Last Movie you Watched?

Die Wannseekonferenz (TV 1984)

5/5

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088377/

what gives 12 men the right to decide the fate of 11 million Jews in Europe and Russia and the fate of millions of non-Jews Poles, the gypsies, the homosexuals, the handicapped and mentally challenged?

I know at Nuremberg Trial, they used the defense that they were following orders but still, as Men and as a Human Being, you have the conscience to know what's right and what's wrong!!

Sharky mentioned feeling tired at 2:00 am, but continued to 'argue the point' (changing no-one's opinion in the process) for another hour.

He's either a legend or a lunatic, I'm not quite sure.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Sharky mentioned feeling tired at 2:00 am, but continued to 'argue the point' (changing no-one's opinion in the process) for another hour.

He's either a legend or a lunatic, I'm not quite sure.

I won't even bother to go back and read the last 2 pages.

What's the argument about?

The merits (or otherwise) of the 4 Indiana Jones films, which segues into a discussion about on what criteria a film's 'greatness' (or otherwise) can/should be judged.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Too late to edit, but LAST CRUSADE also marks the point of Indy taking itself seriously. In my opinion. Just a little bit. Trying to go for something more than a colorful action serial.

Indeed. And, surprisingly, it almost works in that regard. Or at least doesn't fall quite as flat as some of the Bond series' attempts at being "serious".

Jurrassic Park on Blu Ray

I've always enjoyed this romp and Blu ray really does make it seem new all over again, the picture and sound are astonishingly good. Even after this passage of time some of the effects are still breathtaking but I think they work so much better because the human performances are never overshadowed, Spielberg is on great form milking maximum tension from every scene and despite some evident logic gaffs you can't help but get swept along. The only criticism I can offer is to the continuity department which seems to have been on vacation. 8/10

Harmsway wrote:

But there's a veritable sea of films that explore the "overreaching man" from more interesting points of view than JURASSIC PARK.

Definitely not within the action genre at least. And while JURASSIC PARK doesn't handle of idea of Promethean curse from a particularly novel angle, it does convey it with a sense of awe, childlike wonder and dread, that renders it one of most powerful modern day retellings of the myth.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Too late to edit, but LAST CRUSADE also marks the point of Indy taking itself seriously. In my opinion. Just a little bit. Trying to go for something more than a colorful action serial.

God forbid a sequel should try to transcend the confines of its predecessors (FRENCH CONNECTION 2, I'm looking at you).

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

The very fact that we disagree with him belies the idea that there is singular defining element one uses to judge what a good film is ...

We all have our subjective ideals. However, in order to provide a victor, they must battle out in arenas such as this, and only the most informed, reasoned, compelling and internally coherent POV will win. That is why I do this - to try and sustain a dialectic.

I'm not sure I even agree with some of my opinions at times. They might be coming from my rum, whisky and cider, and not me. I'm not sure I'd even call it playing Devil's Advocate, since these strange notions come out of the blue. But hell, anything to keep this forum alive and well.

I rarely agree with you, Sharky, but you are very sexyful.

Sharky wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Too late to edit, but LAST CRUSADE also marks the point of Indy taking itself seriously. In my opinion. Just a little bit. Trying to go for something more than a colorful action serial.

God forbid a sequel should try to transcend the confines of its predecessors (FRENCH CONNECTION 2, I'm looking at you).

I don't think RAIDERS was particularly confined. It's a colorful action serial that was done well. Does it need to address social problems too? The movie was well-crafted. It does it's job. How much more do you want?

The White Tuxedo wrote:

How much more do you want?

Something less juvenile, with a bit more heart? That's why CRUSADE floats my boat.

Have you guys ever read earlier drafts of RAIDERS? I bought one a long time ago (don't know what happened to it), I think a second or third revised draft, and I was flabbergasted at how different and disappointing it was.

All the same action pieces, plus two more giant ones (both used in TEMPLE OF DOOM, the chinese gong thing at beginning of ToD and the mine car chase), so it was like a proto-Michael Bay movie, with next to zero character content.

And there was nothing like the 'Indy can't bring himself to blow up the ark' moment, not even anything hinting at it.

Thing probably had less dialog than 2001 ... pages and pages describing action, sometimes very well, but in service of what? If it was homage to old serials, it was too much, in all sorts of ways.

It kind of made me wonder briefly if somebody else punched up Kasdan's final, though I've never seen any indications that other writers were involved.

I can watch ToD and CRUSADE, and enjoy bits, but RAIDERS is the only one that really grabbed me, and I think it was the combination of the 'can't top this' truck chase and the 'can't blow up the ark' moment, which I think David Gerrold in his old STARLOG column went into in detail as what elevated RAIDERS above a lot of other action flicks, that made it so.

Trev did you ever read the transcript for the Indy story meetings that Lucas/Spielberg/Kasdan had? They essentially came up with every action setpiece of the entire trilogy in those initial meetings. And Lucas' comments are hilarious throughout, as he insists that it's made clear that Marion was way underage when Indy initially romanced her.

Lawrence of Arabia



the second viewing and the thoughts and feelings of the first. Understatement to say, at over four hours, that this film is epic. Epic in scope, stunning scenery and filmography (something tells me...we'll say camerawork Smithers), even on my puny TV screen the desert feels large and unfathomable. Feel the heat roll off it, sucking the life force from Lawrence. More so than before I appreciate O'Toole in the role, for one he actually bears some semblance to Lawrence and another capturing power, weakness and all the rest. A chief scene is when he comes into the Officer's Club in Cairo with his young friend and demands 'Two large glasses...of lemonade...", the look on his face when Jack Gwillim's club secretary demands he leaves. The hidden torture. Though a small chuckle when after his friend downs the lemonade Lawrence remarks to the bartender, "He likes your lemonade!"
Jack Hawkins in usual form as Allenby (dubbed by Charles Gray for the restoration as he was in his later years), Anthony Quayle likewise in usual form and Omar Sharif...oh let's not forget Anthony Quinn.
Maurice Jarre's score triumphant, resonant. A favourite use remains as Lawrence marches in victory down the roof of the train.

I'm sure I'm misquoting when I recall what Noel Coward said to O'Toole that "Darling, you've become an advert for Persil" or maybe: "If you had been any prettier, the film would have been called Florence of Arabia

Assuredly Lean's finest work I think. If I may humbly suggest so.


"Lemonade, with plenty of ice."

Mr. Brown wrote:

Marion's Theme is the best part of the series.

Nah, it's all about the Ark of the Covenant's theme.



The Holy Grail theme in CRUSADE's pretty stunning too.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JT8o5hw2Po#t=1m54s

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

Trev did you ever read the transcript for the Indy story meetings that Lucas/Spielberg/Kasdan had? They essentially came up with every action setpiece of the entire trilogy in those initial meetings. And Lucas' comments are hilarious throughout, as he insists that it's made clear that Marion was way underage when Indy initially romanced her.

He probably pinched that from Connery romancing Brooke Adams in flashback from CUBA .. dont' know if it was in the film, but in the novelization she is supposed to be 15 in the initial romance that they recall.

Yeah the idea is that Marion was like 14 when Indy was romancing her while he was in college.

She knew what she was doing ^^

Somehow the FIRST CONTACT folks decided Everton's take on the Borg was better than Ricardo Delgado's.
I can tell you, Delgado, who was a principal designer on DS9 at first, had some kickass Borg designs.

EDIT ADDON: sorry this was in reply to something on page 1 of the thread, don't know quite how I screwed this one up.

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

Trev did you ever read the transcript for the Indy story meetings that Lucas/Spielberg/Kasdan had? They essentially came up with every action setpiece of the entire trilogy in those initial meetings. And Lucas' comments are hilarious throughout, as he insists that it's made clear that Marion was way underage when Indy initially romanced her.

I went to see this last year, which was based on the transcripts of those meetings -

http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/3984/raiders%20of%20the%20lost/0/0/1/theatre-review-raiders-of-the-lost-story-arc

T'was an absolute hoot.

High Plains Drifter (1973)

Thought I was gonna like it more than I did. :|

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

Yeah the idea is that Marion was like 14 when Indy was romancing her while he was in college.

Now that just reminds me of her worst acting performance in the flick.

"I WAS A CHILD, I WAS IN LOOOVE!



Ya know, for a supposedly woman with spunk she sure bitched and screamed a lot, though Willie Scott makes it look otherwise.

Yeah, but she was insanely hot.

The Eiger Sanction (1975)



That's my main thought on the flick:

I know it's not really that great a movie, but it's enjoyable in the same way an AIRPORT movie or other 70's disaster movie would be. It must be the addition of George Kennedy, patron saint of 70's cinematic cheese. Clint partly carries this thing by his sheer presense, and you've got a couple of 70's exploitation movie chicks in there. And Jack Cassidy, with his dog named "Faggot". Wanna know more about Jack? http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/c/Jack%20Cassidy/jack_cassidy.htm

What an oddball movie.

That was the first Eastwood I ever saw, back when pay cable had the G channel, for recent (2 year old!) movies. I know Rod Whitaker (aka Trevanian) was appalled by the finished film and the fact climbers died making it, and I wonder if perhaps he refused to let Eastwood & co take an option on the sequel book.

I think it is Eastwood at his movie-coolest, probably because a lot of great lines from the novel are retained and he hits them just right.

The Trevanian books have got so many good lines in them that somebody should do a little book of all the aphorisms and insults. From THE LOO SANCTION (Trevanian's British Intelligence is actually named for a toilet):

tough bad guy: I hope I'm not going to have any trouble with you, mate.
Hemlock: Hope's cheap, anus - indulge yourself.

I can never read that without hearing just how Eastwood would have hit 'indulge" while knotting his features forcefully.