Screen capture from Marcel Carne's ravishing 1945 French masterpiece "Les Enfants du Paradis" (Children of Paradise) which ran for three weeks at Film Forum in a glorious new DCP print.
by Sam Juliano
OVER the land is April,
Over my heart a rose;
Over the high, brown mountain
The sound of singing goes.
Say, love, do you hear me,
Hear my sonnets ring?
Over the high, brown mountain,
Love, do you hear me sing?
By highway, love, and byway
The snows succeed the rose.
Over the high, brown mountain
The wind of winter blows.
Say, love, do you hear me,
Hear my sonnets ring?
Over the high, brown mountain
I sound the song of spring,
I throw the flowers of spring.
Do you hear the song of spring?
Hear you the songs of spring?
-Robert Louis Stevenson
April Fool’s Day. Good Friday. Easter Sunday. “April showers bring May flowers.” Allergy woes. Spring break. The most eagerly anticipated transitional month for many is also a time for culture mavens to immerse themselves at film, theatre and music venues and a time when weather often allows for the beginning of outdoor events. In New York City, it’s the month of the Tribeca Film Festival, and some major action in Broadway theatres in advance of the Tony Award nominations. The opera and classical music schedules go through some of their most vital junctures as well. And it’s baseball bliss for fans with opening day of MLB action upon us.
At Wonders in the Dark the usual suspects kept the site moving along with new material each and every day. More dialogue has transpired as to the preliminary plans for the Comedy Countdown. Another idea hatched by Jamie Uhler and Allan in regards to some gems still unreleasded to DVD is also in the planning stages.
Lucille and I had a moderate week on the movie front as we prepare our proposals for the Tribeca Festival. We saw:
Jiro Dreams of Sushi **** (Thursday night) IFC Film Center
Bully *** (Friday night) Angelika Film Center
The Son’s Room **** 1/2 (Saturday night) IFC Film Center
Children of Paradise (1945) ***** (Tuesday night) Film Forum
The week’s greatest event was Tuesday night’s final screening of the three-week run of one of the most beloved films ever made – the Golden Age French masterpiece CHILDREN OF PARADISE (LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS) made in Paris during the Nazi occupation of the country by a resilient Marcel Carne, with a brilliant script by Jacques Prevert, spectacular sets by Alexander Trauner, a ravishing score by Joseph Kosma and unforgettable performances led by Arletty and Jean-Louis Barrault. The film is France’s answer to GONE WITH THE WIND, the story of a beautiful courtesan and the mime artist, actor criminal and artist who love her set in the Parisian theatre scene in the 1820’s and 30’s. Centering Around stage pantomines, the film is the ideal collaboration of performers and spectators, while intimacy is fleeting and people are isolated and undergo troubled relationships. The DCP digital restoration yields what is probably the most stunning print of the film since it opened close to 70 years ago.
Lee Hirsch’s documentary BULLY wrenchingly shows the consequences of bullying in schools by chronicling a small group of students, but it never gets into the reasons for bullying, the actual acts, the social conditions that would allow the dubious practice to continue, nor a specific examination of what triggered teh suicides that are at the heart of the piece. This was an opportunity to shed some light on a vital malignancy that has devastated families and classrooms, but Hirsch (who showed up to moderate a Q & A at the Angelika Fim Center) never makes each individual case especially interesting or even affecting until his solidarity sequence at the end, by which time it is too late. Both Lucille (who taught special education and is now a Principal) and Broadway Bob, who teaches the fifth grade had similar issues with the film, and actually took their own criticisms further than I have. The film’s intentions are noble, and there are intermittant moments that do ring true, but by and large this was a missed opportunity.
About twenty minutes before the 7:30 screening of THE SON’S ROOM (winner of the 2001 Palme d’Or) the film’s celebrated Italian director Nanni Moretti emerged from a limousine that pulled up in front of the theatre, and survyed the line after signing what appeared to be some DVDs and photos for an older male admirer. He survyed the line that was gathered outside on a chilly evening and proceded to walk closer. My friend and colleague Broadway Bob then left the line momentarily (we were typically at the front) and approached Moretti, who gave him a smile and a heart handshake. Once Lucille, Broadway Bob and I got into the theatre we were surprised by site friend Bob Clark, who saw us sitting in the second row, and commenced to take up residence next to us. The ever-resilient Clark went on to tell us that he had already seen three of the Moretti offerings earlier in the day and that THE SON’S ROOM would subsequently be the fourth. After the film we all had a late dinner at our usual haunt, The Dish on 8th Avenue in Chelsea. Moretti, who directed the recent HABEMUS PAPEM (WE HAVE A POPE) is a satirist that is mainly known for the comedy CARO DIARIO and THE SON’S ROOM, the latter a change of pace that now stands for many as his masterpiece. The story of a family tragedy and the grief process, the film is unsentimental yet deeply-felt and suffused with a real maturity and nuances that make the terrible tragedy a part of life that has to be negotiated and understood. One of the best films ever made on that subject. I will be seeing CARO DIARIO tomorrow night (Monday) and at least one other Moretti (THE MASS IN ENDED) on either Wednesday or Thursday.
The Japanese documentary JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI focuses on a still-working master of cuisine who is well into his 80’s, and who is seen by many as the world’s most renowed sushi chef. Tracing his past and present, the profound influence on his sons, and his painstaking perfectionism the film paints an indellible portrait of a classic eccentric who is a model for all, especially the lucky patrons of his off the track eatery in Tokyo.
I completed the First Season of the superlative HBO series GAME OF THRONES, and by the time this Diary installment publishes I will also have seen Episode One of the Second Season, which aired for the first time at 9:00 P.M. The kids were talking about it for days. In any case, (SPOILERS ALERT!) it was sad to see the show’s most honorable character -played by Sean Bean- get beheaded in a shocking twist in Episode 9, but it’s clear enough that his executor will get in own comeuppance soon enough. Dwarf actor Peter Dinklage was great in a courtroom segment in Episode 8, where he chose a “champion” who successfully defended him, and his delivered some saucy lines. Typically the sex scenes were uncompromising. I hope to have much more to say on the series, and welcome discussion in the comments.
Some links have been updated:
Judy Geater has written another magnificent essay on the cinema of William Wellman with a fabulous and comprehensive essay on the little-seen “Men with Wings” at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/men-with-wings-william-a-wellman-1938/
Tony d’Ambra has written a stupendous review of Henry Hathaway’s gritty and realistic noir “The House on 92nd Street” at FilmsNoir.net, a film that pre-dated the films of Jules Dassin: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-house-on-92nd-street-1945-real-drama-with-a-solemn-purpose.html
Jon Warner at Films Worth Watching has penned an excellent review of a Kieslowski masterwork – “The Double Life of Veronique”: http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2012/03/double-life-of-veronique-1991-directed.html
John Greco’s latest piece at Twenty Four Frames is another typically all-encompassing essay on the underrated noir thriller “Act of Violence” by Fred Zinnemann: https://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/act-of-violence-1948-fred-zinnemann/
Samuel Wilson at Mondo 70 has written an epic “mixed” review of the blockbuster “The Hunger Games”: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2012/04/on-big-screen-hunger-games-2012.html
Laurie Buchanan at Speaking From The Heart talks about living with a “potty mouth” and the most undesirable penalty for using foul language in her amusing but pointed new post: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/i-live-with-a-potty-mouth/
Ed Howard again demonstrates why he’s one of the absolute finest online film writers with a remarkable essay taking in four Alexander Kluge short films at Only the Cinema: https://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/act-of-violence-1948-fred-zinnemann/
Roderick Heath has crafted a tremendous review of the silent masterpiece “Sunrise” by F.W. Murnau at Ferdy-on-Films: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=13663
One of the net’s most gifted writers is Tokyo’s Murderous Ink, whose latest post at Vermillion and One Nights is an intricate and descriptive essay on tomatoes and Kurosawa’s “Stray Dog”: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2012/03/botanical-puzzle.html
Craig Kennedy at Living in Cinema has authored a perceptive review on the new documentary “Bully” by Lee Hirsch: http://livingincinema.com/2012/03/29/bully-2012/
Jaimie Grijalba has authored a terrific review of Joseph Losey’s “The Prowler” at Exodus 8:2: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2012/04/prowler-1981.html
Pat Perry has penned an engaging piece on good actresses making bad films at Doodad Kind of Town that’s most assuredly food for thought: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-good-actresses-make-bad-movies.html
Sachin Gandhi has authored a stupendous essay at Scribbles and Ramblings on “Miss Bala”: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2012/03/miss-bala.html
Peter Lenihan has ‘A Couple a Things’ up at The Long Voyage Home: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2012/03/couple-things.html
David Schleicher has penned an excellent review of Tony Kaye’s “Detachment” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/03/10/detachment/
Some turbulent weather continues on Mayne Island as reported on the Creativepotager’s blog with “The Edge of the Storm: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/edge-of-the-storm/
Adam Zanzie has penned a terrific assessment of the work of director Andrew Stanton at Icebox Movies: http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2012/03/andrew-stantons-women.html
Stephen Russell-Gebbett’s latest post on ‘Movie Morality Debate Topics’ has yieled a terrific comment thread at Checking on my Sausages: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/03/movie-morality-debate-topics.html
R.D. Finch at The Movie Projector has penned a superlative review of Michael Powell’s “I Know Where I’m Going” (1945): http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-know-where-im-going-1945.html
Pat Perry takes a candid and insightful look at “The Iron Lady” and Meryl Streep’s performance in her new multi post at Doodad Kind of Town: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2012/02/on-big-screen-and-home-screen-capsule.html
“Explore the Dancing Image: Top Posts” is leading the way at Joel Bocko’s rich treasure trove at The Dancing Image: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2011/12/explore-dancing-image-top-posts.html
Shubhajit has authored a terrific review of Robert Bresson’s “L’Argent” at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2012/04/largent-1983.html
Writer Extraordinaire Jason Bellamy pulls no punches with a fantastic takedown of “The Hunger Games” at The Cooler: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2012/03/all-they-can-eat-hunger-games.html
Dee Dee has posted a wonderfully informative oust on the noir “Jewel in the Crown” and accompanying lobby cards at Darkness Into Light: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2012/02/holding-auction-month-jewel-in-crown.html
Patricia at Patricia’s Wisdom is leading up with a terrific review on what appears to a be an inspiring tale of four mideastern women, “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana”: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2012/03/the-dressmaker-of-khair-khana-gayle-tzemach-lemmon/
Filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman at The Late Lullaby has posted a stupendous round-up of the best cinematic experiences he’s enjoyed in 2011: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-top-10-or-so-films-for-2011.html
J.D. at Radiator Heaven offers up an engaging and comprehensive essay on “Re-Animator”: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2012/03/re-animator.html
Anu at The Confidential Report has checked in with a fabulous Ten Best list that fully warrants everyone’s attention: http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/top-ten-of-2011
Just Another Film Buff (Srikanth) has posted a spledidly written economical piece on Ichikawa’s “Tokyo Olympiad” at The Seventh Art: http://theseventhart.info/2012/03/31/ellipsis-58/
Hokahey has written a very fine mostly positive assessment of “The Hunger Games” at Little Worlds”: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2012/03/down-and-out-in-district-12-hunger.html
Jason Marshall talks about the ‘Best of 2011’ at Movies Over Matter: http://moviesovermatter.com/2012/02/19/a-brief-look-at-the-best-of-2011/
Tony Dayoub has posted an excellent feature on “The Assassination of Sterling Hayden by the Auteur Francis Coppola” at Cinema Viewfinder: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2012/03/assassination-of-sterling-hayden-by.html
Michael Harford, the erstwhile ‘Coffee Messiah’ offers up an engaging video about the beverage’s worldwide popularity: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2011/11/coffee-break.html
Troy Olson announces plans to commence with his Robert Bresson project at Elusive as Robert Denby: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2011/11/argh.html
At Petrified Fountain of Thought Stephen Morton has penned a masterful takedown of “Melancholia” http://www.petrifiedfountainofthought.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-melancholia.html
Kevin Olson has penned a truly fantastic essay on Ingmar Bergman’s “Through A Glass Darkly” at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/through-glass-darkly.html
Dave Van Poppel is gearing for some updates at Visions of Non Fiction, but presently is still leading up with his very fine review of “Project Nim”: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2011/08/project-nim.html
At The Man From Porlock Craig insightfully explores “Warrior” and “The Trip”: http://themanfromporlock.blogspot.com/2012/03/oh-brother-warrior-and-trip.html
Jeopardy Girl has some great plans in 2013 with a vist to the U.K. in the cards. She talks about it at The Continuing Saga of Jeopardy Girl: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/pickmeup/
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Wonders in the Dark 
So glad to hear you are fully on the Game of Thrones bandwagon, Sam – and not surprised to hear the kids are addicted, too – man, I wish they had a show like this when I was a teenager (instead we had Zena: Warrior Princess – ugh!)
At any rate, I weighed in a bit at the Spin – gotta say I’m loving Carice Van Houten joining the cast in a perfect role for her.
http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/04/01/the-return-of-game-of-thrones-and-even-stranger-bedfellows-on-sunday-nights/
Movie-wise I saw My Week with Marilyn – ** – which I found to be pretty much a waste – thought I guess the acting was good (it was all a bit one-note though). I love me some Michelle Williams, but not when she’s doing impersonations – thought I guess this was a really good impersonation.
And I also saw A Dangerous Method – ***1/2 – which I really liked – and chat about a bit on the Spin too –
http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/03/31/weird-films-i-have-seen/
Alright – enough with self-linking – Schleicher out.
Well David, I did remember the obsession I had with DARK SHADOWS when I arrived home every afternoon from school, and it was topic all us kids talked about for several years. But heck, that was before your time. True what you say here that there is nothing quite like THE GAME OF THRONES, and I am both thrilled that you are a huge fan and that you have a post over at THE SCHLEICHER SPIN. It’s always a big boon to get someone as excellent as Van Houten on board, I quite agree!
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN pretty much has escaped my consciousness at this point, a sure sign that this was a light trifle with little staying power. Williams was very fine, impersonation or not, and remains the best thing about the film.
I liked A DANGEROUS METHOD too, and would like to acquire the blu-ray. I look forward to adding myself at your two links, which you were 100% right to link here, especially in view of the current discussion.
Have a great week my friend. Many thanks!
Haha funny how people differ in their opinions! Turns out My Week With Marilyn is one of my 5 favorite films of 2011. But I know that’s just me. Nearly no one else shares this opinion. I’m okay with that. A Dangerous Method I find forgettable.
Jon, most people would side with you on MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. I know our friend Pierre and some others in our circle are fans. Even with a more subdued response, I’d agree Williams was quite good in the lead.
I did indeed enjoy My Week With Marilyn, not just because of the performance of Michelle Williams but also her young co-lead (Eddie Tremayne?), who provided the spark that really made the film work for me.
Sam I am taking the day off tomorrow to watch some movies that have just come my way – thank you so much for sharing with me and least I forget for the shout out too – It is an amazing book and I hope at least most women will read it but I think it would give another perspective to the obsolescence of war
I wish you spring greetings, yes this is a busy week for so many and back to school here for most. My partner is ever hopeful for the Mariners and likes baseball best on the radio!
I did watch the movie We Need to Talk About Kevin I thought it was very well done and quite the story and I have to admit I watched it early in the afternoon and still had huge nightmares most of the night. The performances were stunning and I keep seeing Tilda Swinton’s hand scraping the paint off the porch and the windows. Then I think of the conclusion and it takes my breath away.
One of my children’s good friends from Kindergarten has just been arrested once again for extreme behaviors against others – He is a lesson in a drug trip gone very wrong….maybe this is a warning? Too close to home…
I just do not want to think of people this way
I also watched THE Children Are Okay, now did I get the title correct? and I liked the family dynamics better in that one. I thought Annette Benning Julienne Moore were excellent, always like Mark Ruffino and was so pleased to see the Australian Jane Eyre gal as the daughter. It was not much of a comedy in my view, but more a new exploration of possible family dynamics that need to be considered and this opened quite a bit of discussion among our group – we had dinner at home because I am fasting for another 4 days.
BULLY is causing quite a discussion here because they want to show it for everyone to see and especially kids and one church group is objecting – I have heard others say the same thing about it not being very helpful about how to change this tactic and behavior.
I think that we will have to change society’s view on the subject and not keep cancelling discussions or teaching how. Bullies seem to make a lot of money and get highlighted in our society right now. I keep coming back to a quote I used on a book review “We thought with the arrival of all this technology we were giving up paper. Instead we have given up thinking.”
Patricia—-
I’ll certainly be looking forward to hearing some of your upcoming viewing experiences! I’m sure there are several that will bring in enthusiastic responses.
I’ve alerted Lucille to your book review of what I am indeed sure is a remarkable book, especially for women. I’m a lifelong fanatic Yankee fan, but I know the Mariners have great fans, and as an American team I’ve always followed their performance closely. Hope they have a good year! Wow, it seems that KEVIN really left an impression on you, and a disturbing one at that. That’s pretty much the take on the film from most. Intelligent script and performances did elevate it I know. That arrest you speak of hits close to home. That movie you are referring to is THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (you were more than close enough) and yes I would quite agree the comedy takes a back seat to the family dynamics at play, and in the end it’s a moving drama. Bening, Moore, Raffalo and Mia Wasikowska were indeed exceptional.
Your final discussion on BULLY is excellent. I wish teh film has made some meaningful exploration rather than just visualizing the end results that we either know well or have seen first-hand.
Thanks Patricia for the stupendous submission, and have a great week my friend!
Sam, although spring is springing in my neck of the woods, as well, I still envy the many opportunities in your backyard. Although you and I don’t quite agree on The Turin Horse, I finally took time to see Hunger Games and enjoyed it immensely. Not a perfect film, but perfectly entertaining and with resonance. Once again, Jennifer Lawrence was quite strong and has the ability to go far. The art direction and costumes worked well for me, with fine supporting work, especially by Stanley Tucci who surely will be acknowledged with an Oscar someday soon.
I also introduced my twin cousins (female, age 30) to All About Eve. They loved it, of course.
Ahhhh – Les Enfants du Paradis — a film I’ve longed to see for 25 years now but somehow have missed out on.
Pierre—
While I still stand by THE TURIN HORSE (a five-star film that is my favorite of this year so far) I know this film will not connect with many, even those enamored of foreign-language and intellectual drama like yourself. Is Bela Tarr an “acquired taste”? He may well be, but some never warm up to him. Still, I remember you had elaborated on the aspects of the film that you did like. Wow, I am absolutely delighted that you really enjoyed THE HUNGER GAMES, a film that inevitably has faced some heat after the buffo box-office and strong reviews. In the end it was emotions around the love affair that really brought everything in for most. I agree Lawrence was excellent and Tucci was best of the supporting players, and that the sets and art direction were striking. I also liked the way Gary Ross (who directed the very good PLEASANTVILLE) played down the special effects, which as a result were effective, let the drama and acting carry the day. That fantastic that you introduced those young cousins to ALL ABOUT EVE. I could well imagine the reactions! Ha!
I assure you that your wait for LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS is over! Ha! Will speak to you soon my great friend!
I like The Turin Horse but its not hard to figure out why most movie goers would not want to see a guy peeling a potato for ten minutes lol. I think Tarr may have become trapped in his style and is perhaps cognizant enough to retire instead of soldiering on with his career. It seems he doesn’t have the ability or desire to diversify his methods/aesthetics into something perhaps a tad more varied (and for many people something fresher). The Turin Horse is glorious in spots (especially the opening ten minutes or so) but certainly (to me at least) a retread we have seen before with better overall results from the director.
Thanks so much for the mention and very kind words, Sam. It was my husband Paul’s birthday this week and we celebrated with a curry at a great local restaurant. He has also ordered the Blu-rays of ‘Game of Thrones’ with a voucher he received, so we will soon be watching that together – really looking forward to it after your enthusiasm for it! This weekend I also went to London for a reunion with a lot of family I hadn’t seen for a long time, sparked by a cousin’s visit from Australia – it was a lovely day out.
At the cinema, my family has just seen the new Aardman stop-motion animation, ‘The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!’, a bizarre adventure involving Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin as you’ve never seen them before, which is great fun and has the same sort of wackiness as Wallace and Gromit. It includes a spoof on the Oscars and has a great voice cast headed by Hugh Grant, Imelda Staunton, Martin Freeman and David Tennant. We thoroughly enjoyed it but I must say I thought it was a waste of time seeing it in 3-D, as it doesn’t add anything to the stop-motion style. It was also a pity that the cinema was almost empty at the showing we attended.
At home, I’ve watched Wellman’s ‘Men with Wings’ (1938), as you mentioned, an aerial adventure/romance which I enjoyed even in a washed-out bootleg. I also saw the 1951 film of ‘Death of a Salesman’ which R.D. Finch recently wrote a great review of, and was impressed by Fredric March’s performance in particular though I did find the transitions to the flashbacks rather clumsy. By contrast, I loved the unusual use of flashbacks in ‘The Sin of Nora Moran’ (1933), a pre-Code which packs an amazing amount into just over an hour. I’m also reading ‘Then We Came to the End’ by Joshua Ferris, a fine black comedy on office life. Must dash now as a visitor has arrived, but I’ve gone on quite long enough anyway – here’s wishing a great week to you and all at Wonders.
Birthday greetings to Paul, Judy!!! Splendid that you had a fine dinner out in celebration! The London trip and meeting up with relatives sounds like a great time too.
Well, while I will speculate that GAME OF THRONES won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, I’m thinking your literary and period slant may well help to bring you in with the film’s fans, and I’m thinking your husband too won’t regret the choice he made with the voucher. You have me excited about IN PIRATES, but I completely agree that 3D is becoming just a hinderance and another excuse to increase ticket prices. Terrific voice cast there, and I’ve always appreciated that Wallace and Grommit wackiness!
I have indeed read your superlative review of MEN ON WINGS, which is the most comprehensive and insightful review of that film online, period. Agree too with the clumsy flashback structure in SALESMAN (great R.D. Finch review indeed) but well-emplyed in SIN OF NORA MORAN, a pre-coder I do like. Even a book being read Judy? You are boundless my friend! Have a great week, and thanks so much!
Sam,
Thanks again for the mention. The week was spent with our feline friends. We made what seemed to be a plethora of trips to the Vets, one after another, with one or another cat (both our own and some shelter cats) as they seemed to have planned getting ill one right after another. Additionally, spent time photographing some new additions to the cat shelter who are up for adoption. In between the following films were watched. Have a great week!
Dark City (***1/2) Charlton Heston’s first Hollywood film is a decent film noir with a surprising amount of songs, specifically actress Elizabeth Scott as a nightclub singer with a thing for the young Heston. Seeing straight laced Jack Webb as a cheating sleazy punk is a treat.
My Sister Eileen (****)Madcap comedy based on hit stage play with Rosalind Russell and Janet Blair as two sisters from Columbus , Ohio who come to the big city seeking fame and fortune, instead find lunacy and laughs. Russell is perfect, a comedienne with flawless timing and delicious facial expressions.
Corman’s World (***) Decent documentary on the King of the B’s, Roger Corman. Straight forward documentary with many of the Corman School graduates telling their tales of working for the Low Budget King, including Scorsese, Nicholson, Demme, Dante and many others.
Gypsy (***) Sanitized version of the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. Having just finished reading “American Rose” The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee,” by Karen Abbott, I can say Rosalind Russell’s screen version of Mama Rose was a saint compared to the real thing. The real Rose was not just a backstage tyrant but is known to have killed at least two people.
Call Northside 777 (***1/2) Semi-documentary style noir from 20th Century Fox with Jimmy Stewart as a cynical reporter investigating a ten year cold case murder of a cop. Features some brilliantly stark black and white cinematography from Joe MacDonald, and filmed entirely on location (Chicago) adding to the realism. Stewart would go on to perfect his darker more derisive side later on in films with Hitchcock and Anthony Mann.
John—
You and Dorothy are tireless for the cause there, and I tip my cap to you several times. As I’ve stated before I am also a cat lover (we presently have 4 in the house) and I know another couple (lifelong friends) who are much involved in the same way, feeding, and housing about 20 to 25 at once. But the effort of course is major. Kudos.
CALL NORTHSIDE 777 represents a terrific collaboration between Henry Hathaway and (as you astutely note) and the brilliant cinematographer Joseph MacDonald. I also agree this is the beginning point of Stewart’s darker career portrayals. True what you say about GYPSY and the lead character’s cleaning up, but I still like it and appreciative Russell’s work, thus I’d so higher. But fair enough. As to the other three, including another one with Russell, I’d say I’m close to you on each within a half star either way. I wish the Corman documentary was better, but still one that holds fascination for the fans and those who grew up with his films. I think my own favorite not really counting the Poes, would be the campy ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS. Yes, true what you say about Webb in DARK CITY.
Have a great week my tireless friend. Many thanks!
That’s a nice poem to begin the day with. There’s really a “spring” in your steps, Sam 🙂 And yes, thanks as always for the kind mention and for visting my site earlier today (or was it yesterday night?).
I managed to see the following movies in the meantime :-
– The Arriviste, directed a debutante independent filmmaker called Pascal Santschi, which, it seems, is the least expensive film ever made in 35mm (the director was kind enough to send me a screener copy by courier)
– Baishay Sharavana (Wedding Day), which, though reasonably good, undoubtedly remains a lesser Mrinal Sen film
– Jacques Rivette’s masterful La Belle Noiseuse
– Bresson’s final movie L’Argent
– A recently released Bengali movie called Abar Byomkesh, based on a story featuring the renowned Bengali literary character Byomkesh Bakshi
– Satyajit Ray’s trenchant social satire Sadgati, a made-for-tv film, and only his second film in Hindi
– Bunuel’s brilliant dabbling in surrealism & absurdism, The Exterminating Angels
– Dreyer’s sombre, philosophical and deeply moving Ordet
– Another Mrinal Sen film, the delectably romantic comedy Akash Kusum (Up in the Clouds)
By the way, I’d be highly interested to know your opinion about Ordet, or more precisely, the way the movie ends. I absolutely loved this austere and ‘Bergmansesque’ take on conflicts between faiths as well as between faith and its lack thereof. However, I was left slight underwhelmed by the climax as I found it a bit forced & contrived in the way Dreyer emphatically emphasised the relevance & validity of faith by showing the wife’s waking up from the dead and her husband’s conversion from an atheist to to a ‘man of faith’. Or is it that I misread the ending altogether? Yes, it could probably be surrealistic or a dream sequence or probably magic realism, but then that would go completely against the movie thus far.
Shubhajit—
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, there may well be some spring anticipation as the weather has improved and the days are longer.
There’s no doubt that the ending of ORDET is meant to be metaphorical, though I reject the notion that the film emplys a magic underpinning. Dreyer did indeed emphatically emphasize as you note, the validity of faith, and while the ending may seem too pat, it is consistent with the film’s narrative arc and philosophical themes. I agree this is a very great film, a masterpiece in fact, and suprermely Bermaneque, in the same weay that Bergman’s work, which came after the brilliant Dane, is decidedly Dreyeresque.
I have indeed seen some of your terrific reviews of the films you note here, and look forward to your future ones that are surely imminent. Bunuel’s THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL in particular, is one of the all-time greats.
Have a great week my friend! Many thanks!
Hello Sam and everyone!!!
Thanks for linking to my site with such enormous elouges, may I recommend everyone to take a look at my blog now? There’s a new entry that I need some opinion on, specially the horror friendly people.
So, anyway, you had a superb week, and you even encountered Mr. Clark, of course, which is always nice. On the movies you saw, I’m most interested in the Moretti and the Children of Paradise, both I haven’t seen yet.
My week was ok, I was supposed to shoot a short scene yesterday, but problems arised, so here I am hours before shooting and editing really quick a scene for tomorrow’s delivery. The rest of the week was filled with classes, work and the usual stay with the lady. Aaaand, on saturday I went to my second movie marathon, my second horror movie marathon, on a bar, filled with people, who cheered as we saw three films and a short film that will be discussed. I had a great time with friends there.
Well, my week movie wise:
– 1:42.08 (1966, George Lucas) **** One of the first short films from this much maligned director, that is about the race against time a car racer does on an empty highway. The film is visually interesting and makes a case for the beauty of the machine and the editing of good moments elevate this to a good short. I’m working with this one on a project that I hope will be soon available for all to see.
– Away from It All (1979, John Cleese, Clare Taylor) **** Another short film about the many things a tourist can do around the world, but as time goes by in the scnery shots and stock footage of happy people smiling, our narrator, played by Cleese, starts to ask more serious and important questions, that in contrast with his voice and the footage, make it completely hilarious. This used to play before the Life of Brian during its original run. Monty Python does not dissapoint, ever.
– The Backwater Gospel (2011, Bo Mathorne) ***1/2 Animated short horror film that played on the marathon. It’s filled with violence and a not so convincing plot device, but still it manages to amaze with its gruesome scenes and splendid animation that reminded me of videogame cellshading. Why do shorts like this don’t even make the short list for the Oscar? This would’ve been different, at least.
– Blokes (2010, Marialy Rivas) *** Chilean short film about a young boy who falls in love with an older boy (I’m guessing he falls in love, he just jerks off to thoughts of him in the bathroom). It’s ambiented in the chilean dictatorship, but it’s really a weak effort at trying to portray the reality of gay people during those days, and it turns out to be completely exploitative and not really interesting at the end.
– Casino Royale (1967, A SHITLOAD OF DIRECTORS) **1/2 How can you screw a movie with Orson Welles, John Huston, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen? With some misguided preconcieved form of what a succesful movie should be from studio execs. The movie is a mess from top to bottom, and while it has some entertaining spots, most of it is just plain stupid and embarrasingly unfunny. The high points are the final scenes with a villain Woody Allen (now I’ve seen it all).
– Leaving Jerusalem by Railway (1897, Louis Lumiére) ***1/2 A 1 minute film, a rework of the famous so called first film of all time but with a different filming technique and a different scenery.
– The Evil Dead (1980, Sam Raimi) ***** Have I said how much I love this movie? It’s my fourth favorite movie of all time, and I had the opportunity to watch it with a big crowd at the marathon. It’s bloody, it’s nasty, it has a sense of pure cinema in it as well, as if it was made with a passion and love for what movies are and what horror movies tended to be until that year. This is a cinematic masterpiece that influenced movies the way we see them today.
– From Dusk Till Dawn (1996, Robert Rodriguez) ****1/2 Also seen at the horror marathon, a rewatch of this film should be made every once in a while, because it’s just so much fun to do so. The ending may stall a bit, but still it manages to have a staying power in your imagination and your heart due to its special effects and plot structure, as well as the dialogue and acting, which are incredibly amazing even if this isn’t an A movie.
– The Front (1976, Martin Ritt) ****1/2 Woody Allen and Zero Mostel. That’s all I have to say, am I right? I liked this one a lot, the implicancies of a black list, how Allen worked with the scripts, how he became some sort of legendary image to the era (in the world of the film, of course) and this is an overall great film because of the tight script and the comedic performance of these two great actors, which of course at some moments turns sad, but it’s fine and well and just amazing to see these changes.
– The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011, Tom Six) *** I wasn’t going to see this one again, ever, not that it’s a bad movie, but I had no choice, it was either this or watching a horrible chilean movie that had no art nor structure. This one had, and even if it was unpleasent, I prefered this than to watch a trainwreck at a movie marathon.
– The Hunger Games (2012, Gary Ross) **** Now, for the sequels, can we have a different director, please? I think that’s what separated this good movie from greatness, a director that didn’t really know how to frame or leave to mystery the violence, but just seemed to shy away from it to ensure a wide audience. Anyway, the film is much more raw than I expected, and more obscure at it. But still, even if the acting was good, the cinematography and the costumes, the direction needs work.
– Meetin’ WA (1986, Jean-Luc Godard) **** A strange interview-short film from Godard to Woody Allen. This is one of his video works, that uses and abuses of the editing software available at the time. It’s always nice to see an academic like Godard making questions about film to a guy who knows quite a lot about it. The final shot just tells you that he’s an expert at what he does, and he can make everything interesting.
– Play It Again, Sam (1972, Herbert Ross) **** Woody Allen delivers a terrific performance, and the Bogart impersonator is just spot on, and the situations and dialogues are funny, really really funny, but the structure itself gets a bit weak at the ending, when we find out the true feelings of the characters, it feels too late and we end up with a good ending but a few minutes before with just a mess of thoughts and feelings.
Well, have a good week Sam!
Jaimie, I’ll be returning to this stupendous report (wow!) but just wanted to let you know I have revised your link (above) now so it properly reflects you latest piece a review of Joseph Losey’s THE PROWLER.
Jaime—
Yes, encountering Bob was quite the surprise, and it led to another fabulous discussion at The Dish! Yes, you most certainly do need to see LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS and the wrenching Moretti, THE SON’S ROOM. The former is movie magic and visual poetry, while the latter rips you apart emotionally with a nuanced and intelligent drama.
You again moved forward this past week in overdrive, but at least you did have some down time between the filming, work, classes and movie-watching. Good to see you spent time with Carol too. Your film round-up is as always remarkable, especially since you always must share the week with so many other activities apart from the movies. But still the actual number is incredible in it’s own right.
Count me as a major fan of THE VEL DEAD and of it’s sequel EVIL DEAD 2 since they released. Many still consider these as Raimi’s greatest films, and it’s tough to argue. back in the day these gave me nightmares I well recall. I like FROM DUSK TO DAWN a bit less than you, but fair enough. THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE II is disposable, worse than the first and sickening in a bad way, methinks. As far as THE HUNGER GAMES, well I would say that Gary Ross was a smart choice to direct it. He hasn’t made many films (but PLEASANTVILLE is exceptional and a personal favorite of Allan’s) and he’s widely known for his restraint, and one who prefers writing and acting to special effects. You gave teh film a solid four stars, but without Ross, it may have been lower. But this is my view. I understand there’s another school of thought.
Am intrigued by that earlier Lucas work, and completely agree with you on THE FRONT.
Have another active week my friend. But don’t overwork yourself. Many thanks for the sensational report!
Wow – I got two links this week! Thanks, Sam! : )
The Moretti film sounds especially interesting to me. I’m not familiar with his work, but will likely put it into the Netflix queue.
It was a a great week for movie viewing here. I watched Vera Farmiga’s HIGHER GROUND, a graceful, understated adatation of Carolyn Briggs’ memoir of her days in – and ultimate estrangement from – a Christian Fundamentalist sect. Farmiga stars as well as directs, and her film is remarkable for its delicate balance in showing the difficult sides of the sect without ever lapsing into easy judgment or condescension. Well worth seeing.
Thanks to Turner Classic Movies, I also finally saw THE LOST WEEKEND (till now, a missing link in my Billy Wilder experience) and re-watched the magnificent SUNRISE. We also rented TAKE SHELTER: Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain were great, although I dozed through part of it, so can’t give an informed review. (The sleepiness was not the fault of the film, I should add.) Finally, Marlon and I took in JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, which was an unexpected delight. Really fine acting by all – especially Ed Helms and Judy Geer, the former of whom finally felt like a real actor to me instead of an eccentric, joke character, and a fine script. The Duplass Brothers (whose last film, CYRUS, I enjoyed, but not THIS much), are definitely making strides as filmmakers, creating memorable characters and leading actors to terrific performances.
Have a great week, Sam!
Pat—
I would have to say that the chances of you responding in a big way to Moretti’s THE SON’S ROOM are prohibitive. It’s a tear-jerker that will stay with you (as it did with many others, including the Cannes Film Festival voters who awarded it their top award-the Palme d’Or- in 2001) but it’s never exploitative, and it explores the painful aftermath that questions the survivors if life is even worth living for. I was completely devastated, and found myself doing quite a bit of googling today on my breaks on Moretti, the film and it’s stars at the expense of the site. I did indeed see HIGHER GROUND and much appreciate the way you wax lyrical on it. I didn’t quite like it as much, but still agree it had attributes and Farmiga is coming into her own. SUNRISE is of course one of the greatest of all films, and THE LOST WEEKEND is a renowned early Wilder that seems to be undergoing a critical resurgence. I smiled reading that you and Marlon enjoyed JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME, another case of agreement. It’s surely the bets film by these brothers, and as you rightly assert the script and performances are exceptional.
Thanks as always Pat for the fab report, and have an even better week as Easter approaches my friend!
As we discussed I have seen The Son’s Room and agree with your estimation. it’s quite the tear-jerker, but tastefully done. Too bad about Bully, as we’ve recently had more headlines in the news. I’ve leaned a student in Morristown committed suicide this past week, and bullying is strongly suspected.
I know Children of Paradise enraptured you, as well it should have.
It’s baseball time again. Don’t know if I’m ready for it yet.
Aye Frank, THE SON’S ROOM has haunted me since Saturday. The tragedy is so overwhelming and realistic that you are believing the events really happened. I see Pat Perry below is intrigued by the film too and hope she gets a chance at it. I read about that Morristown tragedy too and concur with what you are saying here. CHILDREN OF PARADISE is one of the glories of the cinema, and last Tuesday was a day to remember, with that gorgeous print on display.
I’m definitely not ready for baseball either. Thanks as always my friend. Have a great week!
Sam –
I love the comparative observation you made that CHILDREN OF PARADISE is France’s answer to GONE WITH THE WIND — that hit it out of the park for me!
I can well imagine that as a teacher, you see bullying (or the results of it) all too often. It’s a shame that the documentary, BULLY, didn’t cut to the heart of the matter; didn’t address the source of the behaviors—the triggers.
Thank you, as always, for the shout out.
Laurie—-
I know others have suggested the epic similarities of both, and to this day there are still comparisons. I love both films of course.
I’ve certainly seem my share of bullying over the years, and I do wish the filmmakers of the new film had spent some time exploring the root of the problem, and the psychology behind those who opted out. You are as always dead on what you say there about the “triggers,” but this kind of thing is your domain my friend. Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment, and have a great week!
Sam, epically mixed is probably a fair description of my attitude toward Hunger Games. I don’t think you want immaculately choreographed violence for this sort of story, but some of the action scenes did lack an intensity that should have remained in a PG-13 product. After writing my own piece, I read Erich Kuersten’s at Acidemic, which argues convincingly that this story’s most potent antecedent is no sci-fi film but They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?. Recommended reading as far as I’m concerned.
At home, saw some more Pre-Codes: Wellman’s Safe in Hell, which feels like an older piece given its pathos of renunciation and its invocation of the Fate Worse Than Death and is entertaining despite its contrived ironies; Mark Sandrich’s Hips Hips Hooray!, a Wheeler-Woolsey vehicle and another instance of the director’s alarming cartoonish tendencies before Astaire tamed him; John S. Robertson’s His Greatest Gamble, more melodramatic pathos but probably the most likable performance I’ve yet seen from Richard Dix. I don’t count George Melford’s The Viking as Pre-Code because of its Canadian origin, but it’s a stunning semi-documentary tale of seal hunters with spectacular and scary location visuals made more ominous by the post-production catastrophe that befell the producer and many crew members. Getting a little more modern, I also saw Phil Karlson’s Rampage, a thematic mix of Hatari! and The Macomber Affair that jumps the shark once Jack Hawkins turns a big cat loose on Robert Mitchum in a ship’s hold, and Sergio Corbucci’s The Man Who Laughs, a radical bastardization of Victor Hugo’s story that pits the disfigured protagonist against the Borgias and a lookalike (sans disfigurement) hero in order to give Jean Sorel a dual role. it was bearable but not on the level of Corbucci’s best westerns and no rival to Paul Leni’s iconic silent film. Now let’s all watch more movies!
Samuel—
I’ll certainly take a look at Kuersten’s essay. I have read yours and as always it’s a stellar piece, but I’ll still not certain how I’ll respond there. Pat certainly offered up an excellent comment, even while admitting like me that she largely enjoyed the film. I do think THE HUNGER GAMES is the kind of film that is very easy to find fault with if that is indeed what the viewer would like to do after either being unimpressed or indifferent to. I liked Ross’ subtle hand, the injection of the romance, and the sparing use of the technological devices that have doomed too many futuristic movies. Kursten’s posing of THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY? is most interesting. I know that film quite well, and the whole idea of tenacity and perseverence does lie at the center of Ross’ film for obvious reasons, but the contest itself would be the obvious parallel. I liked SAFE IN HELL and didn’t quite to decipher those contrived ironies, but fair enough. Hurray on the Woolsey to offer a lame pun, and I am preparing to watch their DIPLOMANICS, which I recently received on a Warner Archives DVD. Of the rest I’ve seen THE VIKINGS and THE MAN WHO LAUGHS and basically concur with those fascinating capsule assessments. The movies indeed Samuel. Ha! You had yet another banner week my friend. Many thanks for the stupendous wrap!
Re: Safe in Hell — woman exiles self assumed having murdered man, in exile meets “murdered” man, proving innocence, then kills him. Irony. Contrived the O. Henry way and pretty well executed by Wellman & co.
Sam, you probably floated out of the Film Forum after ‘Children of Paradise’. What a beauty of a film.
As for your humble idiot savant, I caught a swath of Ford’s magnificent ‘Stagecoach’ Saturday on TCM. The dialectic of the Western is reassuringly in place, but the characters of the ‘good guys’, the civilized species, are deeply scored: coward, outlaw, drunk, whore. The frames full of sand and sky and butte (looking like ancient skyscrapers from an extinct civilzation) are worthy of being hung on a wall next to an Ansel Adams. Just beautiful.
‘Eyes Wide Shut’ — To Joel: I really don’t care to comment, except to say this is a sad epitaph to a brilliant and astonishingly diverse filmography that includes one unassailable masterpiece (‘Dr. Strangelove’) and a handful of assailable ones (‘Paths of Glory’, ‘Lolita’, and ‘Barry Lyndon’). By the way, I’ve never seen so much female pubis in a big commercial film, a parade of manicured crotches looking like a lot of little Hitler mustaches (as an artistic rationale EWS could be read as an allegory of the Cruise-Kidman marriage, but then why bother with the veneer of Schnitzler’s ‘Dream Story’ at all, which only adds a gloss of pretentiousness)? If ‘2001’ once required hallucinogens to appreciate, then the chilly eroticism of EWS may best be enjoyed with a bottle of amyl nitrite on hand. No, the Kubrick choristers can have this one.
If, as Orson Welles famously remarked, ‘Make Way for Tomorrow’ could make a stone cry, then I must be the Matterhorn or the Rock of Gibraltar, for my tear ducts remained as dry as dust throughout the film. Which doesn’t mean I don’t think MWFT isn’t good, it’s just not the imperishable masterpiece its defenders claim ( I associate McCarey with slapstick and screwball and prefer ‘Duck Soup’, though the Marx brothers probably directed themselves, with McCarey acting as a sheep herder to the hijinks of a bunch of anarchic, inspired clowns). What robs MWFT of the timelessness of its great theme, the marginalization and disposablity of the elderly, is its setting, the Great Depression, an equal opportunity homewrecker, destroyer of not just the elderly, but the young, the rich, the rural and the urban. National economic disaster is why Bark, an accountant who’s neither senile nor disabled, hasn’t worked for 4 years, why Anita Cooper is forced to teach bridge classes to earn extra income, why Nellie’s husband’s business is suffering. The economic conditions of an epochal catastrophe take the story from the universal to the unique and make McCarey’s (very good) film much lesser than Ozu’s great work, ‘Tokyo Story’.
Now I’
Now I’m on my way over to read R. Heath’s review of ‘Sunrise’.
Speaking of the Marx brothers, ‘At the Circus’ screened on TCM yesterday and to see Margaret Dumont shot from a cannon, well…it just doesn’t get any better than that.
I meant to ask you last week Sam, but what do you think of the DCP process, and do you think it is significantly different than film projection?
David—
There is the finest difference between DCP and film. My friend Alan Hardy at the Film Forum has argued that DCP comes off looking rather “flat” but this does not seem exactly right to these eyes. The DCP prints I saw were all stunning. Technically I am ill-equipped to engage in any helpful discussion, but it does after all come down to how you visually perceive it. Thanks very much my friend.
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the tremendous mention as always. Wow it’s been awhile since I’ve seen Children of Paradise. I need to see that one again. I think I heard that a Blu Ray from Criterion was in the works or has just been released. I am currently on the road for a couple days but should be back home by Wed. This week is spring break in our area. Our kids are of course too young to really take advantage of that yet, so I usually enjoy being in the office as it’s kind of like being on vacation anyway with so many people gone.
My film of the week was definitely Cassavetes’s Faces. I thought I had seen it before in its entirety, but I realized I had never made it all the way through before. Wow what a film! Especially the incredible second half, which I might even go so far to say the final hour of Faces might be the greatest hour in American Indie Cinema. Tremendous acting from all involved, and I particularly liked Lynn Carlin’s performance.
One film I really didn’t care for was A Dangerous Method, which I found to be slight and poorly paced. Knightly was also of course waaaaay too much. She has disappointed me over the last several films I’ve seen her in.
Up this week is Take Shelter, Like Crazy, Two Lane Blacktop, Naked Lunch, I Know Where I’m Going!. Have a great week Sam!!!
Jon—
Presently there has not yet been a blu-ray release for CHILDREN OF PARADISE, but I’m sure (as you speculate) that one is imminent. Certainly it’s one masterpiece that fully deserves it. Right now we do have an excellent standard Criterion set with fascinating extras and booklet to hold us over.
You are on the move again Jon? Wow. Nice to see there’s time off for the girls to have some fun, though as you note they are too young to fully appreciate the idea of getting breaks. Ours begins this coming Thursday (April 5th) and runs until Monday, the 16th. That’s the longest school break of the year in fact as to the way the schedule panned out for this year.
You certainly are not alone about FACES, which for so many is a vital and influential component of independent cinema. It’s also of course Cassevettes’ most celebrated works. I hope you’ll get time to post at FILMS WORTH WATCHING on it. Like most here I own the Criterion set that contains it and several other treasures.
I know you are no fan of A DANGEROUS METHOD and Knightly’s performance. I assure you I will not be going to the mat for the film, but I do like it a bit more. it does seem though that a few of the films initial fans at WitD (Bob Clark and Maurizio Roca) have cooled on it, while Allan was never a fan.
While the Powell is a given among your upcoming viewings, I’d like to know particularly what you think of LIKE CRAZY and TAKE SHELTER.
Enjoy your week my very good friend, and many thanks as always!
Thank you for the mention, Sam.
Seems like many interesting features in theaters. Carne’s famous work aside, I found your comments (and reactions by two others with you) about BULLY quite intriguing. For one thing, many teachers around the world deal with this problem, and as far as I can see, many are at loss. I know this has been a long standing issue in Japan (I saw many bullies during my teens), and it is going nowhere. So any film dealing with the issue is something of interest to anyone. It seems this film left a lot to be desired despite of its premise, but because still bullying is something many people want to sweep under the carpet, undertaking it at first place is quite remarkable, I think.
Well, I hope I can post another piece on 1949 this weekend (if I am not exhausted by the bullying by my boss).
MI
Aye, M.I. BULLYING has been a universal problem for quite some time, and any new film or documentary on the subject should at least examine the root of the problem rather than just the final consequences. While I applaud the filmmakers for capturing the spirit of standing together, I was disappointed in the failure to examine the psychology of the victims and those perpetrating the crimes.
You will soon have my reaction to your terrific writing over at VERMILLION AND ONE NIGHT!
Thanks as always my very good friend!
Sam, thanks so much for the great mention.
I am incredibly envious of your Moretti encounter and just the whole opportunity to see so many of Moretti’s films at once on the big screen. I’ve long been a fan of his work with CARO DIARIO being my favorite of what I have seen so far (THE MASS IS OVER is one I have wanted to see for years but have had trouble tracking down.) What a great opportunity for you!
This week, I saw William Wellman’s YELLOW SKY and Manoel de Oliveira’s THE STRANGE CASE OF ANGELIKA. I enjoyed them both very much but found the Portuguese film among the best things I have seen in the last several years. It was my first experience with de Oliveira’s cinema, and I quickly understood why so many people have been raving about him. What unique and powerful filmmaking – I loved his absolute control and simplicity and ability to be so vital yet also so observant. I am very excited to see some of his other work now.
Thanks, Sam, for all that you do. Here’s to another awesome week!
Jeffrey–
Sad to say I didn’t get to any of the Morettis this week at the IFC other than THE SON’S ROOM. Nearly every one is on DVD, so I’ll have to go that way. But what with the works at the Film Forum, the opening of DAMSELS IN DISTRESS at the Landmark, the screening of THE ISLAND PRESIDENT, and the staging of Tennessee Williams’s last play, I just couldn’t do more with Moretti. However I will see his WE HAVE A POPE (his new release) over the course of the next week. I know it’s true what you say about THE MASS IS OVER being hard to track down, though CARO DIARO is available.
I love both YELLOW SKY and ANGELIKA, and fully understand and in fact agree with what you about the remarkable 103 year old de Oliveira and of the dead-on aspects of his filmmaking that you rightly apply. Wellman’s film too is a riveting experience, and I’m sure time will eventually have it among the greatest westerns.
I wish you all a great holiday weekend my friend. As always I can’t thank you enough!