Director Lee Chang-Dong on the set of his film Poetry
by Sam Juliano
“Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you–haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe–I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always–take any form–drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!
-Sir Laurence Oliver as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights(1939)
Cupid shoots his arrow today, and hopefully our readers will give their spouses and/or their lovers a special treat, preferably chocolate-covered strawberries or a bouquet of roses. It’s a time to renew our vows, and to make what we can of that inexplicable thing nown as love. Happy Valentine’s Day to all. Maybe for one day at least we can dispence with the cerebral fare and watch something like Sleepless in Seattle or Beautiful Thing. Or perhaps some of us have darker and more reflective personalities, in which case Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and the 1939 William Wyler film of it may be the perfect choice for this evening.
At Wonders in the Dark, there’s real excitement in the air. After Allan Fish announced that movement on the complication of his top 2,500 films was underway, other relevations were posed concerning the real posibility of publication of his full book as an “e” or in physical transcription. It’s the culmination of a long commitment and tireless investment of time and resourses, and the WitD’s brass are understandably elated. Secondly, Maurizio Roca has officially commenced with his eagerly anticipated “Film Noir Countdown,” which will run at the site from Monday to Friday. His plans are announced in this morning’s introductory post. In the meantime the past week saw a splendid DVD review by Tony d’Ambra on a long-awaited classic The Prowler by Joseph Losey, the 11th installment of Jamie Uhler’s seminal “Getting Over the Beatles” series, a magnificent assessment of the ‘Best Supporting Actor” Oscar race by Pierre de Plume, Jaime Grijalba’s Chilean university film “Manifesto” (which sparked quite the comment thread), two more entries in the ‘Fish Obscuro’ series, and two more remarkable essays from Bob Clark, including the latest on the landmark show Battlestar Galactica. It has been in fact the most productive and diverse week the site has ever been graced with, and on top of it all is some spectacular sidebar work by Dee Dee, who followed along with the just-completed Fritz Lang Festival, by providing everyday posters, while continuing to post links for noir-related events, including the recently-launched “Film Preservation” blogothon at Ferdy-on-Films.
With the completion of the Fritz Lang in Hollywood and The Fantastic World of Frantisek Vlacil festivals, a screening of the new anniversary print of John Huston’s The African Queen, and attendance at the critically-praised Korean film Poetry, I had another torrid week, though a step back from the last. The screening of The African Queen included a book-signing of the newest Bogart volume by Stephen Kanter, who also introduced the film. The sole screening of Lang’s Fury was attended by Bruce Goldstein, Film Forum’s esteemed program director.
With Lucille and my two sons Sammy and Danny at my side for a few, I attended the following screenings this week:
Poetry ***** (Lincoln Plaza Cinemas) Saturday evening
Clash by Night ***** (Lang at Film Forum) Monday night
Rancho Notorious **** (Lang at Film Forum) Monday night
House by the River **** 1/2 (Lang at Film Forum) Tuesday night
The Blue Gardinia ** 1/2 (Lang at Film Forum) Tuesday night
You Only Live Once ***** (Lang at Film Forum) Thursday afternoon
You and Me *** 1/2 (Lang at Film Forum) Thursday afternoon
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt **** (Lang at Film Forum) Thursday
Fury **** 1/2 (Lang at Film Forum) Thursday night
The Serpent’s Poison *** 1/2 (Vlacil at Walter Reade) Wednesday
Shadows of a Hot Summer *** 1/2 (Vlacil at Walter Reade) Wednesday
The Shadow of a Fern **** (Vlacil at Walter Reade) Wednesday
The African Queen **** 1/2 (Film Forum) Friday night
Separate and comprehensive posts will be published for both the Vlacil and Lang Festivals.
As to The African Queen this was the greatest screening I’ve ever enjoyed of this venerated favorite, and much has to do with the ravishing restored print and the intimacy of the Film Forum. Bogart and Hepburn played off each other and delivered performances that are rightly the stuff legends are made of. The famous dialogue, the playful banter, and the irrisistible chemistry between two of Hollywood’s most beloved legends provide for an exceedingly entertaining film that looks and sounds as resplendent as it did when it opened back in 1951.
The Korean film Poetry by Lee Chang-Dong moves on a level rarely attempted not achieved these days, and I dare say it may well be the greatets Korean film ever made. I will restrain myself until I write a review, hopefully for Tuesday posting. I will say up front that Yoon Jeong-hee is utterly magnificent as the female lead, delivering a performance of quiet devastation.
Greatness all over the blogosphere:
Tony d’Ambra’s superlative review of Fritz Lang’s Clash by Night is featured in a headlining section at FilmsNoir.net on the director’s American work: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/clash-by-night-1952-love-because-were-bored.html
John Greco offers up a marvelous recap of action director extraordinaire Don Siegel’s The Lineup at Twenty-Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/the-lineup-1958-don-siegel/
Wellman film scholar Judy Geater again raises the bar for her incomparable treatment of the prolific American director in her comprehensive review for the beloved A Star is Born (1937) at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/a-star-is-born-william-a-wellman-1937/
Some of the best and most intricate work being done out there is being orchestrated by our friend in Tokyo, Murderous Ink, whose continuing examination of one of the cinema’s greatest masterpieces, Ozu’s There Was A Father is one of the most brilliant projects ever attempted in the blogosphere. The results this far at Vermillion and One Nights are stunning: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2011/02/analysis-of-there-was-father-010600.html
Samuel Wilson has penned an exceptionally descriptive and vivid review for Japanese action director Kinji Fukasaku’s Sympathy for the Underdog (1971) at the gloriously eclectic Mondo 70: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2011/02/sympathy-for-underdog-1971.html
At Exodus: 8:2 Jamie Grijalba is heading up with the popular student film Manifesto that he headlined this week at WitD: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/02/miercoles-de-cuentos-manifiesto.html
A ravishing ‘blue dusk’ is on display at the visually enthralling Creativepotager’s blog, manned by artist extraordinaire Terrill Welch: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/at-dusk/
Jason Marshall has named Michel Simon ‘Best Supportng Actor’ of 1938 for his exceptional performance in Quai des Brumes at Movies Over Matter: http://moviesovermatter.com/2011/02/12/michel-simon-quai-des-brumes-best-supporting-actor-of-1938/
Longman Oz has penned an absolutely stupendous review of Innaritu’s Biutiful at his new blogsite based in culturally animated Dublin: http://smiledyawnednodded.com/2011/02/11/biutiful/
Just Another Film Buff has again embarked on a monumental project at The Seventh Art, titled “Capturing the Spangles.”: http://theseventhart.info/2011/02/12/capturing-the-spangles/
Filmmaker and movie and music lover Jeffrey Goodman names a Kinks song in a simple but irresistible question as to what might you be humming at present at The Last Lullaby: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2011/02/ill-take-rembrandt-titian.html
At Speaking from the Heart Laurie Buchanan analyzes “Life Path 9” in a fascinating and rewarding ongoing project that encourages us to take a very good look at ourselves: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/life-path-9/
Garden State author extraordinaire David Schleicher has written up a superlative and effusively favorable review on Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu’s Biutiful at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2011/02/07/its-not-a-grave-its-a-niche/
At Cinemascope the resilient and prolific master of the capsule review, Shubhajit, imparts his singular talent on a look at Terry Gilliam’s towering Brazil: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2011/02/brazil-1985.html
If a blogosphere award were to be given out for Most Consistently Creative posts, the winner would hands down be Stephen Russell-Gebbett, who never fails to intrigued and engage every time out. His most recent post at Checking on my Sausages is “Muses” which challengingly matches filmmaker to actress. Give it a try!: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2011/02/muses.html
At Scribbles and Ramblings, Sachin has authored a marvelous essay on Bollywood favorite Delhi Story: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2011/02/delhi-story.html
At Living in Cinema Craig Kennedy is headlining with the Watercooler, where he discusses the expected dominance of The King’s Speech at last evening’s British BAFTA awards: http://livingincinema.com/2011/02/13/watercooler-the-baftas/
Marilyn Ferdinand has written a fantastic review on Ken Russell’s 1965 television film on French expressionist composer extraordinaire Clude Debussy at Ferdy-on-Films, where the Film Preservation Fundraiser is now officially underway: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=8334
At This Island Rod, Mr. Heath gives the ‘Deluxe” treatment to Piranha (1978): http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2011/02/piranha-1978.html
Kevin Olson has posted his ‘Year in Review’ for 2010. It’s a grand post indeed at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/year-in-review-images-from-my-favorite.html
Troy Olson has authored a brilliant entry in his Robert Bresson series at Elusive as Robert Denby: The Life and Times of Troy with a scholarly treatment of Les Anges du Peche: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2011/01/robert-bresson-les-anges-du-peche.html
Dee Dee at Darkness Into Light is also back, though she never really left, with a dazzling post appraising the Castro Film Festival, the Fundraiser blogothons at Ferdy-on-Films and Cinema Styles and the just-launched Fritz Lang Festival at the Film Forum. Her rotating newspaper is a gem!http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2011/01/extra-extrataking-look-at-twelve-films.html
Kaleem Hasan has some Hindi love songs up at Satyamshot to celebrate Valentine’s Day: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/happy-valentines-day-love-songs-hindi/
At Visions of Non-Fiction Dave Van Poppel presents his Top Ten Films of 2010 with some stellar capsule write-ups: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2011/02/top-ten-of-2010.html
At Only the Cinema Ed Howard speaks excitedly about two upcoming blogothons that are essential for cineastes: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/two-upcoming-blogathons.html
Drew McIntosh has a magnificent screen cap display up at The Blue Vial, on noir master Robert Siodmak’s 1933 film The Burning Secret: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-from-favorite-burning-secret.html
The ever-magnanimous and energetic Michael Harford has sparked some point interest at the Coffee Messiah blogsite with his look at ‘English al Jazeera’: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2011/01/english-al-jazeera.html
J. D. has the goods on a new blogothon on Michael Mann at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2011/02/michael-mann-blogathon-keep.html
Matthew Lucas has written a brilliantly perceptive and effusively enthusiastic assessment of the Korean masterpiece Poetry at From the Front Row: http://fromthefrontrow.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-poetry.html
Enter the Void fans should run (and don’t walk) over to the Film Doctor’s place for his exceptionally written essay on the film: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2011/02/is-afterlife-inane-and-other-questions.html
Daniel Getahun of Getafilm enthusiastically speaks of the upcoming ‘Muriel Awards’ at his place: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2011/02/coming-soonmuriel-50.html
Greg Ferrara at Cinema Styles has officially announced the launching of For the Love of Film ‘Noir’ Blogothon, commencing today, Valentine’s Day: http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com/2011/02/for-love-of-film-noir-blogathon-starts.html
Andrew Wyatt has penned an insightful extended capsule on Brian de Palma’s Blow-Out at Gateway Cinephiles: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2011/02/10/film-diary-blow-out/
Anu, at The Confidential Report has posted a spectacular Top 10 list that again shows why and how he’s an ultimate cineaste: –2010/http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/top-ten-of\
Jon Lanthier offers up a penetrating capsule from his Slant Magazine review of Johnny Mad Dog, a French-Liberian look at excessive violence and children toting guns and terrorizing natives in this thinly-veiled but still ambiguous polemic. It’s over at Aspiring Sellout: http://aspiringsellout.com/2011/01/johnny-mad-dog-2008/
At Little Worlds Hokahey glowingly speaks and references Jules Verne, and a school production he’s directing: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-birthday-jules.html
Tony Dayoub has a stellar blu-ray review of Alice in Wonderland up at Cinema Viewfinder: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2011/02/blu-ray-review-alice-in-wonderland-1951.html
“Conversations” co-author Jason Bellamy celebrates his three-year anniversary at The Cooler: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/celebrating-three-years-of-cooler.html
In her new post “Jeopardy Girl, Cake Decorator,” our girl provides a ‘practical’ approach to cupcake making that bears her singular mark: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/cakedecorator/
At Velvety Blackness, Jean has penned an extraordinary review on Zulawski’s Diabel that’s a must-read for all serious cineastes: http://velvetyblackness.blogspot.com/2011/02/diabel.html
R.D. Finch at The Movie Projector has penned an exceptional review on the French film The Taste of Others: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2011/02/taste-of-others-2000.html
Ryan Kelly has posted a uniquely fascinating ‘Best Movies of 2010′ list at Medfly Quarantine: http://medflyquarantine.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-2010-movies.html
Our very good friend Pat has a brand new piece up at Doodad Kind of Town, a loving tribute to fallen director Blake Edwards: http://doodadkindoftown.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/farewell-blake-edwards/
Adam Zanzie is reporting with passion and precision at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah! The young man is having the time of his life!: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/
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Writers/Founders
Sam, I already have my sweet Valentine seeing if he can put POETRY on our Zip list. I will keep an eye open for your review later in the week as well.
I am one of those odd human who didn’t get o see many movies until about 20 years ago. So there are lots of fabulous treasures for me to watch. But I have seen THE AFRICAN QUEEN and would love to see it again. However for our Valentine’s Day evening we are going to watch ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) which I have not seen but David has many times. I don’t think I need to say anymore about it to the crowd of film buffs here on Wonders in the Dark.
This week we saw NEVER LET ME GO which I found far better than I had anticipated. In fact, it is thoughtful, reflective film on one of life’s big questions. I enjoyed the background material almost as much as the film. I liked how the viewers must puzzle their way to “the real” question through a series of self-imposed question in the process of trying to make sense out of what the characters are doing – or not doing. I think I might even read the book… kind of backwards I know but the movie came to me first.
We also saw HOWL which I loved just for the pure exploration of Ginsberg’s creative process. It is a movie I will likely come back to again when I can watch it alone – no distraction, absorbing the various interwoven threads. As an artist and creative being… this film sings to me in a familiar melody.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY SAM… and all your lovely readers.
Terrill
Terrill:
I can’t wait to hear your report on IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It’s so exciting to hear that you are coming upon it for the very first time! Well, I can only imagine the kind of reaction you’ll have, but I’ll be patient. In any case, sounds like you have made up for lost time, and film ties in with your own vocation now. (i.e. the intrinsic beauty of images)
Thanks so much for that lovely interpretation of NEVER LET ME GO, which also impressed me enough to make my runner-up list this past year. It was absolutely a rflective and poignant film that broached some of life’s most important questions, as you note. And it was moodily photographed and scored. Like you, I would have to do it in reverse, as I only read Ishiguro’s THE REMAINS OF THE DAY.
Yep, I do well see the creative process in full flower with HOWL.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and David, and thanks so very much my excellent friend!
Thanks a ton Sam for the appreciation. Really means a lot.
You sure seem to have had a prolific movie-viewing week, a sort of return to the Sam of the yore, when you used to rake up insane number of viewings from Monday to Monday. 13-odd movies leading to Valentine’s Day – Cupid seems to have hit quite a few arrows onto you 🙂
Yeah, its great to hear about the book version of Allan’s exquisite film reviews – I’d sure want to get hold of that one. And yeah, I’m really looking forward to Maurizio Roca’s Noir-countdown; it would be really great to be part of the discussion thread for the ones I’ve watched, or even heard of and looking forward to see. ATB to both these WitD authors and ardent cinephiles.
Shubhajit: I actually went “down” this week from 19 to 12. It was LAST week where I broke my own records so to speak. But I need to pull back now to some degree, as I need to have time to fully deliberate on these experiences. Yes, Allan’s prospective book would really bring all his hard and fruitful labor to full fruition, allowing the most impassioned cineastes to avail themselves in an ultimate resource volume. Maurizio’s film noir countdown is right up your alley, I know, as you’ve devoted a good deal of time talking about some of the great ones over at CINEMASCOPE, not to mention I well remember how active you were making terrific comments at Dave’s place.
Many thanks my very good friend!
I’ve always considered The African Queen to be one of the top films of all time. It had everything. Would love to see a quality print of it on the big screen.
Pierre: You are absolutely in the company of 99% of the population with this film. Seeing it on the Film Forummscreen with this spiffy new print translated into a premium experience. Many thanks my very good friend!
Although The African Queen had a great story, wonderful and vital camera work, and the dramatic backdrop/urgency of the war, what does it for me is how the film so concisely presents the gradual evolution of a rare kind of relationship. At the same time, the film provides a fascinating examination of two fascinating characters. And, to me, all of this is done in a way that reflects on our own human natures and foibles in a way that gives us something helpful and memorable to walk away with.
Pierre: That is beautifully delineated. The unlikely relationship, and the subtle bonding (it seems no two people are more different) make for as entertaining a dramatic film as one could ever hope to see. Great too what you say about it reflecting on our own human natures.
This evening (Friday) I will be seeing another venerated classic at the Loews Jersey City theatre’s massive screen, TO HAVE OR HAVE NOT with Bogie and Bacall.
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Thanks for the generous shoutout, Sam! I look forward to reading further thoughts from you on Poetry, I’ve heard some tremendous things about it, and it certainly seems as though you’re primed to add to them. And seeing all those Lang’s and Vlacil’s on the big screen…sheesh. What an opportunity there. I likewise look forward to reading about that venture. Great stuff, Sam!
Thanks so much Drew for the encouragement! It will take several days for me to write something on POETRY, but I will definitely do so. Same goes with the Langs and Vlacils. But the site is admittedly busy these days, and I’ll come in gradually on that front. It was a lot of self-sacrifice, but I guess in large measure I have to consider myself lucky with those festivals.
Many thanks again my very good friend!
Sam,
Thank you very much for the special mention and kind words.
I too saw FURY this week but not at the cinema:
FURY ****
JANE EYRE (1943) ***1/2
My regards to you and your family.
Stephen:
Many thanks for stopping in and for the very kind words!
We are pretty uniform there with FURY and I’s say JANE EYRE would get about what you gave it as well, maybe an extra half star, but maybe not.
I have a one-week vacation coming up on Monday from school, as we all have winter break, so I’ll hopefully feel better after agood rest! Ha!
Well Sam, looks like you are warming to ‘The African Queen’ at last! Nice.
Well, I’ve been away from the boards for a couple of weeks. I found myself getting a cramping, lower back pains/ache – which was a message – probably due to too being in front of a PC for hours on end earlier in the year. What made a difference though was me reading the ‘The New Evolution Diet’**** – a magnificent book and really the one I’ve been searching for 25 years+. It answered all my questions on why people get the vast majority of ill health; diabetes, cancers, heart disease, alziemers, ect, ect. It is THE paleo diet book. So, no more farm derived foods (even if they are whole wheat, whole grain, whole meal, ect); meat (chicken, game, fish, red), all nuts (except for cashews which are toxic unless processed, peanuts which aren’t nuts but legumes), salads, fruit (except bananas – a favourite – which are to carby and sugery) and all veg that a hunter gather would eat. This is combined with loads of walking, with short playful sprints in between full of swerving, jumping, ect. And one gym session lasting no more than 50 minutes. It should be interesting to see how this effects my Kung Fu, but the vitality and energy that I have already gained is a marvel. The guy who wrote, Arthur De Vany, is 75 years old and described as “Superman’s fitter grandad”, every reading for his health if off the charts and he can easily push twice his body weight. Yet he trains no more than 50 minutes of weights a week and doesn’t eat three square meals a day. Sometimes missing one, like our ancestors would have.
Also, finished ‘LBJ: The Mastermind Behind JFK’s Assassination’*** – which started slow in it’s introductory chapter and later had a laboured one in the middle but gained pace and sharpness and connected the dots to marvellous effect.
Conspiracies – RFK
This is a British half hour narrated by Robert Powell and very conventional and poorly put together. But it has one brilliant snippet with Adam Walinsky, RFK’s aide, disclosing the final confrontation that LBJ and RFK had been building up to since LBJ had blackmailed his way onto the ticket. A Meeting in which he promised that all those that opposed the war would be dead within 6 months. Did he mean politically or….
One Step Beyond – Pilot
A very dated and tired opening to this show. Will try to watch an episode or two every 3 or 4 days.
Black Swan****
I’ve been swaying from a three star rating to a four star rating – the latter probably because it remains so vivid even after three weeks. It owes as much to Philip K. Dick as it does to anything else, though memories of ‘The Red Shoes’ are hard to dislodge for the first 3rd of the film. In that film you died for your art, here you go to the dark side, go mad and die to gain perfection. A big price to pay the message isn’t as resonant – but the execution is enthralling and audacious.
The Wrestler***
This is yet another film where the director picks up on the down and outs of society and makes the film touching and provocative. The ending lets it down and the lack of a real fight going on. It’s a road from ruin to self-destruction without a real pit stop at hope or even a struggle for it. Perhaps the central character is too much a victim.
Frost/Nixon**
A very well-crafted – in terms of direction and performances – Langella is magnificent. The film is a bit like David Frost himself, lacking real bite or insight. It does take something that isn’t really dramatic – the famous interviews – and makes it into a boxing match.
It would have worked as well as a documentary and even has the characters talking to camera.
The Corporation****
One of the great documentary works in cinema, only wanted to watch a clip and ended up watching the entire thing.
Mommie Dearest*
A biography of Joan Crawford and one that seems utterly plausible and true to the image I always had of her. This is well enough done that it doesn’t become a guilty pleasure. A true horror story that’s the match for ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane’.
The American Experience: The Crusade Against Polio****
I’ve always been fascinated by the diseases of the early to mid 20th century; the dipthera mentioned in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, the polio that waylaid FDR. This is a brilliantly put together tale of the palpable fear that such diseases struck into every community in the country. All of it instigated by FDR and supported by public campaigns for dimes.
William Krunstler: Disturbing the Universe**
Krunstler was a lawyer that represented Dr. King and other civil rights activists in the early ’60s, then the Chicago 7, followed by the inmates of Attica and the Native American Indians protests at US for the failure the promises that had been made. Made by his daughters, to try to discover the man who did so much for those courses but ended up representing John Gotti.
Waiting for Superman**
An interesting look at the state of teaching in the US at the present moment. I’d usually cite it as right-wing propaganda, but they made an interesting case for charter schools. The structure was a mite haphazard to start off.
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer*
The usually rise and fall of a politician, but one who took on the banks before the collapse. His crusade against them is more captivating than the silly scandal that brought him down.
Letters Home from Vietnam (1987)*
It has an all star cast (Sheen, Deniro, ect) reading letters of the GI’s in combat. Sometimes, fitfully – it comes alive, but much of the real horror is missing. The footage is clean and priceless pristine.
The Tillman Story**
An American footballer leaves his million dollar sport and goes to war. Unfortunately he dies and the Bush administration uses his brave death in combat (against his express wishes) for a domestic propaganda campaign. Then it turns out he was killed by friednly fire by his won unit. Another era and another war, but this time they chose the wrong family to mess with. What surprised me was that he was reading Emerson and Chomsky whilst out there. A solid little documentary.
You have quite the memory Bobby!!!! Yes, THE AFRICAN QUEEN worked better than it ever did for me on Friday night, but I was thinking there was an excellent chance that would happen, what with the sparkling new print, the lobby festivities and the theatre intimacy. The funny lines and the character chemistry were married to an utterly entertaining adventure plot.
I am fallen off the wagon somewhat with the Outer Limits project not because I am no longer interested, but rather because of the Lang and Vlacil festivals. I am plaiing to get over there tomorrow.
‘The New Evolution Diet’ looks like quite a book, and for me most timely. I am still dieting and taking off some pounds, but I recent hit a plateau, mainlt because the frigid weather curtailed the walking routine I had adhered to for several weeks before that. I am sorry to hear you have had a tough go of it, though I was fearful something was brewing when I didn’t see your comments at the Outer Limits as of late. I know you’ve been on top of striving for optimum health, so I am sure you’ll negotiate all this well.
I wasn’t sure if you’d like “Black Swan” but there you go with a terrific response! I’m sure you’ve probably seen Tony’s fantastic poem on it, and Jaime’s #1 placement, and Allan’s solid response. But you’ve said it as well as onyone here.
I liked aspects of “Superman” like the charter school segments (as you note) but I couldn’t get beyond much of the propaganda. Elliot Spitzer remains a fascinating figure many months after he left office, but I know this documentary is mediocre. The rating on the Kunsler film is just about right, but sadly enough I did not see the one on Polio, which you issue a tremendous response on. I was indeed sure FDR would be discussed. I’d go a little higher myself on “The Tillman Story,” but am with you on “Letters.” One-star is exactly what I would give to “Mommie Dearest” too.
But wow, I REALLY need to see “The Corporation.”
Every capsule here is superbly written, and what kind of spectacular week was that??
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Sam,
Thanks again for the shout out, Sam. Another scorching film going week on your part, I am in awe! Pretty much agree with your ratings on the Lang films except for HOUSE BY THE RIVER which I have not seen. I have not been on line too much this week nor have I had a chance for much movie viewing. Life interceded and my week was tied up with much going on in other areas, subsequently I only had the chance to watch two films this past week. We did get to see the 2nd Mel Brooks musical, “Young Frankenstein” at Ruth Eckerd Hall Friday night along with a nice dinner out before the show. The show itself was entertaining with plenty of the film’s classic moments recreated on stage.
BTW my contribution to the Film Noir Blogathon is DETOUR and will be posted later today.
Other than that my film going was confined to the following…
Criss Cross (****) – Stylish noir from Robert Siodmak. Vivid camerawork along with Burt Lancaster playing another sap in love with a dangerous woman (Yvonne DeCarlo) make this a superb end of the decade noir. Add in Dan Duryea in another of his slick seedy characters and sparks fly.
Crime and Punishment (***1/2) Joseph Von Sternberg’s 1935 adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s classic Russian novel with Peter Lorre in the role of Raskolnikov, as a young intellectual, whose belief that genius should not be judged by the same standards as ordinary man, murders a haggard pawnbroker. Guilt and fear eat away at him as well a police inspector who toys with him until he breaks. Moody, almost noir like in its lighting and sense of doom, Von Sternberg created a stylishly filmed shake and bake version of this long and philosophical novel. Along with “M” this is one of Lorre’s best roles.
A happy Valentine’s Day to you and your wife and to lovers everywhere!
Thanks for the kind words John! I do want to pull back a bit and concentrate on some writing, though a Tennessee Williams play on Wednesday night, a three-film weekend noir series at the Jersey City Loews (Bogart/Bacall) and both “The Godfather” and “The Godfather 2” at the Film Forum on Sunday are there stronger than the temptations of the devil. THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER was a superlative Gothic melodrama that I’m sure you’ll like quite a bit. Well, you do need to take a break, and sometimes life does intercede I must admit. Still you saw that theatrical presentation of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, which I am happy worked out for you and Dorothy, and with the Von Sternberg and that great Siodmak you rallied quite nicely there! I would probably go a bit higher on both, but only a half star in both instances.
Thanks as always my friend. I’m eager to read your review of DETOUR! Your wrap here again is first-rate!
Hi Sam. Too kind as always! A less generous but not unreasonable critique would probably describe it as being a hastily thrown-together piece with the ideas in need of a second viewing in order to gain sufficient clarity and coherency!
Anyway, I am pleased to hear good things about MOTHER. Its one of the centrepiece screenings of the fast approaching Dublin International Film Festival (18-28 February)! This means that I will be able to see the film on a screen 2-3 times the size of the one that it is likely to be shown on once it gets a general release here!
Finally saw “The Town” (its Irish release clashed with the demands of the Dublin Theatre Festival). Thought it was pretty predictable and derivative stuff to be honest and not particularly worthy of the generally positive reviews that it had garnered at the time.
I also saw some nonsense called “The Experiment”. Its based on actual pyschological experiments that have been done on role-playing people as guards and prisoners. However, there was little to chew on here and the characters’ sheepish looks at the end should really be shared by writer/director Paul Scheuring.
Still, “True Grit” has opened here, at last! So hopeful for better there!
Oh God no, Longman! That opening paragraph was the absolute best I have yet read on this film, and I have been secretly sending around to different people by e mail!! You chose the wrong time to be modest I assure you!!! I may seem at times to go overboard, but with you it’s consistently excellent writing, which you have now carried over to the new place.
That is fantastic news about POETRY playing on the massive screen. I can well expect a great review from you on it, but I will try to not get too far ahead myself on that one. For a film that ran 2 hours and 20 minutes I will say it flew by. I felt like I was floating after i watched it, only coming back to earth with the frigid 20 degree temperatures in a Manhattan wind vacumn across from Lincoln Center.
I must say that I completely agree with you on THE TOWN! Predictable and forgettable too. One of last year’s most overrated films. I guess I’ll have to avoid THAT experiment then, eh? Perhaps they’ll be a good thrashing up at YAWNS! Ha!
Many thanks as always my very good friend for the great wrap!
Sam, thanks so much for the wonderful mention.
You had another extraordinary week, and I must say, I’m one that believes it is completely possible and productive to take in 3-4 films in a day. The Cahiers guys did it, and look at the level of your cinematic knowledge. I look forward to seeing POETRY and hearing more about the various Lang films that you saw this week.
This week I saw: THE FIGHTER, THE KING’S SPEECH, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, TRACK OF THE CAT, BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK, ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS, and THE TALL MEN. I was happy to see them all but probably enjoyed the Sirk film the most. He really was a master when it came to color and using the camera in such an emotional way.
Here’s to another awesome week, Sam. I thank you again for all that you do.
Thanks a million for that Jeffrey!
It’s funny, but there are some who believe that it’s not possible to appreciate or even negotiate three or four films in one day, but I concur with you that it can easily enough be done if the stamina is holding up. In any event those Cahiers people were indestructible and incomparable! I do plan on getting on to POETRY, Lang and Vlacil in the very near future!
Although John Sturges’ BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK and the cherished THE KING’S SPEECH are exceptional from top to bottom, I would agree with you on that Sirk, which was the model for Todd Haynes’ FAR FROM HEAVEN, which as you may recall is my favorite film of the 2000’s. ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS weaves Sirk’s visual magic in definitive incarnation, just about matching for me, his WRITTEN ON THE WIND. As you rightly note, the color and the deep emotions flourish here!
Of course THE TALL T is a great western classic!
Jeffrey, I will be sending on an e mail tomorrow to you for our mutual “project” which I plan to post on WitD on Monday, February 28th.
As always you’re a prince of a guy!!! Many thanks for all the kind words!
I keep referring to POETRY as MOTHER!
Somehow there is a physical resemblence between the actresses Longman, so I can understand that.
Back to back weeks like that would probably make me go blind. But I can certainly understand you wanting to complete what you started. Posting your exploits at other sites may get you in trouble though, as I saw when some others had nothing further to add than that you were “insane.” So much for nearly offing yourself in the name of cinema. You may never be able to take the rest you have promised, but at least the end of the everyday festival attendance is done for -hopefully- a long while. I think you had mentioned W.C. Fields, but I can’t quite remember.
I’m still hoping to make the big party on Oscar night, but it will be a tight squeeze. I’ll have my ballot either way.
That’s exciting news about “Poetry.”
They are wishing they were ‘insane’ too!
Ah Frank, that minor episode was harmless enough. In any case, this coming week will yieled an even further pull back, as I do need to re-charge my batteries. I can’t even think now of extended festivals. Hope you can make it over on Oscar night and many thanks for being there for us day in and day out!
The massive volume does have it’s debits. I know you want to write about Poetry, Nixon in China, Lang and Vlacil. First you have to find the time to do that, then to figure out when to post it (them) at this very busy site. Good luck, I look forward to whatever you decide.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Lucille, Sam!
Well Frederick, I quite agree. And with the added bonus of other great writers strutting their stuff here, I am motivated to relax my resolve, which considering all the other time investment is good with me!
Many thanks my friend!
Thanks for the shout out Sam! Hope all is well!
Many thanks for stopping in Dave. All is well indeed, though as I noted to Frank, I need to slow down for a while.
Glad to hear Poetry impressed you so much; after reading about it, I quickly added it to my to-see list. And of course I’m dreadfully envious of your participation in the Lang festival. I’ve covered Lang’s silent era at my blog, and I hope to move into his sound era soon. To see those films on the big screen — ah, to die for.
T.S.:
I can never be completely certain, but I predict that POETRY will be a film you issue very high praise for. I know you’ve been busy at University, but your reviews have always ranked among the best online, and with this Korean film, you’d be at the very top of your game. It’s lyrical, philosophically profound and visually rapturous with alead female performance for the ages. I do well remember your tremendous work with the silent era Langs, and would anticipate that hight level of analysis if you continue on with the sound era. Four Lang films rose dramatically in my estimation after this festival. But all except a very few are out on excellent DVDs for you to review.
You are missed my friend. I need to go over to SCREEN SAVOUR ASAP.
Many thanks!
Sam,
Good morning and happy V-Day to you and all the Juilanos today.
Thanks for linking again to my very outdated post on Blake Edwards. I’m happy to report that the long hours at my job are abating at last, and I am looking forward to the return of my blog (yet again), though I’m likely to move it back to Blogspot. I thought WordPress would offer me a more flexible format, but after struggling for over an hour yesterday to put a “click here to donate” button for the Film Preservation Blogathon into my sidebar, I thought “Oh, screw this! I could do this in under 30 seconds on Blogger!” So there you have it.
This week, I saw “The Company Men,” which was well-acted and thoughtful, if occassionally painted in broad, predictable strokes. I was particularly haunted by a image of Chris Cooper, standing alone and bereft amid a screenful of empty office cubicles where only moments before, we’d seen busy employees. I’ve been in the corporate world for many years, I’ve been on both sides of these kinds of cutbacks, and that image really reasonated with me.
I have also recently re-viewed “Black Swan” just to see if I thought any better of it the second time around. While I did appreciate Natalie Portman’s performance a bit more this time, I still came away agreeing with the assessment I recently read (don’t remember from who) that “Black Swan” is a beautifully made, incredibly silly film.
Pat–
I very much appreciate the Valentine’s Day wishes, and as always it’s great to hear from you! I’m thrilled to hear of your impending return, though it’s more than understandable why you’ve been absent. As you and I and most know, this is supposed to be a hobby. Some of us…….ahmmm……..have turned it into an obsession! Anyway, while I like wordpress for a number of reasons, it is often very frustrating, as you just attested to with that simple task. To be honest if it weren’t for Dee Dee, there still wouldn’t be a donation icon on the sidebar!
That’s a cogent, beautiful analysis of “The Company Men,” which I admit I rather liked, and I love that image of Cooper you put forth, having all that familiarity with the work world! But yeah, it’s also broad and predictable, debits I tuned out to as I enjoyed the film against expectations. Aye, the eternally devisive “Black Swan.” Even the brass here at WitD are divided with Allen, Tony, Jaime liking it quite a bit, and Jamie Uhler and myself more to the negative. I’ll always listen, but what you say there was the way I felt on that first viewing. I haven’t changed much either.
Pat, hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day yourself, and good luck on the new launch!
Thank you for the mention and the link, Sam. I am really flattered.
Seems like another great week for you. Eight Langs, The African Queen and many more. With that much celluloid calories, you would be Yokozuna by now!
I always feel ambivalent about “Clash by Night”, though I tend to agree with your rating. I consider the plot is too morbid for its own sake, the last is a bit contrived. Stanwyck is great, Douglas is fabulous, but I have to say Robert Ryan is over the top (as always).
“You Only Live Once” is a brisk, nightmarish journey into the black hole of fate. I always forgive corny last minute for incredibly tight 85 minutes. The foggy penitentiary in this film is one of the images when I think of “cinema”.
I would like to see this restored print of “The African Queen”. I saw the battered red-shifted print many years ago and still enjoyed it. I wonder how the colors came out with this new print. It’s Jack Cardiff. Many people say “The Red Shoes” but I love his work in “The Matter of Life and Death” as well.
MI
Many thanks for the kind words my friend! Yes, it was a blistering week, and I’ll taking a break now at least until the weekend, when three Bogart/Bacalls are running at a local movie palace with a gigantic screen: “To Have or Have Not,” “The Big Sleep” and “Dark Passage.” Then on Sunday they are offering “The Godfather” and “The Godfather 2” at the Film Forum as part of an Al Pacino “70’s” festival. I’ve seen those films so many times in my life (even on the big screen back then) but I am rarely able to resist. We’ll see.
I have a very high opinion of “Clash by Night,” but I know some have rejected it’s melodramatics. It opened with that tremendous Langian scene in the fishery, which established the documentary-style realism, and then Odets’ play took over in compelling fashion. I liked Douglas, but was especially impressed with Stanwyck and Ryan, though you are right that he can play those kind of roles in his sleep. Excellent analysis you provide there for “You Only Live Once” and for “The African Queen.” Yes, it’s Cardiff indeed, and the color was pristine and lovely. No red saturation at all, as befits the restored and remastered print.
As always thanks exceedingly my very good friend!
There’s no holding you back Sam. Happy to see that the boys came along. I bet that liked “The African Queen,” no? Maybe not so much the Langs. I wager you guys are busy readying the house for the Oscar party, and I hope that video of it will be up at the site.
Peter: Sammy and Danny did like THE AFRICAN QUEEN! They only came to two Langs (Rancho Notorious and Clash by Night) and were mildly engaged. Sammy had the intelligence to note that the latter film was better, even though normally, westerns would appeal more than corrosive love dramas with teenage boys.
Jason just sent me an e mail minutes ago to talk about his plans for that video!!!!!
Thanks much, my very good friend!
Sam, I just finished Mr. Kanfer’s Tough Without a Gun, the new Bogart book, and found it a waste of my time. It’s an entirely derivative volume, as far as I can tell, from an author who now specializes in showbiz bios, and it’s riddled with trivial errors that add up to a slapdash effect. I might have watched more movies this weekend had I not burdened myself with that book. As it is, all I can take credit for are the Fukasaku, Valley of the Bees and The Return of Dracula, the latter being a subtly subversive Cold War horror film. I also spent a lot of time watching about half of the 1940 serial, The Green Hornet Strikes Again because genre conventions fascinate me, as does Keye Luke’s “Korean” accent for the ethnically ambiguous Kato. I promise to do better next week.
Samuel, you know what? That is EXACTLY what I thought, but was unable to come out with it!!!! This is why I refused to pay the $30 to buy the book. I was thinking it was celebrity-driven, when I would have wanted a study of his movie characters and the films he appeared in. Furthermore, I am not at all surprised of it’s derivative nature, though I am shocked that there are errors there as well. It didn’t appear that more than 2 or 3 people bought the book at the Film Forum’s concession stand, and Mr. Kanfer (who sat in the theatre directly behind us with his wife and -presumed- daughters to watch THE AFRICAN QUEEN) seemed lonely at the signing table. That’s too bad that the book tied you up and wasted your time, but I always appreciate your candor!! It benefits everyone! I’m not familiar with the “Green Hornet” serial, but know VALLEY and RETURN TO DRACULA quite well. Your Fukasaku review was excellent, though it’s one i didn’t see. You are quite the prolific guy Samuel in every sense of the word, and many thanks for the terrific and honest wrap!
Samuel and Sam, I’d just been wondering about this new Bogart book, but sounds from what you say as if it wouldn’t add much to the other books I’ve read on him, including Sperber’s biography. I enjoyed David Thomson’s little book on Bogart in his ‘Great Stars’ series, though he seemed to dismiss a lot of good films as lesser works – still great reading, anyway.
Hello Sam and Wonders lurkers! Once again Sam thank you so much for featuring my blog and giving me those kind words towards my short experiment film (not experimental). I’ve had a somewhat quiet but wholly enjoyable week. And I see you did too!
Thanks for the Valentine wishes. I hate romantic movies that go for the kiss and the tears, I prefer the more quiet experimental ones (In the Mood for Love), and I’m a total hater of romantic comedies (even the so called “best” – Annie Hall – wasn’t that good). For me, I won’t go out with the girlfriend, we’ll wait til tomorrow and see a movie (Black Swan).
Your week was massive (that’s news!) and as I said I’m interested in both festivals as I’ve seen none of these. Not even “African Queen”, which I’m interested in seeing. Now…. “Poetry” looked interesting enough and the rating of ***** really picks me up, but… Best Korean Film of All Time? That’d be quite a statement for anyone! I mean there’s so many interesting movies out there that aren’t discovered due to lack of subtitles. But, hey, who am I? For me, the best korean film is “The Housemaid” from 1960 (not the remake) which blends horror and political uncertainities as well as moral quandaries and it reminded me so much of Psycho that I can’t believe this was made on the same year.
Now, my week was fun. I saw the girlfriend thursday and we saw a film at home. And saturday I had my birthday party (way overdue) and received one gift (a book on chilean cinema) and some money to buy my first filming device, so I’m pretty excited about this.
My week, movie wise:
– Coraline (2009, Henry Selick) ****1/2 I had already watched this, but I forgot how good and entertaining this was, and it still holds up as the best 3D movie I’ve seen. Still the best Selick film. Magic and wonder.
– Donnie Darko (2001, Richard Kelly) ***** This was the movie I saw with Carol. She liked it, even if she called the ending. Seeing this movie really gives me chills, I can’t think of any other movie that makes me feel the way this one does. Every piece of dialogue is just accurately perfectly for every given situation. God, I need to talk about this more often.
– Double Jeopardy (1999, Bruce Beresford) ***1/2 It’s a thriller, it’s faulty, it’s full of plot holes, you can say all of that, but it’s still entertaining and watchable. Tommy Lee Jones was wonderful and that’s all I can say about this one.
– Confessions (2010, Tetsuya Nakashima) ****1/2 This was a shocker. A movie that’s just dialogue and more dialogue, but still managed to achieve a lot of stunningly beautiful images that made the film more and more amazing. The story is heartbreaking and I loved the performance from the teacher.
– The Mechanic (2011, Simon West) *** So, I saw the original and then this one, and it wasn’t as interesting or entertaining. A bit cliched and dull.
– Occult (2009, Koji Shiraishi) **** Interesting faux documentary on the same vein as “Noroi” from the same director. It achieves some momentum as it goes really geting you into that this is real, but towards the end we end up in some kind of joke and we forget how good it was in its beginning.
– Teen Wolf (1985, Rod Daniel) **1/2 The only good thing about this was Michael J. Fox. Everything else was forgettable, the story was lacking and there was no suspense at all. “Oh, a werewolf! Let’s play basket!” Makes no sense.
– The White Ribbon (2009, Michael Haneke) ****1/2 Inconclusive, yet visually stunning. When I heard about this film I expected something brutal, and not as minimalistic as this, something a bit more violent, more visually lacerating, but no, I guess I’ll have to watch Funny Games to get that.
– When Strangers Marry (1944, William Castle) **** This was my Sam’s Flick Pick, as you know. You can read at my blog.
I still have to see tomorrow’s assignment!
Thanks again Sam and have a good Valentine’s day yourself.
Hey Jaimie! Your short film that the post it was included with ere huge successes here as you well know by now!
Ah, the overly romantic movies are not everyone’s cup of tea. If you haven’t seen them yet, I would recommend the likes of “Brief Encounter,” “Letter from an Unknown Woman” and “The Earrings of Madame de,” which are of the darker variety, but each is a masterpiece. I agree that anything that’s exceedingly “in your face” isn’t especially appealing. That said I admit I’m rather surprised you aren’t a fan of “Annie Hall,” one of the best romantic comedies ever. But again, I understand Allen is not to everyone’s taste.
Yes “The African Queen” must be seen on the big screen (where it yields a ravishing color print) but the DVDs of it are outstanding. I plan to order the blu-ray soon. We have to figure out how to get you to see this. I have a simple enough idea. Anyway, Allan agrees with you on THE HOUSEMAID as the greatest Korean film. I made this admittedly outrageous statement based on the fact that there are truly very few “great” Korean films. I feel POETRY is philosophically profound and a film of exceeding beauty, with a magnificent central performance. I was completely bowled over. But let’s see what you think.
Sounds like you had a good time with Carol, and the film book and new piece of equipment are just want the doctor ordered, no? Good Luck with everything.
I liked CORALINE, but probably rate it a bit less than you. I can’t really argue any of your specifics though, and I am greatly looking forward to “The Graveyard Book,” also based on a book by Neil Gaiman. Yeah, you are pretty much on the mark as far as “Double Jeopardy” is concerned (plot holes, etc.) but I can’t keep up with you on “Donnie Darko” which I know you feel is transporting. But there are a number of other bloggers who feel the same way as you do.
Ah, yes, I need to get over to read your new (flattering) entry in your series, and as far as “When Strangers Marry” is concerned I’d say it’s quite a good noir!
Couldn’t agree with you more on “Teen Wolf” and I can’t blame you for issuing a 4.5 rating to “Confessions.” Of the others I’d like to see “Occult” and “Confessions” for sure!
As always you lead the charge with a never less then engaging and quite spectaculat wrap my friend!!!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Lucille. Monday isn’t a day you can do all that much during a work week I know. It’s still uplifting to see all the snow melting and the temperatures rising into the mid-40’s. It feels like summer after all the snow and ice. I’d have loved to see those Vlacils, as I know they aren’t available anywhere. Maybe the festival will bring them added attention. I’ll be piqued for ‘Poetry.’
David: I just mentioned as much (about the melting snow and higher temperatures) to Laurie, below. You will be in luck on POETRY. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow! Ha! I have all the very major Vlacils (4) but do not have two great ones, THE DEVIL’S TRAP and THE SHADOW OF THE FERN. I am hoping they will one day see the light of DVD.
Many thanks my very good friend!
Sam, don’t forget to tell Craig how much you loved THE AFRICAN QUEEN. I’m sure he can’t wait to hear the news.
Now I’ve got to see it again, too!
hahahaha Greg!!!! I was admittedly mortified to go over there, as I was carrying on like a fool last year when I pointed to it’s debit qualities. Funny, but seeing it the way I did this past week, it’s as if they never existed in the first place. I’m red-faced, truly!
Thanks so much for stopping in my friend, and yes by all means please look at it when you get a chance!
Sam – Your description of “The African Queen” has me chomping at the bit to see it again! I adore; no — I LOVE Katharine Hepburn. A woman to admire, one of my favorite quotes of hers is:
“I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.”
Thank you for stirring up great memories! Thank you, too, for pointing to Speaking from the Heart.
The snow here is beginning to melt — knock on wood. I hope yours is too!
Who could blame you Laurie for admiring Kate the Great. Career wise, there is probably no actress in screen history from any country to match her, and this is a rare instance where Allan and I are in complete agreement. In other words, she has more ‘great’ performances under her belt than any other. If I had to name a single performance by a female in a leading role, I’d go with Renee Falconetti in THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (1928), but Hepburn is probably tops in volume. Of course, Bette Davis and Lillian Gish fans and a few women from Europe and Japan are in that mix too.
Yes, THE AFRICAN QUEEN is one that will bring rewards on repeated viewing!
Yes, we had temperatures in the 40’s today and the mounds got smaller, but back down low later tonight! Ugh!
Many thanks my very good friend!
“My virginity, my virginity, I’ve lost my virginity! It’s all these fucking mosquitos!” — Katharine Hepburn from “The African Queen.” No, there are no sacred cows in my pantheon. And yes, I too love Hepburn, as every sane cinephile does. My two favorite performances of Her Majesty’s are in “Alice Adams” and “Bringing Up Baby.” Then there’s “Adam’s Rib,” “Summertime,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “Pat and Mike” and on and on.
Favorite all-time female performance: Garbo in “Camille.”
Or is it Hepburn in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”?
Or Ullmann in “The Emigrants”/”The New Land”?
Or Loren in “Two Women”?
Or Andersson in “Persona”?
Or Redgrave in “The Trojan Women”?
Or Gish in “Broken Blossoms”?
Or, of course, Falconetti?
You see, Sam, I’m no good at list-making, because tomorrow I may change my mind.
Marc……………or:
Swanson in “Sunset Boulevard”
Gish in “The Wind”
Masina in “Nights of Cabiria”
Smith in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”
Davis in “All About Eve”
Leigh in “Streetcar”
to name just a few.
Yours were great!
“Revolutions”
Who needs the local bijou (or CNN) when TCM televises the likes of “The Battle of Algiers,” Pontecorvo, 1966 (*****) and “Z,” Costa-Gavras, 1969 (****) back-to-back a couple of days before Egypt’s Mubarak steps down? And with Tunisia crackling like a tinderbox. Not to mention the recent U.S. incursion into Iraq.
Both are incendiary films of political clash and revolt, based on true events and told in a verite style of slash-and-burn immediacy unmatched since the silent days of Soviet cinema. “Away from realism to reality” per Eisenstein.
The Pontecorvo film, c.f. Fanon’s ‘The Wretched of the Earth’ for a prose companion to the film, about the struggle for Algerian independence from France, is considered more ‘balanced’ than “Z”. The French military are reviled as Nazis, yet survived Dachau and Buchenwald. The slaughter of the Arabs and the slaughter of Europeans are equally repugnant, Pontecorvo seems to say. All violence is immoral, but such are the exigencies of revolution. Pauline Kael called Pontecorvo a “Marxist poet” and she wasn’t wrong. A momentous film filled with palpable suffering and at times difficult to watch.
“Z,” about the 1963 Lambrakis affair in Greece is virulently anti-U.S., making no pretense to objectivity as it tells the story of a peace activist murdered by a right-wing consortium of terrorist thugs and government officials and their attempted cover-up. A bit ideologically lopsided in its revolutionary zeal (reactionary militarists surely love their wives and families as Lambrakis does), but powerful and unforgettable, with a defeatist ending as the Greek Army seizes power, banning cultural items from mini-skirts to Sophocles. Jorge Semprun wrote the brilliant script with Costa-Gavras. Photographed by the incomparable Raoul Coutard.
“The Battle of Algiers” and “Z” were followed closely by acclaimed revolutionary films from two Latin American firebrands, “Hour of the Furnaces,” a documentary, and “Blood of the Condor” (Bolivia), neither of which I’ve been able to locate. Maybe Jaime has some ideas.
I wonder where these two cinematic kegs of dynamite will place on Allan’s stupendium compendium. High, I hope.
“The Social Network” (***), a bloodless revolution (and film). However, I can’t be too rough on a movie hero who created a global social phenomenon that helped depose a dictator. Ex post facto rationale, for sure, but the revolution in Egypt, with Facebook as a tool, has elevated my opinion, not of the mediocre “Social Network,” but of Facebook maestro Mark Zuckerberg. Who knew his invention would profoundly change political worlds? All apologies for calling Mr. Z a cyborg. Apparently he had the good taste to disavow this film. “The Social Network” isn’t much, just another vaguely distasteful stereotype of a Jew who screws anyone for a buck. Only this Jew wears sandals and hoodies in the boardroom. And the boardroom is loaded with high-tech gadgetry. The irony that’s pounded home is that Zuckerberg, who allegedly possesses zero social savvy, ends up masterminding the biggest cyber-social club in history.
Ending with a Beatles song totally anachronistic to the film, but, hey, it’s about beautiful, rich people. Based on a book called “The Accidental Billionaire” which I haven’t read. It all looked pretty ruthlessly calculated to me, and Fincher and Sorkin seem too smugly pleased for their unflattering portrait of a new digital folk hero.
“Revolutionary” cries the New Yorker. “Brilliant” foams the New York Times. All the huzzahs quoted on the DVD box lead one to believe there are a few too many aging film critics aching to be “with it.” Wildly overrated.
Dear SAM, statuettes for “The King’s Speech” will have to be hauled out of the Kodak Theater in a wheelbarrow. By the time Firth accepts his Oscar you’ll be running naked through Cheese-Whiz. Ha!
Hopeful prediction: Rush will upset Bale.
Pierre’s analysis of the politics, evasions and rationales of Oscar is astounding! Most of the time it’s a hollow encomium. Two of the Academy’s most embarassing goofs – “How Green Was My Valley” over “Kane” and the next year’s Best Actress Greer Garson (“Mrs. Miniver”) over Agnes Moorehead (“The Magnificent Ambersons”)!!! Unbelievable.
“Both are incendiary films of political clash and revolt, based on true events and told in a verite style of slash-and-burn immediacy unmatched since the silent days of Soviet cinema.”
Ah Mark, that opening paragraph tells quite a bit! I’ve always held ALGIERS and Z is very high esteem, and yes they portend some real-life action. Seems like Bahrain is also seeing some rioting, and as you know a female reporter was mauled. Then we have another American being held in Pakistan. I do believe I have HOUR OF THE FURNACES in this house, as I recall Allan sending on a two-disc copy of it to me. I think it’s a very great film, and I saw it in theatres when it released back in the 70’s. Stanley Kauffmann gave it a tremendous review. If I can locate it here, I will be more than happy to send it on to you! As far as the analytical dissection of Pontecorvo’s film, I couldn’t agree more. It is one of the true masterpieces of the cinema, and nothing since has duplicated it’s almost unbearable tension, thanks to that brilliant ‘cinema verite’ style you rightly praise. The excerpt from you comment from above is fantastic, and it frames these two great films perfectly. I don’t think I have BLOOD OF THE CONDOR, but I DID see it in a theatre years back. It’s another masterful work! You have certainly broached a theme here will all the right entries I must say!
I loved your discussion of THE SOCIAL NETWORK exceedingly! Yes, something must indeed be said for what it created, and yes there is great irony in what you say here:
“The irony that’s pounded home is that Zuckerberg, who allegedly possesses zero social savvy, ends up masterminding the biggest cyber-social club in history.”
Ha! But isn’t that the way it always is. I thought Eisenberg gave a remarkable performance, and there’s much I do love about the film, but like you, I just couldn’t emotionally connect to any of it.
I am of the opinion that THE KING’S SPEECH won’t win more than 6 (as I discussed with Dennis last night in a videotaped discussion moderated by Jason Giampietro that will be posted on a you tube at teh site on Tuesday or Wednesday from what I’m told) but Firth is absolutely a lock as you suggest. I also wish Rush would upset Bale, and I agree with you that Pierre’s analysis was superlative!
Although I consider CITIZEN KANE one of the greatest films of all-time, I never really thought that Ford’s HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY was undeserving. It’s a beautiful, deeply-moving film thjat would have won in any year, and after KANE it was a very worthy choice for that year.
Greer Garson over Agnes Moorhead?
You got that right. What a ludicrous embarrassment. Garson was actually laughable.
Thanks as always Mark for the fantastic wrap! Please forgive teh lateness of the response. Should you respond next week I will read and answer y it at the beginning.
So all I have to say is that I watched Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps this weekend…and something must be said for lowered expectations and a number of crisp beverages before watching a film. Yes, it was preachy, overlong and well, an Olive Stone film (but I’ve always kinda liked the guy) but I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it. Really great cinematography of NYC and the Wall Street neighborhood I know well, too. ***1/2
Also watched Red, which was probably the best of the star-studded action comedies of last year. ***
I well remember RED David,
David, that’s quite an interesting response on the Michael Douglas film -which I’ve avoided thus far. I was never much a fan of “Wall Street”, but that should not rightfully tarnish my pre-conceptions of the new release. I’ll probably just wait for the DVD. The on-location cinematography sounds great! Sometimes one can’t explain how films words against odds, but i’d like to find out myels.
Many thanks my very good friend!
Thanks so much for the kind mention Sam although I should clarify my confusing title for the entry. The film title actually does not translate to Delhi Story but I thought the film represented Delhi so well, it deserved that tag 🙂
I have been waiting to see Poetry for a while now so delighted to see you give it such a high rating.
And thank you Sachin for stopping in. I see exactly what you did there and it does make sense. I just got an e mail from my friend Kaleem Hasan of SATYAMSHOT (I sent him your review) this afternoon, and he says he really likes the film.
I can never be fully certain, but I am close to do as to the prospects of you’re falling for POETRY. I think it’s your cup of tea!
Many thanks as always!
Thanks for the over-kind mention, Sam – I wouldn’t claim to be a scholar! Another breathless week for you. I’d love to see the new print of ‘The African Queen’ on the big screen – such a great film for both Bogart and Hepburn. Did you see the BAFTAs? I enjoyed watching them on TV – Jonathan Ross was fine as host, much better than Ricky Gervais at the Globes though that wasn’t difficult! – and was pleased to see a lot of prizes for The King’s Speech, including best film, though David Fincher took best director. Helena Bonham Carter must get the prize for best (and longest) speech.
This week I saw The Social Network and Black Swan at the cinema – The Social Network was brought back for a special showing in the run-up to the Oscars and I loved it. I wasn’t such a big fan of Black Swan, though not as dismayed by it as you were – it took me a long while to get into the over-the-top horror mindset, though I do think Natalie Portman gave a fine performance.
At home I watched They Died with Their Boots On (Raoul Walsh, 1941), working my way through that Errol Flynn box set – he is in fine swashbuckling form, though I gather it is one of the most historically inaccurate films ever. I’ve seen a quote somewhere that the only true facts in it are that there was a General Custer and he died at the battle of Little Big Horn!
Also watched Nothing Sacred (William A Wellman, 1937) – a repeat viewing – I know it is great satire, in patches, but must admit I don’t think it is as good as A Star Is Born, though Lombard is wonderful.
I also watched a noir you put me on to, When Strangers Marry (William Castle, 1944) – loved this and found it amazing to see how much was packed into just over an hour. Interesting to see Robert Mitchum in an early role, and with a scene where he loses his cool, too.
Thanks again, Sam, and hope you get a bit more down time this week!
Judy, your work on the continuing Wellman project has certainly justified such a classification to be perfectly honest. The print for “The African Queen’ was glistening, and it added to this re-viewing immeasurably. I’ve never had a more rewarding watch of this film, and the theatre intimacy added much.
I didn’t watch the BAFTAs, as that option doesn’t seem to be available on these shores, but like you I was happy to see “The King’s Speech” do very well. Our friend Pierre speculated that the reason why Fincher copped the director prize has to do with the fact that “only” directors vote on the final ballot, while with the Oscars the final ballot is voted on by all members. Fincher may still win the Oscar though, as AMPAS often likes to divide the spoils, and they may feel uneasy to buck all the critics’ groups to the extreme. I love Helena, and would have liked to hear her long speech, but she truthfully had little to do in “The King’s Speech,” and didn’t deserve the prize over the likes of Hailee Steinfeld or Amy Adams.
I also think highly of “The Social Network,” though I’ll admit I never connected with it emotionally, at least not enough to name it on my Top 10 list for 2010. Yeah, my reaction to “Black Swan” may have been too extreme, but I will admit I had the same objection you note here–the inability to overcome the mindset of the over-the-top horror, which in the end took aways from the more subtle metaphorical shadings. But it’s great you took a look at both on the big screen (again.) I’ve always felt Portman was quite good, and I’m expecting she’ll edge out Annette bening for the Oscar.
My favorite Flynns in that set are “Captain Blood” and “The Sea Hawk,” though I like “They Died With Their Boots On” well enough. You are right, methinks, about the historical innacuracies. though. LOL what you say there about Custer being the only thing concrete! Ha!
I think you captured “Nothing Scared” there perfectly! It’s often a great satiral piece, but it’s rather uneven. I can never get enough of “A Star is Born” at I said under your review! Ha!
Thrilled to hear you watched “When Strangers Marry,” a film that many critics and historians consider Castle’s greatest, or at least most artistic. Yep, so much happens during that short running time, and that fun house/roller coaster sequence is a classic! Mitchum is great!
I did get a break over this past week with only a rather minor -but good- Tennessee Williams play on stage (Small Craft Warnings) on Wednesday night with Lucille and Broadway Bob – but the weekend is back to being busy with the multiplexer “Unknown” last night, and more films for this evening.
God, Judy, this spectacular and engrossing wrap may well be your best ever! Many thanks!