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Wonders in the Dark is a blog dedicated to the arts, especially film, theatre and music. An open forum is highly encouraged, as the site proctors are usually ready and able to engage with ongoing conversation.
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I can only repeat my comment via email…
“I just love the way your eyes light up in wonder, like a virgin presented with her first cock.
It’s a sort of caricatured enthusiasm, like Popeye being asked to talk about spinach.”
To this, in terms of genre, by having noir as a poll we have eliminated the poll for thrillers, and even among comedies, surely a distinction needs to be made between star comedies (Lloyd, Chaplin, Keaton, West, Laurel/Hardy, Abbott/Costello, Wheeler/Woolsey, Kaye, Langdon, Tati, Hay, Crazy Gang, etc) and ensemble comedies, which includes romantic comedies, screwball comedies and comic play adaptations.
Also, what about the gangster/heist, action adventure, epics/historical/swashbuckler genres, not to mention the basic dramas that fall into no poll at all.
We have plans (time permitting) to do drama and adventure. I didn’t want to approach all that now.
Lucille laments that the angle that Jason used makes me seem so much heavier than the 246 I now weigh in at.
I’d love to have niche sub-genre countdowns…
Agreed. Even if it is just a few one-offs, subgenre countdowns would be fun.
Allan’s quote had me in tears. Damn Sam your passion for cinema is enjoyable to watch. You speak about the art form the same way you write about it. I love your sly wittiness as well.
I’m looking forward to this Sam especially considering the enthusiasm on show here. I hope there’ll be a few non-American musicals in there, not least because I’m none too aware of them.
Thanks for the laudatory mention of my countdown. You may be known for hyperbole, Sam, but I’ll take it!
Stephen, with you hyperbole can be cast away. Your creativity seems to have no limits, and what you did here with teh animation polling can truthfully have no comepetition in any sense.
Many thanks. The entire fun and challenge in the musical poll will truthfully be to include a number of non-Hollywood films. Even Bollywood is fair game here!
Sam I have very rarely come across your kind on infectious enthusiasm in this or any other matter. It is always wonderful to behold. You bring a certain child-like innocence and wonder to all of this which I always find enormously compelling. I have always felt that ‘adulthood’ is a tragedy that happens to every child. To the extent that some of us manage to retain that flavor of childhood I think we’re better off. In any case as always this was a great video to watch. I hope to see many more from you for many many years…
Kaleem, as always your own kind of feel-good commentary is one I have cherished just about more than anything. I don’t think I’ve ever grown up, quite right there, and as such I am entitled to the “advantages” as well as the “drawbacks.” Ha! I can’t thank you enough for all your kind words, so beautifully posed here.
typo.. meant to say your kind ‘of’ infectious enthusiasm..
Well, I’m one of those younger bloggers who’s fairly indifferent to musicals, mainly because, as you say, it’s hard for me to get past my lack of interest in the music, at least in the “classic” Hollywood ones. It’s a pretty big obstacle to my enjoyment of those films, but I’ll still check out the countdown and maybe it will even point me towards some films to investigate or revisit.
Curiously enough, I do like a pair of French New Wave tributes to the Hollywood musical form — Godard’s A Woman Is a Woman and Rivette’s Haut bas fragile — so I do wonder if foreign musicals will also be considered, or only the classic Hollywood ones.
Ed, thank you so much.
The musical poll will indeed include foreign choices, as this is not a Hollywood musical countdown but one that includes choices from abroad. I feel it would be far less fun to restrict it to just Hollywood, though admittedly the form was hatched and executed in their back yard for so long.
This, I am sure we’ll be seeing the likes of Von trier’s Dancer in the Dark, two celebrated musicals by Jacques Demy (which I know you are a fan of I think) and and some very early German stuff, and of course 3 or 4 British musicals. But there is actually more that I am considering on that front. The Godard you mention is under consideration, though I haven’t yet seen that Rivette.
Sounds great, Sam. The promise of some non-Hollywood musicals is definitely interesting. It’s been a long, long time time since I’ve seen those Demy musicals, but yes, I do remember liking them (though I doubt I’ve ever mentioned them before considering how little concrete I remember about them at this point). I’m probably due to revisit those.
Seeing a review of THE UMBRELLAS AT CHERBOURG at ONLY THE CINEMA would be bliss.
Wonders in the Dark is still looking for voluneteers to do the following:
Top 50 Screen Comedies of all-time
Top 50 Westerns of all-time
Top 50 War Films of all-Time
Top 50 Romance Films of All-Time
Prospective volunteers need not commit to full essays, and can even just make their Top 50 and present just a screen cap every day on a post for teh site. The comment thread will fill in the holes missing by teh essay, I’m sure.
So either way, WITH or WITHOUT short essays, one can negotiate this.
Too much. What stage presence. I think I love this one even more than the Oscar talk. You really make that musical countdown an exciting project.
Massive stage presence. This kid has a future….
Would anyone else sign up for a Sam Juliano reality show? As others have mentioned, your enthusiasm is infectious. It makes me want to take on one of the countdowns even as I know I don’t have the breadth of knowledge or viewing history to attempt any of those genres (though given the time to watch enough, the Western one would be tons of fun).
Looking forward to the musical countdown as, much like Stephen’s countdown, it will point me in the direction of a genre I’m not too well versed in. I’m curious if Disney animated films are going to be included as well?
Also, what are these “CD’s” you speak of? š
I would sign up for a Sam reality show Troy. Especially considering the way most reality shows disparage New Jersey Italian American’s lately. Sam shows the more positive side which is also much larger in numbers.
Thanks for that Troy!!! That’s quite a daunting suggestion! Ha!
The “CDs” are the ones that I referenced there as being film musical soundtracks.
I double Frank’s comment. Sam’s the one that ought to be on TV film reviews. A natural. I also get the feeling that this format is what suits Sam’s reviews the best.
I sure hope he puts up may more of these wonders.
Cheers!
Again my very good friend, thanks for those very kind and supportive words!
Okay. Since when does the Wonders team have YouTube/video capability? This might again force me to consider attempting something along those lines for the sci-fi list. But only after I’ve written up my essays, obviously.
Additional genres to consider:
Action Movies– This is a fairly broad genre, but specific enough not to be meaningless.
Fantasy Movies– I’m using a broad criteria for my sci-fi list, but I’m still excluding lots of stuff that falls outside of realism. Plus there’s plenty of interesting movies that are outside of mainstream fantasy to consider.
Spy Movies– Perhaps this would fall under action or war-pictures fairly easily? Who knows.
Documentaries– I thought before that somebody was already signed up for this, but perhaps I’m mistaken.
Obviously my ‘Women with Shaved Heads’ countdown is forthcoming…
Sam ā How can this project possibly go wrong when you dangle dazzling carrots like: Carousel, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Auntie Mame, Kiss me Kate, Singing in the Rain, A Star is Born, Annie Get Your Gun, Meet Me in St. Louis, Showboat, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, and Westside Story.
You’re going to an essay for each of the 50 musicals ā FIFTY? Oh my gosh! By the time it’s all said and done you’re not going to have fingers, you’re going to have bloody stubs. I donāt envy you the job, but Iām sure glad youāre going to do it. The passion you have for this project is obvious. It’s contagious!
Laurie: Your confidence and enthusiasm are very much appreciated here, and your memory of those titles astounding! I look forward to sharing discussion with you when the poll commences, and it’s one area that you quite obviously have both a knowledge of and enthusiasm for. The essays won’t generally go beyond 7– to 800 words each, so if I begin preparing them soon, I won’t have a problem down the road. I’ll have to juggle with watching and writing during those crucial months before the countdown actually begins.
Many many thanks my excellent friend!!!!
I’m glad to hear everything’s going very very well for Wonders In The Dark…the upcoming polls…whatever.
Wonders In The Dark is so much better than one of those Ku Klux Klan sites or one of those weird cannibal sites like Muki’s Kitchen where there are pictures of women trussed up like Thanksgiving Day turkeys and whatnot.
Sam I have these great pills that take the edge right off of one’s OCD like a dream. Before I started taking one a day (they are non- addictive but if you stop taking them you go completely insane) I had two tons of weight on my mind…on my feet too! Ha! Seriously, now I feel like I only have one ton of shit on me . It makes a big difference (so would a diet! Ha!
Also sometimes they make you feel like commiting suicide but one has to take the thorns with the roses. Hopefully one will not have the balls to kill oneself anyway just because an anti-depressant backfired so to speak but you never know.
So they are more of a boon than an evil…I guess.
I’m going to submit some scathing review of one of the glitzy, shallow musicals that I ever have had the misfortune to suffer through. I hope to write one that is good enough to force you to post it.
I would love to get my hands on Phantom Of The Opera or Oklafuckinghoma, or South Pacific, or Carousel. I hate those goddamned monstrosities. The plastic, bourgeios idea of Heaven on Earth in a fucking corn field.
I’m looking forward to this Sunday’s Oscar party. I have a little something I want to talk over with one of the boys.
I sure hope he comes…
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Another Andrei Scala classic.
I will let your words speak for themselves!!!!
Hearing you talk makes me wonder how much of a passion I really have for the subject of film, as compared to others like novels or acting.
You are one big totem on the way towards film enlightment.
(I wish I could do a countdown, but my huge viewing gamps impede it!)
Jaime you a prince of a guy. You seem to equal equal enthusiasm for all three! Many thanks!
Sam, as someone in their mid-20’s I can assure you that I would be interested in following your Musical poll. It’s a genre that I only have a passing familiarity with, as I’ve seen a handful of the Hollywood classics and a few offshoots like the Godard and Rivette Ed mentions, but not much more. I definitely would gladly follow along and take your recommendations as an opportunity to delve a little more into the genre and give it more of a shot than I have.
Thanks so much for that Drew, and I am thrilled to hear of your willingness to follow along. I know when I made that statement I was over-presumptuous and not really fair either, as the great group of young bloggers here are made out of sterner stuff than blanket aversion. I’m sure in the end you are a fan of many of these.
Sam you are so WYSIWYG! What you is what you get š God bless.
LOL Tony!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many thanks!
I can’t wait for the time 3 years in the future when you’re working on the ’50 Best Meta-Films of All Time’ and the ’50 Best Rural Coming of Age Films of All Time’ and the ’50 Best Mixed B/W-Color Films’ and the ’50 Best Borgesian Labyrinth Films’. I’m especially excited about that last category. I’m excited for the Sci-Fi and Comedy lists – the more eclectic the better, in my book.
The science fiction is presently being negotiated by Bob Clark, Jean, and the comedy poll hasn’t yet been claimed by anyone. I love some of those prospective ideas you pose! Ha!
Sam, you tempt me every time you say the western category’s still open, but more on that at another time, perhaps. For now, let me stir things up a bit by asking whether you’ve considered national countdowns once you’ve run out of genres. It seems like the obvious next direction for Wonders.
Samuel, it’s funny you mentioned that!!! Allan and I have indee discussion the following:
The 50 Greatest French Films
The 50 Greatest Italian Films
The 50 Greatest Japanese Films
Those are teh three nations (obviously) with teh strong cinematic tradition and those polls would be quite fascinating.
There’s certainly a chance.
And I’ll let you breath with that Westerns possibility. I’d love to see that happen, but as you say we’ll wait for you to sort things out!
Also Samuel:
The Top 50 British Films of All-Time
The Top 50 Asian Films of All-Time
Sam it is great to see you in action on video. Now when I read your words I will hear your voice at the same time. I will see if I can spread the word for your search of volunteers on twitter. You never know who might come forward. Good luck!
Thanks so much for those ultra-kind words Terrill, and for the exceeding interest in the genre countdowns. Your support and friendship right along is something I truly cherish!
I echo others in saying that Sam you are a perfect fit for doing these video entries. So natural and at ease. Hope you get a chance to do more videos in the future.
Thanks very much for that Sachin! I was inwardly self-conscious, but in the comfort of my own home it came easier. I do know that Jason will be here for the Oscar party tonight with his lovely girlfriend and his video camera, so off the bat another one is coming within a week, documenting this evening’s festivities.
I’m really looking forward to your musicals countdown, Sam – sounds great from your description here. Also looking forward to the other projects.
Thanks Judy! I was thinking the musicals countdown would be embraced by you, although as you say some of teh other projects being presently weighed are also within your cinematic wheelhouse.
Sam –
Someone else mentioned the idea for a Sam Juliano reality show, and I would DEFINITELY watch it! You’re a natural on video, and your enthusisam is infectious.
I, for one, am totally your target audience for the musical countdown. (It so happens, I DO have the CD for Carousel and I listen to it from time, as I also have The King and I, Fiddler, Sound of Music, Cabaret, West Side Story, Mame, Gypsy, 1776, etc, etc. etc. ) I don’t mean to be presumptuous here, but if you needed a guest writer to help out with a few of your Musical Countdownn posts, I am SO your girl!
hahahah Pat!!! Thanks so much for saying so!!!
YOU my dear friend are the PERSON to serve as guest writer here indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know well of your terrific knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for this genre, and even for your past on the stage.
YOU ARE THE ONE, and we will be talking by e mail over the coming months to firm up some ideas. But even before we talk, I can say you are welcome and encouraged to write about anything pertaining to this poll, including any of the films, and as often as your heart and time will permit!!!!!!!
Many many thanks Pat!!!!!!!!!!
I’m sort of surprised the ‘Western’ still sits vacant, that’s a genre many, many adore.
You are a hoot in this vid Sam, and I can’t wait as musicals I’m largely unaware of. I like a few of the major ones, but outside that I’m ready to learn!
It is funny that such a gravely voice is introducing the Musical Poll, it would have been like me getting Betty Boop to do a commentary track on IRREVERSIBLE. Quite a funny juxtaposition!
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I’d also like to add that for as long as I’m around and this site remains active, I will ‘update’ my Horror countdown around October… add films to the list, talk about recent Horror/extreme entries, ect. All with the idea that I’m trying to get to a TOP 500 Horror films of all time list.