by Sam Juliano
The darkest Christmas season ever in the nation’s consciousness has come to pass, and the words “unspeakable,” “unconscionable” and “inconsolable” immediately come to mind, if indeed anyone can ever come to terms with anything connected to this unbearable sadness. My site colleague Maurizio Roca in a telling e mail said with haunting simplicity: Better left this tragedy unspoken of. The lovely Laurie Buchanan in Crystal Lake, Illinois, send me a deeply-moving e mail, that looks at this terrible act as one ‘close to home.’ Teachers remain shell-shocked, and life over the last four days has been understandably compromised, as many almost feel guilty to do anything, much less entertain themselves. There is beauty and heartbreak in this life, and what happen in a Constitution State elementary school this past week is really something that can never be forgotten even as life must go on. For those who would prefer not to even mention this horrifying episode, I more than understand. I didn’t want to say a word here, but anything that comes after it is virtually meaningless. This may be true of any tragic ocurrence, but there can nothing quite as devastating as the grief that so many must endure for the remainder of their lives.
Yes life goes on. And one must find a way to lessen their pain and sadness by attempting to focus on matters that will at least offer a temporary reprieve. Over in Ipswitch, east of London, the wonderful Judy Geater at Movie Classics is working hard on her incomparable Dickens December series that has not only enhanced our appreciation of timeless classics, but has unearthed some rarities that deserve referencing. Judy as usual has imparted her expertise and passion on one of the worthiest of subjects. Our beloved friend Dee Dee reported this week some further progress on the signings of the “John Garfield petition,” a project being fostered by the tireless blogger and her friends Barbara La Motta and Lori Moore. The corresponding link can be negotiated on the sidebar under the acting icon’s photo.
It never seemed like we’d ever get there but here we are – the final five days of the comedy countdown after over four months of weekday posting. By way of quality of writing, readers interest, page views and extensive comments this project has been a huge success (much as the musical countdown was in 2011) and the blogging community deserves credit for giving it their best day in and day out. The final week will no doubt feature some of the very best presentations of all, and I urge readers to take note. I will offer a final round-up next week. Today’s post will cover the #5 selection, and on Friday we will unveil #1, with #4, #3 and #2 slated for Tuesday through Thursday. A technical gliche will unfortunately prevent us from presenting the individual vote placements for the final five.
A special screening of an ultra rarity, Jean-Luc Godard’s King Lear will be offered at the Tribeca screening room on Wednesday, Dec. 19, and I plan on being in attendance. I’ve been informed that Bob Clark, who originally appraised me of this event, will also be there. I have plans to see both Amour and Zero Dark Thirty before the end of the week as well, as both have their NYC openings on Wednesday. As we get close and closer to the holiday week, people continue to mob malls and various outlets, while on-line purchasing has been brisk. Giants football fans must wake up and smell the coffee after Sunday’s 34-0 disaster against the Atlanta Falcons. Geez, at least our friend Drew McIntosh must be smiling. Ha!
Lucille and I saw only two films in theaters this week, as we were busy with concerts and birthdays. Young Sammy played trumpet as part of the Cliffside Park High School Christmas concert on Wednesday night and the whole family was on hand to witness this fabulous holiday concert and choral show in the school auditorium. On Thursday we drove over to Manhattan to meet up with our old friend retired teacher Rene Kessler, who was celebrated her 65th birthday in front of a small gathering at Sardi’s Restaurant in Manhattan. During the visit we strolled over to 49th Street to take a look at the huge Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, competing with wall-to-wall people in the beautiful ornamented Radio City Music Hall area. We had a fine dinner, though again as was the case with just about everyone, teh night was darkened and compromised by the sad discussion of the day’s tragic morning shootings.
Lucille, Sammy and I saw (with the full brood for Middle-Earth and Broadway Bob and his mom for HYDE PARK):
Hyde Park on the Hudson * 1/2 (Saturday night)
The Hobbit *** 1/2 (Sunday morning)
While there is no denying that the first of three HOBBIT installments from Peter Jackson treads much of the same ground as the LOTR films, and the narrative possibilities are becoming exhausted, there is some magic left, aided by an extension of hi-def and an emotionally rousing climax with the birds that achieves some soaring lyricism, with the assistance of some awe-inspiring music from LOTR veteran Howard Shore. It does boggle the mind that there will be three films based on the novel -and there is a fair amount of tedium to accompany some of the fantastic sequences, but the new Bilbo, Martin Freeman is quite effective, especially in the extended cave segment with Golem, and Elijah Wood is there for a brief but welcome cameo. I know that there are some who can’t wait to write the obituary to this series, but it won’t happen this time. For the record, the best film of the LOTR trilogy is THE RETURN OF THE KING, even though all the awards will always have others rallying to FELLOWSHIP and TWO TOWERS.
God, you’d think President Franklin D. Roosevelt deserved a better film than what he got with HYDE PARK ON THE HUDSON, no? Well all he got here was a caricatured performance by Bill Murray, some unfocused film making and some lame narrative choices that mostly provided low-brow humor and poor pacing. We did get to see that practically everyone during that era, even in the royalty was a chain smoker, and Roosevelt himself was an annoying and pushy bore. I did get a good laugh though at the hot dog scene near the end with King George VI.
I copied last week’s scroll and will make some changes as the night wears on like I did last week:
Judy Geater’s magnificent ‘December Dickens’ series continues to gain glorious traction at Movie Classics with daily updates, and one of the latest is a fabulous review of the classic Hollywood 1935 adaptation of “A Tale of Two Cities”: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/a-tale-of-two-cities-jack-conway-1935/
Jon Warner has penned a fabulous essay on Spielberg’s “Lincoln” at Films Worth Watching: http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2012/12/lincoln-2012-directed-by-steven.html
Samuel Wilson at Mondo 70 has the latest entry in his terrific ‘Pre-Code Parade” series up with “Winner Takes All,” an early Cagney: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2012/12/pre-code-parade-winner-take-all-1932.html
Laurie Buchanan is leading up at Speaking From The Heart with her final post about her unforgettable Mexican trip, titled “I Saw the Face of God”: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/i-saw-the-face-of-god/
Joel Bocko at Lost in the Movies is leading up with a superlative post on “Neon Genesis Evangelion, Episode 6, Rei II”: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2012/12/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-6-rei-ii.html
At Twenty Four Frames John Greco has posted a great piece on 1933’s steamy pre-coder “The Story of Temple Drake”: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/the-story-of-temple-drake-1933-stephen-roberts/
Pat Perry has posted a superlative trio of capsule reviews at Doodad Kind of Town on “The Loneliest Planet,” “Sound of My Voice” and “Price Check”: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2012/11/beat-crowds-three-good-movies-you-can.html
At Ferdy on Films Roderick Heath is now leading up with a master class essay on 2012’s “Sound of my Voice”: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2012/sound-of-my-voice-2012/16860/
At The Cooler Jason Bellamy has penned a brilliant appreciative essay on Ron Fricke’s “Samsara”: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2012/11/shiny-and-new-samsara.html
Laurie Buchanan’s latest post at Speaking From The Heart asks readers to identify that moments when everything has you stretched to the limit:http://holessence.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/when-women-gather-on-the-rim/
Shubhajit Lahiri has penned a superlative capsule treatment of “The Battle of Algiers” at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.in/2012/12/the-battle-of-algiers-1966.html
Tony d’Ambra leads the way at Films Noir.net for a terrific piece on the little-exposed Italian noir ‘La Bionda’: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/la-bionda-the-blonde-italy-1992.html
Jaimie Grijalba has officially launched his fantastic new site “Overlook’s Corner” with a buffo piece on Chilean cinema: http://overlookhotelfilm.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/chilean-cinema-2012-12-miguel-san-miguel/
Murderous Ink at Vermillion and One Nights has written a wholly fascinating essay on anew volume about Japanese acting icon Setsuko Hara, who is still living at age 92 in relative seclusion: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2012/11/all-about-setsuko-hara.html
Dean Treadway’s new post “Cinema Gallery: 30 Scenes of Loneliness” is essential for all passionate film lovers. It’s over at Filmicability: http://filmicability.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post_6.html
At the magical Creativepotager’s blog Terrill Welch is leading up with a sumptuous post titled “Reef Bay Mayne Island Observation to Painted Experience.”: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/reef-bay-mayne-island-observation-to-painted-experience/
History teacher Hokahey has written a marvelous, thought-provoking review essay on “Lincoln” at Little Worlds: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-morning-of-vote-spielbergs-history.html
Ed Howard has penned a fabulous essay on Douglas Fairbanks’s “The Black Pirate” at Only the Cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-black-pirate.html
Sachin Gandhi offers up a fabulous report on the Calgary Latin Wave Festival at Scribbles and Ramblings: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2012/11/calgary-latin-wave-festival.html
Paddy Mullholland offers up a splendid capsule takedown of “The Man with the Iron Fists” at Screen on Screen: http://screenonscreen.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-man-with-iron-fists.html
David Schleicher has authored a magnificent essay on the new James Bond movie “Skyfall” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2012/11/15/i-fall-you-fall-we-all-fall-for-skyfall/
Weeping Sam offers up some thanks in his latest post Thanksgiving feature “Giving Thanks for Friday Music” at The Listening Ear: http://listeningear.blogspot.com/2012/11/giving-thanks-for-friday-music.html
A treasure trove of priceless reviews and listings can be accessed on the pages of The Last Lullaby, director Jeffrey Goodman’s indispensible site: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/
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
Roderick Heath offers an excellent review of Oliver Stone’s latest film “Savages” at Ferdy on Films: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2012/savages-2012/16614/
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 has penned a terrific book review of “Televenge”: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2012/11/televenge-pamela-king-cable/
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 ‘images inspired by paintings’ at Checking on My Sausages: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2012/11/images-inspired-by-paintings.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 of the reteaming of John Hillcoat and Nick Cave for this year’s “Lawless” at This Island Rod: thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2012/10/lawless-2012.html
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 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/
Dave Van Poppel has a tremendous batch of short reviews up at Visions of Non Fiction on the Toronto Film Festival:
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
Hi Sam. Yeah the news of the tragedy came through and it was quite devastating. It is getting harder and harder to continue to see these sorts of events. Not sure if you saw the remarks from Morgan Freeman that he put out there. I tend to really agree with him that there is too much focus on the killers in these instances. That it becomes something of a goal to go down as some kind of anti-hero and our media needs to be more responsible. I would be all for enacting laws that prevents the names or identity of the killers from being released in instances like this. My heart aches.
On the other end of the spectrum we had some good family moments this past week, as all four of us went out with a friend to see the Nutcracker. Even my youngest made it almost all the way through! We also had my oldest daughter Holly’s 5th Birthday party yesterday, which was a hoot. She turns 5 this Thursday, but all her friends got together at a gymnastics facility yesterday where there are structured games and fun activities they do. It turned out to be a wonderful day.
As far as movies go, I was totally enthralled with Fires on the Plain, which blew me away with its penetrating cinematography and psychological examination, as well as physical deterioration. I will be planning to do a write-up on this one. I think it’s a masterpiece.
This week, I am aiming to start on Fassbinder’s Berlin Alexanderplatz. It will take me awhile to finish it! Hope you have a good week Sam!
Jon—
Everywhere I go, whether in the school classrooms or around town I have heard of nothing else, and frankly nothing else means very much compared to this monstrous event. I know we all ask ourselves “what if this” and “what if that” and I was picturing myself sneaking up behind Lanza, and wrestling away his weapons. Anything that could have stopped this slaughter from happening. The brave principal and psychologist lost there lives trying to subdue the killer. Still I would say Freeman is right with his anti-hero argument, even if in this particular instance that may not exactly be applicable. Breaking news has it that the killer was extremely angry with the probability that he was going to be institutionalized. But your suggestion would appear to be a good one, as it would also control the media coverage.
Great that you got out to take in ‘The Nutcracker.’ during the days before the holiday. And a Happy 5th Birthday to Holly, who obviously had a great time with friends! I will be looking forward to your piece on FIRES ON THE PLAIN, which I also consider a harrowing Ichikawa masterwork. Oh boy, BERLIN will keep you busy! Another masterpiece! Season’s Greetings to you all Jon! Many thanks as always!
It’s true, Sam; Hyde Park on Hudson is an ordeal even at an hour and a half long. I can’t really say yea or nay about Murray’s FDR, as the film gave him so little to work with.
Aye Rod, I quite agree with that, and while Murray has a few endearing moments it was a wasted effort. As you say there was little of FDR there. Thanks as always my friend!
Hello Sam and happy to catch up on you and the families events –
I remember band and enjoyed the concerts the best –
We will see the Hobbit on the 25th since our families are on the west coast –
We are on #3/15 of the following documentary :The Story Of Film, An Oddysey
We are learning things about film and Hollywood that we have never known – It also has made us realize we have overlooked subtle aspects of film making that we will now have to review certain films to realize the effects –
Wishing you, your family and your family of friends here the Best for the coming year = Cheers!
Yes, that’s a great documentary, and so illuminating.
Michael— I am thrilled to hear from you, and will thank you publicly for the lovely parcel I received yesterday in the mail. I will be e mailing you shortly. Yes it was a joy to attend young Sammy’s concert. Hope you enjoy THE HOBBIT on Christmas Day. As I noted we all did for the most part, and my kids are LOTR fans. We will all be seeing LES MISERABLES on Christmas. Yes there has been nothing by unconditional praise for “The Story of Film” by Cousins, and your asessment (and Joel’s here) come as no surprise. I haven’t tackled it yet, but have no doubt it is fascinating. Thanks for adding the enthusiastic response, and enjoy the rest. Holiday greetings to you all my friend! Many thanks!
Sam –
I’m so glad you broached the topic, thank you. Our world seems to be crumbling in on itself, but I have hope because there’s lots of people like you and Lucille; like Terrill and David; like Len and me. People who are positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing. We’re sprinkled all around the globe — each one shining brightly, like a single candle flame. If someone were to take a photo from space I believe we’d see much more light than dark.
Laurie—
It’s a deeply painful subject to broach I know, and it has brought more than a few tears for all of us when you reading about anything connected to this calamity. Just today there are some new reports about possible retaliation motives. The whole thing is just so so sad, Thanks for the very kind words. Yes the healing and that eternal flame will never be extingished in Crystal Lake or on Mayne Island. And yes, as horrible as recent events have been, there is far more light than darkness. Thanks for this lovely comment. It really means so much my friend!
Sam –
The tragedy in Connecticut affected me deeply last week, and I can only imagine how horrifying this must be to parents and teachers like you and Lucille. I’ve been unable to watch any of the follow-up news coverage. It is just too terrible to comprehend.
As you note, however ,life goes on, and as Laurie note, my hope is sustained by the many good and caring people out there – including you and your family – who are carrying on.
I’d love to see New York at this time of year, must be breathtaking with tree at Rockefeller Center and all. The screening of Godard’s KING LEAR sound particularly interesting – will be looking forward to your comments. Netiher THE HOBBIT nor HYDE PARK ON HUDSON intereste me much, althought I think I may be forced to the see the former wtih Marlon, who is all excited for it.
Here, I caught up with some earlier releases: TED (which made laugh hard and frequently – but them I’m a FAMILY GUY fan), THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN (lots of good actors bringing lots of conviction to an absolutely ludicrous premise and script) and SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD (dour and mostly unsatisfying). I also caught ANNA KARENINA, which I believe I liked much better than you did, and FLIGHT, which I found very exciting in its first 15 minutes and last 15 mintues and fairly dull in between (in fact, I caught a short nap in the middle of the film.)
Thanks, as always, for the link, and have a great week!
Pat—-
I completely understand and feel for you, and could well imagine the anguish these events have caused you. Yes, Lucille is so fascinated with it in a mournful way of course that she is always reporting the newest piece of news. As you know the school environment and the killing of young children makes this more horrific than the movie theater shootings in Colorado. Like you say the whole tragedy is so unconscionable that it’s practically impossible to look at. Thanks for those very kind words Pat, and they certainly apply to you. The Rockefeller Center tree was quite a site once again, though every year it seems more and more tourists are coming in with the express purpose of getting over there. The night we went yielded a mob scene, and it was difficult walking the streets were so congested. I still have tentative plans to see KING LEAR tomorrow night and will appraise you of the screening. HYDE PARK is forgettable, but THE HOBBIT will in fair measure satisfy the LOTR fans. You seem to have liked TED and ANNA KARENINA more than me, but both have some serious fans and I respect that. You aren’t very far off on FLIGHT either as far as I’m concerned. That middle section is rather trying. Washington was quite good though. Haven’t seen THE ODD LIFE and SEEKING A FRIEND and much appreciate the assessments. Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always!
Sue and I have thought of little else over the weekend, and the depression had us dragging our feet. Couldn’t make time for movies, but did travel up to Sparta to visit relatives for a pre-Christmas get-together. Seems like all everyone was talking about was the tragedy. That was a very eloquent and thoughtful way to handle it, Sam.
Frank, I am not at all surprised that you and Sue were preoccupied with the horrific news connected to this profound tragedy. As you note, even your get-together with Sparta family members continued the painful dialogue. I guess one could say that going to a movie or persuing a hobby was a way to get your mind off this, but even going that route is hardly fool-proof. It always comes back to this sadness. Thanks for the kind words my friend.
Thanks very much for the kind double mention of my Dickens series, Sam. I’ve mainly been continuing to watch films on this theme this week, with the 1935 ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ being a highlight and the Poverty Row 1933 ‘Oliver Twist’, with a hopelessly miscast Dickie Moore in the title role, being a low point! I did also take a break from Dickens to see Fred and Ginger in ‘Follow the Fleet’, which was shown on TV here yesterday. Thanks again and I wish well to everyone over the coming week.
Judy—I was very happy to mention it. It’s amazing how you have stayed teh course with the series just about everyday and have made some great findings and sterling re-evaluations! Yep I agree with you on Dickie Moore being miscast, though he was an endearing early member of Our Gang. But one of literature’s most iconic child characters is hardly an Our Gang turn! I love the 35 TALE OF TWO CITIES as well, and I see you now have the later 50’s British version up at MOVIE CLASSICS. Have a great week leading into Christmas my friend! Many thanks as always!
The events in Connecticut seem somehow the only thing that one can consciously be able to discuss this week. Films, this site, everything to do with our hunger and passion for them, are worthless and anyone worth a crap would give anything to bring back one of those poor kids – and the equally prematurely ripped staff – to their parents.
As it stands, however, there seems to be little chance of anything being done about it. The whole notion of ‘the right to bear arms’, which is crucial to the Constitution to hardliners not only in the Republican southern heartlands but to exclusive parts of New England, has been taken and mishaped beyond belief. Lest we forget, we continually say after each of these tragedies, but people are quick to forget the circumstances in which the American constitution was put to paper. That was the 18th century, a time of great turbulent insecurity even without the feeling of being on uncharted waters that must have been felt at the time. Then, the right to bear arms was referring to the military, not to individuals, but successive administrations and contemptuous rulings by bodies that should have known better have sought to take it as everyone having the right to as many guns as they see fit to the point where it now becomes a poiint of prestige. I have more guns than you.
They tralk of precedents, but there are plenty, the Amendments of the constitution that have been made and then revoked in some cases. Time has come to do the same here. There is no reason whatsoever that any home should possess firearms. If they do, they must be for a specific purpose and fully authorised and investigated before being declared ‘lawfully owned’.
The US consitution took as its main inspiration, adopting many of its beliefs, the Magna Carta of 1215. I quote section 39 of the same document.
39. No freemen shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised or exiled or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him nor send upon him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.
It’s safe to say that statement has long since been dismissed by autocratic hardliners on both side of the pond and in many countries along the land. It’s time that we realised that what was good for either 1787 or indeed 1215 isn’t necessarily right for 2012. Living in the past will only endeavour to turn what we hold dear into just that; HISTORY.
I remember the horrors of Dunblane back in 1996 when 17 people, 16 kids, were killed, and that event brought gun laws into focus in the UK so that, while guns may still be illegally used or madmen like Derrick Bird may still go around as he did not far from where I write, the majority of incidents can be prevented. Those in America may not know that British, or Scottish as he prefers to be known, tennis star Andy Murray, winner of this year’s US Open, was a child in that Dunblane school the very day the gunman went doing his rounds and hid under a table. He could so easily have been one of those ones taken from us and he’s only, I hesitate to say, a sports star. What human beings have we seen extinguished, both from a potential perspective and in terms of the simple joy and affection they bring to those around them.
I long to be proved wrong and find that America’s powers that be will allow change, but we all know deep down, that this will not happen. Not until a madman breaks into a school containing several children of a senator, a congressman or state governor. Then, when it is ‘one of their own’, they make seek an end to it. As long as it happens to just ordinary people, those only fit to vote for their leaders but nothing else, it will not change. I cannot pray as I am an agnostic, but I do sincerely hope those who have suffered losses will find the strength to carry on and find some light at the end of what must seem an endless black tunnel.
Hear, hear.
Allan, I am not 100% sure that stricter gun laws are the answer in the US any more than Prohibition solved the nations’s drinking problem (or the War on Drugs has done away with narcotics). The real issue is cultural and a new set of laws (which could never be passed anyway, given said culture) would not change said culture. Not that totally random incidents like this are solely results of said culture (as you note, something similar happened in the UK), but the much higher rate of daily violence is I think. Tougher restrictions on particularly deadly weapons might be a helpful deterrent but in the end the cries for reform are, at best, comprehensible attempts to make this tragedy ‘mean something’, to have some social value. Truth is, it was senseless, pointless, and ugly, not as a means to something else but as a dark irruption into seemingly otherwise happy lives. I am not sure it is indicative of some larger phenomenon, be it a gun culture or a crisis in mental health, unless that phenomenon is the darkness latent in the human mind which has always been with us and always will, sadly.
Here’s something I hesitate to bring up, but its worth mentioning as people look at the wider picture. There is understandable shock and horror given the totally unexpected context here. And yet at the same time, the U.S. government is conducting a bombing campaign in Pakistan with its drone strikes that according to critics is killing numerous children all the time. They may be ‘collateral damage’ but when an action knowingly deadly is continued repeatedly, where is the line drawn? I have not researched enough about this situation to make a clear statement myself, I only know that what I’ve heard is troubling. I think it’s worth remembering and at least considering as we decry the senseless death of children, though.
The problem of violence is a worldwide pandemic, but none more so in the United States, and it’s dragging Britain with it. Because violence is acceptable to America – hence any American Tv show can show as much violence as it likes but cannot show a female nipple – they have it the wrong way round. Yes, there have been incidents throughout the world, infamously in Norway not so long ago. But the high volume of repetition is due to a society that says violence is acceptable but sex is the thing of the devil. Incidents will always happen as insanity and psychotic behaviour will always exist among individuals, but now it’s got the stage where mass killing with automatic weaponry is a sort of extreme sport for burgeoning psychotics who seek only fame.
American society is at fault here. We in Britain have our own problems, over here it’s knife crime, but knives, for all their fatal attributes, will not ‘take out’ so many innocent peole when automatic weapons are easier for 20 year olds to get legally than alcohol.
it’s part of a fundamental, scare-mongering, extremist moral set up that makes what should be perfectly natural heinous and what shouldn’t be, acceptable. In the UK, a father can take a son to a pub for a first legal pint at 18. In the US, he can take him shooting at a range but has to say “you’re not old enough for a beer but here, get that beast in your hand, doesn’t it feel great”
The entire discussion here is quite impassioned and extremely well presented. n Everyone has offered up persuasive arguments but I dare say in good measure Allan has made some irrefutable points here. America must act NOW, and pass gun control laws. The NRA lobby is not longer viable in today’s society.
The most troubling thing about this whole event, frankly, it’s only the capper on a whole season of violence. After the shootings of Arizona (where a damn congresswoman was among the wounded) and Aurora (where again you had very young victims, though not nearly as many) you’d think we could’ve had a serious conversation about US gun laws. Yet in each case there’s always been the cry of “too soon”, that it isn’t in good taste to try and manage a political debate on the subject of gun control and violence until enough time has passed (ie, enough time for everyone to forget about it entirely).
Is it necessary to throw out the second ammendment wholesale? No, and I wouldn’t want to see that happen anyway, as it’d only be a bad precedent. Getting rid of the ammendment that put prohibition in effect or other additions like that is one thing, but calling a vote on an item from the original bill of rights opens the door for editing other ammendments out of existence. And lord knows it probably wouldn’t last anyway (again, look at prohibition).
But regardless, it shouldn’t be necessary to get rid of citizen gun ownership in its entirety– if you want to own a rifle for hunting or a pistol for self-protection, that’s one thing (though obviously either weapon can be used for less worthy reasons). But the notion that one can legally purchase a full-on modern automatic rifle that makes an AK-47 look as quaint as a tommy gun is ludicrous at best. It’s also worth pointing out that this is a classic example of why it’s a bad idea to own these kinds of heavy assault weapons in the first place– the shooter’s first victim was his mother, who was the one who purchased all of these high-powered weapons herself. It’s bad enough that she wound up sabotaging her own personal safety with her hobby of being a gun nut, but the additional victims only make it so much worse.
It’s a clear sign of how badly the Right has been steering policy to meet the demands of their insane Tea Party constituents, with so many of them filled to the brim with fear of a President with dark skin that they’re willing to speak openly the kind of hateful, militia-minded rhetoric that drove Timothy McVeigh to set up his bomb in Oklahoma City. Niche/industrial lobbyist groups like the NRA only make things worse by making the conversation even more lopsided and extreme, catering to the views of a passionate minority instead of the vast majority of Americans who don’t own, or want guns in their homes. It’s public policy combinations like those that create the quagmire that this issue can often have on a state level, where state legislatures or governors can outright contradict and sabotage whatever gun laws the Feds already have and attempt to enforce (the whole “Fast and Furious” scandal was evidence of that). The fact that in the aftermath of the shooting I saw just as many people talking about the need to get rid of violent movies and videogames as solid gun-control reform shows how badly this issue has been muddied by politics.
So where do we go from here? At the very least, I hope an event of this scale and tragic weight can motivate the civic minded to push their energies into lobbyist and protest groups that can keep the story in the news, instead of receding into memoriam oblivion as all of these tragedies inevitably do. Granted, protests and publicity campaigns are the least that this issue needs, but it’s something of a start on the scale that can at least begin on the grassroots level, and the whole Obama era of American politics has shown that to be a halfway viable path to victory. Get enough public support and money behind the issue, and I would hope that PETA could be used as a model for success– if vegetarians are willing to spend so much time and money putting together shock ad-campaigns that seek to bully and intimidate everyone into giving up meat and fur in the interests of saving the lives of fucking little animals, I would hope that just as many could be found willing to do the same for human beings.
Excellent argument here from Bob, and by Samuel, who rightly brings up Congresswoman Giffords.
Allan: “Not until a madman breaks into a school containing several children of a senator, a congressman or state governor. Then, when it is ‘one of their own’, they make seek an end to it.”
Alas, you forget that this latest atrocity comes some time after a member of the House of Representatives was shot in the head by another of these monsters, without noticeable legislative response from her peers. Maybe if unions start waging armed campaigns against right-to-work laws you’ll see action toward greater gun control, but even then I have my doubts. But on the very same day another Chinese farmer ran amok in a grade school with a knife; what’s going on there? Individual cases may prove unfathomable but there has got to be a general answer and a general remedy if we still want a civilization.
The thoughts and prayers of people in the UK are with those of the United States, a country which feels a lot closer to home than most of our European neighbours. It’s all too awful.
I hope that a renewed debate about gun ownership is seriously had and that those who have courage and conviction will use them.
Thanks for those compassionate words Stephen. And of course there is a bond between the US and UK that isn’t matched by any other countries. As you can see on this thread there is a renewed call for strict gun control laws, and it is hoped the utter horror of what happened will finally spur some to act.
I will just make a brief comment here, as we are in the eye of a horrific windstorm and power is coming and going – though I think the tree on the neighbor’s garage has wiped out our front yard – The sun is out right now and a work crew has arrive to get their cars, which were not damaged – amazingly, out of the crushed structure.
– we were overwhelmed by the horrific events of Friday morning and I think truly the whole nation is in mourning over this tragedy. I did see that a news show had put together the whole list of senseless shootings for 2012 and it has touched nearly every corner of our planet and country and right into the corners of our well being. I truly hope that we can find a meaningful remedy and solution which brings us all to our best selves and not to just keep wandering around in muddy excuses and rationalizations. I hope that we can all live more respectful/humane lives because of the 5 year old without the opportunity. I hope we can ask the serious questions about why our people are so depressed, unhappy and unable to find solid grounding to their feelings.
I did see one movie this week, a documentary with the title HAPPY and it was a very good look at the pursuit of happiness and what we know about it in 2012….I would recommend it
Sorry to hear about Hyde Park on Hudson – all of us were hoping it would come here and be a good one to see. I am still hoping Les Miserables comes here and not just Seattle.
The concerts are lovely this time of year and we are going to a Celtic Christmas Eve celebration which sounds wonderful. A Solstice party and then 4 trips to the airport and we will go cross country skiing with our family – out in nature.
Blessings on all
Patricia—
Sorry to hear about that terrible windstorm you had last night, and hope the weather improved for you today. It is amazing though that you were hit by the eye while the sun was out! You offer up a beautiful solution or at least suggestion of how to proceed after the the heartbreaking tragedy of Friday morning. Yes the entire nation has mourned in a way not seen in a very long time. Because babies were snuffed out before they could live their lives, made this one way too hard to take. I’m sure that listing of senseless killings did involve all ends of the planet. As to this situation, I understand new reports have found that this young man was very angry at the prospects of being institutionalized, adn he snapped. As others on this thread have argued, gun control laws must be enacted, even if it’s success woon’t keep guns off the streets. They must take first things first, and make it more difficult to obtain them. LES MISERABLES is hoping wide, so it should be by you on Christmas Day. Perhaps you may like HYDE PARK more than I did, so don’t take my word as gospel, though as always I appreciate your confidence. That Celtic Christmas Eve celebration sounds fantastic! I’m assuming that cross country trip will be AFTER the break. I must look to see that documentary with happy in the title. Have a great week my friend!
Sam, I write a “100 years ago today” column for a local paper, and 100 years ago today a local moralist was saying that the New York State laws requiring children under 16 to have a parent or legal guardian with them at the movies weren’t strict enough. He said that kids under 16 should not see movies at all because of their “demoralizing” influence. You know how boys are: if they see burglars or gunmen plying their trade on screen they’ll do what they see. After a century, I suppose that nearly as many people are as ready to blame media for mass shootings as are ready to blame guns. We may as well have both conversations but gun nuttery and violent media alike may be but symptoms of a deeper malaise that requires more of a remedy than either the old-time religion or more self-esteem for everyone. Something is definitely very wrong in this country, at least, if multitudes of people feel as if they’d be slaves if they didn’t have guns. If everyone else’s indignation is to amount to anything, we’ll have to steel ourselves against those others’ inevitable protests. Have liberals the courage?
So sure, it’ll be a dark Christmas. Maybe 1941’s was darker but ours is a different kind of dark not so easily endured. And yet I can’t help asking: Are they going to delay Gangster Squad again??? Granted, I suspect we won’t miss much — I sort of liked the idea when they called it The Untouchables — but what exactly would such a sensitive gesture accomplish? Already, I believe, one TV show is postponing an episode due to subject matter. But sensitivity that doesn’t result in reform is pointless.
Enough. I didn’t see many movies this week due to holiday shopping and other responsibilities. Of note was The Panic in Needle Park, which as an early Pacino showcase reminds us of how exceptional he was in the Godfather movies. He’s very good here but you can also see that the old yeller he’s become was no aberration. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing him take over Lemmon’s role in Glengarry Glen Ross on stage now. On the Pre-Code front I saw Sam Wood’s Huddle, with 30-something Ramon Novarro as a college football player. Playing an Italian-American, he is allowed to get the girl, though class (and ethnic?) issues impede the romance, and his background is implicitly blamed for habits of dirty play he must outgrow. The film’s too long for its subject and falls short on transgression. More interesting was Richard Boleslavski’s Beauty For Sale, almost dystopian (maybe more definitely misogynist) in its portrayal of a streamlined beauty salon as a gossip factory, with the stylists as uniformed gold diggers. It has a romantic heart despite that, and the combo of Boleslavski and James Wong Howe make it nice to look at, at least. I also tried a new-to-DVD spaghetti western, Django Kills Silently, — originally called “Bill il Taciturno” — but fell asleep midway through. I blame the film.
Samuel–
I love what you say there about Pacino becoming an “old yeller.” How perfectly true. But yes, he was exceptional in NEEDLE PARK, which just might be teh first movie where drug injection was visualized. I thought of Avildson’s JOE, but that came a few years later. NEEDLE PARK as I recall, went without a musical score and was presently in compelling cinema verite style. After watching DJANGO KILLS SILENTLY I’d agree it was the film that brought on shut-eye. Haven’t seen BEAUTY FOR SALE nor HUDDLE yet. Alas your delineation of ‘dark’ as applied to this and some past Christmas seasons is telling. You ask if liberals have the courage? Well this has yet to be seen or proven, and I am wondering of the tough talk of the last two days will bring about some meaningful restrictions, much less sweeping reforms. I’d love to read your 100 years piece, if it’s on line!!! But when you say in regards to it, essentially faulting the media as much as the lure of impressionable movies on kids is telling. With attention always paid to the killers, there will always be a perception among some missing a few screws that there is celebrity status in mass murder. What happen Friday was just too much, and it has deeply affected the conscience of anation and even the world. Thanks as always my friend. I look forward to hearing about your holiday season viewings!
Hello Sam and everyone!!!
I was also quite sad about what happened in Connecticut, but I’m not sure if the right response is to say that everything has already been said and that nothing should be said, I think much can be said and done about this tragedy, if we keep ourselves silent, I guess that it will happen again soon, and we don’t want that.
Anyway, on more positive news, I’m graduated, I’m officialy an “audiovisual director” as the cardboard thing will say and I’ve been doing work in the internship, we went to record some sales on the Vega, a place where fruits and vegetables are sold in enormous quantities.
Anyway, not much else is going on, Christmas will come, then New Year and finally a new summer to enjoy (it’s already pretty hot around here), and with that the new lists and the Oscar season. Looking forward to that (and The Hobbit that I will be seeing on wednesday and that my brother already saw and loved!). So, the movies I saw:
– Cien niños esperando un tren (A hundred kids waiting for a train) (1988, Ignacio Aguero) ****1/2 One of the most famous chilean feature documentaries in the international critic eye, mainly because of its bravery: a story about a woman who is a film expert and teaches children in difficult and poverty situations in the middle of the dictatorship, where kids are confronted every day with suspicion and violence. Incredible testament.
– Educación Física (Physical Education) (2012, Pablo Cerda) **** A quite good debut film from a decent chilean actor that also stars in it as a teacher and his relationship with his father, sister and ex-girlfriend, as everyone approaches him and suddenly dissapear from his life because he isn’t able of maintaining a good life for his own good. Deep and worth the watch.
– Father’s Day (2011, Astron-6) ***1/2 A complete amateur and low budget film directed by a group of directors under the name of Astron-6, a late night TV station that passes exploitation movies, and this is an homage to them, but going completely crazy, brutal, bloody and irrational in every step that it goes to, it’s just amazing to think how a vigilante film can turn into a fantasy playing with the likes of God and the Devil themselves. It’s not great, but it’s fun and funny at times.
– Scarecrow (2001, Norio Tsuruta) *** A lot of atmosphere fills this japanese horror film about a mysterious town, a search for a brother and a lot of scarecrows. As time goes by it turns from mysterious to completely silly and stupid. Still, the music is good, but I don’t understand why the original manga by Junji Ito was so changed to become this piece of filmmaking that isn’t worthy of being called an adaptation.
– Deep Red (1975, Dario Argento) ****1/2 Wow amazing. I didn’t expect this to be so complicated in its plot, specially after being told so much that Argento was much of a visual director with little interest in stories, but here he manages to create a mystery that is completely enthralling and suspenseful all the way. Visually appealing all the time and every time stepping up the killings, the visual, the horror, everything of it is just amazing, a great movie for all.
– Stefan v/s Kramer (2012, Sebastián Freund, Stefan Kramer, Leonardo Prieto) *** The highest grossing film of all time in Chile, a chilean film about a performer who imitates famous chilean people, this seems to be a big production following his story about how his imitations lead him to leave his family behind. and how those people he imitates come back to avenge their image. It has a nice few laughs but its plot is ludicrous and sometimes a bit mysoginistic.
– Xenogenesis (1978, James Cameron, Randall Flakes) *** The first short film of this famous action-scifi director, and its an action-scifi short, a bit thin on plot and impressive for its low budget and the story that it tries to tell in its few short scenes.
Have a good week Sam!
Jaimie—
You are quite right. There can never be too much discussion on the tragic event last Friday that broke some many hearts and ended so many young lives. With this weeks unspeakable funersls the nation and the world can only recoil and hope it is all a dream. But it seems that anything we talk about pales in the wake of this terror. Congratulations on obtaining your degree my friend!!! You worked so hard and you invested all your blood, sweat and tears. (and as much energy as anyone I’ve ever seen) I can’t picture Christmas in summer, but I’m sure with you it’s the other way around. Yes the awards season is upon us, and we can make our predictions as per annual ritual. Another great round-up!! I’ve only seen the Argento and you have called it right on. Wonderful capsules my friend. Have a great week!
Thanks Sam for the mention.
Yes, the Connecticut Shooting Spree is an immensely tragic event. The other day I read an article on the young perpetrator who was responsible for the carnage – and despite the horrific nature of his crime, there was a strange sense of melancholy about the loner, soft-spoken, friendless guy with easy access to guns. And that once again raises the issue of easy access to guns, and how, despite so many tragic incidents since the Virginia University shooting spree more than a decade back, the political brass still lacks the spine to take the gun-lobby head-on.
Anyway, interesting to note your observations on Hobbit. I too presumed that it won’t have anything new to offer that LOTR already didn’t. And, since I’m anyway not a huge LOTR fan, so I decided to give this a skip for now.
Here’s what I managed to watch in the past week:
– Kiarostami’s acclaimed docu-fiction, Close-Up, voted as the best Iranian film of all time
– Orson Welles’ mercilessly butchered classic, The Magnificent Ambersons
– The renowned experimentation with form by Dziga Vertov, The Man with a Movie Camera
– Renoir’s unifinished work, A Day in the Country
– Rosellini’s marital drama, Journey to Italy
– The renowned Western that Hawks & Wayne made as a response to High Noon, viz. Rio Bravo
– Claire Denis’ deliberately artsy, Beau Travail
Shubhajit—
You really size up the gravity and the temper that surrounded this unconscionable massacre. It has already dampened the holiday season for everyone, cast another shadow over the non-existent gun laws, and has left many in a daze after hearing that young children were taken down. A number of new stories are coming out of Newtown that suggest this act was a “snap” after the killer went through a period of severe anger. It’s a terrible, terrible time.
If you are not so big a LOTR fan, then you are making the right decision with THE HOBBIT. Didn’t realize that agroup had named CLOSE-UP the greatest Iranian film of all-time. Well, I’d say it’s up there with THE HOUSE IS BLACK, A TASTE OF CHERRY and THE WIND WILL CARRY US. And just this past year A SEPARATION has entered that pantheon. But yep, CLOSE-UP is a brilliant work. THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS is butchered for sure, but even as is, stands as a movie landmark. THE MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA is a masterpiece, As far as the Renoir, well, it’s one of my favorite films of all-time! For all the humor, it’s really a melancholy, elegiac piece that in a humanist sense is as profound a film as the cinema has ever produced, and it illustrates the kind of all-compassing gifts that this great artist has demonstrated through his career. But strictly as a kind of lyrical tone poem attached to a celebrated Maupassant narrative the film weds the idyllic with the dark in a wholly wrenching way. It’s a film of innocence during a brief time window before the horrors of World War II, and it is brimming with life, passion and romance, with the deeper ache of disappointment. I like RIO BRAVO, but nothing real special. I do like the Denis quite a bit, but hear what you are saying, and JOURNEY is always worth a visit.
Wow, what a week you had there on the movie front!!! Fantastic. Thanks as always my friend! And thanks for all the great comments you have made under the countdown reviews and at the annual voting thread my friend!
Sam – We live in a world where there is total disregard for other people lives, even young kids. It’s sad and seems to continually get worst. In Florida, gun control is a joke. We live in a culture where guns and God stand side by side. Not that I believe tougher gun laws or bans with change things. Though I have no children this Newtown tragedy has been devastating to watch. Politicians will line up on each side and as always nothing will be accomplished. Sad
Movie wise I watched the following.
Anna Karenina (***1/2) Theatrical to say the least. I enjoyed it even if I remain unsure if it works as a film. If nothing else it was a bold and visually stunning attempt by the filmmakers and I salute them for that.. Thought Keira Knightley was a bit too much of a modern woman for the role.
Wagons Roll at Night (**1/2) – Bogart is a circus owner, Eddie Albert a young innocent lured by Bogie into becoming a lion tamer. Sylvia Sydney and Joan Leslie are the love interest. The plot is a variation of KID GALAHAD, no coincidence since both films are based on a story by the same writer (Francis Walker). Instead of boxing we have the circus and instead of Robinson we get Bogart in the role of the ruthless owner. It’s all predictable and entertaining without being anything more or less. The film followed Raoul Walsh’s HIGH SIERRA and preceded Huston’s THE MALTESE FALCON, all made in the same year (1941).
Susan Slept Here (***) I ordinarily overdose on Debbie Reynolds’ spunk after about 15 minutes or so, but as a 17 year juvenile delinquent in this pleasant comedy set on Christmas Eve she manages to make it all enjoyable. Although, despite its frothy atmosphere there is an underlying uneasiness due to the age difference between the 17 Susan and the 35 year screenwriter played by Dick Powell put in charge of her for the holiday. In real life the age difference between the two stars was even greater Reynolds was 22 and Powell 50.
Borderline (**1/2) Like its title the film is overall borderline. Script is relatively weak and IMO Fred MacMurray is miscast. Being an RKO film, Robert Mitchum would have been a better fit.
Period of Adjustment (***) Odd comedy, mainly because it was based on a Tennessee Williams play though admittedly, the characters, like many of Williams characters, are dysfunctional, sexually frustrated and always searching for a life beyond their grasp. Unlike most comedies, Williams characters have a three dimensional depth that lends a sense of realism to it all.
John—
That’s quite an assessment there of the horror the nation and the world has had to deal with over the past week. And sad to say, it does indeed look unlikely that anything drastic will be happening in the government circles that will insure that this won’t happen again. We can only hope that this was isolated and we won’t see anything like it again. Like you I wasn’t overly thrilled with ANNA KARENINA (Roderick Heath made quite a passionate defense for it) and found it lifeless, and not especially well acted. I’ve appreciated past Joe Wright films, but this one was oddly distancing. Very good point about Knightly there, methinks! I liked SUSAN a bit more, but agree on BORDERLINE and PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT for the most part. I don’t remember seeing WAGONS ROLL AT NIGHT, but it seems like it’s worth a look even if it is predictable. Always appreciate Sylvia Sydney! Hope your coming weekend isn’t too hectic John! The best always to you and Dorothy!
Too bad about the FDR film. You’d think Hollywood could pull off something marvelous about the 20th century’s leading liberal icon.
One movie — on the NBC Sports Network! (did the network really know what they had here?) — ‘Raging Bull’, Scorsese’s masterpiece, heavily edited for the vile language and violence, yet STILL overwhelming even in a truncated version, a descent into the labyrinthine, paranoid, masochistic, sick mind of Jake LaMotta, and only superficially a sports flick about a boxer’s career. A legendary work, very nearly beyond praise, and when it’s over you’re left annihilated. Along with ‘Heaven’s Gate’ the last great American film of Hollywood’s second gilded age (though Warren Beatty’s 1981 “Reds,” long in production, has its moments of grandeur). All three of these films would be unthinkable in today’s Hollywood.
Is that enough gushing for the moment? Ha!
Mark—
You said it! This was a blown opportunity, but I wasn’t expecting much more after viewing the trailer. I much enjoyed your gushing there, especially since the main object -RAGING BULL- deserves to be waxed lyrical about. Yep, it’s great even cut of course. I am not the HEAVEN’S GATE fan that some on this site are, but the Criterion blu-ray is quite magnificent. I do plan on watching it again soon. And I look like RED quite a bit as well. Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always!
Thanks, Sam. I think ‘Raging Bull’s’ legendary status comes mainly from DeNiro’s shocking physical transformation, going from boxer buff to an unrecognizable 220 lbs. Has another actor ever done this for a role? For ‘The Fighter’ Christian Bale went the other way, starving himself gaunt, but he still looked like Christian Bale. DeNiro looks nonhuman, like a fat lounge lizard on a hot rock. Never seen anything like it.
At the library decided to revisit:
“Klute” (for Fonda’s performance)
“Straw Dogs” (for alleged misogyny)
“1900” (am I wrong to dismiss Bertolucci’s epic?)
“Love” (for Lili Darvas’ performance)
“Cries and Whispers” (so far, one of my least favorite Bergmans)
“Marat/Sade” (for Glenda’s Charlotte Corday. How did this physically unspectacular woman ever become a major star and a double Oscar winner? Sometimes spectacular talent trumps everything else. Plus ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is up for voting this Sunday and I remember fondly both her and Peter Finch)
Yep Mark, I also like SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY quite a bit. But we are milkes apart on CRIES AND WHISPERS, which is not only for me one of Bergman’s greatest masterpieces, but a film I will vote #1 of 1972, ahead of THE GODFATHER, THE EMIGRANTS, CABARET and others from that year I rate highly.
LOVE is a masterpiece, and Lili Darvas gives one of the screen’s most wrenching and brilliant all-time performances. Mari Torocsik is also magnificent in support. Allan will say you are wrong to dismiss 1900, but as I’ve stated on these thread when it comes to Bertolucci the ones that stand tallest are THE CONFORMIST, THE SPIDER’S STRATEGEM, BEFORE THE REVOLUTION and THE LAST EMPEROR, the last Oscar or not.
I might vote for Bunuel in ’72, haven’t decided yet.
First Moloch, horrid king, besmear’d with blood
Of human sacrifice, and parents’ tears,
Though for the noise of Drums and Timbrels loud
Their children’s cries unheard, that pass’d through fire
To his grim idol.
(Paradise Lost 1.392-96)
Garry Willis of “New York Review of Books” quoted these lines from Milton’s masterpiece, adding “The gun is our Moloch”. There are so many thoughts whirling around in my head when I think about the event in Connecticut, but my brain gets scrambled. I know the extent of gun problem in U.S., but we have a number of senseless killings in Japan as well. We had the similar incidents almost every year, and the killers used knives, arson, or a truck. Is certain level of violence always present in any society, regardless of availability of weapons? I don’t know.
I have seen two films from ISUZU YAMADA RETROSPECTIVE in Jimboucho Theater in Tokyo, GENDAIJIN (1952) and WAGAYA WA TANOSHI (1951). GENDAIJIN is a surprisingly modern film, with a little bit of Nouvere Vague flavor. With witty dialogue, great acting by Ryo Ikebe and Isuzu Yamada, atmospheric location shooting, colorful characters, and sharp directing style, it has become one of my favorite films of postwar Japan. WAGAYA is a typical domestic drama, with Chishu Ryu doing what he does best, a soft-spoken aging father.
Another two films I saw this week are two silents in Nikkatsu Centennial Series, JIRAIKA GUMI and CHUJI TABI NIKKI. Because both films are incomplete, many scenes missing, it required a bit of patience.
Second part of my Evangelion piece is up (and I haven’t come to Evangelion itself, yet). Oh well, another two or three installments, I guess.
http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2012/12/evangelion-after-fukushima-part-2.html
Thanks for mention as always.
MI
Wrenching use of Willis’ quotation of Milton, there MI. The tragedy has made it’s mark on everyone, and in the schools it’s all we have been hearing and discussing. Every new report brings fresh new tears. I will be driving up to Newton with the family during the break -probably on Wednesday- to leave flowers and pay our respects at the Sandy Hook Elementary site. While the funerals continue the NRA has released some depraved statements that are advising schools with armed guards and an acelleration of gun distribution. There does seem to be some serious talk about finally changing the laws, but there has been hot air for too long. I am frankly very suprised to hear that you have had this kind of violence in Japan, but regardless what you conclude there about the inevitability of violence in all societies is telling, and accurate. We have had some of the most terrifying explosions of violence in the last several years, and it seems like you and I were just talking about the movie theatre killings in Aurora in atheater I know you actually attended during your school years in Denver. I am not sure what the answer is, but the breaking point has been reached, and the unspeakable has happened. Thanks as always for your sobering thoughts my friend.
Thanks too for the terrific assessment of those two rarities, GENDAIJIN and WAGAYA! I am thrilled to hear that the latter stars the great Chishu Ryu and in his signature type of role! That was fantastic to catch both on the big screen! Hope at some point they will become available. Great that Part 2 is up!!! I will be over to read and add my two cents!
If you are celebrating my friend I wish you a wonderful holiday week! Always a great treat to hear from you on any subject!
Sam, quiet for me these last couple of weeks aside from a couple of Charles Burnett short films – WHEN IT RAINS and THE HORSE. Glad I saw them both simply as a fan of KILLER OF SHEEP.
Happy early holidays! Thank you for all that you do!
Happy Holiday to you and your family Jeffrey! I haven’t seen thos etwo Burnett shorts, but of course regard KILLER OF SHEEP as a masterpiece. Thanks as always for your incomparable support and friendship!