James Franco as lead in Danny Boyle's riveting '127 Hours'
by Sam Juliano
As a last minute addition to this prepared post, I am thrilled to mention that Producer/Director Jeff Sherman (eldest son of famed Disney songwriter Robert B. Sherman) posted a comment this evening under my May 26, 2009 review of the Sherman Brothers documentary, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story. Having Jeff appear at WitD continues in a tradition of having filmmakers and stars weigh in with their views on our work here. Jeff’s comment of course, appears at the end of the thread, a few in from my response to him:
Home decorators have retired their ghosts and goblins, replacing them with Thanksgiving ornamentation and ripe pumpkins, while trick or treaters can stockpile their pantries with enough of the sweet stuff for many weeks to come. Some are already surveying the turkey sales in local supermarkets, others are still reveling in the World Series win of the San Francisco, the team’s first since the late 1950’s. Of course the seasonal drop in temperatures means the movie season has truly reached the most interesting phase, with prestige films and the year end awards just around the corner. Similarly the opera season has now moved into high gear, with some highly-anticipated productions due to appear on HDTV, and Broadway producers are excited about the prospects of some recent high-profile productions.
At Wonders in the Dark, Brit wonderkind Stephen Russell-Gebbett has launched his gleefully-awaited “animation countdown” with the most auspicious posts on a general overview, the 51-100 “nearlies” and the first few numerical choices that already have initiated some classic comment threads, including one with a you-tube of the three minute selection for #49. Bob Clark’s exhaustive dissection of the duel scene in The Phantom Menace has engengered all kind of internet responses and link-ups, and the post was the centerpiece of a four day run at the site, where the numbers went over 3,000 every day. This was the first time this has ever happened in the 26 month existence of WitD. As always, Joel Bocko remains a vital piece of the puzzle, with typically extraordinary writing for several posts, including his latest ‘Best of the 21st Century’ review and several posts in his visual images series. Bocko has revamped the sidebar, painstakingly compiling categories for the site’s writers and showcasing some gorgeous graphics to boot. Jamie Uhler, who chaired the horror poll with three others, has some great features set to go at the site as well.
A severe case of the flu has sidelined me from visiting a number of the blogs I usually manage, but it’s incredible how many people I know who have come down with similar symptoms. In any case, everything is on the mend, and I have checked around to notice that excellent work is on display for those who have the time to investigate.
After staying home all week and watching some episodes of “Thriller” and a British sitcom, Steptoe and Son, (highly praised by Allan and Bobby J.) I felt sufficiently recovered to make some weekend screenings (even while interspercing these events with some brisk walking) One of the year’s critically praised features, Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours was watched in the prime Saturday night slot:
127 Hours **** 1/2 (Saturday evening) Landmark Sunshine Cinemas
Black Sabbath ***** (Sunday afternoon) Lafayette Theatre, Suffern, NY
Carnival of Souls **** 1/2 (Friday evening) Lafayette Theatre, Suffern, NY
An Autumn Afternoon ***** (Sunday morning) IFC Film Center
Lucille and I treated the kids to two weekend screenings at the historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York in the annual Horrorthon weekend. We couldn’t manage the Universal horror line-up on Saturday (which included Dracula and The Bride of Frankenstein) but we took in a Friday evening show of the early 60’s cult classic Carnival of Souls, and a Sunday afternoon screening of Mario Bava’s atmospheric masterwork Black Sabbath. The Lafayette is a true treasure trove for film lovers, and the pre-showing organ playing by Len Barker is a real treat.
The Ozu Festival concluded at the IFC Film Center on Sunday morning with a screening of An Autumn Afternoon, the humanist maestro’s final film, and yet another masterwork. I will be posting a final -massive- wrap on this 20 week festival in a few weeks at WitD. I managed to attend the last 18 films of the 20, missing only the first two weeks, when The Good Son and An Inn in Tokyo were offered. But of course, like most, I’ve seen those two on DVD more than once. It was great having longtime friend Tony Lucibello aboard for the Sunday morning showing, a week after Joel Bocko appeared to take in The End of Summer. I will be penning an exhaustive post in a few weeks on the entire five-month long Ozu experience.
Danny Boyle’s pulsating (sometimes impossible to watch) 127 HOURS has won some deserved critical acclaim for its riveting re-enactment of a true-life story of a hiker who got his hand stuck after falling in a canyon crevice, with no hope for outside help. Boyle’s dazzling and visceral style brings a human interest story to amazing depth and perspective by heightening the trapped hiker’s mental anguish and inner thoughts while in excrutiating captivity. Doyle alumni cinematographer Anthony Todd Mantle and composer A. R. Rahman contribute mightily to the impact, but actor James Franco gives the performance of his career.
John Greco has penned a fascinating consideration of the films of Thomas Edison at Twenty Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/the-films-of-thomas-edison/
At John’s other site, “Watching Shadows on the Wall” the impassioned Lennon fan has a terrific review of the Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy headlining: http://watchingshadowsonthewall.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/nowhere-boy-2010-sam-taylor-wood/
Filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman’s “several moments” in film and music (at The Last Lullaby) post does bring to the table some of the most special movements and/or periods in the form: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2010/10/some-artists-id-love-to-document-or-see.html
Jason Marshall has launched his consideration of ‘1937’ with the ever-perceptive #10 placement of Laurel & Hardy’s Way Out West at “Movies Over Matter”: http://moviesovermatter.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/best-pictures-of-1937-10-way-out-west/
At Marilyn Ferdinand’s Ferdy-on-Films Roderick Heath has penned an utterly extraordinary review of cinema master Miklos Jansco’s Red Psalm: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=6946
Meanwhile at Heath’s blogsite “This Island Rod” the showpiece at present is a marvelously engaging treatment of the sci-fi classic When Worlds Collide: http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2010/11/when-worlds-collide-1951.html
Tony d’Ambra has an eye-catching makeover in place at FilmsNoir.net, and he’s ushered in the graphic eye candy with a superlative review of the screwball noir Deadline at Dawn: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/deadline-at-dawn-1946-screwball-noir.html
Judy Geater at Movie Classics continues her historic investigation of the cinema of William Wellman, with her present headliner a gleefully exhaustive essay on The Call of the Wild, based on Jack London’s adventure classic: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/the-call-of-the-wild-1935/
Troy Olson has a ‘wrap up’ post leading at “Elusive as Robert Denby: The Life and Times of Troy,” where he talks about his experience with WitD’s monumental horror poll, and his upcoming plans with a seminal director. He humbly asks for your vote: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2010/11/wrapping-up-and-moving-forward.html
Meanwhile, the other part of the Olson equation, brother Kevin talks about his upcoming examination of British director Ken Russell, who won the polling among readers at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies, and will soon be put under Kevin’s incomparable magnifying glass: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/spend-holidays-with-ken-russell.html
The singular “Coffee Messiah” Michael Harford has posted a humerous piece with a tagline of ‘Voting Republican’ at his glorious abode: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2010/11/note-to-self-work-in-progress.html
Our friend in Tokyo, “Murderous Ink” has again written an essential essay for the student of Japanese Cinema with a fascinating and exhaustive piece (complete with historical perspective) on Aizen Kaysura. It’s over there at “Vermillion and One Nights.”: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2010/10/incomplete-mediocricity.html
Shubhajit Leheri has some new stellar capsules up at Cinemascope on bonafide American classics, including John Huston’s Key Largo, which headlines: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2010/11/key-largo-1948.html
At “The Seventh Art” Just Another Film Buff delivers a scholarly (what else is new?) mini-treatise on Abbas Kiarostami’s new film, Certified Copy: http://theseventhart.info/2010/10/31/ellipsis-16/
At the ‘Creativepotager’s’ blog, Terrill Welch informs her readers that ‘Red Bubble’ is offering 15% on all her work, including the just-published (and breathlessly beautiful) calendars: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/redbubble-portfolio-sale/
At ‘The Schleicher Spin’ David proves yet again why he’s incomparable in discussing the essence of the new critically-acclaimed show Boardwalk Empire. http://theschleicherspin.com/2010/10/31/boardwalk-empire-home/
That most wonderful of people, Laurie Buchanan (whose spirit and generosity is a continual blessing in the blogosphere) continues her new series with a second installment of ‘B is for Being” at Speaking from the Heart: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/b-is-for-being/
Samuel Wilson is unmatched when it comes to his exhaustive and brilliantly-written essays on Italian cinema. His latest at Mondo 70 may come as a surprise for many: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2010/11/colt-38-special-squad-quelli-della.html
Stephen Russell-Gebbett has again upped the ante for creative posts with his latest at Checking on my Sausages on “Body Parts Point of View”: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/11/body-parts-points-of-view.html
At Exodus 8:2, Jaimie Grijalba speaks of Ocotber 17th as the date of the ‘best concert he has seen in his life, and he has a You Tube to enforce the conviction: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2010/10/we-are-priests.html
Craig Kennedy’s celebrated The Watercooler thread is up and going, with B.O. reports hot off the presses at Living in Cinema: http://livingincinema.com/2010/11/07/watercooler-127-hours-opens-strong/
At The Blue Vial, Drew McIntosh continues to showcase indellible screen cap displays, including the latest on the genre classic Quatermass and the Pit by Roy Ward Baker: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-from-favorite-quatermass-and-pit.html
At Radiator Heaven J.D. has what is tantamount to a definitive essay on Comic Book Confidential. One of the blogosphere’s most generous contributors continues to do top-flight work: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2010/11/comic-book-confidential.html
Kaleem Hasan has a fascinating post up at Satyamshot on ‘Obama in India.’: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/obama-in-india/
The ever-prolific and ever-erudite Jake Cole continues his incomparable work with a stupendous essay on Alain Resnais’ Wild Grass at Not Just Movies: http://armchairc.blogspot.com/2010/11/wild-grass.html
At The Shock of Glimpsing, Peter Lenihan is presently showcasing Hitch’s The Wrong Man in his always enrapturing screen cap displays: http://theshockofglimpsing.blogspot.com/2010/11/movies-that-matter-8-wrong-man-alfred.html
Dan Getahun at Getafilm is most excited about a local Charlie Chaplin Festival: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2010/11/november-trylon-microcinema-here-comes.html
Adam Zanzie has posted an impassioned remembrence of George Hickenlooper at Icebox Movies: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2010/11/remembering-george-hickenlooper.html
Andrew Wyatt is back with a vengeance, penning at Gateway Cinephiles a brilliant review of the controversial Dogtooth. All serious cineastes head over to his St. Louis abode: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2010/11/02/upon-the-edge-of-no-escape/#more-683
Ed Howard and Jason Bellamy have again collaborated on a monumental discussion in their justly-acclaimed ‘Conversation’ series, this on on the ‘rock film’ in the cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2010/11/conversations-20-rock-concert-films.html
Film Doctor has posted a fascinating feature up at this place on “For Colored Girls and the Polarized Critics.”: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2010/11/slapping-corpse-for-colored-girls-and.html
At Little Worlds, Hokahey has a superlative review up on the new release Monsters: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2010/10/indie-aliens-monsters.html
Our Canadian friend Jeopardy Girl gets a painful lesson in “buying” as conveyed in “That’s What Happens” at her candidly engaging “The Continuing Adventures of Jeopardy Girl” blogsite: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/thats-what-happens/
At Doodad Kind of Town, our good friend Pat takes a close look at two films that star ‘Jennifers’ – Lopez and Anniston. It’s a creative piece that examines common ground in both: http://doodadkindoftown.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/whos-your-daddy-a-tale-of-two-jennifers/
Ryan Kelly waxes lyrical about the just-completed World Series won by the San Francisco Giants at Medfly Quarantine: http://medflyquarantine.blogspot.com/2010/11/106.html
Dave Van Poppel considers Kelly Reichart’s Meek’s Cutoff as his latest stellar review of ‘realist cinema’ at Visions of Non-Fiction: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2010/09/meeks-cutoff.html
R. D. Finch at The Movie Projector has picked up two CIMBA Awards for his stellar work at his classic movie blog: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/11/thank-you-classic-movie-blog.html
Our friend Anu is still highlighting a very fine review of Dennis Hopper’s The Last Movie at The Confidential Report: http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/dennis-hoppers-the-last-movie/
Both Dee Dee and Longman Oz, two of our very favorite people remain in our hearts.
Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York
Andrei Scala at center with Lucille and the five kids at Sunday afternoon screening of Bava's 'Black Sabbath' in Suffern (photo by Sam)
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Writers/Founders
Glad you’re feeling better Sam. Thanks again for the shout out, sir. I love old movie theaters, there is a charm to them that adds to the movie going experience that is missing in the cold box like multiplexes we are stuck with these days. “Black Sabbath” is one of the greats. Looking forward to “127 Hours” which from what I have read and you allude to is pretty intense at times.
Made two trips to the theater this week…
Nowhere Boy (Sam Taylor-Wood)**** I probably rated this film slightly higher than most would but I really thought they did a fine job here recreating Lennon’s early years even down to the kind of shirts and outfits John wore. They seemed to have studied existing photographs closely putting them to good use. There are three fine performances by Aaron Johnson (Lennon), Kristen Scott Thomas (Aunt Mimi) and Anne-Mare Duff (Julia). A review is up at Watching Shadows on the Walls.
Due Date (Todd Phillips)*** Sporadic laughs but nothing to shout aboutt except for the coffee drinking scene which I won’t describe in case anyone plans on seeing it.
At home I watched…
The Films of Thomas Edison consists of two hours of early American films produced by Edison Studio, going back to 1893. A little over thirty early works. I have a posting currently up on this at twenty four frames.
Also saw some early D.W. Griffith shorts that were presented on TCM including “Those Awful Hats”, The Wondering Mother”, “In The Border States”, The Sunbeam, “For His Son” and what are probably the two best in the group “A Corner in Wheat” and “The Musketeers of Pig Alley” both of which I remember originally seeing at MOMA back in the 1970’s.
Night Train in Munich (Carol Reed) **** – Feels very much like a Hitchcock film and working with a screenplay by the same writers who wrote “The Lady Vanishes”, the same actress (Margaret Lockwood) and for comical relief “Charters and Caldicott”, it’s no wonder. The film still holds up very well on its own as a spy thriller (early James Bond?), though it is a grade level below some of Reed’s masterworks.
Psycho III (Anthony Perkins) ** Crazy Norman really goes berserk here as does the storyline in what is easily the worst of the three films. The ludicrous plot manages to include a defrocked nun, multiple mothers and a frat party at the Bates motel. One has to ask who is really the crazy one here, Norman, the filmmakers or me for watching this.
Five Star Final (Mervyn LeRoy) ***1/2 – Interesting pre-code film about a New York tabloid specializing in cheap, tawdry sensationalism. Edward G. Robinson is the city editor who exposes a story about a woman who killed her lover twenty years ago now attempting to leave her past behind. Filled with plenty of sex and an ogling Boris Karloff as Robinson’s dirty laundry investigating reporter. Robinson and Marian Marsh are the highlights
Gave an inncorrect title on one of Griffith’s shorts, “The Wondering Mother” should read “The Mothering Heart.”
Thanks so much as always John! I am getting over the worst period that I can honestly remember, but I know everyone has their episodes. The Lafayette in Suffern is definitely a place that exudes atmosphere and all the ornate trimmings. The organ is situated on an overhanging side balcony (there are four such balconies on each side and an elevated balcony behind the orchestra. It’s about a 50 minute ride from where I live, but it’s always a fun time. I’ll sure you will love the photos in this link John!
http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/lafayette_gallery.html
I read your excellent review of NOWHERE BOY, John, and am I’m in agreement with your assessment across the board.
My daughter mentioned DUE DATE, but for one reason or another I have just recently scaled back my viewings of recently-released films. I’ll keep in mind what you say there though! I am certain you will find 127 HOURS superlative.
Great stuff too with the Edisons and the Griffiths and a stellar post at TWENTY-FOUR FRAMES on the latter.
I actually watched NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH just a few months ago after acquiring the DVD and was most impressed, though I have always been a huge fan of Reed’s work.
It’s always great to see Karloff (as I was yet again reminded of over the weekend) and I know FIVE STAR FINAL well, agreeing with your assessment -though I would probably go with 4 to 4 1/2. I couldn’t agree with you more on that much deserved curt dismissal of PSYCHO III.
Typically, your weekly response at this thread is nothing short of spectacular my very good friend!
That’s a real honor, Sam (although it should come as no surprise to us, given your extensive coverage of less talked about weekly releases). Congratulations.
Thanks, as usual, for the plug. You seem to have had one of the best weeks at the movies. Hope you are on your way to recovery from the flu. It pretty much seems like the “disease month”. My week was spent celebrating the Diwali festival and the weekend in bed (a bad neck sprain). So it was pretty much off the computer (except for a viewing of Film Socialisme). Will be visiting the blogs soon.
And Stephen’s countdown seems to be going great. Will join the bandwagon soon.
Cheers!
Thanks very much JAFB! Some of my tactics are admittedly shameless, but it’s all in good fun. I am many years past the point of trying to do anything more than find reasons to get excited.
Yes, it’s been a dire time for many, and I am very sorry to hear about that neck sprain. Hope you are up and about soon, though at least you managed the festival. Yes, Stephen is doing precisely what I knew he would with the animation countdown!
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Thanks for the shout-out, Sam, but modesty compels me to acknowledge my superiors in Italian film fandom, particularly the contributers to the Italian Film Review blog (www.italianfilmreview.com), who post fresh capsules on key genre films on an almost daily basis. I did also watch Sergio Martino’s spaghetti western MANNAJA this weekend, however, and I’ll probably have something to say about it on the blog. More immediately I’ll be reviewing Yoshida’s FAREWELL TO THE SUMMER LIGHT, the director’s 1968 invasion of Europe, in which he is blissfully oblivious to the upheavals of the year but does much to make me forgiving of that lapse. I also got myself up to date on the work of Larry Blamire by watching his old-dark-house parody DARK AND STORMY NIGHT, a redundant effort given how many such parodies already exist and the self-parodic evolution of the genre itself but not without its hilarious moments. Blamire is still best known for THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA but his best work to date may be TRAIL OF THE SCREAMING FOREHEAD, a riff on Invasion of the Body Snatchers with just a smidge of Bigger Than Life thrown in, all in the manner of early Roger Corman rather than Siegel or Ray. If Blamire as a writer could team up with a more talented director than himself, he may yet produce a comic masterpiece.
Anyway, have a healthy week this time out!
As Samuel, as always you are one modest and humble fellow. Your work with Italian cinema has been second to none for a very long time, and you’ve gone in many directions within that sub-genre as well. I must admit that I greatly look forward to the upcoming review of FAREWELL TO THE SUMMER LIGHT as I found it to be one of the best of all the Yoshidas, and a brilliant homage to Resnais.
Sadly I am unfamiliar with Blamire, but very much appreciate these insights. At some point I will reach out to check him out.
Anyway, as always, you are a good sport and an ever-supportful guy. I much appreciate it.
Thanks so much for the recognition as always, Sam. Great to hear you are on the mend. As always, I’m left envious after reading what great things you’ve recently seen on the big screen. Black Sabbath + Carnival of Souls sounds like an absolute blast, both are pretty much horror masterworks in my book. And I can imagine any Ozu in the theater being a sublime experience (I know you’ve been catching a lot of these lately, and I look forward to your wrap-up post.)
As far as 127 Hours goes, I personally am not the biggest Boyle fan around, but I have some interest here due to the fact that this story is one I remember reading about right after it happened all those years back, and it has always stuck with me, as I was in high school at the time and doing quite a bit of hiking myself. I am also a pretty big Franco admirer, and think he’s really given us one memorable performance after another as of late, so I’m very interested to see what he does here, and your high praise for his performance certainly lends an enormous amount of promise on that front. I look forward to checking it out.
Many thanks Drew! When you are feeling better of course, you always are able to enjoy whatever it is you partake in. I’ll thrilled to hear we are on the same page with CARNIVAL OF SOULS and BLACK SABBATH, though I’m not really surprised. The fact that the Lafayette offered the Horrorthon a week after Halloween was admittedly unexpected, but it gave a number of people the chance to see some classics on a busy weekend. The color print for BLACK SABBATH as advertised was fantastic! Thanks so much for the kind words on the upcoming Ozu post, which I will be starting in a day or two.
I hear ya on Boyle, but this may be a fortuitous change of pace for you. And as you admit to being a Franco fan, that may turn the trick (as his physical performance was really astounding). I’d definitely be more than curious to know your reaction.
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Thanks for the link, and the mention of the sidebar. Congrats to Bob for racking up the numbers!
Indeed Joel. The sidebar work was astonishing, and I know well how time consuming it was on your behalf. Again, it was really great meeting you last week, and I’ll not soon forget the wonderful time (and conversations) we mutually enjoyed.
Thank you for the kind words, Sam. I’m enjoying putting my pieces together and sharing some of my favourite films.
What did you think of STEPTOE AND SON? I didn’t expect to ever read about it here!
Thank You Stephen!
I’ve actually been enjoying STEPTOE immensely! I did like the American re-make SANFORD AND SON too – or at least quite a bit more than Allan – but I’ll admit the Bristish original is superior. The actor who plays Alfred, Wilfred Brambell, is an absolute hoot, and the love-hate relationship between father and son yields some of the best sitcom writing ever. I did purchase the entire set from Amazon.UK and am working my way through it. (corresponding with Allan on my reactions).
I think you mean The ONLY Son, not The Good Son, old boy.
He watched the first series of Steptoe, Stephen, but the best is yet to come.
Not much this end, just a lot of junky horror post Halloween, Moxey’s City of the Dead, Fisher’s Revenge of Frankenstein and Dracula Prince of Darkness, Puerto’s Satan’s Blood, etc. Then Verneuil’s The Sheep Has Five Legs, Fairbanks’s The Thief of Bagdad with the Carl Davis/Rimsky Korsakov score (I could watch that for ever more), Mauro’s stunning Ganga Bruta, Ozu’s The Only Son, ironically, on Blu Ray, Von Stroheim’s Blind Husbands, Bertolucci’s Before the Revolution following Joel’s piece, de Toth’s Ramrod (thanks to a print from Tony), Murnau’s Sunrise on Blu Ray (bliss!), Juran’s The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Apocalypse Now Redux on Blu Ray and le Roy’s Anthony Adverse. The rest of the time filled with writing.
This week should have the Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 Blu Ray and the Blu Ray of Doctor Who Season 5, which should look fantastic. Also waiting for some other goodies in the post.
Yes, it does appear that STEPTOE’s best episodes are yet to come. And I can’t say exactly how many times I’ve watched CITY OF THE DEAD a.k.a. HORROR HOTEL!
Thanks Sam, although I keep telling you, you don’t have to include me ; )
Sorry to hear about the sickness, on top of other things, but you’re still on the move.
Looks like some interesting films you’ve seen again this week and wondered what your children thought about the ones they saw?
BTW, have you seen this?
This lady turns 107 this month and her story, and her philosophy makes her not appear anywhere near her age. And this clip helped me understand the art camp in a way I never thought about before also.
It’s about 13 minutes long but is well worth spending time with if you’ve not seen it before.
Am trying to start and finish a 40 piece project for a Flux Box a friend is putting out after Dec 31. My mind is full of the creative stuff these days and not much else ; (
Haven’t mailed yet and hope to soon. Guess it’ll just be a surprise when it gets there.
Cheers!
Michael, you will ALWAYS be included! This site, and particularly this thread is one that embraces the full life experience, not just movies, and I positively love your place, Terrell’s, Laurie’s and those that embrace all the art’s like the home of Longman Oz.
It does appear the video you linked here has been removed for some reason, but I’ll keep on checking. I am always fascinated with human interest stories among the elderly!
The kids liked BLACK SABBATH (they had seen the DVD before) and the two that saw CARNIVAL OF SOULS on Friday night were gleefully spooked.
I’d love to hear more about this creative project you broach here!
I appreciate all you have done my very good friend!
Sam, thanks so much for the wonderful mention.
I’m so glad to hear that you’re on the mend. It sounds like you had a wonderful week of movie-watching. I really think Franco is tremendously talented and look forward to seeing Boyle’s new film. And that final Ozu is one I still need to see, as well. What a run you had during the entire Ozu retrospective.
My week was a little thinner in terms of movie-watching. But I was able to see DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST, ORPHEE, UNFAITHFULLY YOURS, and THE RED SHOES. I enjoyed them all, but I would have to say that the Powell/Pressburger struck me the most. Walbrook and Shearer’s performances were so deep and committed while the Archers brought their usual incredible zeal and inventiveness to the table.
Here’s to another awesome week, Sam. Thanks for all that you do.
Thanks very much Jeffrey!
I am feeling better, but still need to follow the rules. I did indeed finally manage to see some stuff over the weekend, including the three festival features. I hope to get the Ozu roundup completed in a few weeks. It appears that one by one, Criterion and some prestigious Region 2 companies are bringing out his incomparable catalogue.
I agree on what you say there about Franco, and have been telling people in school today about 127 HOURS. That is really quite a spectacular quartet you saw this week, and who can argue about favoring THE RED SHOES -which you’ve framed here superbly? I love it too, and with me it’s a close call with the Bresson. Yet the other two are brilliant too. All I can say is you were really in cinematic bliss this week!
Thanks as always for the ever so kind regard, my very good friend!
That’s thrilling news about Jeff Sherman coming here to WITD!!!!!
Glad to see you’re feeling better SCHMULEE ole boy. Knowing, myself, what it is you have gone through over the past days I can sympathize with the aggrevation of not feeling well.
Glad to hear your back on your feet and running again…
Thanks Dennis! The other issue we discussed has seemingly been remedied by the consumption of prunes. I guess I’ll never really feel comfortable until the colonoscopy is completed a week from Wednesday. Otherwise, the flu is on it’s dead throws.
Yes, it would wonderful to have Jeff Sherman stop in!
Thanks as always my very good friend.
Sam – As a James Franco fan I am very much looking forward to 127 Hours! Much like a chameleon, he takes on the full appearance/personality of any character he plays. Did you see him in drag on the cover of Candy magazine (Oct 2010)? I would have never known it was him — amazing!
Hey Laurie! Yes your description there of James Franco sounds dead-on to me. I haven’t seen that cover of Candy magazine yet, but I’ll check the net shortly. 127 HOURS is definitely in your wheelhouse as it’s a human interest story, both inspiring and driven by a single minded resilience, characteristics that descrive your own outlook and the essence of that great place knows as SPEAKING FROM THE HEART. But I can’t wait to hear your response.
Thanks as always my wonderful and caring friend!
I meant to put in a link to James Franco on the cover of Candy magazine. Here it is: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649424/20101006/story.jhtml
OK Laurie, well here is it. Rather shocking for sure, but Franco does walk down his own path! Thanks for providing the link!
Hi Sam – I, too, have been a little under the weather, though not bad enough to stop me from working, though it did cut down on what I was willing to watch in the evening on TV. However, I did catch Pandora and the Dutchman on TCM, which gets a 4 for Jack Cardiff’s cinematography and a 2-1/2 for the rest of it. Yesterday, I ventured out of the house for the first time in a while to see Exit through the Gift Shop. The part queasicam almost set me back in the illness department, but it was a great film that I’m feeling well enough to write up in the next day or two. Thanks for calling attention to Rod’s great work.
Marilyn, I am sorry to hear that the infernal bug has been knocking at your door as well, though at least it appears your resistance has held it at bay at least partially. Like you said to me the other day, many have been stricken during the weather change. If anyone has extended themselves more than you I’d like to hear about it as your CIFF demonstration was quite the feat. Not just attended every film, but writing formidable essays every single day.
I happen to completely agree with you on that split assessment for PANDORA, with Cardiff earning the highest grades. I had some issues with EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP and compared it unfavorably with another documentary, JEAN-MICHELE BASQUIAT: THE RADIANT CHILD, but I know I am in an extreme minority and have read nothing but praise from others. This is therefore, one upcoming review of yours that I simply can’t wait to read.
Feel better my excellent friend, and thank you!
I was thinking that 127 Hours was playing locally Sam, but it appears that it’s a NYC exclusive. Maybe next week? I’ve really read a lot of great things.
The Lafayette is practically as ornate as the Jersey City Loewe’s and it even has a balcony in working order. Would have loved to be there for Black Sabbath.
Congrats on Jeff Sherman stopping by! That’s amazing.
Frank, figure in two weeks it should cross the river the way I am figuring it.
You’ve sized up the Lafayette perfectly, and wish you could have been there yesterday! Here’s their upcoming fall schedule for Saturday mornings if you’re interested:
http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/lafayetteclassics_fall2010.html
Yes, I was thrilled to have Jeff stop by for sure, as I am a lifelong Sherman Brothers fan!
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Good to hear that you’re feeling better, Sam. There is definitely a bug that’s going around. Glad I got my flu shot. I am intrigued by Boyle’s new film and good to hear that you gave it a thumbs up. I’ve enjoyed quite a few of his films and this one sounds like it could be one of his best efforts to date.
J.D., I must tell in all sincerity that you are one of the nicest persons I’ve ever met blogging. You are humble, loyal, and caring, and you are as supportive as anyone. Yes, I was very taken with 127 HOURS, and Franco’s performance. I’d say it’s as strong a piece as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.
As always thanks so much my very good friend!
GO GIANTS!!!!!
I’d say they’re even better than Gang Green.
Don’t know about that Joe.
If you look at the stats, they are pretty much identical.
Both teams are 6-2.
Giants have scored 216 points and given up 160.
Jets have scored 182 points and given up 130.
They both are solid Frank, but the Jets had Lady Luck on their side with two of their wins. We’ll see how things go the next few weeks. But if you’re a New York football fan, it’s a fun time.
The Giants seem a bit stronger now. But as Joe says, things could reverse quick.
Thanks for the cross venting guys! As you know I’m a Jet fan first, but I also root for the Giants. Right now I’d say they are equal, but like some here we’ll know more in the upcoming weeks.
In today’s Post they had an interesting feature story comparing the styles of both NY football coaches. Talk about night and day.
Hello Sam! Thanks so much for the plug to my blog, luckily I’ve found some time to write three little entries at my blog, due to my lack of time, end of semester stuff and all, but I’ve been reading, writing and seeing just as well. Thanks again for the plug, it really is an honor.
About your week, well congratulations for the commentary, this blog does tend to feature the commentaries of directors and actors and many others on so many reviews. Well done!
And guess what, I’m jealous again, as I haven’t seen any of the four movies you saw… and I want to see them all! “127 Hours” is one of my most awaited movies of 2010, and I don’t think I’ll be seeing it before Oscar time.
My week was tiring! Amazingly tiring! I rushed writing a plot structure for wednesday and at the same time I had to do a presentation on korean cinema of the last decade, which I finish tomorrow, and I spent two days (one sunny, one rainy) at Rancagua, shooting a documentary I’m working on, one I’ve been working on the past month, on which I’m assist. director, assist. camera and sound/grip, but I also helped with the script, so I’m not just a worker, haha.
The documentary can’t be seen when it’s done, as we think it may be interesting for festivals around the world that have a short documentary category, you guys know of any? (Besides Berlin Film Festival, as it is the first one we’ll send it).
Anyway, this week I slowed down on the movies, as I was tired of my Horror Madness, so I saw:
– Max’s First Job (1910, Louis J. Gasnier, Max Linder) *** A slapstick auto-referential silent comedy that wasted its opportunity to be funny and/or a commentary on the birth of cinema.
– The House with Closed Shutters (1910, D.W. Griffith) ***1/2 Short war movie that was quite interesting. I don’t know much about the civil war and I’m not really interested, so I don’t know if this is accurate or offensive, but I found it good enough.
– Ichi the Killer (2001, Takashi Miike) **** This was the last at my horror madness, take a look.
– The Legend of Hallowdega (2010, Terry Gilliam) **** Interesting short about Talladega, done in the style of Gilliam, which can be easily traced, nevertheless is a minor work. Available to see online for free legally.
– Phantasm II (1988, Don Coscarelli) **** Entertaining and just as good as the first one, this series of horror movies do have a cult following and I’m slowly giving in.
– Scared Shrekless (2010, Gary Trousdale, Raman Hui) ***1/2 Also known as ‘how many horror references you can put in a horror special for kids without getting banned’.
– The Weather Underground (2002, Sam Green, Bill Siegel) **** I liked it, but didn’t get who they were supporting, what was their point of view, it could have been a masterpiece, but wasn’t.
Reading wise, I finished a novella called ‘Bonsai’ by chilean author Alejandro Zambra, simple and kinda charming. I put it here as it was a ‘free book’, I found it with some friends on a table, and it was a ‘free book’, someone put a sticker on it saying that you had to read it and then put it back on someplace else, so it travels around, making it a free book. We’ll free it soon.
And that’s about it, have a good week everyone!
PS: Sam, can you put a release date to my post, I don’t wanna disturb anyone with it.
Jaimie:
Your graciousness is incomparable, and I am always moved by it. I certainly I am undeserving of what you say, but am nonetheless extremely grateful. I have seen your new posts, but haven’t yet commented. (will do so soon)
I’ll admit I was particularly thrilled to see Jeff Sherman, as I always idolized his father (Robert A.) and uncle (Richard B.) Sherman, particularly for their MARY POPPINS score. But yes, it’s true we have been blessed with this kind of activity in the past, and I thank you for saying as much.
I guess we can equate the Clilean miner event (in terms of inspiration) with the human interest story at the center of 127 HOURS. Boyle’s visceral filmmaking style brings a dynamism to the proceedings, and in James Franco we have an actor who is seemingly born to play this role. You haven’t seen CARNIVAL OF SOULS nor BLACK SABBATH? Fair enough. I will take care of this situation within the next two hours! Ha! I suspect you will be singing the praises of both, but the proof will be in the pudding. And as far Ozu’s AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON, that’s his final masterpiece (it released months before his passing at age 60 of cancer) and is indeed an essential work of the cinema. I will deal with that one tonight as well in fact.
Your tireless energy (ah yes, when one is young! Ha!) is amazing as applied to all that you do, especially the documentary filmmaking. Perhaps someone here can make a suggestion as to a festival for application. This is not an area I have much insight, but I can certainly ask. To be honest (and Joel Bocko noticed this when he was here) there was a documentary festival running here in NYC this past week at the IFC. (it ends tomorrow):
http://www.ifccenter.com/series/doc-nyc/
This would have been a perfect venue to showcase the kind of film you just completed!
The two early silents you saw are well-assessed and scored here as I see it, but I haven’t seen the Miike or the new Gilliam. I’m a bit less affectionate toward PHANTASM II, but do understand the cult reputation. THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND is mediocre (so we aren’t far off) and as far as SCARED SHREKLESS, I haven’t seen it, but appreciate the capsule.
Your reading of Zambra’s book is further proof of your astonishing weekly diversity, and a reminder that there isn’t a boring second! All kidding aside, it sounds like a great read!
I will indeed get a release date to the post Jaime. By the way, is it already set up on wordpress?
Thanks as always for the passionate, evervescent and spectacular round-up my very good friend!
I noticed a thing.
Should have noted that I’ve indeed seen ‘An Autumn Afternoon’, my third and last Ozu so far, and I agree it’s really a great film, one of the best (****1/2 for me) japanese modern family pieces around.
Yes, the post is up on wordpress, formatted, it’s called ‘The Leaders’, it’s behind all these latest posts.
Fair enough Jaimie, on AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON. I was actually surprised when you said you might not have seen it. There are a number of other Ozus though, that I’m sure you’ll want to see.
I’ll definitely get a date set for that post Jaime! Thank you.
Good morning, Sam –
So glad you are feeling better. Thanks again for the repeated link to my now-six-weeks-old post. There is little time to blog these days, but enough time to hit Barnes and Noble’s annual half-price Criterion sale. In recent days, I’ve picked up Short Cuts, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, Days of Heaven, Howard’s End, Altman’s 3 Women and the Carl Theodor Dreyer collection that includes Day of Wrath and Ordet. And I’m still pondering some additional purchases before the sale ends on 11/21.
I am far behind on new releases, but 127 Hours is near the top of my “must see” list. Yours is but one of many critical raves I have read.
Ah, Pat, you know what is far more urgent these days, and that B & N Sale is essential for DVD colelctors like you and I. The upcoming weeks (before the sale ends) will yield THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, MODERN TIMES and ANTI-CHRIST. I’m sure at least the first two will have you making a final visit! Ha!
The Dreyer set was a fabulous buy, and certainly a must-own. You have some of the greatest films of all-time there in that set, and the blu-rays of BLACK NARCISSUS and THE RED SHOES are magnificent! Of course the prints displayed on the Merchant/Ivory, DAYS OF HEAVEN and Altman’s film are gorgeous too. That sale is dangerous to that plastic we carry around, but if you’re a Criterion collector, it’s heaven. I recently picked up blu rays of HOUSE, SEVEN SAMURAI, PATHS OF GLORY and THE THIN RED LINE. I wish I had waited before buying the blu-ray of Bergman’s THE MAGICIAN a few weeks before. Too bad that set with THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS, FIVE EASY PIECES, EASY RIDER et all didn’t fall within the time parameters of the sale, as that’s an expensive item that can use a 50% off tag! Ha! Let me know what else you pick up Pat, I love to hear these things.
And yes, I am sure you will like 127 HOURS and will greatly appreciate Franco’s performance.
Thanks for stopping in my very good friend!
Glad to see you are on the mend Sam. Let’s hope 2011 will see you back to top form throughout.
I understand Boyle uses the same frenetic style seen in “Slumdog Millionaire” in his new film. Franco maight be haeded for an Oscar, or at least a nomination.
Please keep me abreast on the Frtiz Lang in Hollywood Festival. I plan on seeing a few of these.
I’m thinking the same thing Peter. It would be nice not to have to worry about pain, discomfort and doctor’s appointments for once.
Yes, stylistically SLUMDOG and 127 HOURS bear quite a few similarities, but I don’t want to give anything else away.
The Lang Festival doesn’t begin until late January, so we have a while to compare notes.
Thanks as always my very good friend!
I checked last night. There are about 6 I’d want to see.
For some reason Sam, 127 Hours is not motivating me to go see it in the theatre. Your rating is making me think I should go find some enthusiasm quick and not wait for a DVD release!!! I also want to mention that I watched Boardwalk Empire on HBO this morning and was finally impressed with an episode since the Scorsese directed pilot. An absolutely terrific 50 minutes that seems to pave the way for some sustained excellence in the coming weeks.
What I watched this week……..
The Scarlet Claw ****
The Cove ****1/2
The Art Of The Steal ****
I Need That Record! ****
Fright Night **
The Changerling **
Army Of Shadows ****1/2
I saw Guided By Voices last night. One of my favorite bands growing up in the 90’s. The classic lineup got back together and totally rocked for hours. I went with five of my oldest friends and we all had a blast. I first saw them in 1994 opening up for Pavement in Roseland and they still put on a great show. Excessive drinking as they go along leads to some wonderful sloppy music. Echos Myron and A Salty Salute were the highlights for those familiar with their music.
Maurizio: Like you for some reason I wasn’t all that motivated to see 127 HOURS, even with the excellent critical reception nationwide. Maybe I felt there were limitations in this picture, but I should have known better. Boyle is a master stylist, and he injects the film with energy and emotion in a very big way. I can’t be sure you’ll respond to it, but I’d bet ‘yes,’
Wow, you finally found an episode of BOARDWALK EMPIRE that clicked with you!?! Well, this may be the beginning of altered perception, or it just might be a singular instance of success. I’m still waiting for the opportunity to play catch-up.
My absolute favorites in that amazing film line-up you negotiated this week are ARMY OF SHADOWS and THE SCARLET CLAW, but your own ratings tell the story. The Melville is one of the best films of its kind, and that Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes is actually my favorite in that famous series. Love the fog on the moor and the nail-biting suspense. I like THE COVE, though perhaps not quite as much as you. You seem to like THE ART OF THE STEAL a bit more, and FRIGHT NIGHT less (I found it campy) but the star ratings are pretty much in sync.
I wish I knew the band you are speaking of here, but maybe some others do. Great discussion there and as always very much appreciated my excellent friend!
I like The Hounds Of The Baskervilles the best in the series. It has all the fog and wonderful atmosphere but it also has a less idiotic Watson. I would say that The Scarlet Claw is the second best of the 6 or 7 I have seen from the Rathbone/Bruce collective.
5 best Sherlock Holmes films…….
1. The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1939)
2. The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
3. Murder By Decree (1979)
4. The Scarlet Claw (1944)
5. The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)
Maurizio, that’s a fine list there!
My favorites (a dozen) in the Rathbone series:
1. The Scarlet Claw
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
4. The Pearl of Death
5. Dressed to Kill
6. Sherlock Holmes in Washington
7. The Spider Woman
8. Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
9. The House of Fear
10. Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
11. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
12. Terror by Night
This series has been an obsession of mine many times in my life.
Glad you are on the mend, Sam, and many thanks for the plug. Congratulations on your latest honour! I haven’t seen any of the movies you saw this week, but I do love ‘Steptoe and Son’ and am glad to hear you are enjoying it.
This week I’ve once again been concentrating on older films and have seen two early George Cukor movies, ‘A Bill of Divorcement’ (1932) starring John Barrymore, and Katharine Hepburn, in her very first role, and ‘The Royal Family of Broadway’ (1930), with Fredric March in a role spoofing Barrymore – it must have been odd for Cukor to work first with the (brilliant) imitation and then with the real thing! I was blown away by Barrymore’s heartbreaking performance in ‘A Bill of Divorcement’ and also thought Hepburn was excellent. ‘The Royal Family’ is very slow and static, with characters spending far too much time sitting on the sofa to stay near the microphone, which I know was a problem in 1930 – but March is hilarious as JB and brings the film alive every time he bursts in. I’d love to see this play on stage – and was surprised to read that Laurence Olivier played the John Barrymore character in London in 1934.
I also saw Josef von Sternberg’s great silent film ‘Underworld’ (1927), which completely lived up to my expectations, and Lewis Milestone’s war film ‘Edge of Darkness’ (1943), set in a small town in Norway and starring Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan and Walter Huston, who are all great.
Thanks very much for the concern and kind words Judy! And thanks too for the acknowledgement on Mr. Sherman’s appearance at WitD. When you are a fan, it’s always a thrill. I meant to ask you about STEPTOE & SON in fact as I speculated you were probably a fan and/or was quite familiar with it. I also like the American re-make SANFORD & SON (which adds the racial context in a hysterical fashion) but the original here is superior. As I stated further up the thread I loved Wilford Brambell as Alfred, and found much of love-hate humor uproarious. I still have a ways to go with teh box set though.
I agree with you on A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT, and am pretty much in agreement too on that first Hepburn film, THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY. In the former film, John Barrymore was superlative (heartbreaking as you say) as Hepburn was most memorable. Interesting on Olivier, I never realized that! Perhaps you are planning to review these Judy; I’ll be keeping my eyes open!
The Milestone film is solid, but Von Stern berg’s UNDERWORLD is a masterpiece (a position you seem to be projecting here!)
Thanks as always for the marvelous wrap my very good friend!
Hi Sam. Thanks for your always generous support. Btw, Joel has done excellent work on the sidebar.
I continue my quasi-abstinence and watched only Mystery Street (1950) and Inception (2010) last week.
Mystery Street a noirish police procedural set in Boston was ok only with disappointing work from DP John Alton, though the inimitable Elsa Lanchester was great as a conniving landlady, and Jan Sterling was nicely camp as a b-girl, but she is knocked-off early. Bruce Bennett as a Harvard forensic scientist was even more wooden than when he played Mildred Pierce’s boring husband! John Sturges directed.
Inception was a disappointment. Apart from the technical wizardry, the direction and editing was pedestrian. Nolan wants to have his intellectual cake and eat it too: an essentially banal shoot-em-up with a thin veneer of pseudo-philosophical posturing.
I read William P. McGivern’s Odds Against Tomorrow, the source novel for Harry Belafonte’s production (in which he starred) of the film noir. [Blacklisted Abe Polonksy wrote the screenplay under a front.] An excellent book with a black hero and a white anti-hero brought together on a bank heist which goes wrong. The white man, Earl, is the epitome of the Robert Ryan (who played the part in the movie) persona: a seething incoherent anger that is redeemed too late by the decency of a black man. Though there is a hint of misogyny with Earl’s girlfriend as a dark angel. McGivern needs more recognition. He wrote among others the source story for Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat.
Thanks so much Tony! And yes, the work on the sidebar by Joel was remarkable. A lot of time and effort.
With John Sturges at the helm, and cinematographer par excellence John Alton in the mix here I am surprised that MYSTERY STREET didn’t connect. And it’s always great to have Elsa Lanchester, though as you note she makes a quick exit. Yes, I must say I completely agree that Bruce Bennett played a dull husband in MILDRED PIERCE, a film where the two women were dominant. But when it comes to noir, your word is gold my friend.
INCEPTION has me reasonably engrossed when I first saw it, but months later it doesn’t stay with me at all, lending even more credence to your findings here. At some point, I’ll watch it again, but I’m in no rush.
I never knew that McGivern wrote the source material for THE BIG HEAT (one of my alltime favorite noirs!) But you’re completion of ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW, Tony, is your most formidable accomplishment over the past weeks by far, and I applaud you for staying the course, (though your reading tenacity is remarkable).
Thanks as always for the fascinating wrap my excellent friend!
Sam – Thanks very much for the link. Lucky that you got to see 127 Minutes. It hasn’t hit the Cape yet. I’m looking forward to it.
And thanks for stopping by Hokahey! I’m sure your have it within a week, or two the most. And I’ll definitely be looking in at LITTLE WORLDS for a probable review my friend.
Allo! Allo! Sam Juliano, and Allan Fish…
Sam Juliano…Let me take a look at what you did…as usual.
First of all, Sam Juliano said, “As a last minute addition to this prepared post, I am thrilled to mention that Producer/Director Jeff Sherman (eldest son of famed Disney songwriter Robert B. Sherman) posted a comment this evening under my May 26, 2009 review of the Sherman Brothers documentary, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story. Having Jeff appear at WitD continues in a tradition of having filmmakers and stars weigh in with their views on our work here. Jeff’s comment of course, appears at the end of the thread, a few in from my response to him…”
Sam, I would have to in all honesty say to you…What a honour…not only for you, Allan, and Wonders in the Dark readers, but for me too because I picked up a great Disney link that his [famed Disney songwriter Robert B. Sherman’s son] linked over there under your post.
Speaking Of, links here is a link to additional photograph from the Spielberg’s animation…Bonjour! Tin-tin and I’am also waiting for the Disney’s animation Tangled which Of course, is a humorous look at the fairy-tale Rapunzel methinks?!? (What a nice website and Just in time for Thanksgiving day!)
Secondly, What a nice photograph Of your family and friend Andrei Scala… Hi! Andrei, nice to “meet” you…
…Sam Juliano, I see that all four films that you had the pleasure of viewing are all “strong” and not a “weakest” link among them…(127 Hours garnered **** 1/2 …Black Sabbath ***** …Carnival of Souls **** 1/2 and…An Autumn Afternoon ***** )
Sam Juliano said,”Lucille and I treated the kids to two weekend screenings at the historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York in the annual Horrorthon weekend.
We couldn’t manage the Universal horror line-up on Saturday (which included Dracula and The Bride of Frankenstein) but we took in a Friday evening show of the early 60′s cult classic Carnival of Souls, and a Sunday afternoon screening of Mario Bava’s atmospheric masterwork Black Sabbath…
The Lafayette is a true treasure trove for film lovers, and the pre-showing organ playing by Len Barker is a real treat.”
I’am quite sure that you, and your family experience at The Lafayette was memorable and what a very interesting “shot” of The Lafayette Theatre marquee in Suffern, New York…
Thanks, for sharing!
Sam Juliano said,”The Ozu Festival concluded at the IFC Film Center on Sunday morning with a screening of An Autumn Afternoon…”
Unfortunately, I’am not familiar with Ozu and his work on film…However, I will look forward to your critique of his films.
Sam Juliano,
What I watched This Week:
Actress Ava Gardner and Tyrone Power in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises for the second time…Surprisingly, this film wasn’t part Of her 42 films tribute over there on TCM.
The Wolfman both films for the second time…and
The Invisible Man…soon. I see that you, and your family watched a couple of horror films that I covered over there on my horror blog too.
I also plan to place in my queue:a couple of film noir
that I’am yet to watch…
Tomorrow Is Another Day
The UnderWorld Story
Violence
Bunco Squad
This Side Of the Law
and
The System and The Gangster.
and I plan to re-watched such film noir as:
1.Night Editor
2.Stranger On The Third Floor
3.The Brighton Strangler
4.High Wall
5. When Stranger Marry
6. The Killer That Stalked New York
7. Two Of A Kind
and
8. Cry of the Were-Wolf [Non-noir]
Books On My Shelf: Only Two
A Novel Bookstore
by French author Laurence Cossé
In The Spotlight: Coming Up In The Month Of November I Plan To Take a look at Author Michael B. Druxman’s Very Interesting Book “My Forty-Five Years in Hollywood… and How I Escaped Alive: A Memoir By Michael B. Druxman,…But Of course! this book will soon be added to bookshelf.
Sam Juliano, I hope (and here wishing) that you are on the road to recovery…too! and Thanks, for mentioning me as…usual.
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Allo Dee Dee my dear friend!
Thanks so much for your gleeful acknowledgement of Jeff Sherman’s WitD visit and for the passion you have for the famed songwriting brothers. I guess my excitement was (is) in large measure a result of my lifelong adoration for their music, particularly the score for MARY POPPINS. Thanks too for those links, especially the one for TANGLED, the upcoming Disney take on Rapunzel. And yes, Jeff’s own Disney link is exciting too!
Yes, a fun time was had on our two weekend visits to the Historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York. The Sunday afternoon appearance for Bava’s BLACK SABBATH was actually attended by the entire family, Robert McCartney (a cousin) and Andrei Scala, whom you graciously note here. Mr. McCartney is not a picture taker, so he stood back while I photographed Andrei and the whole gang. On Friday night, Lucille and I escorted Danny and Jeremy to watch CARNIVAL OF SOULS. Here’s a link to what they are showing next in the coming weeks, Dee Dee:
http://www.bigscreenclassics.com/lafayette.html
Yes, the Ozu run was practically five months, commencing in late July and concluding this past Sunday. While I attended 18 of the 20 films (and one screening during the one-week run of I WAS BORN….BUT) I was thrilled to have Lucille with me four times, Tony Lucibello twice, and both Andrei Scala and Joel Bocko once apiece. Like the Anthony Mann, Charles Chaplin, Ken Russell and William Castle festivals that preceded it, I won’t ever forget this extraordinary experience. It has bolstered my conviction that Ozu is one of the greatest of all filmmakers, and probably the premiere humanist.
I haven’t seen THE SUN ALSO RISES in years, Dee Dee, but I know the widescreen DVD transfer is superlative. Yeah the film (about aimlessness) isn’t everyone’s cup of tea -as Hemingway’s novel isn’t- but all things considered there is some marked fidelity to the source material and I do recall Errol Flynn and Eddie Albert as delivering the goods. I guess my absolute favorite Hemingway adaptations are THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA (1958), A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1932), FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLL (1943) and ISLANDS IN THE STREAM (1977).
Dee Dee: Please send me the link to your horror blog ASAP, so I can post it on the sidebar and start visiting there. Why have I not known you had a horror blog? This is a mystery to me, and my oncoming senility! I should have been visiting this blog for a very long time!
The 1943 THE WOLFMAN is a Universal classic as is (even more so) THE INVISIBLE MAN with Claude rains. I have seen VIOLENCE, THIS SIDE OF THE LAW and THE GANGSTER, and even more in the second listing of noirs.
As far as THIS following announcement, Dee Dee, where do you plan to do this? At “Darkness Into Light?”
“In The Spotlight: Coming Up In The Month Of November I Plan To Take a look at Author Michael B. Druxman’s Very Interesting Book “My Forty-Five Years in Hollywood… and How I Escaped Alive: A Memoir By Michael B. Druxman,…”
Please let me know. And I duly note this is on your bookshelf as well.
Thanks as always for delighting me endlessly my wonderful friend!
I’ve always wondered (and I hope its not impertinent) where Andrei is from, given it could be a Romanian or a Russian name.
Andrei is his ‘pen’ name to signify his socialist political slant. His name is really ‘Andrew’ and he’s mostly Italian-American with a touch of French in there, Stephen. Ha!
Oh! I see. My real name is actually Glasnost Smythe.
LOL Stephen!!!!!
Thank you for the link, Sam.
Since Ozu series has finished its long season, I am eagerly waiting to see your review. I am sure it’s going to be terrific.
But it is rather peculiar that they didn’t screen TOKYO STORY in the series. It must have occurred to them when they planned the program, so there must be a reason, I guess…..
Keep up the good work!
MI
Thanks so much for the kind words, Murderous Ink!
I hope to have my Ozu roundup before the end of the end of the month, and certainly the sooner the better. The absence of TOKYO STORY (Ozu’s most celebrated film) from this festival is indeed bizarre, but I’m hoping they may have plans to present a restored version in the near future. I do plan to include discussion of it of course in my wrap as well as the two I missed at the beginning and other Ozus not covered in this retrospective. They did manage a full week of I WAS BORN BUT (before the Ozu proper began) and I did attened one of those showings.
As always, I am deeply grateful for your appearance here my very good friend!
Thanks Sam for the mention. And do look forward to a few more Bogart classics at my blog in the near future. Your review of Boyle’s 127 hours has made me extremely interested in it. As the cliched saying goes, he’s back with a bang, ain’t he? By the way, I’ve come in possession of the wonderful tv series Practice. Finished watching the 1st season, and must say I’m already hooked to it.
Shubhajit: I can’t say I’ll familiar at all with PRACTICE, but I’ll conduct some research now. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for your future Bogart pieces. And you’ll be happy to know I’m sure that Mr. Rahman composed another pulsating score (for 127 HOURS). I can’t wait to hear your reaction.
As always, thanks so much my very good friend!
I believe Shubhajit means the David E. Kelly (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal et al) series The Practice – 8 seasons from 1997-2004. Excellent legal drama set in Boston. Only the first season (8 episodes) has been released on DVD. I don’t know what ABC is waiting for?
Tony, that’s the series I’m referring to. And yeah, its really worth the time spent watching it.
Dear Stephen,
I had the honor of being dubbed “Andrei” that is having had my pen name given as a much appreciated gift by Sam.
Frankly, I would have chosen “Vladimir Illych Fidel Karl Marx Scala” had I had the opportunity.
Sam I know it is a long way past Monday but we have seen two very good documentaries that I feel are worth mentioning. They are so far apart in content you may wonder that the same people watched both but we did.
The first is Hiroshi Teshigahara’s “Antonio Gaudi” (1984) a beautiful filming of one of my most favourite architect’s work. Stunning really with haunting music and very little dialogue. It has been described as a poem to Gaudi – one I could listen to again and again.
The second is “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” (2008) directed Sacha Gervasi. Having several musicians in our family this film broke my heart. I just so wanted them to succeed and I don’t even like heavy metal. I never would have chose to watch this movie by its title or description but I am glad I did. It is a musician’s story, an artist’s story and a story about family and life-long friendships.
Glad to see you are better and out rambling around the blogosphere and up to your old tricks of mentioning where you have been again. Most appreciated! Best of the week to you Sam.
Thanks so much for this most welcome report Terrill.
I am also an avid admirer of ANTONIO GAUDI and the director Hiroshi Tshigahara. The surreal beauty on display is astounding, as this film gets into the eseence of the architecture it considers, negotiating textures, shapes and organic borrowings from nature. It’s a stunning film about a stunning artist by a master director. And the Criterion DVD is a big winner!
ANVIL is a deeply, deeply inspirational and emotional film, and I can see (what with your admissions here) why this would have resonately so powerfully with you. It’s one of teh best films of its kind ever made.
Wow! What a one-two punch you experienced this week!
Thanks so much for all the concern and kind words Terrill! They are deeply appreciated!
Dear Maurizio and Sam,
Far be it from me to digress but I feel I want to jump onto the Sherlock Holmes discussion you had some days ago. I too am an avid Sherlock Holmes fan and while in my heart Basil and Nigel will always be the ultimate Holmes and Watson, Peter Cushing did an admirable job in the Hammer version of The Hound Of The Baskervilles. He brought much of the same cool intelligence and charisma and charm mixed with a pinch of sardonicism as Rathbone while Andre Morell did a sort of toned down take on Nigel Bruce’s characterization. Having read most of Conan Doyle’s stories on the pair and having seen the 2009 cinematic version I was astonished that the physical Holmes and Watson were emphasized so strongly (to be fair Nigel Bruce would shoot a villain now and then back in the forties) along with the (of course) more important cerebral side. The two would have never gotten to kick any villains’ asses if not for their brilliant powers of deduction, detection etc. In “A Study In Scarlett” the first Holmes story, Watson is a young ex-army surgeon who was wounded in the Second Afghan War (1878-1880), looking for a flatmate because he can’t afford a place of his own on his disability payments. He is introduced to a very young Holmes (they are both in their twenties) who is a seemingly eccentric student doing post graduate work in science or so Watson perceives. At one point Watson describes him as an expert single stick player, which is what Downey Jr. was doing in the opening action sequence in the tomb with those nunchuck-looking things to those thugs (only he wasn’t playing of course), expert boxer, and expert swordsman. Anyone who had a problem with the action packed Downey Jr./Law version of last year (because of all the action) as opposed to the almost effortless solving of crimes by Holmes’ enormous brain in the earlier versions should remember this and the many times that Watson recounts how he and Holmes “rounded up” the bad guys before Lestrade or anybody from The Yard showed up. This indicates to me that the two did frequent ass kicking of their own.
I would have loved to have seen Basil Rathbone perhaps ten years younger than when he did the Holmes movies in the bare knuckled boxing ring scene because if one knows one’s shit about Rathbone they know he was an expert fencer, and a World War I war hero of sorts, a man of action as well of brilliant mental capacities.
I love them all I must admit: Basil, Nigel, Peter, Andre, Robert, and Jude…I also frequently refer to the Beatles and Rolling Stones by their christian names and nobody loves the Beatles more than me.
Long live Holmes and Watson!
P.S.
The Scarlett Claw is my favorite among the Universal entries with Voice of Terror second.
Hey Andrei I am interested in your list/countdown of Sherlock Holmes films. I must admit to developing an obsession lately with all things Baker Street (at least on film). My problem with the Downey Jr version had nothing to do with action, but with the flimsy plot and the fact that Guy Ritchie is the hack to end all hacks. I couldn’t even finish the movie which says a lot.
Nothing touches ‘The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes’, the only film of the Great Detective which was directed by a true master film-maker. It doesn’t even assume to be following the Doyle canon but is a loving disclosure, an expose, into the machinations of that luminous mind. The finest script, direction, photography, music, production design and casting. Bitter-sweet and deeply affecting. I watched it 5 or 6 times earlier in the year. It’s followed by the two period Rathbones, and though some of the modern WW2 ones are suspensefully great, Holmes without gaslight and England is just not right. Just like modernised Draculas. Or Frankensteins set in collage dorms!
The Jeremy Brett series is generally regarded at the best of the TV versions, some are excellent, others stolid without the pace or style required to do them justice. There is also a BBC Cushing Holmes from the ’60s of which only five out of 18 episodes survive. The one I saw was rather uninspired. His took over from Douglas Wilmer, whose 13 episodes might be better. Something I’ll check-up in the next couple of weeks.
On radio, I believe the esteemed BBC Carleton Hobbs series is the first full dramatisations of the whole Doyle canon. I’ve yet to delve into more than a sampling of them, but if they come anywhere near the magnificent John Gielgud/Ralph Richardson 1950s 13 part series, then they should be treasured. ‘The Final Problem’ even stars Orson Welles as Moriaty, which seems so perfect as he had play Sherlock in the 1939 Mercury Theater version of the famous Gillet stage play.
As for Ritchie’s version, made for an action-dimmed, retarded teenage audience with the attention span of MTV viewers, it should sleep with the fishes, next to canisters of Spielberg’s ‘Young Sherlock Holmes’.
As for the best extras, from below: “‘The Other Side’ a 50 minute segment of a 1992 BBC anthology show about dramatic fictional meetings between famous personages from history who never actually met, e.g. H.G. Wells meets Orwell, ect, ect. A fascinating concept, and ‘The Other Side’ is probably the most of the strangest of the lot, in which Conan Doyle (Frank Finlay) is invited to a mysterious seance during which Holmes (Richard E. Grant) appears and confronts his murderer. It’s one of the best pieces of drama the Beeb produced during the ’90s, a wrenching work of great bombast and deep compassion.”
And for homages, the 1977 Dr Who serial ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’ has a magnificent Tom Baker in deer stalker taking on a Fu Manchu super foe from the far future and even has giant sewer rats, probably suggested by Doyle’s remark about Holmes solving the case of “the giant rat of Sumotra”. It’s as good as any Holmes tale in print, radio, TV or film.
Another brilliant Bobby J. comment, proof parcel that he doesn’t just leave them at the THRILLER A DAY thread. PRIVATE LIFE is great stuff for sure, but I’ve always had a fondness for the Rathbones for all sorts of reasons. Andrei is a huge fan of the recent Downey version, so I’ve back off on my opinion of that one.
Dear Maurizio,
I immensely enjoy the Downey Jr./Jude Law film and think their characterizations were marvelously conceived and presented. I particularly liked the performance of Mark Strong as the evil Lord Blackwood. Strong was great as the Moslem hit man in Syriana who pulls out George Clooney’s fingernails and tries to cut off his head.
This type of story was tailored to the mystery reading public back in those days (1894) and when one thinks about it Arthur Conan Doyle was no William Shakespeare anyway. He was okay when inspired by his greatest creation but other stuff he wrote except for “The Captain of the “Pole Star” is mediocre to poor…I think…my number one Sherlock Holmes movie is Sherlock Holmes (2009) and my second favorite is The Hound of The Baskervilles (1939). My third would be either The Scarlett Claw (1944), the Voice Of Terror (1942) or even The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1939). I enjoy the anti-nazi ones produced by Universal and The Woman In Green with Hilary Brooke and Henry Daniel was really good.
The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959) deserves to be mentioned. I haven’t seen it in a long time but I remember always being impressed with Cushing as Holmes.
Excellent defense here Andrei! And glad to see we agree on THE SCARLET CLAW as the pinnacle of the Rathbones.
Hi Sam,
Hey Sam, I enjoyed pretty much enjoyed the horror countdown and this animation one seems to off to a flying start too.
The things I watched since last time are…
‘The Old Lady and the Pigeons’**** – marvellous.
And I’ve been watching the Thrillers, as you well know.
The Lethal Ladies** was a minor delight.
I also rewatched ‘Waxworks’** – I hadn’t seen it since the ’80s and my recent watched allowed me re-evaluate it, so I posted a second and more expansive response to it over a ‘A Thriller a Day’. Looks like the next one will be on ‘The Outer Limits’. Glorious….
The ‘Thriller’ bug is probably why I also watched a distinguished 1966 British TV horror anthology show called ‘Mystery and Imagination’ made by the independent sector. Of the original run of 22 episodes, only 8 survive and two of the most lauded and reputedly scarier ones, M.R. James’ ‘Lost Hearts’ and ‘Room 13’, alas are no longer around for evaluation. A 3rd, ‘Casting of the Runes’ has only a tantalising 3 minutes of it left, which is on you tube.
The segment that I saw was ‘The House of Usher’* starring Denholm Elliot. It’s a strange piece, over emphatic in its musically cueing to a moody, jolting sense of dread and with a large cavernous studio setting which gives it stagy feel despite occasional flair in camera movement. I’m looking forward towards watching more of these, if only to establish its place in the pantheon of supernatural TV.
Oh, and I watched ‘The Other Side’ a 50 minute segment of a 1992 BBC anthology show about dramatic fictional meetings between famous personages from history who never actually met, e.g. H.G. Wells meets Orwell, ect, ect. A fascinating concept, and ‘The Other Side’ is probably the most of the strangest of the lot, in which Conan Doyle (Frank Finlay) is invited to a mysterious seance during which Holmes (Richard E. Grant) appears and confronts his murderer. It’s one of the best pieces of drama the Beeb produced during the ’90s, a wrenching work of great bombast and deep compassion. Probably THE essential extra for Holmes fans.
Also watched an episode of ‘Rawhide’ (mention in the Thriller blog) starring Robert Culp (who with Shatner and Cliff Robertson is one of my favourite TV actors of the ’60s) in which he is an ex Civil War soldier suffering from an addication to very drugs that one saved his life.
Other than that, I’ve been reading ‘The Battle for the BBC’ about how the neo-liberals of the far-right Thatcher administration gutted the sacked the Director General of the BBC and put in one of their cronies as chairman of the Governors and an accountant followed by a clueless manager stripped the BBC and left behind the present mess.
The other book I’m reading is ‘TV’s Biggest Hits’, a history of the themes of TV shows. It’s marketed by the cover as a mass market nostalgia but it’s a deeply fascinating and absorbing work that gives the development of music in the programs, the themes via chapters devoted to SF/Cops/Westerns and full of excellent insights and interviews. Brilliant book, **** worthy so far.
Sam, which episode are on so far in your Steptoe a day journey?
Bobby!!!!!!!!!
Say that again!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE OUTER LIMITS?!?!?!
I asked for it too, but I must have missed where they have now (apparently) confirmed it!!! This is monumental news!!! Well, I’ll have to get ready for 49 comments then, eh? Ha! Truly one of my favorite television shows of all-time, as THRILLER is. Anyway, your comments at the THRILLER-A-DAY site are unmatched, and I voted for you as the thread’s best commenter, (which you are without question!) You have really turned it on the past two weeks, and I have come to realize and appreciate your special kind of analytical brilliance. I am glad you got to watch WAXWORKS again, and will head back over there tonight to see what you added!
As far as STEPTOE AND SON, Bobby, I have completed ‘Series 2′ with the last episode watched “Is That Your Horse Outside?” This second series eclipsed the first, and I hope to see more over the weekend.
Thanks so much for your praise for the horror countdown. Jamie, Troy, Kevin and Robert have of course outdone themselves with that extraordinary project, and now Stephen is following suit with his animation venture.
Thanks so much too for that excellent analysis of MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION, a show I’ve never heard of.
I have fond memories of RAWHIDE and as far as Robert Culp is concerned I couldn’t agree with you more! Culp as we know starred in what was probably THE OUTER LIMITS’ greatest hour- Harlan Elison’s “Demon With A Glass Hand” and another one of the series’s finest, “The Architects of Fear.”
Bobby, what is the name of the BBC series, which includes that intriguing episode, “The Other Side” you speak of here? The series sounds fascinating, and this meeting would make for something special, even within the general scope.
THE BATTLE FOR THE BBC sound like a great read, and I don’t even have to tell you what I think of that second book! Great to hear you coming in with that opinion already!
Thanks my very good friend for this spectacular wrap!!!!!
Hey Sam,
the anthology show is called ENCOUNTERS
This is from the BFI site: !Series of plays showing what might have happened if famous historical or literary characters had met one another. GB.
Tx BBC 15/8/1992 – 5/9/1992. New season 4/7/1993 -.
Episodes
Opium Eater (18/07/1993)
Quevedo: the Soul’s Dark Night (11/07/1993)
In Lambeth (04/07/1993)
A SONG AT TWILIGHT (05/09/1992)
The OTHER SIDE (29/08/1992)
MADAME MONTAND AND MRS MILLER (22/08/1992)
BEAUTIFUL LIES (15/08/1992)
I’ve searched high and low for that episode and regret not taping it at the time.
Finally got it after all these years. I’ll start converting this weekend and send over a copy and send it over to you with a some other disks.
Sam – We watched “The Importance of Being Earnest” last night. It was a fun story, with a great cast of characters. The icing on the cake was Judi Dench! Great recommendation, thank you.
We have “Being There” in hand. We’ll see it in the next evening, or so.
Boy you are quick Laurie!!! Well I can’t argue with that assessment, but I am also a fan of the earlier version:
http://www.criterion.com/films/355-the-importance-of-being-earnest
Laurie: Here is my e mail address. When you get a chance would you be able to drop me an e mail? TheFountain26@aol.com
You have BEING THERE in Hand? I simply can’t wait to hear your reaction to that one!
Thanks as always my very good friend!
IS THIS THE PLACE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT ANIMATED FILMS? IF IT IS I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION A FAVORITE OF MINE WHICH I DON’T BELIEVE ANYONE ELSE HERE AS MENTIONED. THAT ANIMATED FILM IS OF COURSE “POP PIE ALA MODE” 1945.
IT’S MORE THAN JUST A “FAVORITE” OR EVEN “A GREAT FAVORITE OF MINE” BUT IT WAS THE CATALYST FOR A DEFINING MOMENT IN MY LIFE WHICH I CAN’T TELL YOU ABOUT HERE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO MEET FOR LUNCH SOMEWHERE NOT TOO EXPENSIVE BUT NICE AND YOU BUY ME LUNCH I’LL LET YOU IN ON THE BIG SECRET.
POPEYE IS SHIPWRECKED ON A RAFT AND HAPPENS UPON AN ISLAND INHABITED BY CANNIBAL MEN. THEY ARE VERY SHIFTY AND VERY SNEAKY AND THEY FOOL POPEYE INTO THINKING THEY ARE HIS GENIAL HOSTS WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO KILL, COOK, AND INGEST HIM AT SOME KIND OF SAVAGE FEAST.
THEY FATTEN HIM UP BY FEEDING HIM POTATOES OF ALL VARIETIES AND INVITE HIM TO AN INITIATION INTO “THE ORDER OF THE BATH”. THE BATHTUB TURNS OUT TO A CAMAFLOUGHED CANNIBAL COOKING POT AND FIRST THEY TRY TO BOIL HIM ALIVE. HE FIGHTS BUT THEY GET THE BETTER OF HIM AND HE ENDS UP ON A BUTCHER BLOCK THOUROUGHLY TRUSSED UP AND THEN TWO GUYS START BANGING HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH BIG MALLETS UNTIL THEY HAVE TENDERIZED HIM INTO A STEAK. THEY PICK UP THE POPEYE STEAK AND THROW IT CHEERFULLY INTO A BIG FRYING PAN IN WHICH TWO OTHER GUYS WITH CHEF’S HATS ON START FLIPPING HIM OVER AND SINGING A SILLY SONG ABOUT “GITTIN DE WHITE MEAT BEFORE YA”. POPEYE EATS HIS SPINACH AND KICKS THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF ALL THE CANNIBALS AND THEY MAKE HIM THEIR NEW KING.
I THINK THE FILM WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN BETTER IF THE CANNIBALS HAD ACTUALLY KILLED POPEYE THEN COOKED AND EATEN HIM. POPEYE MOVIES ARE ALL THE SAME. POPEYE IS ALWAYS ON THE BRINK OF EXTERMINANITON BUT THEN HE EATS HIS FUCKING SPINACH AND HE COULD SAVE THE WORLD WITH ALL THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER HE RECEIVES FROM JUST ONE CAN, IMAGAINE. BUT HE USUALLY CHOOSES TO BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF BLUTO OR A BUNCH OF CANNIBALS ON A PACIFIC ISLAND (SPECIFIC OCEAN SAYS POPEYE.)
I think we have all seen this one. But hardly kosher for a Marxist?
I beg your part Tony but I was zonked out of my head when I wrote that and there are several typos. Also I had just had a blood sugar crash to 46 last evening (in the danger zone) by taking too much diabetes medication just because I had eaten some plantain earlier in the day and I got paranoid.
My doctor had reduced my medication from insulin and three different drugs to only one Metformin at night and one in the morning just to get my morning numbers down to 80 to 100. I had already dropped my hemoglobin count from 10 to 6 between April and October and was doing super duper in my fight against carbohydrates.
I don’t mean to air my medical problems over Monday Morning Diary but I thought I’d just spoof a good friend of mine who has a marked propensity for sharing stories of his various ills with the rest of us.
I believe Popeye Ala Mode is totally kosher for Marxists. We can interpret it all kinds of ways. Popeye represents the white, anglo-saxon military industrial complex as well as in the context of this cartoon the European colonizers who subdued the indigenous peoples of Asia and Africa. I root for the cannibals because I am not ethnocentric and respect the customs of other people. Some survival instinct told these fellows that Popeye meant trouble and the best use he could be to them would be as a meal.
I disagree with myself concerning Pop Pie Ala Mode. I believe it glorifies the white anglo-saxon military complex and belittles and demonizes people of color by reducing them to the level of man- eating freaks. Also, something I could never understand about the “film” is why the the cannibals are portrayed as African-Americans complete with the stereotypical southern accents and Amos and Andy grammatical short comings living and operating a “cannibal hotel” on a Pacific island during the Second World War.
If I were a Freudian…wait a second…I am a Freudian…if I were a Freudian I would sweep all the mystery aside and might deduce that whoever wrote or produced or animated this classic had a homosexual/masochistic desire to be dominated by black men to the point of actually being devoured by them in a sadistically ritualized ceremony with said artist ending up as nourishment and ultimately waste material (I assume the cannibal restaurant has indoor plumbing) flowing into the Pacific from a drainage pipe and disappearing into oblivion.
I believe it is a homosexual masochistic desire because there doesn’t seem to be any female cannibals on the island even though there is a toddler with only one tooth who can’t wait to start eating Popeye (born bad just like in Tarzan and the Apes). Tarzan And The Apes is a big favorite amongst the white supremicist book reading crowd. There are two key sequences: grown up Africans (grown ups should know better) have captured a French military officer and have him tied to a stake and are about to start cutting slices of flesh from his body to cook in their little woks or whatever they were…but Tarzan swings in and rescues the twerp before any serious damage is done. The other sequence is where Tarzan’s Ape mother is killed by one of the cannibals and Tarzan exacts revenge by killing him back. As the law of the jungle commands, Tarzan is about to eat his prey but something inside of him will not let him commit such a terrible deed. To make a long story shorter Burroughs was implying that inherently, white people are above the savagery that he considers inherent in blacks. Even a white man raised by gorillas has more humanity in him than blacks who know how to build huts and make little woks.
Up the workers!