunchy comedy but with a Twillight Zone twist, it was ‘useless fun’, but a couple of actors were quite good.
Writing:
– I wrote a sitcom plan/outline until 2am, so I’m pretty tired right now. Since I saw Suspiria and La danse (Wiseman) recently I outlined a series on ballet students. I hope it gets a good mark.
– I officially need help on my mom’s documentary, the teacher thought it was about me and my urge to seek attention (huh), so I need to change the focus soon, and I have zero on my mind.
– Still trying to start with my fiction, university makes things difficult.
News, well after people’s pressure, our beloved president (sarcasm) has relocated the thermoelectric plant that was going to be put on a nature sanctuary, even though he was the first responsible for its aprooval. Now he’s saying we need energy, but everyone knows that this won’t be seen by us, it’ll be used to make mining equipment work. Nevertheless, he still hasn’t said a word about the hunger strike of 42 mapuches (our indigenes).
Well, that’s about it. Thanks again for the mention, it sure means a lot to me.
Jaime, as I scroll through the responses here, I must say I am absolutely OVERWHELMED by this massive response. I am leaving my house in 15 minutes to three more Castles (all short):
http://www.filmforum.org/films/castle.html#830
but I will be thrilled and honored to respond in kind to all the goodies you present here tomorrow! BTW, the ratings were added a few hours ago, as they were somehow (accidentally) left off. Thrilled at what you say there about THE TINGLER! I will return tomorrow, my very good friend! Thanks!
How did that go?
Hey Jaime! I again got sidetracked today as the DVD set that I have hankered for more than any other in my life finally released (BORIS KARLOFF’S THRILLER) and am happy to announce it is a smashing success. I will definitely be penning a complete post at some point in the near future. My obssession with checking out the episodes made my appearance at the site today almost non-existent. My apologies for this. As far as the 3 one-hour Castle films I saw last night (MYSTERIOUS INTRUDER, THE WHISTLER and MARK OF THE WHISTLER) I’d say they are extremely minor. I’d go with **, ** and * 1/2. Fun in a hokey kind of way, but also somewhat embarassing. But on Wednesday night I will be taking the family to see 13 GHOSTS (with the special glasses) and MACABRE, and on Sunday they’ll all be coming again for THE TINGLER. On Thursday it’s WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, the noir that most serious critics consider to be Castle’s masterpiece.
Your comments about WitD being an inspiration to your own blog are deeply moving, and let me say after reading your extraordinary rundown (did you imply here that your mother is a fillmaker?) and your university endeavors, I am honored to have such a gifted gentlemen on these pages! From your exposure and love for Yoshida, to your appreciation for that great Wiseman documentary LA DANSE, to that Wakamatsu and Obayashi, well you are a unique young man!!!
I agree Jaime, that the anti-SCOTT PILGRIM camp will be over the top, but I think it’s the kind of film that either wins you over, or annoys you. There is less “in-between” with this one, methinks.
This is a staggering diary entry Jaime, one from the heart and soul. Thanks so much, and always am enriched by your effervescent apperances here my very good friend!!!
Thanks!
My mom’s not a filmmaker, I’m talking about something I mentioned last week, researching my mother for a documentary, since she was an actress and now my teacher thinks it’s about my urge to say that she left acting for a bad reason, which is not, but I still have to change it.
Right now I’m multi-tasking, kinda. I’m writing the sinopsis for the short exercise I mentioned and will be shown tomorrow. I don’t have much high hopes, but I still think I may pull it off. And besides I’m watching Summer Wars from the same director as The Girl who Leapth Through Time (anime version), since the last one was such an awesome film, I decided to check this one out and… well, it’s not As good, but still amazing.
Man, do I have a question for you, are there any good universities/colleges/film schools near where you live? I mean, I want to go on cultural exchange and your movie festivals and special screenings are making my mouth water. I initially wanted to go to Canada, next year, to be around the Toronto Film Festival, but the only place where I can live for free up there is in the French part of Canada, et mon français c’est un petit dèbile, ci-est-ce-que vous conaire quil chose je suis parlant. (I wrote that without a dictionary so it maybe faulty, just memory).
That’s besides your insider knowledge of cheap places to live and eat.
Well, have a good time my friend! Tomorrow (today?) I will post an entry on the film I talked about last week (Señales de Ruta) since September begins and it’s 200 years since we’re an independent country, so I’m going to celebrate with the only chilean movie I’ve given *****.
About Thriller, I knew about this series about a week before this post of yours. Sounds like a good time, without mentioning how awesome and great actor Karloff is.
Hey Jaimie!
Sorry about that newest “senior moment” as I do recall now what you said last week about your mother and what you were intending with that project!
Yes there are several excellent universities in my area that would great options for cultural exchange! All of course, like my own home, are in the NYC area.
Jersey City State University (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Montclair State University (Upper Montclair, New Jersey)
William Patterson University (Wayne, New Jersey)
Ramapo College (Mahwah, New Jersey)
Fairleigh Dickinson University (Teaneck, New Jersey)
Bergen Community College (Paramus, New Jersey_
Drew University (Madison, New Jersey)
Rutgers-the State University (Newark, New Jersey)
NYU – New York University (Manhattan, NY)
Julliard – School of the Arts – (Manhattan, NY)
Columbia University (Manhattan, NY)
I attended Jersey City myself, receiving my B.A. there, and attained my M.A. in Montclair, while Lucille just received last year her principal’s certificate and M.A. at William Patterson. All of these are fantastic schools, and all within traveling base from where I live.
And yes, I have lived my entire life in the same town and know the NYC area like the back of my hand, and would help you out there for sure!!!
We’ll talk soon. Have a great day my friend!
Did Sam get his money back? Hope you enjoyed the show. I sure know I did! Can’t wait for The Tingler…
My dear Mr. Castle, you have made my week, my month in fact by returning to comments at WitD!!!
Your Film Forum Festival has been a gas so far, and I’ve been motivated to see every film so far. In fact, tonight (the night before my kids return to school) I will be bringing them to see 13 GHOSTS and MACABRE, and then again on Sunday to see THE TINGLER. Tomorrow, I will be attending a rare screening of WHEN STRANGERS MARRY at 6:30 P.M., and I may stay on for one of the other two that follow. (or maybe both in fact)
Thanks so much!!! I am so thrilled!!!
Sorry Sam. I must be dead or something. What I meant to say is did Jeremy get his money back????
Do you know that I wouldn’t let any kid under 16 sit in the coward’s corner if they truly were too afraid to see the ending. I just felt bad for the kids that really might have been scared.
Boy have times changed. Thanks for writing about this. And I am sorry that some of your readers think my films are “shit.” We had fun, didn’t we?
Oh tons of fun, Mr. Castle! That skeleton routine (“Emergo”) near the end of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL was fantastic, and we all look forward to using the special glasses tonight for 13 GHOSTS and for the “Percepto” being emplyed for THE TINGLER on Sunday! With James Agree and Orson Welles praising you, I think we can absorb some ill-conceived barbs! Most movies fans adore your films!
Jeremy didn’t mind sitting in that chair, as he knows the alternative was mortal terror!!!
Thanks for coming back for us!!!
Thanks so much for the generous double mention and the very kind words, Sam!! Much appreciated. I like that ‘Coward’s Corner’ picture. My husband, my sister and her family took my son to ‘Scott Pilgrim’ with them yesterday but I didn’t go along as I had to work – however after reading your comments and Bob’s review it really doesn’t sound like my thing anyway!
I seem to have been incredibly busy this week and have had hardly any time to watch anything, but did see George W Hill’s ‘Min and Bill’ (1930), which I enjoyed, especially Marie Dressler’s performance, though I was slightly surprised to see she won the Oscar for it.
Judy, my apologies for the late response, but school begins tomorrow, and just today I picked up my Boris Karloff’s THRILLER set, so I am frantically checking out transfers! Ha!
I liked MIN & BILL too, though it’s true that the competition in someof those early years wasn’t intense. That might explained why Wallace Beary won an Oscar in a tie with Frederick March, when his vehicle, THE CHAMP was rather a shameless sudser. Dressler is a powerhouse though.
Thanks so much for the compliments there on Jeremy’s picture, and I have a sneaking suspicion you won’t regret staying back on SCOTT PILGRIM! Ha!
Thanks exceedingly as always, my very good friend.
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, and WitD readers…
Your Monday Morning Diary…round-up!
Hmmm…once again, let see…you, watched…
….Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Milk of Sorrow, Animal Kingdom, Inferno, Homicidal, Straight-Jacket , Mr. Sardonicus, House on Haunted Hill and Ozu’s Early Summer received very favorable ratings from you…In your quest to let WitD readers know what you experienced at the theater.
It appears as if the film “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” was the weakest link in the lot.
Sam Juliano, let me take this time to say congratulation! are in order for fellow bloggers, Marilyn Ferdinand and Jamie Uhler and the positive feedback that they both received on “their respective” blogs.
I most definitely, concur with my fellow bloggers, and second the notion on the photograph of your youngest son, Jeremy. I also like the photograph of your wife, Lucille Juliano, and your five children standing in front of the theater.
Thanks, for sharing!
Sam Juliano…My week was filled with “non—lurking” activities and some personal items (that occurred in my private life) on my “plate.”
First, I’am taking part in a 30 Days of CrAzY marathon… Sponsored by “our” (LAMBs members) fearless leader over there at Blog Cabins… who name is Fletch, and his marathon is entitled 30 Days of “CrAzY” marathon.
Secondly, I’am in the process of creating a ning for the female(s) (ewe)
of LAMBs…( I think that I’am suppose to insert the word Baahhh! here somewhere…)
Hmmm…I may let the male(s) members of LAMBs join, but only after, I discuss this with the female(s) members of LAMBs. (Well, it depends on whether any female LAMBs Join my ning once it’s “up” and functioning.)
By the way, Sam Juliano…
Thank-you, for the mention—as usual.
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Aye Dee Dee, I liked SCOTT PILGRIM the least, but many others have sung it’s praises in the critical ranks. It seems to be the kind of film that really grabs you or one that completely turns you off. But I will see it again at some point. Yes, Ozu’s EARLY SUMMER is the masterpiece of the week’s viewings, but it would reign supreme even in a week that were three times as good! Ha! The Castle Festival has really been a blast Dee Dee, and the kids have really had a ball with the various gimmicks. The skeleton gliding across the ceiling from the screen at the end of THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL on Sunday was really a hoot!
Yes, both Marilyn and Jamie should be proud with the direct response of the director of the film they reviewed. That is incomparably awesome, and the ultimate tribute to a blogger critic.
Thanks so much for the lovely comment on Jeremy and on the family photo. I will cool it with family photos in the upcoming weeks, as I don’t want to go to the well there too often. There are screen caps and other photos which need to be focused on.
I know Fletch and I have been at Blog Cabins, though not recently. I will definitely stop over there! And I would like to track what you do on LAMBS too!
As always, your appearance here, on this thread, is priceless. Thank you my very good friend and tireless supporter!
Best wishes Sam on the new school year. Seems a bit silly to come in for a day and a half and then to break for three days (including Labor Day) but I know they must fullfill a quota of days for the year. 180 isn’t it?
I remain amazed that you have continued this festival attendance right into September. But then again, I’m not really amazed when I think of your past exploits. I’d love to make Sunday morning’s screening of “Late Spring” (Ozu) but it’s not looking good right now. If it were later in the day, I would say yes.
Have fun at the Castle films you have lined up for tonight, and I’ll speak to you tomorrow, directly.
Many thanks for those “items” you sent my way a few weeks ago.
Precisely, Peter, it’s 180 days that must be managed.
I was thrilled just a few moments ago to get some input from “William Castle” on this thread and have really enjoyed this festival with the family! Keep me informed about the Sunday prospects!
We’ll talk soon! Thanks so much as always!
Well Sam, the Castle films are just tons of fun. Maybe not great works of art but he sure knew how to entertain. I particularly alway liked HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, THE NIGHT WALKER, HOMICIDAL and THE TINGLER.
Aye John, I couldn’t agree with you more on everything you say here! Thanks for voicing it!
Hi! Sam Juliano…
All I can say is…Wow! Director William Castle, have chimed in on your blog. I must admit that he have a very nice website too! (While visiting the dashboard…I noticed that his comments were pending and I totally ignored his comments. I guess you can say that I have learned my lesson.)
Sam, congratulation! are in order for picking up the Boris Karloff box-set too! (Please! let your readers, know about the picture(s) quality.)
Sam Juliano said,”Thanks so much for the lovely comment on Jeremy and on the family photo. I will cool it with family photos in the upcoming weeks, as I don’t want to go to the well there too often.There are screen caps and other photos which need to be focused on.”
Oh! I don’t think that there is a problem sharing your family photographs. (Only if your family members don’t want you to share their photographs…then I can truly understand, but other than that I’am quite sure that your readership welcome your family and friends photographs too!)
Take care!
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Dee Dee, I fully understand. No problem at all. I just came upon the comments earlier today, so I haven’t been watching close enough myself. That blogsite looks great, I quite agree!
I do plan, Dee Dee, on talking about the Karloff DVD set in the near future, but suffice to say all the episodes I’ve checked out look stunning, including THE WEIRD TAILOR, which we all watched last night on an off day from the William Castle Festival. THE CHEATERS looked great too, but THE WEIRD TAILOR mightbe the best-looking of all of them. Shimmering and pristine black and white.
Thanks so much my friend on the favorable response on the family photos. Your enthusiasm in large measure has fueled them all along. Thanks so much!
Thanks a lot Sam. A couple of more reviews are pending to be penned down & posted, but couldn’t do so because of extreme paucity of time. The good news however is that I might manage to get hold of some time & watch either Mann’s Raw Deal or his T-Men (preferably both), and even write a review or two.
RAW DEAL and/or T MEN, Shubhajit???
Wow. I’ll be over there with full film noir garb and Anthony Mann lapel!!!!
Thanks as always my friend!
Incidentally, I thought a number of people here would like to read the DVD BEaver sassessment of the Criterion Von Sternberg DVD set (which I acquired two weeks ago) and must heartily concur with:
“This could easily be considered the DVD release of the Year for many cinephiles – and Criterion have done it up to their usual professional standards – right down to the menus. It is untouchable…”
NOTE: The three main features of this boxset are housed in individual un-clickable cases – like the AK 100 box (see image above and below) they are not sold separately, by Criterion, at this time. These particular NTSC editions can only be obtained in Criterion’s 3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg package at present.
All three DVDs are dual-layered , progressive and in about their original 1.33 aspect ratios.
There is an option for 2 different scores for each. One by Robert Israel for all three films, Alloy Orchestra for Underworld and The Last Command and Donald Sosin and Joanna Seaton for The Docks of New York. There are no, unnecessary, subtitles – the three silent films have English intertitles that appear original.
Bitrates are very strong ranging consistently from 8.11 – 8.13 Mbps.
Included is an amazing 96-page booklet featuring plenty of black and white photos and essays by Geoffrey O’Brien, Anton Kaes, and Luc Sante; notes on the scores by the composers; Ben Hecht’s original story for Underworld; and an excerpt from von Sternberg’s autobiography, Fun in a Chinese Laundry, on actor Emil Jannings.
Have a great school year Sam!
I see you are overlapping with your cinematic embarkments. The Castle festival sounds like a lot of fun for the kids too. I am looking forward to the site’s horror polling. I expected that Scott Pilgrim would be a waste of time.
Thanks Frank! I’m at a school PC now in fact! Well, my schedule is close to what it was last year. Gifted and talented with the middle schoolers, and literature and creative writing with grades 4,5 and 6. I was over at the Film Forum last night, and watched three films: the superb WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, Barbara Stanwyck’s last film, THE NIGHT WALKER and a rather silly color film, LET’S KILL UNCLE. The family will be watching THE TINGLER on Sunday, and that will wind it up.
Have a great year my excellent friend!
………no talk of the Yankees? They are holding on to first-place, even with some bad losses over the past weeks. I think Boston is done…..yay!………
Shhhhhh Frank! I don’t want to jink em!
Well, yes, they are having a great year, and actually won their sixth straight last night! But Tampa is resilient, so it should be quite a finish. Boston is done, this is true.
Nice hearing from you my friend, and I wish you the best year ever.
Yeah, the Rays are a a pesky little team who just refuse to give up. If the Yanks do go into a nose dive they should hang in there.
John: I would imagine your loyalty here is split, no? Or are you a dyed-in-the-wool Yankee fan? Ha!
Sam, the Yanks are always number one. If they were out of it then I would like to see the Rays in.
You are loyal through and through John!!!
hi Sam,
It’s been a really disappointing week culturally. Kick ass bad. Had a wedding which I had to attend over two days and then spend a day recovering from it. Plus, I have installing programs and sprucing up my Linux operating system. It incredible….All of it is open source, developed by love of computing. I need a program, say to record my voice for a speech, I click google or ask a friend and 1 or 2 clicks later, it’s installed and integrated into operating system – without slowing down the PC. It’s beautifully streamlined, Windows used to have 5 programs for one function, like opening a j-peg or watching a movie. It doesn’t crash when I’ve opened too many word documents or too many tabs to the internet. Or take 5 minutes to open or to closedown. And the final beauty – once I’ve got all the programs I want – I can burn a bootable disk to use on any computer as my operating system or if my PC caught fire. Amazing…I feel so geeky. And I know nothing about PCs.
I watched ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘The Lost Weekend’ – two great masterpieces. Did you know, that Charles Jackson, who wrote TLW commited suicide.
Also watched ‘The Outer Limits’ – Corpus Earthling**** – because my adorable nephew and niece need to feel the deliciousness of chill frissions from that episode. They already watched ‘The Children of Spider Country’ on their own. He wants to watch ‘The Ghost and Mrs Muir’ – probably thinking it’s going to be like ‘Scooby-Doo’…lol
Oh, I did watch ‘Preston Sturges – The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer’*** – superb. Mainly because I’m going to buy ‘Sturges on Sturges’ and ‘Between Flops’. I’m also halfway through ‘Laughter in Paradise’ – Scott Eyman’s classic biography on Lubitsch.
Anyway, I also watched 10 episodes of ‘I Love Lucy*’ as part of my investigations into vintage tv. I hadn’t seen in decades and it hasn’t worn to well. The principle 4 leads are excellent and make even weak material better – but the scripts are extraordinarily mundane and lazy, full of cliche situations. I suspect and vaguely remember that later episodes get better, with stars like John Wayne, William Holden, Orson Welles, Harpo Marx and George Reeves are roped into the plots as the ditzy Lucy swerves into their paths.
In my view, the two giants of 1950s American sitcom comedy are ‘The Honeymooners’ and ‘You’ll Never Get Rich’ (aka ‘Sgt Bilko’). Sam, in the US, Bilko is forgotten by some weird quirk of history. But it rest at the very highest summits of tv achievements. Given four stars by Halliwell, cited as the greatest sitcom of all time by gigantic ‘Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy’ and revered by all those that experience it. To put it simply, in the halls of radio/tv/movie comedy, its nestles with Lubitsch, the Mark Brothers, Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, Fawlty Twoers, Porridge, Seinfeld, Allan…..and was a formative influence in Larry David. Cary Grant actually went the live recording of it. It’s first two seasons are the stuff of legends. But when it’s creator, writer, producer, Nat Hiken (“The greatest comedy mind of his era”), left the show – it declined to entertainingly average for it’s third and average for its last. But, watching this show it like the experience of watching ‘Hill Street Blues’, ‘The Outer Limits’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘The Wire’ and ‘The Twilight Zone’….it’s that good.
Which brings me to a nice surprise – ‘The Twilight Zone’ season one is being released on blu-ray for the very first time, followed in a couple of months later by season two.
Look forward to your review of ‘Thriller’.
Oh Sam, did you ever watch or get the ‘One Step Beyond’ show. I’d like your opinions on it, having seen only one or two episodes.
Hey Bobby!
Yeah you got that right. I’ve been gleefully checking and watching THRILLER episodes in between my appearances at the William Castle Festival, and have been hugely impressed with the picture quality. A few commenters at amazon have complained that while the picture looks quite good, it dosen’t quite match the laserdisc transfers from the mid-90’s of six episodes. I have added my two cents in the comment section at amazon, and have been gathering together some reviews, including this recent one from DVD Savant:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3275thri.html
I do plan to have much more to say in the upcoming weeks on the complete set, but it has excited me immeasurably.
Ah Bobby, yes Allan and I were discussing THE TWILIGHT ZONE blu-ray release of Season 1 just this past week, and I mentioned how expensive it is. Allan feels that the key here is patience, as the price has to come down. I already have the full set, but I love it so much that it’s tempting to double-dip. I would say it’s a certainty at some point. (Yeah, in four years Melanie will start college, so I need to calm down and soon about spending! Ha) Didn’t realize though, that Season 2 was on its heels. Wow.
Bobby: I don’t own ONE STEP BEYOND, but know the show well, and have actually seen most of the episodes. A few are striking, but to be honest, it dosen’t come close to THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THRILLER, THE OUTER LIMITS or ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. It’s been years since I spent time with it, but I found it curiously uneven. I respect its creator, John Newland, who directed THRILLER’S most beloved and celebrated episode, PIGEONS FROM HELL and another good one, THE RETURN OF ANDREW BENTLEY. I am wondering now if the full set is available.
Sadly, I have never spent much time with YOU’LL NEVER GET RICH, despite its renowned standing in television history. You have thrown out the gauntlet here to me, and I need to research how to acquire some shows (or better yet the entire run). Yes, I’ve watched some years back, but due to my vacillating commitment, I never jumped on the bandwagon in promoting the show’s greatness. THE HONEYMOONERS (the classic 39) of course it for me THE sitcom masterpiece and the funniest show on television. Whenever I say that to Allan he strikes back with BLACKADDER, but I grew up with Gleason and Carney, have most of the show’s dialogue practically memorized, and have seen each episode (I kid you not) well over 100 times in my life. But I know many other friends and acquaintances who can make the same claim, so I am hardly alone.
My wife Lucille (wouldn’t you know it?) loves I LOVE LUCY above all else, though she also loves THE HONEYMOONERS. The Lucy Show as you well know is one of the most beloved in television history. I understand what you are saying about cliched episodes, lazy and mundane, but I guess therein lies the charm, as it’s really all about the actors (whom you praise highly). Yeah, as the series found it’s footing, it’s writing improved. But these are some of the most revered characters ever created, and they speak for a time and place, gone forever.
I have read that Jackson commited suicide, and somehow the subject matter of the film almost portends such an ending for its creator, sad to say. It’s a great film for sure, but as you know, I consider THE GRAPES OF WRATH among the greatest of all American films for all sorts of reasons. I feel like watching it again now that you mention it! Ha!
CORPUS EARTHLING is an absolutely BRILLIANT episode in THE OUTER LIMITS, one of its best in fact. The scenes in the desolate outdoor shanty are creepy, atmospheric and otherworldly, and the episode has an eerie, hypnotic underpinning. It’s one of my personal favorites of the complete 49. The kids no doubt enjoyed it, but THE CHILDREN OF SPIDER COUNTRY is one of the series weakest installments. Quite silly, methinks.
Bobby, believe me, I know way less than you do about the PC, as Allan will attest to. So I don’t envy you for what you relate there in that opening paragraph! Love what you say there about the ‘recovery’ from the wedding!! LOL!
This was a spectacular submission Biobby, and I’ve greatly enjoyed responding to it in kind, my very good friend!
Bobby, when you get a chance, could you drop an e mail at TheFountain26@aol.com? I have some good news.
Well, Sam, I just received the THRILLER box set in the mail just minutes ago, so I am pretty excited about digging into this, there are episodes I have never seen as well as some classics I know well. I look forward you you uncoming thoughts on the set.
As for THE HONEYMOONERS and LUCY, I am a big fan of both and would have tough time picking which one I liked best. I have lost count on how many times I have seen the shows (for years they use to be on channel 11 at eleven o’clock). Both are show you just never get tired of. YOU NEVER GET RICH I remember watching but it has been so long that I cannot comment. Certainly would like to revisit it though.
John: I’m thrilled to hear the THRILLER set arrived!! What a treasure trove of goodies awaits, though I know you are familiar with the show. We’ll be exchanging comments soon enough! And thanks for the further reverence of LUVY and THE HONEYMOONERS! Incomparable stuff!
hey Sam, ‘Blackadder Goes Forth’ was the best thing about ‘Blackadder’, very variable quality.
‘The Children of Spider Country’ is for me one of the *** Limits for me. Can you imagine them releasing that show on Blu-Ray. Gulp!.
I’m looking forward to ‘Thriller’. Only the second best horror show of all time (‘A Ghost Story for Christmas’, hint, hint). 😉
Once I get to grips with the Linux software, I’ll send you some really cool, cool discs.
ANNOUNCEMENT TO WitD READERS!!!!
Although I will send on this change to Joel in this week’s schedule formation, I want to mention here that as Monday is a holiday here stateside (LABOR DAY) the Monday Morning Diary as per custom will become the TUESDAY MORNING DIARY. (September 7) The regular Monday posting will resume for the diary on MONDAY, September 13.
Thanks as always for everyone’s deeply-appreciated submissions.