Solomon Glave and Shannon Beer in Andrea Arnold’s ravishing, impressionistic ‘Wuthering Heights’
Screen cap from Tim Burton’s exceptional new film “Frankenweenie”
by Sam Juliano
Park Avenue, Fairview’s own Jason “Jay” Giampietro, who also resides part-time in Brooklyn with his lovely girlfriend Leah Evans, may find himself in the near-future among the Borough’s most famous residents, after his short film Candy Rides continues to make a remarkable worldwide run, appearing this month at the “Bicycle Fest” in London after screening at similar venues in Montreal and Istanbul among other cities. Giampietro has taken his success in stride, exhibiting carefree humility, alerting his friends and associates with brief Facebook updates. Giampietro, who also performs as part of a two-person band with Leah, exerts inexhaustible energy, and is always thinking one step ahead, with another short on the drawing boards. Giampietro has also directed two other films, Mr. Rose and Arnie, done before his long stint composing and performing music for several bands. Anyone in London is urged to check out the screening of Candy Rides. Jason reported to me that the film will albe be included at a venue in Italy, and that anyone is welcome to view the short by letting him know by e mail: thepascualperez@gmail.com
The petition “trio” of Dee Dee, Lori Moore and Barbara LaMotta continue to plug away in behalf of film icon John Garfield, gathering signatures from around the world in support of a proposed DVD box set of the actor’s most revered films. The sponsors are pondering an extension to allow their goal to be reached.
Down in Valdivia, Chile, an ebullient Jaimie Grijalba has been emailing his WitD colleagues with the latest updates of the festival he traveled eight hours south by bus to attend, and he just now added that two young filmmakers from his school (Catholic University in Santiago) has won major prizes. Grijalba has also offered up a glowing report on Holy Motors, a film that was also praised weeks back from Canadian Sachin Gandhi, and is due to open in New York in a week or two. We all look forward to Jaimie’s summary report of this major film event from South America.
Yankee fans are bracing for their American league playoff series with the insurgent Baltimore Orioles, while Cinncinnati Reds fans like Dave Hicks are no doubt in euphoria after the National League Central champs opened their own series with a victory over San Francisco. Flash!!!! Yankees beat Orioles 7-2 in Baltimore with a five-run 9th to take a 1-0 lead in series!!! Fall weather is really starting to take hold, which for many is a welcome prospect at a time when Halloween super-stores are doing brisk business. Heck, pumpkin patches are seeing some action too! The Presidential debates got off with what most say was a resounding Romnet “win” but there are still two to go and a nagging question as to the impact the debates will ultimately have on the voting.
Lucille and I (with the kids in part for all engagements) saw four films in theatres this week:
Wake in Fright (1970) **** 1/2 (Friday night) Film Forum
Frankenweenie **** 1/2 (Saturday afternoon) Regal Cinemas
Wuthering Heights **** 1/2 (Sunday afternoon) Film Forum
End of Watch ** (Saturday night) Ridgefield Park multiplex
Andrea Arnold’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS, which opened in the U.K. in 2011 and USA theatres this month is a brooding weather-swept impressionistic tapestry that plumbs the sexual and emotional depths of the Bronte story is as sensory as any recent film, and like the work of Scottish director Bill Douglas, it allows you to ‘feel the textures.’ The exceedingly gifted Ms. Arnold runs astray of Bronte, but all to a different focus, one that leaves you shaken and ravished. The story, strictly subservient to the visuals, sketches Bronte with a kind of emotionally frenzy. END OF WATCH is advertised as a pulsating police actioner, but it’s deceit wears thin after the first third, and the one-dimensional dialogue is strictly stock. I’m not sure what the viewer is supposed to admire here. WAKE IN FRIGHT director Ted Koecheff was as pleased as pink to introduce and conduct an after-screening Q & A for his 1970 Australia feature that has developed strong critical and cult status in recent years. The film shows severe moral regression brought on by the corruption of drinking, sex and gambling and a terrifying kangaroo hunt that Koecheff later explained did not harm a single animal in the making. There’s a level of hillbilly trash in the character lineup, and it’s all executed as a kind of fever dream, but in the end it’s atmospheric, disturbing and unforgettable. Gaer Bond, Donald Pleasence and Chips Rafford are mind-blowing too. FRANKENWEENIE has Tim Burton back on track with a stylish and moving film about the loss of a dog and the segue into grief that brings in elements of James Whale’s Frankenstein and Stephen King’s Pet Cemetery with some beautiful black and white cinematography, voice work and sublime score by Burton alumni Danny Elfman. Yeah, it received tremendous reviews. So what? They’re right!
Gary Bond in unforgettable 1970 Australian film “Wake in Fright”
Here are the links. I managed to update a good number:
Srikanth (Just Another Film Buff) has experienced an emotional epiphany while watching Vidor’s shattering silent masterpiece “The Crowd” at The Seventh Art: http://theseventhart.info/2012/10/03/the-snows-of-yesteryear/
Judy Geater also considers Vidor in her splendid essay of the director’s little-seen 1935 film “The Wedding Night” at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/the-wedding-night-king-vidor-1935/
Sachin Gandhi offers up a fabulous report on the Calgary International Film Festival at Scribbles and Ramblings: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2012/10/ciff-2012-wrap-up.html
Samuel Wilson has penned an extraordinary essay on Kobayashi’s war opus The Human Condition at Mondo 70: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-human-condition-1959-61.html
Jon Warner has authored a magnificent piece on the recently re-discovered silent treasure “Lonesome” at Films Worth Watching: http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2012/10/lonesome-1928-directed-by-paul-fejos.html
Joel Bocko astutely considers “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys” at The Dancing Image: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-dangerous-lives-of-altar-boys.html
Laurie Buchanan talks about tress and being “stretched to the limit” in her wonderful new post at Speaking From The Heart: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/bend-but-dont-break/
Tony d’Ambra’s newest post at FilmsNoir.net is a brilliant concise essay on 1941’s “Johnny Eager” with Robert Taylor, Lana Turner and Van Heflin: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/johnny-eager-1941-just-another-hood-i-guess.html
Weeping Sam has a most interesting Major League Baseball Predictions round-up at The Listening Ear: http://listeningear.blogspot.com/2012/10/baseball-postseason.html
In one of the most moving of all posts Terrill Welch pays tribute to her grandfather at the sublime Creativepotager’s blog: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/morning-walk-along-the-stuart-river-a-tribute-to-my-grandfather/
In Tokyo our good friend “Murderous Ink” has posted Part 8 in his superlative “Films of 1949” series examining Japanese cinema at Vermillion and One Nights: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-dark-side-of-nation.html
Ed Howard offers up a superlatively written and reasoned (and well-deserved) takedown of Francois Truffaut’s “The Man Who Loved Women” at Only the Cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-man-who-loved-women.html
Dee Dee offers up petition co-founder Lori Moore’s own take on a John Garfield classic over at Darkness Into Light: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2012/09/john-garfield-in-nobody-lives-forever.html
John Greco has penned a wonderfully engaging review of Roy del Ruth’s “Employee’s Entrance” with Warren William at Twenty Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/employees-entrance-1933-roy-del-ruth/
Shubhajit Lahiri has penned a typically brilliant capsule review at Cinemascope on Clint Eastwood’s “The Outlaw Josey Wales”: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-outlaw-josey-wales-1976.html
Marilyn Ferdinand is heading up Ferdy on Films with a marvelous piece on Hungarian director Peter Bergendy’s “The Exam” recently screened at the Chicago International Film Festival: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2012/ciff-2012-the-exam-a-viszga-2011/15992/
David Scheicher has penned a fantastic favorable piece on “Looper” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/10/04/raising-cane-and-making-it-rain-in-looper/
At Exodus 8:2 Jaimie Grijalba continues with his “100 Days of Terror” with a great review of 2012’s “Gyo” which placed at No. 69: http://livingincinema.com/2012/09/29/looper-2012/
R.D. Finch has written a splendid essay on 1965’s “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” at The Movie Projector: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-spy-who-came-in-from-cold-1965.html h
Kaleem Hasan offers an engaging post at Satyamshot titled “Shahrukh in Conversation with Yash Chopra”: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/shahrukh-in-conversation-with-yash-chopra/
One of the net’s finest writers, the exceedingly talented Jason Bellamy has written a fantastic essay on Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” at The Cooler: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2012/09/touching-void-master.html
At Patricia’s Wisdom our friendly host offers some seasonal culinary and sensory delights: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2012/09/the-fragrance-of-fall/
The comment section under Kevin Olson’s superlative essay on “The Master” at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies makes this presentation a must read for film fans: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-master.html
At the Coffee Messiah’s blog the indominable Michael Harford features a collage on cultivation: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2012/09/cultivate.html
Craig Kennedy has penned at terrific review on “Frankenweenie” at Living in Cinema: http://livingincinema.com/2012/10/05/frankenweenie-2012/
Stephen Russell-Gebbett has posted another thought-provoking piece, this time on 2010’s “Burning Bright” at Checking on my Sausages: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/09/burning-bright-2010.html
David Lawrence, thjat erudite and personable educator from the U.K. features a poster of a Hammer classic at his new site Musings and Meanderings: http://1mouth2ears.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/movie-posters-1-dracula-has-risen-from-the-grave-1968/
Brandie Ashe happily announces a “Singin in the Rain” giveaway at True Classics: http://trueclassics.net/2012/08/10/singin-again-plus-a-giveaway/
Roderick Heath has posted a terrific new review on “Chronicle” at This Island Rod: http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2012/07/chronicle-2012.html
At Patricia’s Wisdom, a laudatory post titled “It’s my ball and I am leaving the game” leads the way: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2012/09/its-my-ball-and-i-am-leaving-the-game/
J. D. LaFrance has penned a terrific piece on Tony Scott’s “The Last Boy Scout” at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-last-boy-scout.html
The esteemed Film Doctor, a professor on Film Studies at a southern university, has written a fascinating piece on P.J. Anderson’s “The Master” at The Film Doctor: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-master-s-whip-lash-8-notes.html
Adam Zanzie has posted a terrific “alternative Sight and Sound list at Icebox Movies: http://www.iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-alternative-sight-sound-list.html
Jason Marshall has continued his superb coverage of 1942 at Movies Over Matter with a wonderful post on his Best Actor choice for that year: Chishu Ryu: http://moviesovermatter.com/2012/08/09/chishu-ryu-in-there-was-a-father-best-actor-of-1942/
Peter Lenihan has written a superlative essay talking about two films: “Dredd” and “Savages” at The Long Voyage Home: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2012/09/double-feature-dredd-savages.html
At Doodad Kind of Town Pat Perry offers up eight terrific capsules in a triumphant game of catch up: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-catch-up-post-little-bit-about-lot.html
At The Blue Vial Drew offers up “w/o” and some intriguing Fordian parallels: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2012/10/wo_5.html
At The Last Lullaby, the ever delightful filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman takes a look at part sixteen of his long running quartet series: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2012/04/favorite-four-part-sixteen.html
Stephen Russell-Gebbett at Checking on my Sausages again offers up a brillinatly-creative feature on ‘Sport as the Perfect Fiction”: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/08/sport-is-perfect-fiction.html
Tony Dayoub takes a look at the summer’s Barnes and Noble 50% off sale for Criterion collectots at Cinema Viewfinder: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2012/07/criterion-summer.html
Greg Ferrara at Cinema Styles talks about the Colorado shootings in a moving feature: http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-dark-knight-shooting-in-colorado.html
Jeopardy Girl talks about her “least favorite film” at her wonderful new series at “The Continuing Saga of Jeopardy Girl”: http://jeopardygirl.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/2-my-least-favourite-film/
Hokahey takes a fascinating look at “Looper” at Little Worlds: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2012/09/looper-glossary-of-terms.html
Dave Van Poppel has a tremendous batch of short reviews up at Visions of Non Fiction on the Toronto Film Festival: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
I saw “Heaven’s Gate” and the first three episodes of Oliver Stone’s “The Untold History of the United States” at the New York Film Festival over the weekend, where I’ll be seeing Oliver Assaya’s latest this Monday.
I also saw “Looper” this afternoon, and I have to say I don’t really see what all the admirers are getting in this one. To be fair, Johnson has a good command of action throughout, staging and shooting some pretty energetic, but coherent, gun fights throughout. And the acting’s more or less okay as far as they go in movies like these. Major problems for me were in the way that the various high-concept premises are handled. The first half hour or so is bogged down by drearily direct exposition on time travel and its various coverning rules, telekenesis and future gangland politics, much of which barely actually factors into the actual story besides to provide excuses for plot devices throughout. Johnson makes the crucial error of complicating and confusing the story by over-explaining things that would be easy enough to grasp if handled in-medias-res. The way he draws attention to the vagueries of time-travel especially becomes distracting as the movie goes on– I found myself thinking less about the dilemmas the characters were facing and rather whether or not character X was really character Y from the future or past. Beyond that, the visual look for the film is alright, but nothing spectacular– your average blender mix of cyberpunk noirs and vaguely post-apocalyptic westerns. None of it anything to write home about.
Bob—
Hope that NYFF screening of HEAVEN’S GATE was memorable. I will be acquiring the Criterion blu-ray of the film soon releasing. Thanks for offering up an alternate take on LOOPER, a film that I myself consider one of the best of the year for all sorts of reasons. I know the reviews were spectacular and the overwhelming majority of bloggers have been singing its praises, but in this instance I must agree. You well-state your problems with the way the high-concept premises are handled, but i didn’t have that issue myself. I found the film inventive and emotionally resoant, the latter point a rarity for films like these. Many thanks my friend!
Sam – I’m an admirer of Andrea Arnold’s work – so this Wuthering Heights looks interesting to say the least. I know it’s gotten mixed reviews – but I’ll take your spin over many critics – so I’m looking forward to it (thought I might have to wait for it to hit the rentals). Glad to see someone finally disliked End of Watch – the trailers made it look horrible – but it got many good notices. I’m just so sick of the shaky-cam in that type of scenario – but I’ll still probably take a look at one day when it’s available for rent.
David—
Actually the film did quite well critically. Mixed in this case is roughly one negative and four positive for every five opinions. END OF WATCH also did very well, but as you can see I am not in agreement. Still you’ll need to check out both and come up with your own opinion. I am thinking you will like WUTHERING HEIGHTS, but we’ll see. Many thanks as always my friend!
Hillbillies in Australia! Something wrong there. Ocker perhaps.
Well the word may be different, but the breed is the same.
First I want to congratulate Jason on the distribution of his film and wish for continued success! My wife and I were away for some six days in South Dakota recently. Had a great time, the weather was excellent and I shot some hopefully good photos. The movie front has been on the light side but I watched the following.
The Master (****) As a work of cinematic art P.T. Anderson’s latest is a brilliant piece of filmmaking. Visually stunning, remarkable performed and uncompromising in its point of view however the film remains unsatisfying and convoluted, ending with unresolved mystification. Like The Cause itself the film promises these grand magnificent discoveries about life yet they are never forthcoming.
Flowing Gold (***1/2) John Garfield is on the run from the law (again). Falsely accused of murder, he finds a job working on an oil rig where Pat O’Brien is the boss. The gorgeous, though tragic, Frances Farmer also stars as the love interest. Directed by Alfred E. Green the film combines a nice blend of drama and comedy even though the plot is a variation on a well worn theme. Garfield and the striking France Farmer keep it interesting.
Eating Raoul (****) Low budget cult black comedy from directed Paul Bartel, starring Bartel and Mary Woronov as Paul and Mary Bland, a straight laced couple caught in the wilds of Hollywood. The Blands want to open up a restaurant and find an idiosyncratic approach to make to make their dream come true. Wonderful satire on the haves and the have not’s where the haves are all sleazy perverts dedicated to swinging and S&M games while the straights are duller than watching paint dry.
I watched a beautiful 35mm print of Eating Raoul at the Valdivia Film Festival, easy one of the highlights of the week, and I rate it with the perfect score of ***** for me, it is a daring, humorous and harsh horror comedy that involves the best aspects of many genres, hitting it right in the sweet spot.
Jaime,
I was struggling with giving this **** or ****1/2. I went with the lower score only because the production values were a bit cheezy. That aside, this is, as you say, is a daring, humorous horror comedy.
John—
You and Dorothy must have had an incredible time on that South Dakota trip. Your absence was quite evident, what with TWENTY FOUR FRAMES on a brief but noticeable hiatus, but I do remember you had mentioned the trip elsewhere. I hope to see your photos, if you plan on posting them! That’s beautiful country there! As far as your assessment of THE MASTER, I could not have said it better, and I can’t agree with you more. Convoluted, mystifying, inconclusive, distancing all mitigate against some brilliant individual scenes and compelling performances. I was all set to see it a second time, and I frankly lost interest, lettting the 3.5 rating stand. I am far more smitten with LOOPER among recent American releases (and I am hearing some remarkable things about ARGO, even with a personal indifference towards Ben Affleck) but THE MASTER does have some serious fans here, including Maurizio. At some point I will watch it again though. I haven’t seen that particular John Garfield film but appreciate the concide estimation, and by and large I am with you on EATING RAOUL. Welcome back my friend!
Good morning Sam and all WITD regulars,
Marlon and I both took the past week off work and were gloriously lazy for nearly the entire time. We did attend my 35th high school reunion over the weekend, but we also took in a number of movies in the theater and at home, via OnDemand. In the last seven days, we saw PARANORMAN, PEOPLE LIKE US, LIBERAL ARTS, YOUR SISTER’S SISTER and the 50th anniversary presentation of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Mostly a great line up there, ranging from ‘magnificent’ (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA) to ‘meh”‘ (PEOPLE LIKE US). Expect some thoughts on the three films in the middle of that list to appear at my place soon.
Also started reading James Harvey’s “Romantic Comedy in Holllwood” as a result of Judy Geater’s reference to it in her ADAM’S RIB countdown post last week. It is exhausive and comprehensive, I’ll say that – just the first few pages, an intensely detailed analysis of Lubitsc’s LOVE PARADE, exhausted me. Definitely not a book you pick up and read straight through in a gallop, but promises to be a very valuable resources and my thanks to Judy for recommending it!
Pat, glad to hear you are finding Harvey’s book a vaulable resource, but I do agree it definitely isn’t a quick read – I keep having to go back over bits I’ve already read when I manage to watch a film he discussed earlier. I’m hoping to see ‘Liberal Arts’, which is due to show at my local indie cinema soon, so will be interested to see your take on that one in particular!
Pat—
Great to hear but you and Judy have much to recommend in Harvey’s book on romantic comedy! Looks like it’s one to keep crossing referencing after the viewings. I’m very tempted now to pick up a copy. But I’ll take a look after I complete this response to you. MY SISTER’S SISTER played at Tribeca where Lucille saw it and later proclaimed it to be her favorite film at that festival (where she saw about 24 films) I still have to see it. I did once see LAWRENCE at the Ziegfeld years ago, so I can well imagine what a breathtaking experience you had this past week. I liked PARANORMAN to fair degree, but it’s nothing like FRANKENWEENIE. I haven’t seen LIBERAL ARTS and am not at all surprised with your dismissal of PEOPLE LIKE US. Have a great week my friend!
Sam –
I enjoyed the word picture you painted in your description of WUTHERING HEIGHTS — “the story, strictly subservient to the visuals…” Even though it’s seen, it sounds almost like a tactile experience.
I was wondering what you’d have to say about it, and now I know why my younger clients are raving about FRANKENWEENIE!
The last two mornings we’ve woken up to 33 and 34 degrees. Hula burgers, it’s cold! No snow yet, but we traditionally get a few teasing flurries on Halloween night. Len and I are both off today so we plan to deal with the mountain of leaves in our front and back yard, and clean out the eaves on the house and garage while we’re at it.
Laurie—
Thanks for your kind words about the way I tried to frame WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and quite right there about the kind of experience it may be. All the kids loved FRANKENWEENIE, and must say I was with them! I have a sneaky suspicion you will connect with this one in a big way. Yes the cold is right around the corner, the frost is with us, and the temperatures are moving into the 30’s. We even have the heat on now at night for our two amazon parrots in the basement. And yes, lest we forget how Mother Nature can be unpredictable, I well remember last year’s unexpected Halloween snow storm that knocked out our power for nearly five days. Have a great week my friend!
My neighbor saw ‘Frankenweenie’ with his wife on Saturday and he’s been singing its praises. The visuals look captivating, and Burton excels at this kind of thing. I think Sue and I may see it tonight. You make ‘Wuthering Heights’ appetizing too.
What a game in Baltimore last night! 5 runs in the 9th for our Yanks, and a step closer to the final round.
Peter, the opening game win was huge. This means at the very least the Yanks will come home 1-1. I like their chances now!
Well Peter, as you and Frank both know by now, the Yanks and Orioles are deadlocked at one game apiece, but the New Yorkers did what they had to coming away with the one win. The next three games (the third if needed) will be played in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium. You used a term there I am partial to (singing its praises) Ha! I must be rubbing off. In any case by all means bring Sue to see FRANKENWEENIE. When Maurizio Roca gave this his seal of approval I am figuring it will most entertained. Yes I stongly urge WUTHERING HEIGHTS too! Have a great week my friend. Go Yanks!
Sam,
Thanks for the kind mention my friend. Yes Fall is very much in gear now and we had a chilly rainy weekend mostly spent inside except for some time spent planting tulip and daffodil bulbs. It was a good weekend for that at least. I am glad you liked Wuthering Heights so much. I also remember that you really liked last years Jane Eyre of course by a different director. I didn’t like Eyre so much cause it felt very condensed and too quick moving for my taste. I loved the book so much was perhaps the problem. I fear I may have the same reaction to Wuthering Heights, another book I love to death. I will try to maintain an objective stance to the film…..however there are times when it’s hard to do that when comparing to classic literature; the only type of reading that I do is in fact classic lit. I do well like the Wyler classic with Olivier and Oberon though, even though it steers clear of the end of the book of course.
Well I didn’t get to Rohmer’s moral tales….that will be this week, however I did take in my first viewing of De Sica’s Terminal Station, which is a gloriously overheated romance/melodrama and a film I am totally in love with. Jennifer Jones is ravishing and Clift brooding and sensitive as he usually is. I had seen the shorter cut before, but this longer cut is much better and closer to the director’s vision. Romance films are one of my favorite genres I am not afraid to say. Love them. That was my great viewing of the week.
I am about to head back on the road, for 2 weeks no less! Won’t be back into regular routine until Oct. 22. I aim to bring several films with me and keep up with the blogging world in the evenings but I will be exhausted for sure. The travel schedule comes and goes and we will be heading into a busy time here this fall as usual.
Well hope you have a great week Sam! Talk soon.
Jon, Bronte’s novel is a favorite of mine too, and as with the Wyler, Arnold only concerns herself with the first half of the novel. I would argue, though, that Arnold captures the spirit and tone of the novel FAR better than Wyler does–there’s a concern with the savagery and nastiness of the landscape and these people that is wholly absent from the ’39 film, even if it doesn’t always unravel in conventionally dramatic terms. The only adaptation I’m aware of that even tries to tackle the whole novel is Yoshida’s, which Allan reviewed here a while back. That one is a mad, disturbing film, and well worth a watch too.
Interesting Peter. Actually this is reassuring to me that I will more than likely really take to the new Arnold film. Spirit and tone mean a lot to me in matters such as these. I actually haven’t seen the Yoshida film though so that is something else I will have to track down. Thanks for the input.
Jon—
The cool/cold weather is indeed taking grip. Nice to see you got in some flower gardening during the brief respite between the rain fall. I will now make it a Bronte treesome with you and Peter, as the book is one of my all-time favorites. I guess I like the 1939 film more than Peter, but I can see his issues, especially since that film only covers half of the source. Still, the acting was so extraordinary, that even with the massive omissions it still stands as one of the most accomplished screen romances. Similarly I concur with Peter that Arnold does indeed capture the spirit and tone especially well, with the savage emotions and brooding and raw landscape that allow Robbie Ryan’s muted color cinematography to reach exalted status. Yes Jon, I did like last year’s JANE EYRE to the tune of a year-end ‘best of’ list, but the films are far different, even if both are distinguished by a captivating visual design. Arnold is going for behavioral intensity and a visualization of theme. Arnold’s film also makes no claim to following Bronte’s novel, instead using it as a sprinboard for a distinctly impressionistic work. It does deserve beeing considered in those terms, but we’ll see. I won’t make any predictions. Ha! Great call there on TERMINAL STATION (agreed) and like you I am a fan of the romantic film. The ultimate in that genre begins a one week run this Friday at the Film Forum- David Lean’s BRIEF ENCOUNTER. I know how much you love that film! You are always on the go Jon! Have a great trip and time spent on the road. I am fearing that when you return Michigan will be veering into the ‘red state’ category after all the new post-debate polls. We needs a strong second debate on the 16th for the President! Anyway, we’ll speak soon my friend! many thanks as always.
OH yes I DO love Brief Encounter! That would be wonderful on the big screen with all that beautiful cinematography! Lovely!
I kinda figured End of Watch was gimmicky. I think they’ve taken that stylistic to the limit, yet I see a lot of reviewers are still buying it. Great news on Tim Burton’s new film, and the latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights. I actually feel we’ve had enough straight adaptations of the latter, so a different approach is welcome. I would imagine the cinematography is gorgeous.
Congratulations to Mr. Giampietro.
Frank—
I’m sure Jason will appreciate your kind words! I’m hoping you will find both Arnold’s and Burton’s films to your liking, but the odds are high from what I think I know about your taste my friend. Many thanks as always, and have a great week!
Sam, it looks like Frankenweenie will fail at the box office and debunk Burton’s bankability again. Seems like he lucked out with Alice in Wonderland and exploited a yearning for revisionist fantasy that did not translate into fresh demand for the Burton brand name. But people are probably right who suggest that Burton is slammed unfairly for seeming to do the same stuff over and over — for isn’t that the mark of the auteur? Still, you can’t help feeling that if you’ve seen his past stuff you’ve seen all he’ll ever do. That’s no problem if you always enjoy it, but familiarity can breed contempt among others. I have no interest in the new picture but plan to catch up with Dark Shadows on DVD to make a more informed judgment on the director.
This week I took advantage of TCM’s Spencer Tracy festival to catch up with some of his rarely-shown Pre-Code work. The highlights were Walsh’s Me and My Gal, Borzage’s Man’s Castle and the Sturges/Howard Power and the Glory. I’ll have more to say about these at my place but here I’ll say the Borzage was the best of the three, while the Walsh was quite funny and the vaunted proto-Kane Howard film proves overrated despite Sturges’s non-linear innovations. Also saw Oshima’s Gohatto, a late provocation for its homoerotic spin on a popular samurai subject, and Helma Sanders-Brahms’ Under the Pavement Lies the Strand, a low-key but emotionally persuasive examination of would-be revolutionaries struggling to adjust to “real life” in Seventies West Germany. Also saw or heard a big chunk of the Giants game: they are scary in more than one sense of the word. After watching another Eli Manning comeback I couldn’t help thinking, “Damn, he really does drive a Toyota!”
Enjoy your week, everyone.
Samuel, perhaps the biggest boost this week for Burton on these pages was the surprisingly strong (4/5) rating awarded the film by Maurizio Roca, one that caught me completely off guard, in view of Maurizio’s general apathy towards Burton. But the reviews were generally quite excellent, and it’s shame that that it is making a tepid show at the box office. Burton tapped on a compelling theme with the loss of a loved one, that if handles with reasonable restraint can really elevate the others aspects of the narrative. Oddly enough, while I love FRANKENWEENIE, I was no fan at all of DARK SHADOWS, which I found insipid and a trivilization of the original show that was a huge fan of back in the day.
Of the three Tracys I like ME AND MY GAL best, but couldn’t fault you for favoring MAN’S CASTLE in direct comparison. Overall a memorable treesome, with the one you see as the weakest the right call as I see it. I’ve seen quite a bit of Oshima, but not that film yet, sounds interesting! And the Giants did need that win with the brutal schedule ahead that has them locking horns with the Cowboys, Redskins and 49ers. Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always!
Love the new banner. Hope it can stay up for at least a week or so.
Also will there ever be repeats?
Joel, Allan has indicated that he plans to return to the old ‘Duelle’ banner here and there to show the site as “one” as he refers to it, and he also said there could be repeats. he is entertaining recommendations as well, as I already mentioned to Bob. And yes this new one is most fine for sure!
Thanks for the mention Sam and glad to hear your praise for WUTHERING HEIGHTS. I hope to see it soon although it has been on DVD in the UK for a while. And yes, I can’t praise HOLY MOTORS enough. I am now starting to catch up with some other films after our festival ended and saw THE MASTER. I found it remarkable and devastating. Although I need some time to let it sink in. As for END OF WATCH, the trailers lead me to believe that I have seen this movie many times before, so I am in no rush to catch it.
Sachin—
I’m actually pleased I didn’t succumb to the Region 2 DVD, as I appreciated this big-screen viewing quite a bit! But needless to say I’ll be tempted to pick it up now. You really do have me excited about HOLY MOTORS, which is opening here in about 10 days at the Film Forum. I’d be most interesting in seeing a review from you on THE MASTER and S & R, if you decide to pen one. Yeah, I am thinking you won’t be all that enthusiastic about END OF WATCH. Have a great week my friend!
Back in Santiago!!!!!
Thanks Sam for featuring my personal adventures in this diary, I hope to do something longer and more colorful for my blog or another project I have in mind, but in the meantime, I’ll just talk a bit about them, there’s a lot so I’ll go short on them.
So, movie wise:
– Who can Kill a Child? (1976, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador) ***** A 35mm presentation in Valdivia of famous and outrageous horror films was part of my daily experience. This is one of my favorite spanish horrors, a visceral and hitchcockian. One of the highlights was the actual showing, people screaming and all.
– 11·25 The Day He Chose his Fate (2012, Kôji Wakamatsu) **** Special screening of this Cannes film from Japan was made, interesting historically, and of course, I’ll say more about this one soon enough.
– A primera hora (At first hour) (2012, Javier Correa) ***1/2 Chilean documentary on national competition, about two dairy countryside people from the south of Chile. The documentary is nice looking but it takes some time to reach its message and point.
– Al final: la última carta (At the end, the last letter) (2012, Tiziana Panizza) **** Experimental short film, the last in a trilogy, shown with the rest of the shorts that conform it. This was the world premiere, and it was filled with people that were highly emotional of the material presented and filmed in Super 8.
– La casa (The House) (2012, Gustavo Fontán) **1/2 A boring film from a highly succesful argentine director. This one is beautiful to look at, but it states many obvious messages as it frames the house and tries to construct and emotional binding that never appears.
– La chica del sur (The Girl of the South) (2012, José Luis García) ****1/2 A really interesting and well made documentary from Argentina about a mysterious south-korean girl that managed to cross the border and enter north-korea, not because she was communist, but because she craved for unification. Amazing tale and amazing construction of the themes presented.
– La Chupilca del Diablo (2012, Ignacio Rodríguez) ***1/2 Chilean fiction film about an old man that has a liquor factory, he is separated from his family, and takes a grandson as an apprentice in the business that is slowly fading away. Great script, weak direction and cinematography.
– Conversations with Camila Vallejo (2012, Manuel Anselmi, Luciano Usai) **** One of the most important figures of 2011 in Chile was Camila Vallejo, a student that commanded as president of her student council, the whole rebellion and talk about a better education. It was interesting to hear her ideas and stances on many issues, and was contrasted by many views.
– Courageous (2011, Alex Kendrick) **1/2 This I watched at the bus on the way back, it was silly and really annoying at how it tries to force down your throat its religious message, but it has one or two amusing scenes to prevent it from being sent to the depths of hell.
– From thursday to sunday (2012, Dominga Sotomayor Castillo) **** Winner of the international competition, even if it was a chilean feature, this one is a highly compact and well made family drama/road movie that was impressive to look at and to relate to in terms of characters.
– Dear Nonna: A film letter (2004, Tiziana Panizza) ***1/2 The first in the trilogy of short films that I watched, this one seems more like an experiment in the tropes of experimental film, and in perspective, it works fine as an introduction to the interior world of the director.
– Eating Raoul (1982, Paul Bartel) ***** As I said up there, the 35mm projection was great and the film still manages to be impressive in many ways.
– Evil Dead II (1987, Sam Raimi) ***** Another 35mm presentation of this classic and favorite of mine, I couldn’t miss it, specially since I was hoping to have the theater experience of this one, everyone laughing and being grossed out. A winner.
– Galaxy of Terror (1981, Bruce D. Clark) *** The first film I watched for my horror madness of October, review at my site.
– Holy Motors (2012, Leos Carax) ****1/2 One of the highlights of the festival was the special showing of this film, a tale of cinema, projections, simulacra and simulations, profound themes, funny and scary moments, strangeness above all and a beautiful eye for framing and cinematography. Gotta watch it again soon.
– Leviathan (2012, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel) **** Playing in the international competition, this documentary is interesting due to its approach to the subject of fishing, with the small cameras and the sound that they capture, this one is an abstract winner of big proportions.
– I lupi (The Wolves) (2011, Alberto de Michele) ***1/2 Shown before a feature, this documentary is interesting because it follows a group of thieves in Italy, only backing away from the act of stealing.
– The Man Who Laughs (1928, Paul Leni) **** Another film seen for my horror thing at my site, review there.
– Miguel, San Miguel (2012, Matías Cruz) ***1/2 The opening film of the festival is a biopic filmed in black and white about the birth of one of the most famous chilean bands of all time: Los Prisioneros. It goes the cliched biopic route, but in some spots is really telling.
– Partir to Live (2012, Domingo García-Huidobro) * One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and it was made in Chile. I was dissapointed, furious and angry as it progressed in its meaningless exercises of “art-film” bullshit. Wanted to smack the director in the head.
– Q (1982, Larry Cohen) One of the horror films I watched for my thing at my blog, review there.
– Sibila (2012, Teresa Arredondo) **** Chilean documentary in the first person about the aunt of the director, that was involved in a sect of Peru that killed civilians and military in the search for a better country. The documentary portrays one person and then crumbles it as we meet her.
– Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983, Various Directors) ***1/2 This was seen and commented for my blog horror thing! Review there.
– The Unknown (1927, Tod Browning) ****1/2 Another one of the horror films I watched for my blog, review there.
– Where the Condors Fly (2012, Carlos Klein) ****1/2 The winner of the best chilean film on the festival was this beautiful and insightful documentary about the filming of ¡Vivan las Antipodas! of the russian director Victor Kossakovsky. Great insight into the process and language of filmmaking/documentaries.
– Wrath of the Titans (2012, Jonathan Liebesman) **1/2 Watched on the bus on the way to Valdivia, a dreck that is really ugly to look at and almost plot-less in its abuse of special effects.
Thanks Sam and everyone!
Jaimie—
Congratulations on this great trip! You’ll certainly remember it for the rest of your life even with other ventures to come over the ensuing decades. Sounds like the bus ride was movie occupied, and there were quite a few films from South American filmmakes, as well there would be. I got a good laugh at what you say about COURAGEOUS, what with the forced religion and the place you’d send it. Ha! That quite a rating there for the horror WHO CAN KILL A CHILD, and that same five-star annointment is fair enough for EVIL DEAD II, which is of course a classic of it’s kind. I can’t wait for HOLY MOTORS (already praised highly by Sachin Gandhi and Dave Van Poppel) and know it’s one of your festival faves! Looks like the Argentinian LA CHICA DEL SUR is well worth a look too! Laughed a bit too when you descibed PARTIR TO LIVE as “one of the worst movies you have ever seen in your life” but I have no reason to doubt your findings. Of the films you mention at being reviews on the horror countdown I adote THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, and like THE UNKNOWN quite a bit too. And TWILIGHT ZONE is well worth a re-visit. Great trip, wonderful report, passionate account. Your excitement was a wonder to behold my friend! Now take a rest!
Sam, I also like ‘The Man Who Laughs’. Don’t you think Conrad Veidt, in peruke, looks a bit like Eileen (‘The Bad Seed’) Heckart? No disrespect to Heckart, but the more I watched and re-watched the more striking the resemblance became.
Ha Mark, I had never perceived that, but focusing in now I think you have an excellent point! I love that film so much that I can’t wait to watch it yet again!
After being cooped up in the house yesterday, I decided to take a walk and go to the movies today. Tough call between seeing either Looper or Frankenweenie at my local theater (which only plays wide release films). The final decision was made for the latter and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. One of Burton’s best…
Frankenweenie ****
The Trial (62) *****
(REC) **
Saw the other two films at home. Welles’ The Trial gets better with each viewing and I consider it his third best picture after Citizen Kane and Touch Of Evil these days. I know he proclaimed it his greatest achievement during his lifetime and I could understand why…. clearly very little outside manipulation seems to be present in the finished product.
“The Trial” is my favorite Welles, easily. I love Kane, but he perfectly captures Kafka’s tone and story here, as well as updating it to the modern era in slight but savvy ways. The only real problem is that he could’ve gone a little further, and hews just a little too close to the text at points– the best moments are those where he builds from the novel and turns it into something fitting cinema, with livelier scenes of dialogue and staging.
I can’t say that “Frankenweenie” looks like my cup of tea, as I’m not a big Burton fan. But I know the short, know his love of stop-motion, and now know it can’t be any worse than “Looper” was.
Yeah Welles does deviate from the novel in certain spots, but the tone and feel is very spot on throughout. What makes it one of his best directorial efforts is the fact that it clearly feels like “his” film overall. Only Kane, the director’s cut of TOE, and Chimes can really say that otherwise. The rest are either brilliant fragments of greater lost films, erratically shoot multi year efforts (that show it), or low budget hack work. Now if we could only get a better release for home viewing. I have a public domain copy that could use a Criterion scrubbing.
Hey I’m not a huge Burton fan either and Frankenweenie is basically recycling the same old preoccupations and kiddie goth stuff that the director has endlessly mined already. It just seems more inspired this time around and perhaps better served by the stop motion animation. I will say that the “action packed” conclusion of the movie is disappointing and very formulaic (without any depth), but it was a blast for the most part as pure entertainment. Being a fan of the Universal horror films of the 30’s also adds to the fun.
I simply can’t find the motivation to go see Looper. I know it’s getting rave reviews from critics but it just looks so bland to me. I will certainly see it at some point though. I also find Levitt extremely irritating for some unexplainable reason.
Maurizio, I thought the emotional glue that held FRANKENWEENIE together and brought an underlying resonance to the narrative underpinning was the matter of grief and loss. Burton brought this off quite movingly, and it allowed for a special added dimension to a film that was beautifully mounted, and as you note a delightful homage to the Universal horror films. I must say I am surprised but thrilled that you liked the film as much as you did! Can’t quibble either with your highest rating for THE TRIAL! I urge you to give LOOPER a shot. In a weak year for American cinema, this is one of the best for me. This coming weekend purportedly promises to bring American films back strongly! We will see. Hope you are over the worst of your illness.
American cinema has already made a strong brilliant statement with The Master. Hopefully the next few months brings a couple more as well.
Frankenweenie certainly broaches the subject of loss and science… I just think the conclusion squanders a more profound culmination and turns into Mars Attack instead. Still the emotional glue does hold for the first 75 minutes or so and I’m glad I saw it.
Maurizio, to be honest I have lost any real desire to see THE MASTER again. I think it’s an auspicious failure, that oddly enough has been eclipsed by LOOPER and probably by some yet-to-be-released films. I feel the same way about it that you do about MAGNOLIA. With ten weeks left 2012 has been dominated by foreign-language cinema, but I am hopeful a few diamonds in the rough will surface before midnight tolls. Still, I greatly respect your excellent delineation of why you feel THE MASTER is so exceptional, and I’ve been very impressed with some other profound reviews singing its praises. You have been remarkably eloquent and observant, and your defense has been persuasive. As far as the end of FRANKRENWEENIE, well I am on a different page there, and perhaps that’s why I ultimately gave it a half-star more. The ending was just as wonderful as the rest oif the film, but again taste, perception, what we value most in art all comes into play here. At least we both had a great time watching it.
Did you see “The Master” in 70mm yet, Sam? Because that’s the only legitimate way to see it. Seeing it on a tiny screen at the Angelika is just a waste of time.
Bob, though I did indeed see THE MASTER at the Angelika I absolutely saw it in 70 MM, a fact that was confirmed by the ushers at the theater. management and Time Out. Though relatively speaking the Angelika screens are smaller than those at multiplexes, their updated equipment can display 70 MM like other theaters.
I don’t believe you need to see The Master in 70mm to enjoy it’s brilliance. I do agree that the Angelika should be any film lovers last option when seeing a new movie though. Not only are their screens tiny, but the sound of oncoming trains near the subway are unfortunate. I’m also not enamored by the long narrow theaters that feel like your being placed in a coffin.
Maurizio you forgot to mention tthe “rats” that come out when the theatre is sparcely attended. Lucille have seen and heard them scampering around! I bet they come from the subway tunnels. Butyes the noice could be a major downer.
Sam, if you’re seeing it on an Angelika screen, it’s definitely not a proper 70mm experience. You need a huge screen like the one at the Ziegfeld to really get all the visual information that 70mm affords. Basically, seeing “The Master” at the Angelika is roughly like watching the Blu Ray of “The Dark Knight” on your TV set (to compare small things to great, as Dante’s Virgil said). Yeah, you get all of the picture, but it’s just not the same as when it’s blown up to IMAX proportions.
Bob, whether that is true or not (and you seem to pose a persuasive argument) the fact is that I saw THE MASTER a second time yesterday afternoon when I got home from school at my Edgewater multiplex on ‘bargain’ day. I saw little difference from the first viewing, didn’t like it any more than I did in the Angelika screening, and visually saw little alteration, even with the glorious 70 mm print on the huge screen. Many scribes have rejected the 70mm thing as a money making gimmick.
Thanks Sam for the mention. Interesting to hear about the four diverse films (all recent releases I suppose) that you watched. After a few days of relaxation at home, I’m back to the daily grind of office life (returned last Wednesday to be precise).
Anyway, I managed to watch the following films in the meantime:
– Hitchcock’s North by Northwest – though I found it highly enjoyable, I found it difficult to decipher the reasons for the high standing it enjoys among so many people (the climax was too implausible to be taken seriously) – but that scene where the hero gets attacked by the spraying airplane, that was absolutely scintillating
– Andrew Dominik’s recent crime drama Killing Them Softly; I’d gone to the theatre with a lot of expectations (having immensely liked his Assassination of Jesse James…), and I must say that I wasn’t disappointed at all – a darkly engaging film indeed!
– Jacques Becker’s captivating escape drama (and unfortunately his final film) Le Trou
– The delirious, nightmarish & criminally underrated Scorsese gem After Hours
Ah Shubhajit, a return to reality is something we can never avoid. I guess it’s good in once sense and in another, constricting. You are not the only person I’ve met that feels that way about NORTH BY NORTHWEST, and to be honest this film wasn’t an immediate hit with me either (though I did come around and now think highly of it) But I can’t argue about the implausibility you speak of there. LE TROU is a great prison film, even if I did gently rib my friend Maurizio on it over at that take-no-prisoners voting thread! Ha! Great to hear that about Dominick’s film, which I haven’t yet seen! And agreed on what you say there about AFTER HOURS of course!
Thanks as always my friend! Hope you have a good week.
Sam, thank you so much for the kind mention. I wasn’t sure whether to see Arnold’s ‘Wuthering Heights’, as I’d heard mixed reports, but you now have me intrigued! I know my son wants to see ‘Frankenweenie’ when it comes out here so maybe I will see it with him – I liked ‘The Corpse Bride’ and am looking forward to this one.
I haven’t seen many films this week, just ‘Broadway Danny Rose’, which I loved – I’d seen it many years ago but John Greco’s review persuaded me to do so again! – and Mitchell Leisen’s ‘Easy Living’, a great 1930s romantic comedy with a script by Sturges and starring Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold and Ray Milland. I’ve seen a few Jean Arthur films recently and am increasingly becoming a fan.
Judy—
I do believe you will be pleasantly surprised with WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Ms. Arnold takes the material to a sensory interpretation, accentuating the bleak atmospherics and naked emotions. She takes Bronte as a kind of inspiration and travels a different path. But it’s always a ravshing watch. And of course I am also hoping you accompany your son Max to see FRANKENWEENIE, which happily has Tim Burton on his best behavior. It’s gorgeously framed and surprisingly moving. I love EASY LIVING and think quite a bit of BROADWAY DANNY ROSE too. Love Jean Arthur. Have a great week my friend!
I am so excited to tell you that our new directors of our local film society are going to have a film festival – I signed up for the mailing list and can hardly wait to see what pops up. – I see the movies in my future.
Have been watching for weeks now for Wurthering Heights to arrive and I am quite the fan already, but your review just makes me even more excited.
And my daughters are Tim Burton fan club members right from the start…I bet that is wonderful.
Saw THE LADY this week a fine documentary and also one I think called A SMALL ACT about how a woman in Denmark helped start a whole fund to help very poor children get enough money to go to school. It was done by young man who now works for the UNITED NATIONS because of her gift.
If our “Scott Walker” candidate gets to be Governor, I think we will have to start our own scholarship funds for education – this candidate only wants public education to be 1 through 5 and one pays for all the other aspects until one graduates…hmmm….He is posing as a moderate/centralist but all of his work so far indicates a dark conservative side just waiting to jump out.
I reviewed the book THE GOOD POPE: John XXIII this week – an interesting read and also very disturbing. There is lots of Catholic controversy about this Greg Tobin book and I can give one copy away to a good comment and those folks seem to be few and far between…. maybe some of your readers will want to check it out…the book is available for giveaway in US and Canada…
We are still having a sunny Autumn and the corn mazes are still delighting the kids….first rain on the forecast for this coming weekend….I made a Romanesque Cauliflower Pie for supper – it looks like a fall treat of great color and oh so yummy
Have a good week ….thanks for your good reviews…
Patricia—-
I bet that ‘Romanesque cauliflower pie’ is scrumptous! And yes, divine color for this time. I always gravitate to pumpkin pie in October and November, but I do need to watch my sugar. You are blessed in one sense to have the sunny autumn as long as temperatures are seasonal. Ugh on the “Scott Walker” gobernatorial candidate in Washington State (Rob McKenna) whose policies are not applauded by me either. Hopefully he gets trounced. Great to hear about the Film Festival, and your enthusiasm for WUTHERING HEIGHTS, a film I am thinking you’ll be ravished by. And glad to hear your daughters are big fans of Burton. FRANKENWEENIE will surely meet with their approval. Books on the popes always fascinate me (that entire college of cardinal sritual through the years has never failed to captivate me) a=nd I’ll be checking on your post. The two docs you saw too sound most interesting! Have a great week my friend! many thanks as always.
Sam, Creative Potager thanks you for keeping us on the blog links as I travel around Canada and found myself away from home for about six weeks! Parts were sad and parts were funny and other parts were inspiring. All in all, glad to be home and settling into the quiet loveliness of the shoulder season. Winter will be here soon enough.
Tonight we watched INSIDE MAN (2006) directed by Spike Lee. It was entertaining and well done but won’t stay with us past the final credits. For the genre though it was excellent and my kind of thriller which is more about mind-puzzles than killings and trying to scare the viewer.
After it was over, we started talking about some of our favourites films that we have seen in recent years – like do you remember…
THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (1973 Spanish) directed by Víctor Erice when Ana was watching Frankenstein?
And what about YENTL (1983) directed by Barbra Streisand? Love that movie! I have seen the it more than a handful of times and still laugh at all the funny parts.
Then there is THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS (1978 Italian) directed by Ermanno Olmi which we had more recently seen. The farm life and hardships sometimes run on a projector screen in my head.
Hope all is well with you Sam. I am looking forward to the fall. New post is up on Creative Potager and the brushes are full of paint!
Terrill–
Great to hear you are back! I had indeed noticed that you were MIA at your blog for a rather unusually extended time, but I had actually surmised you were traveling, and had remembered a mutual (revered) friend had informed me when we visited her back in August during our mid-west swing that you were planning some trip. In any case, which I am sorry for the sadness, I am happy for the inspiration and the laughter. Yes, winter is really just around the corner, but we have the picturesque beauty of autumn, which I know you will soon be making good on when you resume your painting. I will indeed be heading over to your always-ravishing blog shortly. Yep, INSIDE MAN was ultimately forgettable for me as well, though as you note it was fun watching. I absolutely adore THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE and the arresting moment you mention, and Olmi’s THE TREE OF THE WOODEN CLOGS is another beautiful film. Both are films to see again! Look forward to sharing notes with you my friend. I wish you and David a great weekend!
You actually got to visit with Laurie!? In person!? Well that is awesome and I do envy you the opportunity. Now if I could just get both of you in the same room at the same time and join the conversation – it would be really something. Who knows, maybe someday. As our travels went, we broke it into a smaller bite this year than planned and went to Toronto and Windsor to see family. But it was fun. Next year maybe we will tackle the big road trip across Canada. Great weekend to you and family as well Sam.
I am confident we will meet one day Terrill!!! That would surely be one of the truly great moments since I began blogging, but one of the great moments, period my friend!
Sam, thanks so much for the great mention!
I still need to see Burton’s FRANKENWEENIE and WAKE IN FRIGHT. Both sound like they’re probably right up my alley.
This week, I saw the indy COOK COUNTY and Keaton’s THE NAVIGATOR. I was very happy to see them both, impressed by what the first-time director was able to do with the former and reminded yet again of Keaton’s extraordinary visual sense by the latter.
Thanks so much, Sam, for all that you do. Here’s to another awesome week!
Jeffrey—
I would have to say that WAKE IN FRIGHT and FRANKENWEENIE will be films you much appreciate, and I await your responses when you get a chance at them. The former is an early 70’s classic that almost singlehandedly put Australian cinema on the map along with PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. The latter is one of Burton’s best films. I still need to see COOK COUNTY and appreciate the glowing reaction. As far as that Keaton, it’s magical and never fails to elevate one into the highest sphere of the cinema. Many thanks as always my friend for your incredible support! Hope you are having an interesting weekend.
Hi Sam
Hope you’re well. I just want to make a very quick post to apologise for not posting on the site in a few weeks – I’m afraid that my profession has basically taken over my time since the start of term and I’ve barely been on the internet. It is our half term break next week when I’m looking forward to catching up on my reading of WitD and finding out what you’ve been up to as well as the usual great reading. I’ll be making some long posts in the comments section then so more to come!
Have a great week,
David
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