Werner Herzog's 3D documentary adventure "The Cave of Forgotten Dreams"
by Sam Juliano
I trust everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day, and I especially salute the incomparable moms in our midst! Certainly I can say the loveliest moment over the weekend occured early Sunday when a knock on the front door finalized the delivery of beautiful flowers for Lucille, sent on by that most beautiful of beautiful human beings, our own beloved Dee Dee. When I think of all her kindnesses, I start to get teary-eyed. Whenever anyone ponders how miserable things may get from time to time, think of this very special woman. The thoughts of what she has done will restore your faith in the human race. She has consistently injected the blogging experience with passionate regard for her colleagues and a sense of humanity that this largely didactic endeavor has sorely needed. Lucille and my two daughters especially, were deeply moved my dear friend by this incredible gesture. I know this public acknowledgement isn’t your kind of thing, but I simply can’t remain silent. The beautiful ‘Mother’s Day’ banner on the sidebar is also courtesy of Dee Dee, who regularly manages and upgrades the content of the top and sidebars.
Speaking of Mothers, Allan Fish has now officially launched the ‘Mother’ of all film lists, a project that is as remarkable in its audacity as it is in sheer comprehensiveness. Allan is arguably the most authoritative film connosseur online (or anywhere for that matter) and this list is far more than a labor of love, but written proof that this eccentric, outspoken and utterly brilliant Brit has travelled further than his peers in terms of scope and discernment. The project is merely a prelude for the intended publication of his long-awaited film book, and encompasses the posting of the 3,000 greatest films ever made, with 600 a day through Thursday of this week. The endeavor was urged upon Allan from early last year, and he has complied with approximation, even while admitting the arbitrary nature of such a listing was stifling. Still as a resource, there isn’t a better and more valuable film list available anywhere. And that revelation is perhaps Allan’s most untouchable claim to prominence in the film world. Bravo, Allan! The site stats for a Sunday (the slowest day of the week in this regard) have been staggering both in page views and comments. I’m hardly surprised. I think Joel Bocko (a.k.a. Movie Man) has put on a comment show that desrves mentioning in the Guiness World Book of Records.
After the exhaustiveness of the Tribeca Film Festival I tried to rest up, but late week temptations resulted in three new openings over the weekend, while during the week I saw a ‘Kidztheatre’ production of the musical Little Shop of Horrors, and a third theatrical visit to see Robert Redford’s The Conspirator to placate a very good friend visiting for the first time in a long while. The friend, Frank Pizzichillo, is a history and Civil War buff, and as expected he loved the film exceedingly. (I know Jamie will move to sign my commitment papers!)
The staging of Little Shop of Horrors on Wednesday night (May 4th) in a cozy theatre that sits next to a Manhattan housing project in Chelsea was a resounding success, and proof that enthusiasm and raw talent can trancend monetary and tactical limitations. The “kids” who sung and danced with verve and a grasp of the material are actually high school students from all over the city. The student who portrayed the dentist for example, (Anthony Sanchez) is a senior at the Harlem Renaissance School for the arts. The show’s star, Rafael Martinez-Salgado, who portrayed Seymour, will be attending Shenandoah University in the fall, and is hoping to persue an acting career. I was thrilled to have two of my kids to see this very special staging, and a real credit to NYC’s youthful talent.
I attended three film openings in addition to the repeat already broached:
Thor *** 1/2 (Saturday afternoon) Edgewater multiplex
Caterpillar **** 1/2 (Saturday evening) IFC Film Center
The Cave of the Forgotten Dreams **** 1/2 (Sunday morning) IFC
Kenneth Branagh’s THOR is a kind of Shakespearean superhero movie with splendid visuals, and great humor. Sure it’s also bombastic and a bit overlong, and the pyrotehnics become grating, but for this kind of movie it’s well-done and better than most of its kind. The distinguished cast provides eye-candy and Branagh Patrick Doyle contributes a rousing score. I must say though that I didn’t see the significance of teh 3D glasses for this one, though they were much appreciated for Werner Herzog’s THE CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, which utilized the device to create some sriking perspective for the fascinating documentary that mainly focuses on a cave in France where drawings from over 30,000 years ago were found. Again Herzog uses his engaging German accent-clipped vopice to offer up and engaging narration on what has proven a major find. It’s trrific for all kinds of reason. Similarly, Koji Wakematsu’s CATERPILLAR, an often gruesome film is a visceral film of political and sexual power that builds to a devastating climax. Wakeatsu is one of the world’s most talented filmmakers, and CATERPILLAR is harrowing and unforgettable.
The negative aspects of providing virtually unlimited site links every week have alas outnumbered whatever validation I have steadfastly supported for the better part of two years. The preparation time is prohibitive on the weekends, and site statistics have revealed that only the top few links get any clicks. (although those links tend to get high numbers) In other words, the lion’s share of the links are not being utilized. Mind you, I fully understand people are busy, and can’t always avail themselves of this time consuming activity, no matter how tempting. To spend between four and five hours every Sunday preparing the links -and then to have 90% of them see no action- well, I think that pretty much speaks for itself. Generally, however, the page view totals at the site are consistently excellent, all week long (last week the diary got 600 hits!) and I credit the loyal readership for their impassioned support right along. Hence my new gameplan will be to provide 20 links every week. This plan will place emphasis on some of the best reviews and features, will invariably serve to unclutter the diary post. While I plan on always pointing to our closest friends, I will also determine the choices based on blogger activity. If a site is sitting “dormant” for a while (even if the proprietor is a long-valued friend) I won’y include a link. Of course this is subject to change on a weekly basis. Anyway, 15 or 20 links provide for more than enough temptation, and the site’s sidebar offers up the most comprehensive overview. The purpose of the links was never more than just to ‘feature’ what the sidebar couldn’t reveal beyond a ‘click visit.’ If a site isn’t represented on the link section, this hardly means that the site isn’t valued. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just no longer feasible to continue the exhaustive survey. The positive side however, is that the more limited presentation tends to stand out even more. (Footnote: I still wound up with 29 links.)
At Twenty Four Frames John Greco has posted a fabulous review of Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdoux: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/monsieur-verndoux-1947-charles-chaplin/
Judy Geater has another terrific review up of a pre-coder at Movie Classics, Alfred E. Green’s 1933 Parachute Jumper: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/parachute-jumper-alfred-e-green-1933/
Wonders in the Dark readers by now have surely seen and accessed Tony d’Ambra’s collection of poems and prose, Cinematic Poetica, a new volume available at areasonable price, featured on the sidebar. For those who have been ravished by the works as they appeared over the past two years, here’s the chance to own the entire sensory collection in a beautifully ornate booklet: https://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyContent=10534204
At Exodus: 8:2 Jamie Grijalba passionately offers up “Crime Crackers – Sony Pictures Entertainment”: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/05/ps-2-crime-crackers-sony–computer.html
The newest post at Laurie Buchanan’s Speaking From The Heart is one that will give you a laugh, while realizing it’s ultimate message, “Belly Up to the Bar”: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/belly-up-to-the-bar/
Marilyn Ferdinand has a landmark post up at Ferdy-on-Films on one of the recently discovered silent films, “Upstream” by John Ford: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=9723
Meanwhile, Roderick Heath has just posted at Ferdys on The Bride with the White Hair, I and II. It looks to be great stuff as usual: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=9761
At Mondo 70 Samuel Wilson is presently featuring an engaging piece on 1988’s Mesrine: Killer Instinct: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2011/05/mesrine-killer-instinct-linstinct-de.html
David Schleicher is leading up with an exceedingly observant piece on Incendies at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2011/05/02/the-incendiary-game/
At The Last Lullaby, filmmaker and blogger Jeffrey Goodman celebrates the release of a new Beastie Boys album with some track cuts: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2011/05/some-tunes-floating-round-turntable.html#comment-form
Srikanth, a.k.a.a Just Another Film Buff has a marvelous capsule review of Pedro Costa’s Change Nothing at his hallowed halls: http://theseventhart.info/2011/05/07/ellipsis-40/
At the Creativepotager’s blog the incomparable artist Terrill Welch asks in her most recent post, “Guess Who I Met on the Road?”: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/guess-who-i-met-on-the-road/
Yet another creative and challenging post sits atop the archive at Stephen Russell-Gebbett’s Checking on My Sausages blogsite: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2011/05/reacting-to-reactions.html
Troy Olson has an assortment of posts leading up at his place on live basketball blogging, a new record club and the most recent Bresson reviews: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/
In Tokyo, our ever-resilient friend, Murderous Ink, has a fascinating post up on Akira Kurosawa at Vermilion and One Nights: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2011/05/postwar-kurosawa-one-wonderful-sunday.html
Jason Marshall has commenced with his countdown of 1940, and he offers up the Disney classic Pinocchio as his #10 choice: http://moviesovermatter.com/2011/05/08/pinocchio-best-pictures-of-1940-10/
Drew McIntosh’s fabulous “Five from” series continues with a display from Dream Work at The Blue Vial: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2011/05/five-from-favorite-dream-work-peter.html
Ed Howard has posted an excellent essay on Goadard’s Lettre a Freddy Buachel Changer d’image at Only the Cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2011/05/lettre-freddy-buachechanger-dimage.html
Sachin has what appears to be a fascinating post on ‘The Direct Cinema of Michel Brault’ at Scribbles and Ramblings: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2011/05/direct-cinema-of-michel-brault.html
Craig Kennedy has a very fine mini-review up on Daydream Nation up at Living in Cinema: http://livingincinema.com/2011/05/05/mini-review-daydream-nation-2011-12/
Jean at Velvety Blackness has a superlative lead review up on Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank: http://velvetyblackness.blogspot.com/2011/04/fish-tank.html
Peter Lenihan has some striking screen caps up on “the films of Clair Denis” at The Long Voyage Home: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2011/05/your-worst-enemies-are-hiding-inside.html
Dave Van Poppel has some great documentary capsules from the Toronto Film Festivals posting at his place: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2011/05/hot-docs-2011-we-were-here.html
Adam Zanzie has posted a fascinating ‘review archives’ of his work at Icebox Movies: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2011/04/reviews-archive.html
Shubhajit leads with a terrific capsule on the film 2011 film Dum Maro Dum at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2011/05/dum-maro-dum-2011.html
Longman Oz is on a brief break at his place, but his very fine piece on Route Irish is still leading the way: http://smiledyawnednodded.com/2011/03/28/routeirish/
R.D. Finch has a splendid feature up at The Movie Projector on the films of Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2011/05/films-of-spencer-tracy-and-katharine.html
At Radiator Heaven J.D. is heading up with a most intriguing post on a Lance Henriksen blogothon: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2011/05/lance-henriksen-blogathon-nightmares.html
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Wonders in the Dark 
Sam,
The time you spend on putting up this diary is startling and I think your new plan sounds like a good way to go. Dee Dee’s thoughtfulness and kindness toward Lucille must have been a nice icing on the cake of a great Mother’s Day. My feline children’s gift to their mother, and my wife, was a juicy hairball on our brand new rug for which she was most appreciative as I am sure you can imagine. My week was active with quite a bit of nature photography, some writing and film watching, the last of which partially turned out to be my own small (four films) unintentional Fritz Lang Film Festival.
While the City Sleeps (***1/2) Hard edge cynical look at the newspaper industry marred by a weak and sometimes hard to believe script. A terrific cast and my own soft spot for newspapers films, kept the film interesting.
Fury (****) Out of control mob violence and vengeance are the subjects in this powerful early American Lang film. Spencer Tracy is arrested and quickly targeted by a blood thirsty mob seeking vengeance for the kidnapping of a young girl. Presumed dead in the fiery blaze of the police station set by the crazed mob; Tracy seeks his own revenge on the town. Lang stacks the deck somewhat and some scenes come across as a bit dated but this still remains a potent film.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (****) Dana Andrews sets himself up to be framed for a murder, and the electric chair, in order to prove the fallibility of the American judicial system in sending an innocent man to his death. The acting is solid without ever reaching high levels of excitement, except for Joan Fontaine who I thought was wasted in the role of Andrews fiancé. Would make a nice double feature along with Hitchcock’s “The Wrong Man.”
The Return of Frank James (**1/2) Fictional version of Frank James pursuit of the Ford Brothers for the killing of his brother Jesse. As portrayed by Henry Fonda, Frank James is a gosh darn, soft spoken, man of the land kind of guy just out for good ol’ American revenge. I find Fonda such a likable actor, he could play a serial killer and you gosh darn want to like him. Henry Hull is entertainingly blustery as the newspaper editor/lawyer who defends Frank in court. The recently deceased Jackie Cooper’s death scene has more corn than tears, and the film is also hurt by some serious stereotyping dialogue forced to be read by the black members of the cast. Nicely photographed by George Barnes
Savage Messiah (****) Ken Russell’s film of the young artist Henri Gaudier, who died at the age of 23 in World War 1, is more concerned with the plutonic love affair between the artist and Sophie Brzeska, a Polish woman twice his age, than with the creative process. Still, Russell takes the magic or fascination out of being a struggling artist. Here it comes across as just plain hard labor without any allure. Russell’s Gaudier (Scott Anthony) is an exuberant free spirit, seemingly leaping and flying everywhere full of impetuous energy that knows no bounds. Dorothy Tutin is riveting as Sophie, his older lover. A young Helen Merrin appears in a few scenes as a suffragette. Visually, the film is rather tame for Russell when compared to many of his other more extravagant works.
My Dream Is Yours (***1/2) an odd little musical with a young Doris Day and second banana Jack Carson in the male lead role. Despite being a musical there are dark overtones of alcoholism and the death of a husband/father in the war. I am not much of a Doris Day fan (I’m diabetic and cannot take the sugar rush) generally avoiding her films like bee nests but Martin Scorsese discusses this film in the new book CONVERSATIONS WITH SCORSESE and liked it. Coincidently, it popped up on TCM and thought with the Scorsese recommendation, I would give it a try. The film is a mixed bag, but there is a wonderful dream sequence blending live action and animation featuring Bugs Bunny, along with Doris and Jack that is the highlight of the film. Location shots in Hollywood including Schwab’s Drugstore and The Brown Derby add a nice flavor.
Thanks John. The present idea for the links should diminish the pressure that always builds up during the day Sunday. But as I mentioned elsewhere, I always seem to go back to the old method. But with 20 or 25 links there would be more attention to the pared down numbers.
Ha on that fur ball gift! But that’s priceless! As far as Dee Dee’s gift, it was the icing on the cake so to speak, and most touching too when one considers here extreme kindness.
An at-home Fritz Lang Festival, eh? Fantastic.
I saw the stereotyping in THE RETURN OF FRANK JAMES, but I still liked the color work and some of the performances to give it one more star. It’s not anything close to a great film, but it’s still far better than one might believe.
Wonderful short essay on SAVAGE MESSIAH and completely agree on the four-star rating, as I do with BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. I know there are some dated aspects to FURY, but I’d go with four-and-one-half, and would rate WHEN THE CITY SLEEPS exactly where you have it. I like the description there of why you don’t care for Doris Day! Can’t say I blame you. I’m there with on that one as well.
Another spectacular wrap John. Many thanks my great friend!
And you still put up 29 links? You are incorrigible. I frankly can’t understand how you manage any links with the kind of schedule you maintain. I can’t wait to see Herzog’s new documentary. It seems to me the kind of film that would attract attention in a place like the Museum of Natural History. Tickets are dear though.
Allan Fish’s massive project is really something. Now there is a reference to follow.
Dee Dee defies description, and I say that in the best sense.
It’s funny you say that about the Museum of Natural History, Frank, as Lucille pretty much said the same thing after the screening. Yes, tickets are $17, and $13 for children and seniors. This 3D racket is definitely fueled by the high-priced tickets. Yes Allan’s all-time countdown is a high watermark for the site.
Dee Dee stands alone, it’s that simple.
Thanks as always my friend.
Sam,
Thank you for the link!
They opened CATERPILLAR already? That’s fast. It wasn’t received well here, I don’t know why. I am waiting “The Cave of…” to open here. I was wondering if another dimension would make any difference, but, after reading your comment, I made up my mind to go for 3D version definitely.
As you noted kindly, I started Postwar Kurosawa film essays. I work on them chronologically, so next up is “Drunken Angel”. I confess, I am a bit at loss what to do with “Idiot”. It’s an amazing film, really. I don’t want to write about “four and half hour original version” story, because it has been written extensively by many, well-informed people. It exists.
Things are getting much better here. Fukushima is still not contained but atmospheric radioactive contamination is now decreasing steadily. Yellow sands are less this week. And PM asked Chubu Electric Company to stop Hamaoka Nuclear Plant, “The Fool’s Nuke Plant”, which had been controversial for decades. It sits on the center of many geological weak points (faults), and much more susceptible to Tsunami than Fukushima. Temporary shutdown relieved us of many worries.
Anyway, keep up the good work!
MI
Hello my wonderful friend! I was just thinking of you in discussion with friends over the weekend. We were hoping that matters were coming under control in your great country. While I know it is painful to reflect on what has been happening, by the same token, it’s a way to keep everyone abreast and to bond the global community online. You detailed news here finally brings a smile to my face. The contamination decrease seems to indicate that healing is in place and the worst is now well behind you. The courage you and so many displayed by staying the course is incredible. And to have endured the fear, uncertainty and real threas to your existence all speak for themselves. You are one of the bravest persons I’ve ever came in contact with, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bearing your soul for us. That was incredibly generous and the sign of a true friend. I know I’ll never forget this, even while admitting it was always difficult to address.
CATERPILLAR was not (I would speculate) the kind of film that will reassure Japanese viewers and critics, though I don’t mean to imply that depressing subject matter should equate with negative assessment. You know Wakamatsu’s work well I’m sure and he’s one who doesn’t hold back. There were times I wanted to look away, but there was such an enveloping power at work here, and a modicum of truth at play. Anyway, his UNITED RED ARMY will be having a run in that same Manhattan theatre beginning two weeks from now.
I will definitely be looking at your terrific new series on Kurosawa. DRUNKEN ANGEL is an exceptional work, and all in all I think THE IDIOT is as well, though I can see the difficulty in categorizing it. It’s certainly unlike anything Kurosawa has done before. As always I’m sure this will be an essential series from you.
And there’s no doubt you will go for the Herzog in a very big way. Thanks a million for always keeping us in mind my excellent friend! The best to you all.
Thanks for the shout-out, Sam! I’m glad you enjoyed THOR. The trailers certainly have me intrigued and I always had a soft spot for the title character. I am really curious as to how Branagh treats the material. Thanks for your thoughts on this one. I always enjoy reading your capsule reviews on the latest stuff that you get to see.
J.D.: I did like THOR, and have high hopes you will too. Sure there are some silly lines and some overbearing pyrotechnics, but the Nordic mythological subject is a refreshing change in the superhero genre. Branagh directs with relentless energy, and realizes one needs to make an emotional connection. He’ll probably make a bundle on this.
Many thanks as always my very good friend!
Sam – My hat’s off to Dee Dee for the floral bouquet she sent to Lucille. What a beautiful gesture.
Coverage of the 3,000 greatest films every made? WOW! I’m looking forward to Allan Fish’s book.
“Enthusiasm and raw talent” — I loved reading about the high school students performing in Little Shop of Horrors; a great jumping-off point for an acting career.
I’ve been waiting to read your thoughts on “Thor” with the versatile Natalie Portman. That cinches the deal, Len and I will head to the big screen this week for date night.
And you STILL linked to 29 blogs. Good heavens. As a blogger I know the incredible investment of time that takes and I can’t even begin to imagine doing it week after week after week. Are you sure you aren’t the Energizer Bunny in Sam’s clothing?
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the beautiful interview. My jaw is still on my shoes at the incredible way you introduced the piece.
What a terrific response here Laurie!!!
Thanks for the very kind words about the blogger links. I know I complain sometimes, but I seem to muster up the energy to take it on the vast majority of weeks. When there’s too much going on of course, then I hedge. I was offered a new “system” by Dee Dee and others, but I’ve stubbornly stayed the course! Ha!
I’d love to hear what you and Len make of THOR. At the very least it’s entertaining, and the nordic slant gives a fresh twist on the superhero theme with some nifty updating to the present time. Always great to see Portman and Hopkins too. Yes, seeing those Manhattan high school kids in action was really special, and I was lucky to have two of my kids there to appreciate it. I think I’ll be checking out what the kidztheatre does next!
Allan’s feat may be the most incedible yet at this place; just teh thought of putting up that many films in numerical order boggles the mind!
Dee Dee is a saint. I’ve never doubted this.
And it was a major thrill to work with you on the blogger piece. The incredible response with comments and page views proves many agree!!!
Thanks as always my excellent friend!
That was a miraculous feature spotlight on Laurie Buchanan.
As far as “Thor” well, I’ll have to ponder that. I consider Werner Herzog one of the greatest contemporary artists, and his new film takes on a subject I’ve always been mesmerized with. Now let’s hope this doesn’t turn out to be a fraud, (like the cave in Spain.) The evidence so far makes Herzog’s claim legitimate.
Thanks on the very nice words about the Laurie Buchanan feature, Peter. It was surely one of the finest piece I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in at this site.
I heard about that fraudulent business in Spain. But word is that Herzog’s cave has been validated by worldwide experts. Supposedly it’s a real, bonafide find. Trust me, this film is your cup of coffee!
Thanks as always my friend!
Thanks for the mention Sam! Once again you put my blog, now in this even restrict blogroll, so you know how much I appreciate this… even idf you didn’t notice that what I did was an article of a PlayStation videogame! Hahahaha, well, those will be up on fridays, so anyone interested can go and read them. (Anyway I thank you a lot).
Well, Sam, you had a relazing week (for you), seeing that splendid musical that is ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, the movie I haven’t seen entire, but the part I saw, I just loved, I’ll see it one day.
Well, of what you saw, you know I loved ‘Thor’ giving it ****1/2, but there’s a star of a difference, so no big deal. Of the other two, I’d love to see them, the Herzog documentary maybe I’ll get to see it earlier.
My week, well, I got sick around tuesday and I still sneeze quite a bit, but that didn’t stop me in my duties as a student. On monday we saw the short we had to made for our Cinematography class, and I acted in it:
I also had a hand at the direction and the cinematography. As you can see, it’s well done. By the way, the only line said in the whole thing translates to: “Hello? Yeah… I got it for you”. Tuesday, I got to see my girlfriend.
Wednesday was tiring as we spent the whole day in front of the Coin House, which is the government palace, which had a bunch of stands in front, and some talks that we had to film for our TV workshop, I had to co-direct the whole thing at the switch. and it was a long affair.
Friday I accompanied my girlfirned to the library (I had to get a book too, ‘Snow Country’ of Kawabata, which I finished this weekend), and saturday we went to the mall to buy my mother a thing. Sunday was Mother’s Day, and we went to my uncle’s house in Talagante, which I spent the whole day reading, since I have a hard week ahead. (Thank God that the Cinematography teacher cancelled today’s class).
Well, my week, movie wise:
– Celebrity (1998, Woody Allen) ***1/2 Branagh does a good Allen impersonation and the b&w cinematography was really good, but it felt disjointed in its parts, specially towards who the protagonist was and who I had to root for. Still, not the disaster some people had warned me of.
– Deconstructing Harry (1997, Woody Allen) ***** Another favorite of Allen! This is his best performance so far, bleak, sad, just Woody Allen without any barrier, he’s exposing himself just as he is, and I can understand why he didn’t want to play Harry Block in first instance. The short stories were incredibly well done, as well as the fantasies.
– King Kong vs. Godzilla (1964, Ishiro Honda) **** Fun and just fun, this one is silly, and maybe the silliest of the Godzilla films that I’ve seen so far, but it’s ridicule is funny and childish in a way that makes you warm, so it’s all good. Sometimes it felt like Abbot & Costello meet Godzilla/King Kong, so it was all fun.
– Moonfleet (1955, Fritz Lang) *** This one is at my blog, the reason why I didn’t like it that much.
– Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964, Ishiro Honda) **** Quite a human drama is set here, a good message about nuclear experimentations, and what may be the best array of characters in a Godzilla movie so far, everyone well acted and distinct, which always helps to make a movie memorable in the future.
– Ghidorah, the three headed Monster (1964, Ishiro Honda) **** The most destructive monster in the universe fights Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra’s baby. This one wins because of the amazing effects and fights, as well as quite a convoluted political plot and themes. The Venusian thing I didn’t quite understood.
– Sweet and Lowdown (1999, Woody Allen) ***1/2 The story of a guitar player may be interesting, and the acting was phenomenal, but I didn’t feel any of the Allen tropes, neither of his comedy or his splendid dramas. He doesn’t really know what to do with this and so, he loses my interest.
Well, Sam, have a terrific week!
So that’s you Jaime? It’s always odd to put a face to a name (or a character revealed in words). Hola!
The short isn’t bad at all. The bit that leads up to the door slam is the best part of the film. The image at 1:45 I like too. At times it reminds me of a couple of Lynch DV shorts.
That’s me. I like the sound design, I wish I could do something like that.
“My week, well, I got sick around tuesday and I still sneeze quite a bit, but that didn’t stop me in my duties as a student….”
I was wondering Jaime if these are the symptions associated with the seasonal allergies, but then I realized you are in the southern hemisphere, and it’s really moving closer to winter now down by you. So you probably have a cold. Anyway I hope you are feeling better. As far as the blog link, you know of course you are a charter member in that regard for as long as you maintain your site. Why?
1.) staff writer at Wonders in the Dark
2.) tenacious commenter/super active blogger
3.) one of the most supportive persons out there
4.) open and frank, two rare qualities
5.) irresistible friend
6.) a cherished member and representative of the international community
7.) has shown extraordinary appreciation by posting reviews of DVD copies.
8.) a tireless university student.
Well Jaimie, I’d say your about as rock solid as any blogger I know! Ha!
I LOVED your film, and am thrilled you were able to post it on this thread so others could see it, as Stephen did!!! I had remembered you from the other film, though you are to be seen more thoroughly this time. Like the phone retreat! Ha!
Great that you went to the mall pre-Mother’s Day, and saw your girlfriend, and had some fruitful time in front of the Coin House, where you co-directed! And you had an all-encompassing role with the film, manning the camera (as you note) and again co-directing! You are truly a model in the way you pack so much into one week! Reading, performing, creating, and watching loads of movies to boot!
I can’t fault you for giving THOR that 4 and one-half rating as it was undeniably fun and reasonably well-made. I’m happy for Branagh though!
The Honda Godzilla films have risen in critical estimation over the last 15 to 20 years, and I can’t contest they are always fun to watch. The satirical underpinning is a special “extra.” I have seen all three and think the ratings are fair. The capsules are quite good too. I have a music CD to GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA interestingly enough.
I liked MOONFLEET a bit more, but as I stated at EXODUS 8:2 under your very fine review, I know this film was not a favorite of very many. You spelled out the issues quite effectively.
You have apparently been on a Woodly Allen binge over the past weeks. Wow, you went the distance with DECONSTRUCTING HARRY! I’ll go four with it, but I have some friends who completely agree with you. As far as CELEBRITY and SWEET AND LOWDOWN I am just about where you stand on them. The star ratings are precisly where I’d go on both.
And you read “Snow Country of Kawabata” as well with everything else going! You are a bionic man for sure!
Spectacular stuff, and many thanks my friend!
JAIME-Loved the film you left here (did you lose weight???? You look thinner)…
My problems with CELEBRITY is that the film is more of a hodgepodge of ideas about being in the spotlight that never truly takes off with the disjointed narrative structure of the film. The picture is more impressionistic than most of Allen’s more serious work and while I understand where the director is TRYING to go, namely showing us the insanity of fame in rapid spurts and fits, its parts definately outweigh the whole. Branagh tries heartily to take comfort in the shoes of Woody, but his performance feels forced and a guy with his looks and machismo really doesn’t convince. Allen would have been better served with his better alter-ego actor, John Cusack, in the role.
DECONSTRUCTING HARRY is, in my humble opinion, one of the true BOMBS in Allen’s canon. It’s flighty, profane, disjointed and, worst of all, NOT FUNNY. This is the film that signified to me that the great director was in serious need of a rest period to get his head put on straight…
SWEET AND LOWDOWN is one of the rare later Allen masterpieces. The detail and recreation of the period is damn near flawless. What is also amazing is that the infusion of the “testimonials” almost have you believing that what you are being handed is true. Sean Penn had been a target for many of Woody Allen’s projects for almost a decade before they connected with this, and the wait was well worth it. Both the film and Penn’s performance are a wonderful sight to behold. Hovering over it all, however, is the tricky but skilled turn by Samantha Morton making more poignant statements as a mute than for all the non-stop talking and belly-aching Penn’s main does through the course of the film. Along with MATCHPOINT, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA and WHATEVER WORKS, this is Woody Allen’s strongest film since he started to “slip”. Still, he’s making better movies than just about anyone anyway.
GODZILLA VS KING KONG… LOL!!!!! I couldn’t agree with you more!!!! The film was a yearly favorite of mine as a kid watching on THE MILLION DOLLAR MOVE on channel 9 when I was a kid and we had that old set that only played in black and white and had tin foil on the rabbit-ear antennae to get better reception.
ONE THING THOUGH????
Did you ever notice that KONG is so much taller in this film than he was in the original 1933 film. In ’33 he’s only about 25 feet tall and scales the Empire State Building. In GODZILLA VS KING KONG he’s tall enough to STEP on the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING…
What happened?
I guess he was eating his Cheerio’s!!!! (musta ben an enormous spoon)…
I think I have a theory with the King Kong, this is the parent of the 1933 version, because he’s: a. bigger and b. alive.
Yeah, I keep losing weith, since I left sugar forever.
Sam, thanks so much for the wonderful mention.
That is incredibly thoughtful of Dee Dee. I hope you and all of our friends had a great day yesterday.
I have yet to see a film from Wakamatsu, but I need to do something about that soon. This week was a little slower for me. I saw: MAFIOSO, MURDER BY CONTRACT, BLAST OF SILENCE, and AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON. I definitely enjoyed them all but was probably most struck by the Lerner film. It just seems like such a unique and under-discussed noir.
Thanks, Sam, so much, for all that you do. Here’s to another awesome week!
And many thanks to you Jeffrey! I’m sure you all has a wonderful Mother’s Day down in the Bayou. Yes Dee Dee’s thoughtfulness knows no bounds, though she has simply done way too much for me and everyone else she knows. Her tireless work on the site sidebar for the past 8 months or so cannot be underestimated either, and her Mother’s Day poster is lovely.
Jeffrey, I suspect with your visceral instrinct that you will go for Wakamatsu in a very big way. I can’t be 100% certain, but it’s a hunch based partly on the progressive style (blending film stock with video footage runs through all his films) and the profundity of his subjects. CATERPILLAR was often too disturbing to watch, dealing as it does with a man who has his limbs blown off during the war, and relies on his wife to feed and serve him. And there’s a kind of grotesque sexual energy at work here. But I’ll say no more, I’ve said too much already. The director’s UNITED RED ARMY will be coming to the IFC in a few weeks too, though Allan notes that film is a few years old. Yet it never had a US opening until now.
Talk about coincidence Jeffrey, I just responded a few minutes ago to Samuel Wilson below, and lo and behold he watched that film as well this week, and like you was impressed, though perhaps he was more in a minor key. MAFIOSO and BLAST OF SILENCE are fine enough, but my choice is no surprise to you I’m sure. Ha! Ozu’s AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON, the master’s final film tells another poignant story about family, while continuing the examination of westernization.
As always your comments are cherished here my friend!
Sam,
Thanks for the mention! I fully understand you cutting back (though haven’t you promised this before!). That is until I’m not included…haha
I’m amazed that you’ve continued for so long what is, as far as I can tell, a unique recommendation/encouragement of others in the blog world.
I saw a couple of films this week:
Red Cliff *** I liked the emphasis on tactics and mind games though there are only so many shots of flying arrows and explosions you can take before it wears thin. One fantastic shot involving a dove taking us over the battlefield.
The second film I may well post about very soon.
Yes Stephen, I’ve promised it before but never follow through. I said I would only go with 20, and instead go with 29 this week, so you can basically ignore whatever I say. My mind is all over the map! I got a good laugh though what you say there about it all being fine until I leave you out!!! hahahahaha!! Well, Stephen, as long as WitD survives and as long as I’m breathing you will ALWAYS be features in this feature. Your spectacular performance in the animation countdown makes you an untouchable charter member here……..I know, I know……..now you can sleep at night, huh! LOL!!!
Well I’ll be looking for the imminent appearance of that mystery film, but you are dead on with RED CLIFF there as far as I’m concerned. Overall very mediocre.
Many thanks as always my friend!
Thanks so much for the mention Sam. I really appreciated the work you do. Your site is my first visit when I go to work in the morning. I have three more reviews to post as my Hot Docs week ended yesterday. All in all a great fest this year. I will keep updating you if I post anything new, since I can be a bit sporadic and posting.
All the best,
Dave
Thanks so very much for saying that Dave! And your further kind words about your first morning choice is deeply appreciated! Ill definitely be checking out all your capsules and soon!
Thanks Sam for the mention.
I had a lazy weekend after a long time. Slept to my heart’s glory… in fact, I slept so much over these 2 days that I remained wide awake a long time in my bed last night. I guess I’ll now have to make up for that by going to sleep early tonight 🙂 Anyway, I also managed to watch 3 famous classics – Tati’s Mon Oncle, Woody Allen’s Husbands & Wives, and Fuller’s The Naked Kiss. With my 500th review coming up (just posted my 483rd review), I intend to watch mostly classic & acclaimed films for sometime. Hoping to start posting the reviews of the 3 films and Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat soon.
As you rightly pointed out, Allan’s countdown of 3000 best films is certainly the “mother” of all countdowns. As I remarked earlier in his first entry in the series, I really wonder how many hours he must have put in just to catalogue and, more importantly, rank those 3000 films! All I can say to that is, Bravo!!!
As for providing links to various activities in the blogosphere, despite what you say, it has become an indelible, and I daresay, an iconic feature of WitD in general & Monday Morning Diary in particular. I’ve a feeling, despite what you say, you’ll find it had to do away with this marvelous facet of your incredibly popular weekly updates post. 🙂
Shubhajit: We all need to recharge our batteries, and the weekend is certainly a time to play catch up on that front. And congratulations to you for approaching your 500th post! I’ll definitely be aboard to join in the celebration. Good strategy to be sure sticking to the classics for the lead up, and those are three fine choices to take on next. Tati’s film is my favorite of those three.
Allan is an incomparable workhorse, and for sure he put in an ungodly number of hours. Heck, Danny Peary has nothing on Allan, that’s for sure!
Yes, at the end of the day the link feature is part of the fabric of this site, and I’m sure it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
As always my very good friend, thanks for the great submission here!
For a second there I thought you’d be taking a nice breal after Tribeca. But the weekend you had suggests otherise. And that play with the high schoolers was a perfect venue to take your kids to. I’ve attended a few down in Florham Park, and always had a great time. The energy and the passion are there full flower.
Mr Fish’s list of 3,000 is an incalcuable achievement.
David: That’s wonderful that you’ve seen some of the youth reviews in Florham Park. It’s especially rewarding to watch talented young people, driven solely by the desire to make it. I just wish I had taken more han just Sammy and Jeremy, but when I tried to add more tickets it was too late. I did take a break, but was far too tempted on the weekend. Ha!
Yes, Allan Fish has really set the bar with this new project, and he didn’t have to write a single extra word beyond the titles. They speak for themselves.
Many thanks my friend.
I guess I saw the wrong Portman FXer with ‘Your Higness,’ though I won’t jump on a skateboard any time soon to see ‘Thor,” Branagh or no.
Caught up with ‘Away From Her,’ a deeply felt film about a depressing subject, Alzheimer’s disease, the loss of self. The film’s been justly praised by now so I can’t add much, except to say this is the best performance by J. Christie I’ve seen. Obviously she’s aged since her heyday as a mod bauble of iconic 60’s films like ‘Billy Liar,’ ‘Darling’ and ‘Petulia’. Back then she struck me as a great clothes pony striking voguish poses, blankly staring and pouting with that great pendulous lower lip of hers.
But now, freed of vanity and the requisites of youth and sex and hip attitudinizing, she completely inhabits her character and every moment rings true as she singlemindedly bears down on this woman facing the abyss. She’s received many accolades for this performance and I think she deserves them all.
Some have carped about Christie’s looks here, that she’s just too beautiful to be credible in the role — the same critics who rhapsodize over her in ‘McCabe & Mrs. Miller,’ where she looked more like a chic bohemian from SoHo than a frontier madam in the grimy Northwest territory ca. 1900. I wonder what the ladies of a real brothel looked like back then. Not like Ms. Christie, I’d wager.
Anyway, ‘Away From Her’ made me want to dig up ‘Petulia’ again (which, if memory serves, opens with Janis Joplin and Big Brother performing at a charity benefit called ‘Shake for Highway Safety’). Ah, the sixties, and whatever happened to the gifted R. Lester?
Sam, I’m still sorting out my response to Jancso and “Silence and Cry,’ which grows more impressive each time I see it (3 times).
The film runs 72 minutes and, excluding the newsreel clips at the beginning, contains only 26 cuts. That’s an average of 2 minutes and 45 seconds for each shot! I think there’s an aesthetic, non-utilitarian reason for this, not related to the rigors of a state-controllled film industry, and I’m waiting for delivery of ‘The Round-Up,’ ‘The Red and the White,’ and ‘Red Psalm,’ which I purchased over the weekend, to get a sense of Jancso’s development.
Who is this angel we all know as Dee Dee? What a kind, generous person!
Ha Marck! While I won’t say Portman does anything special in THOR, it’s a face that is easy on the eyes for sure. But yeah, YOUR HIGHNESS won’t be remembered very long as a star vehicle, that’s for sure!
AWAY FROM HER represented a remarkable directorial debut for Sarah Polley, the actress who played the young girl in the Canadian gem by Atom Egoyan, THE SWEET HEREAFTER. As it is, I must say I am COMPLETELY with you here, as I love the film exceedingly. I was rooting for Julie Christie at the Oscars, though it seems her win back in 1965 for DARLING (in a surprising triumph over Julie Andrews, who many thought would win her second award in a row for THE SOUND OF MUSIC) probably had many voters thinking “she’s won already.” Cotiard was quite good too, so it was a tough call. Anyway, Christie may well have given her most nuanced and motionally compelling performance in AWAY FROM HER, I quite agree. I love that sentence, where you frame the cultural scope of the 60’s! Lester was indeed gifted, and his work with the Beatles still holds critical sway today. But I am trying to remember how PETULIA opened, without looking for the disc. I think you are quite right.
Geez, Mark, I could have helped you there with those Janscos you ordered, but at any rate I do see THE ROUND UP as his masterpiece and look forward to engaging you more intricately when you return for some analysis. Jansco is one of the greatest directors from Eastern Europe, and his work could rightfully be compared with Tarr, both stylistically and thematically. SILENCE AND CRY is definitely the repeat kind of movie, so I’m not surprised you saw it three times, though I admire your dilience.
Many thanks as always my excellent friend!
Yeah, I never suspected the Christie of ‘Dr. Zhivago’ and ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ would evolve into the actress of ‘Hamlet,’ Afterglow’ and ‘Away from Her.’
I have a lousy VHS copy of ‘Petulia’ I recorded on late night TV back in the late 80’s with all the commercials painstakingly edited out. It was shown on some Chicago station, probably butchered to fit the time slot, poor audio, washed-out color, but it still packs a punch and Scott is, well, Scott, a force of nature who dominates the screen when he’s on it. There’s a remarkable scene with Scott, Shirley Knight and a bag of cookies… I don’t want to spoil it for you, let’s just say I realized I’d been holding my breath when the scene finished. Nic Roeg did the remarkable photography and I’ve never seen SF look so exotic and alien. Oh, and Jerry Garcia and the Dead stop by for a brief appearance, too! ‘Petulia’ was surely influenced by Antonioni’s ‘Blow-Up’ as a prism cast on a particular city and its culture and inhabitants. If you haven’t seen it for a while, I recommend a revisit, Sam.
By the way, if you have them, I’d love a collection of 60s Lester -‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ ‘The Knack,’ ‘How I Won the War,’ ‘The Bed-Sitting Room’ and an unmutilated version of ‘Petulia’ only if it isn’t a bother. I realize you’re very busy and I certainly don’t want to impose, but the Lester of that era is a favorite of mine, just an overflowing abundance of effervescent style and with. And Lawrence Marcus’s script for ‘Petulia’ is a wild and literate lulu. But only if you have the time, Sam. Only if you have the time.
Later, my good friend.
PS: Just revisted Leigh’s ‘Naked,’ a film I found repellent back in the 90’s. Boy, was I wrong! What a powerful, complex and obscenely funny journey through the gutter. I’ll have more to say about it next week. Later.
Mark, you are welcome to any copies of any films I have here at all times. As it turns out you are definitely tempting me to pick up a proper DVD of PETULIA, which has somehow eluded me. I saw it many years ago, and will have to see what region offers the best version. Your discussion of teh film is typically fascinating. I do have A HARD DAY’S NIGHT of course (I also have HELP!) and you will have copies. I love John Lennon, but always found HOW I WON THE WAR as a kind of torture to sit through. I will work on getting copies of some of the others too. Beyond that my friend, I do have copies of the yet-unreleased-on-legitimate-DVD THE EMIGRANTS and THE NEW WORLD (Troell) I know you will want those and I can’t say I blame you!
Incidentally, talk about coincidence, I felt precisely the same way after my first viewing of NAKED, and have now come around on it. The Criterion blu-ray will be something, but even on the standard DVD it’s excellently presented.
We’ll talk soon my friend!
Sam, the Diary has always been a case of above and beyond the call of duty, and downsizing it a little would be more than understandable. My own stats tell me that Wonders has been one of the top three referring sites for Mondo 70 some weeks, and as you note it’s usually when you have me near the top. Perhaps it’d be easier for you and your readers alike simply to have a daily diary of a top five recommended sites each day. It’s at least a hypothesis that can be tested, and in any event, thanks for putting me on the list again today.
As you may have read by now, I also ventured out to Thor. My opinion of it is shaped by my being an old Marvel Comics fan and a onetime fan of Kenneth Branagh, but the very least anyone can say on Thor’s behalf is that it isn’t another Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Between watching and reviewing that and my happy obligations of yesterday I didn’t see much this weekend, but I did watch and appreciate Ronald Neame’s Escape From Zahrain, while Irving Lerner’s Murder By Contract doesn’t live up to its ice-coolly existential opening act but is still an item of interest as a sign of noir evolving into whatever you want to say came next.
As usual Samuel you size up the situation with the blogging links -like you size up everything else – with common sense and precisely the right words. I guess whenever I get flustered over the weekend when I have a lot to do, I go into one of my ‘cut down’ tangents. Still, it does seem rather silly to post up 50 links, as that number tends to discourage more than encourage readers to click. Your ‘highlight’ proposition is a sound one, and I’ll weigh everything and see where I’ll go. But there will almost always be at least 20 links, and you are a charter member. The brilliance of your comments is matched by your ceaseless loyalty to this site.
You were a “onetime” fan of Kenneth Branagh? I bet it was on the strength of HENRY V and HAMLET, no? Well, those were his two great films, though I guess I can tolerate MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and DEAD AGAIN. And I see where you are coming from as a Marvel fan. Seems like we both thought THOR was at least reasonably entertaining. The reviews were actually (for the most part) very solid. As far as MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, I’d tend to agree that the less said the better! Ha! Branagh’s PETER’S FRIENDS was forgettable too as I recall. I agree with those sentiments on the Ronald Neame film, but remember being unimpressed with MURDER BY CONTRACT.
Thanks again for the typically excellent (and thoughtful) comment my friend.
Thanks for the link Sam. The only film I saw on the big screen this week was Historias Extraordinarias, which I downloaded awhile back but for whatever reason had not gotten around to, so when I saw it was playing at the MOMA I figured that’d be the thing to do. I got there a little early and whatever was screening before finished a little late, and one of the last people to exit I recognized but couldn’t place who it was, and I am sure I was making him feel awkward just staring at him, and then I realized it was Kent Jones, which was funny. The movie itself was absolutely incredible, really kind of blew me away with not only how good it was but how accessible it was, given that my familiarity with contemporary arthouse Argentinean cinema has been limited to films by people like Alonso and Martel.
You saw HISTORIAS EXTRAORDINARIAS at MOMA and then saw Kent Jones? Wow. You had some weekend by any barometer! Joel Bocko reviewed HISTORIAS here at WitD, and I recall it being one of his most remarkable essays. Sorry to say I have still to watch it, and hope you decide on a screen cap display at THE LONG VOYAGE HOME as that film would seem to be a perfect subject. I quite agree that on the short list of Argentine cinema, the film you saw is generally considered to be among the best films ever made there. And seeing it at MOMA was extra sweet, what with the viewing condition, and then that celebrity siting!
Many thanks as always my friend!
I’m still gong through the recent noir list and have seen a few through NF – this new list is an amazing undertaking and of course, who can ever agree on everything listed or not or where on the list it appears – what a journey though and I’m sure we’ll find lots to add to the never ending list we have already –
Am so glad you don’t have to look at my blog – and tried to mention not many from here were looking – especially since it’s about films and mine is all over the place –
Besides, right now I’m looking into a few venues to show my mail art show – thus, not too much blogging really, and feel flat for it, but not for the creative stuff –
Cheers to ya’ll for keeping up and expanding all the info here – it’s always a joy = Cheers!
Michael, you are a Prince, and I say that in every sense of the word. I hit a blogging lull over the past few weeks (Tribeca was a major culprit of course) and I have neglected a few sites including your own. Your friendship is deeply cherished my friend. Yeah, I know you say you haven’t done much blogging as of late, but there’s always something interesting there. Good luck with the mail art show, and thanks for checking out the various ventures going on here at WitD. Your comment under Laurie Buchanan’s interview was terrific as well.
PS: Yikes, I too wanted to say DD is in a place for her own for all she does = Cheers!
Amen Michael. She’s all goodness and then some.
Thanks very much for the plug, Sam, but I’ve got to say I hate the thought of you spending all that time on this posting every week. Cutting back sounds like the way to go, and, while I appreciate your kindness, I definitely won’t be offended if I’m missed out, especially if you use the time you save to write some of your own reviews!
This week I saw two 1940s films with war themes, both from box sets that I’m working my way through… ‘Watch on the Rhine’ (1943), starring Bette Davis and ‘Dive Bomber’, starring Errol Flynn. I found both of these rather patchy. ‘Watch on the Rhine’ only really comes alive in the scenes featuring George Coulouris as the villain, and, while Paul Lukas is good in the lead, I can’t imagine how he beat Bogart in ‘Casablanca’ for the Oscar. Davis doesn’t get much of a look-in.
‘Dive Bomber’ is good in the serious medical/military sections but let down by some dire “comic” scenes. Also a shame they bothered to include any women in this film, as they are all cardboard cutouts!
I also watched a more recent film, though the story is set in the 1930s, ‘Amelia’ (2009), starring Hilary Swank as Amelia Eckhart, with Richard Gere and Ewan Macgregor. I thought this was watchable enough, but didn’t have the urgency of the 1930s aviation dramas that I’ve seen – and it was a bit of a shock seeing Christopher Eccleston trying to do an American accent! Anyway, I did quite enjoy all these three films, but can’t see myself wanting a second viewing of any of them.
PS, I meant to say that I’m enjoying Allan’s top 3,000 (have I seen that many films in my whole life? not sure)… and wondering which genre countdown is coming up next?
Judy, it is unclear whether the musical or the science fiction countdown will be up next; it all depends what Bob Clark -who will negotiate the latter- wants to do. The ball in in his court, as that polling was originally supposed to be the first one, before we settled on horror. I will be doing the musicals with some serious collaboration with Pat Perry, though I couldn’t see that polling commencing before mid summer (perhaps late July or early August, but it will happen–I have already been purchasing some musicals I never got around to, amd revisiting favorites and have picked up some film books).
Yes, Allan is a living legend, as these lists finally confirm for the doubters. Ha!
Thanks, Sam – I’ll admit I’m not a big sci-fi fan, but I am definitely looking forward to the musicals, whenever that countdown turns out to be!
Judy, there is NO WAY EVER that you would be left off the blogger links! Ever! To say that you have been one of the very best and most prolific commentators here would be the understatement of the year. I can’t thank you enough for all you have done at this site, and for imparting that wonderful personality in every sense. Your friendship is cherished, I can tell you that. If I were forced to limit the links to only 5, be rest assured you are one of those 5! As it is I will take it a week at a time, but the very least I will go with are the 20. Perhaps there will be more as was the case this week. Thanks so much for the support and kinds words on that matter.
I haven’t seen AMELIA (I think I avoided it! Ha!) but completely agree with you on the older two (and you surely have AMELIA sized up perfectly!) and like you find it incredible that Lukas could have beat out Bogart for the Oscar that year–I’m actually getting confused now–I know Cagney won for YANKEE DOODLE DANDY in 1942, so Lukas won in 43. Either way or upside down or backwards, Lukas didn’t deserve any Oscar in those packed years. And Davis was admittedly nothing special there. The Flynn movie is forgettable, so again you’ve framed it perfectly.
Many thanks as always my great friend!
You are much too kind, Sam, but I do really mean I wouldn’t be offended! Thanks very much for those nice comments.:)
I just checked back and Lukas actually beat Bogart to the Oscar in 1944, even though the movies were released in 43 and 42 respectively. I suppose at least ‘Casablanca’ got best film.
Happy Monday Sam!
Glad to hear that Lucille had a lovely Mother’s Day – she deserved it.
“Bombastic and a bit overlong,” to me, describes most of Kenneth Branagh’s directorial efforts, although I’m still a sucker for many of them. “Thor” would not usually be on my list of must-sees, but since Branagh directed, I will probably see it.
The past week was a vacation week for us – Marlon and I snuck off to the small resort town of South Haven, MI for some much-needed R&R near the Lake Michigan shore. Four days of wine tasting, bookstore browsing, beach walking and sleeping late make a world of difference in one’s outlook! I’m behind on current films, but in the last 10 days have seen stage productions of “Aida” (Elton John, not Verdi, and frankly I hated the music!) and “Next to Normal,” the latter with the original Broadway star, Alice Ripley. Sadly Ripley’s singing voice is just about shot after two years in this demanding role – still, her performance was poignant and powerful and I found the production both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Is the Best Musicals series still in the works? I’m still more than willing to contribute. My own blog, as you can see, is beyond dormant these days, but I would happy to take on an assignement to spur me back into writing.
Lucille did indeed have a nice day Pat–the weather was really supportive too! We all went out to eat in a local restaurant. Lucille had chicken parmigiana, I had chicken marsala and the kids…well they had what they always have–burgers, chicken fingers and the like! I hope and I trust that you had a lovely day as well in the Windy City area.
With Branagh I found there were two great ones–HENRY V and HAMLET. After that you view him at your own risk. But the best thing about THOR methinks, is that he’ll earn a lot of money now so he can hopefully persue more worthy projects. (perhaps more Shakespeare if he’s got the energy)
Win tasting, book browsing, book store shopping and sleeping late? Ha! Now THAT is really the life Pat! And with your romantic interest–bliss in every sense!!! Anyway, yes there’s certainly a major difference there between the Elton John AIDA and the Verdi AIDA, that’s for sure. I’m with you on the former’s shabby score for sure. Ripley was a huge star in that show (NTN) and it’s sad but inevitable that her voice would fade out. Great and powerful production indeed!
The musical poll will absolutely be moving forward, though I can see it is still a few months away for a number of reasons. But I greatly look forward to working with you on this, and in fact have some ideas to throw around with you soon by e mail. Your own expertise and enthusiasm for this genre is a perfect fit Pat!
We’ll definitely talk soon!!! Thanks as always for the fantastic wrap my friend!
howdy Sam,
Nice to see that you’ve made use of and enjoyed the festival.
I’ve continued my reading of the speculative fiction and more of the major non-genre authors; moving on from Preistely – whose best work would have made magnificent ‘Twilight Zone’ episodes. Maugham was stunningly gripping. Robert Graves – about 7 stories was very marginal and I’d expected better. Evelyn Waugh had some interesting stories ‘The Man Who Liked Dickens’ has a nightmarish tinge, whilst ‘Love Among the Ruins’ a scientific romance from the early ’50s, a well crafted and fascinating and notorius dystopia of the near future is a knee jerk response to the Welfare State, revealing an idiotic and moronic intellect at work. I’m on Graham Greene right now, brilliant writer.
For movies….
3.10 to Yuma*** (1957) – an absolutely brilliant western supposedly made on a low budget but showing no signs of it. The casting is perfection, the direction and photography pitch perfect with scene after scene striking an iconic B/W pose that ecapsulates the western. I’d rate it next to the imperial ‘High Noon’ were it not for the last two minutes or so in which the most unlikely, out of character twist happens.
Bulliet*** A mid ’60s crime movie with a very basic plot, similar to the Bogart noir ‘The Enforcer’, but with snazzy, gleamingly cool and sleek photography that makes it look like an elegant magazine cover in motion. A closer examination of the routine plot and other such elements, including the undercooked central romance don’t amount to enough with such style at work. It makes all of Mike Mann’s crimes thrillers (including the overrated ‘heat’) look like midgets.
Medium Cool** (1969) – An utterly fascinaating, though not wholly successful cinema verite documentary/fiction film but so fully engaged in the spirit of the times and it commands attention.
I’ll have more entries next week, including a most remarkable discovery – worthy of Thriller/Twilight Zone, from a little seen English picture, but I’ll have my PC back from repairs by then.
Bobby, as you have no doubt noticed I have ported over your comment from last week’s thread to make the response more topical, though I know from the comment here that you are pondering a continuation. In any case please accept my apology for the late response, which is more a matter of time than anything else. Your contributions to this thread have alway sbeen of the “towering” variety.
I’m quaking to know what this “little seen British picture” is that rivals THRILLER/TWILIGHT ZONE!
The words you use to frame MEDIUM COOL are dead-on. I’ve never felt much more than that myself, though it is at times fascinating. As far as BULLIET, I’ll add that Lalo Schifrin jazzy score is superb, and the film’s editing is most accomplished. You warm my heart when you downgrade though impossibly overrated Michael Mann thrillers!
I love YUMA too, though in the end I agree it doesn’t quite match HIGH NOON. But for you without the ending it would. Interesting.
All those writers you discuss are great with my own favorites being Greene and Maugham.
This was a great wrap as always and I am looking ahead to the additions. Many thanks my friend, and sorry again for the delay.
Sam – Maybe you start charging a nominal fee to be featured as one of the top three links? (JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!)
I’m surprised by your liking of THOR, as I have been by the generally good reviews it has received all around, though FAST FIVE apparently has the same positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes – so, I’ll take your word over the masses on most things 🙂 I might have to give old THOR a try now, though perhaps not until Netflix. The Herzog has made its way to Philly and I hope to catch it soon.
On DVD I viewed three mediocre but passable films for time killers/entertainment:
THE SWITCH – *** This preposterously plotted sitcom-y rom-com was surprisingly not bad, like a BIG DADDY for the “Arrested Development” set. Jason Bateman was good in the lead role and he had great chemistry with the little kid who had some awesome comic timing and hilarious deadpan deliveries. Too bad Jennifer Anniston was there appearing like a dead fish on screen. A few more touch-ups to the script and someone like Sandra Bullock instead of Anniston could’ve turned this thing into a real hit.
THE WAY BACK – *** – Some awesome locale shooting (loved the Great Wall scene and the Himalaya Mountains) and a generally engaging true story of escape/survival made this Peter Weir film digestible, though there were some scenes that stretched on forever and the conclusion seemed rushed after everything else was so drawn out. Some script touch-ups and tighter editing would’ve made this more memorable.
ALL GOOD THINGS – **1/2 – An okay turn from Gosling and a pretty great one from Kristen Dunst made this “inspired by a true crime” story watchable – but again, there was a rushed nature to the conclusion and there was a complete absence of any emotional/dramatic climax to the story. The build-up was pretty good, though – it’s a shame it got wasted on what is essentially a pointless story.
Hahahaha David!! Now that’s an idea!
I’ll admit David, that I wasn’t really expecting much from THOR as it was firstly a superhero movies, and secondly am action-adventure film. That’s two strikes against it as far as I’m concerned. But I have respect for Kenneth Branagh, who at times in his career exhibited great taste. I liked the alternate take on the theme, and the humor and the eye-candy were there to keep the pace brisk, and everybody seemed to be having fun.
I’m completely with you on ALL GOOD THINGS, which I just saw recently (yes Dunst is the star here) and thought forgettable. Gosling was more impressive in BLUE VALENTINE.
I didn’t care much at all for THE WAY BACK, which I found long, tedious and manipulative. I am a fan of Weir (HANGING ROCK, GALIPOLI, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, WITNESS, THE LAS WAVE, MASTER AND COMMANDER) but this film were torturous to sit through. What you say there about tighter editing is 100% true.
I have not seen THE SWITCH, but very much appreciate what appears to be a fair to good assessment. Yep, Bullock’s stock has risen, and at this point is far preferable to Aniston.
Anyway, I hope you are able to see Herzog’s film soon, and as always appreciate the wonderful report my friend!
Thanks so much for the mention Sam. Your work in putting up these links and identifying other bloggers is much appreciated. Like others, I am amazed at how you even find time to read online given your busy cinema/theater/opera schedule 🙂
I am afraid Koji Wakematsu’s last two features, Caterpillar and United Red Army have still eluded me but I hope they will eventually turn up in whatever form, cinematic or DVD.
I am still in awe of Allan’s list and I have been taking it in slowly. I have a feeling I will be referencing it for a long while. Wow..he has already posted the next batch. Deep breath, pause, and commencing another dive into more titles…
Thanks for the very kind words Sachin! There are instances when taking on the more time-consuming projects at this site does have you resolving to cut back, but when the weekend rolls around I feel I must stay the course. It’s an odd kind of conflicted feeling. But as I said above I will try to keep some consistency with this.
Allan reminds me that UNITED RED ARMY is really a 2009 film, so hopefully you’ll get a run of it by you soon enough. Again Allan was right when he declared Wakamatsu an “essential” director after he watched ECSTASY OF ANGELS. After watching CATERPILLAR over the weekend I am definitely on board.
Allan’s list goes beyond anything we’ve seen before, and you give some sage advice in approaching it! Ha!
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Thanks as always for your kind mention of Creative Potager Sam. It is always a pleasure to connect with you:)
This past week we saw three excellent movies.
STRANGER THAN FICTION (2006) Directed by Marc Forster which I adored for its exploration of a writer’s relationship to their fictional characters. The very dry angst humour had me belly laughing more than once. Not a film for everyone I am sure but I loved it.
THE MISSION (1986) Directed by Roland Joffé is a stunningly beautiful film both for its filmography and the natural beauty of the South American Indian actors. Robert De Niro was at I would say his best I have seen. A powerful, thoughtful, suspenseful and complex film. I won’t say much because this is a film best viewed with fresh eyes and then explored further. We watched the whole of the directors commentary the next night as well.
FUGITIVE PIECES (2007) Directed by Jeremy Podeswa is yet another excellent journey into human character development and our ability to survive and eventually thrive – even if it takes most of a life time. Beautiful deep reflective move with some great place anchors such as the apartments and the Spanish villa.
Well there you have it Sam three Gems I would suggest must be on everyone’s watch list.
Best of the week to you Sam and all 🙂
Once again Terrill you have enhanced the movie landscape superlatively with a discussion of some films that may have escaped the radar of cineastes with a hankering for the unusual. Of the three, I know THE MISSION quite well and have the DVD on hand. It is powerful, thoughtful and complex, and that ravishing cinematography you rightly tout (by Chris Menges) won both the Oscar and the Palme d’Or. I also thought the film boasted a fantastic score by film composer extraordinaire Ennio Morricone. The title will make a picture perfect blu-ray, and as a lover of natural settings I can see why this one had you enthralled. But I feel the same way too. De Niro was indeed first-rate too.
I liked ADAPTATION more than STRANGER THAN FICTION, but my views were shot down when I offered a more moderate reaction to Marc Forster’s film. I liked the director’s MONSTER’S BALL quite a bit, but something rubbed me wrong with STF, though I am in a decided minority. Even Lucille loves the film. So Terrill, I am at a loss to explain why I still haven’t discovered the film’s magic, but at some point I will give it another go on DVD.
FUGITIVE PIECES is indeed affecting, and I well remember the powerful use of montages. It’s a most memorable Holocaust piece.
Have a great week as well Terrill. Always a treat to have you talk about your movie watching!
Hi! Sam Juliano…
I can see that you, had a very interesting week…Once again, after checking out what you, viewed on stage (The staging of Little Shop of Horrors) and on the big screen…I can see that all the film were strong and that there was no film that was the weakest in the link…among Thor,Caterpillar and The Cave of the Forgotten Dreams.
[Postscript: Sam, I agree with some Of the previous commenter that you must limit your links to those that you feel will be viewed. (I’am quite sure that you will be fair and interchange them (the links) when possible.
I also want to thank, the commenter for their positive comments [for me] about me too!]
Thanks, and take care…as usual.
DeeDee 😉
Many thanks as always Dee Dee! Thanks again for your incomparable kindnesses on a personal level, and for keeping Wonders in the Dark so well adorned (and informed!) with your revisionist sidebar work and great interviews.
Yes, I had a most interesting week on the cultural scene with the excellent staging of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, which featured high school kids on their way to stardom! I was particularly happy that Sammy and Jeremy were there, but wished the other three were in attendance. Indeed, you are quite right that I did not see a weal link among the movies I saw this week, though teh entertaining THOR wasn’t in a league with the Wakamatsu nor Herzog.
Again you are right about the situation with teh links. If I do go with the 20 odd lineup, I will of course interchange some.
Thanks again for your generosity and incomparable support, my very great friend.