Last Movie You Watched? 7.0

Santa wrote:

You can never rely on a man to remember things.

Erica Ambler wrote:

Look on the bright side: that means you can treat him like shit.

Now I remember, that was the plot of the Nolan brothers' Memento.

Since I've been away.

Tales of Terror (1962)

It felt rather flat to me. The bright spot was the wine scene. But what a bring spot it is!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjmeAmKz0wM#t=2m45s

The Raven (1963)

I quite enjoyed this one! Loved the comic take on it.

The Major and the Minor (1942)

One of several Wilder movies I've been needing to catch. Absolutely loved this one, though I kinda wish it was Cary Grant and not Ray Milland. But they do a good job at not making this veer into Lolita territory, which it would probably be very easy to do. Or maybe they did. I'm a sick, perverted bastard and may not be the best judge here.

I want to make a film with this kinda of effervescent joviality, though within an action/thriller type of film as opposed to a straight comedy. Wilder meets Hitchcock or something.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Since I've been away.

Tales of Terror (1962)

It felt rather flat to me. The bright spot was the wine scene. But what a bring spot it is!

Yeah, it's by far my least favorite of the Corman Poe flicks.

CONFESSIONS (2010, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima). Dull and depressing.

Loomis wrote:

CONFESSIONS (2010, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima). Dull and depressing.

Agreed. I hated that movie. Nasty and brutal without any reward.

Harmsway wrote:

Nasty and brutal without any reward.

I felt the same about two other widely-praised Japanese films of fairly recent years, namely BATTLE ROYALE and ICHI THE KILLER.

Loomis wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Nasty and brutal without any reward.

I felt the same about two other widely-praised Japanese films of fairly recent years, namely BATTLE ROYALE and ICHI THE KILLER.

I haven't seen ICHI THE KILLER, but I'm with ya all the way on BATTLE ROYALE.

The Haunted Palace (1963)

I was entertained. Price was excellent. Loved the look and mood. Thumbs up for Elisha Cook Jr., who makes any movie slightly better.

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

What this lacked, in my view, was a dynamic vampire threat. With the title I was hoping to see Cushing fighting a handful of lovely vampire women. But we get David Peel as a lame Lee substitute. Zzzzzzzzz.

I like the first part with Yvonne Monlaur being invited to the castle with Martita Hunt. I was expecting Hunt to be the leader of some women vampires, and bite Monlaur. I thought she'd be a "Janet Leigh". Hunt would have made a MUCH better baddie than Peel.

But Cushing is always great. What a superbly shaped face he has. I might enjoy him more than Lee. Can't wait to see the Frankenstein films at some point. Cushing is one those actors I'll watch in anything. I know he won't be in the next few Dracula films. I fear I shall miss him.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

But Cushing is always great. What a superbly shaped face he has. I might enjoy him more than Lee. Can't wait to see the Frankenstein films at some point. Cushing is one those actors I'll watch in anything. I know he won't be in the next few Dracula films. I fear I shall miss him.

Brides is one of my favourite Hammers even though I do understand the issue with Peel. However imo there is more than adequet compensation how this frees the focus on Cushing and there's boundless energy and conviction behind his role here, some of the guest roles are also a joy and Terence Fishers direction is materly - I love the sequence as the padlocks drop from the coffin. This is the Van Helsing Franchise I really wanted, not the dreadful Hugh Jackman debarcle.

The Mummy's Shroud

Not Hammer at it's best but a delight to see some of the lesser character actors getting a bigger bite of the cherry - I've never know Michael Ripper speak so many lines. The limitations of the budget are clear and the beginning is laboured but it builds to a nice climax and features a few fun deaths along the way, probably only for the pre invested Hammer fan mind.

6/10

Frankenstein Created Woman was on the same bill as The Mummy's Shroud. It's one of my favourite Terence Fisher films.

So many great Hammer films yet they get scant attention these days. (In the UK that may be because they've been largely absent from terrestrial television for many years.)

Harmsway wrote:

I haven't seen ICHI THE KILLER

I really wouldn't bother. That said, I did quite like Takashi Miike's AUDITION (although I prefer the Ryu Murakami novel on which it's based).

Where the Truth Lies (2005)

From the man who brought you The Pina Colada Song. I like this cod-Lynchian moment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edTQhHZhEH0&feature=related#t=7m29s

A shame the cunnilingus has disappeared. Must be the Sad Americans edit.

Bronson (Refn)

Found nothing interesting about it, a poor man's CLOCKWORK ORANGE. After an hour (as planned), I switched to:


Le scaphandre et le papillon (2007, Schnabel)

Interesting POV stuff, some good work, but wasn't emotionally affected (was pretty tired while watching, so that may be the explanation).


Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss (1982, Fassbinder)

Mostly good, though not as excited as I was by LILI MARLEEN or ANGST ESSEN SEELE AUF. Will try to watch it again soon.


Felicia's Journey (1999, Egoyan)

Not really bad, somehow I like the directing style here, Hoskins is good. Not too great a psychological "Mommy ruined me"- angle, but enjoyable film. Some of the music was fine.

Manhunter wrote:

Felicia's Journey (1999, Egoyan).

Atom Egoyan also directed Where the Truth Lies, see post above yours.

Better than the critics would have you believe.

Only Two Can Play
Peter Sellers gives one of his best performances, in the kind of sophisticated comedy he sadly didn't get to do enough of
an opportunity to show the full depth of his talent, as a more rounded, subtle and nuanced three dimensional character
rather than the broad comic strip two dimensional characters that predominated his Hollywood career

The Black Pirate
the sequence where Doug single handedly boards and captures the merchantmen is pure genius
otherwise a another typical Fairbanks vehicle, although I found some of the events leading up to the climactic battle a bit strange
after being thwarted in his attempt to save the girl, Doug is made to walk the plank (so far so good)
then he swims to shore, steals a horse and rides away to get help (no problem with that)
later he reappears at the head of a galley load of men with identical dress and haircuts, who look like they've wandered over from the Jason and the Argonauts set next door
they then sink their own boat to fool the pirates, swim an unfeasable distance underwater, board the ship and defeat the pirates
not quite right somehow

lachesis wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

But Cushing is always great. What a superbly shaped face he has. I might enjoy him more than Lee. Can't wait to see the Frankenstein films at some point. Cushing is one those actors I'll watch in anything. I know he won't be in the next few Dracula films. I fear I shall miss him.

Brides is one of my favourite Hammers even though I do understand the issue with Peel. However imo there is more than adequet compensation how this frees the focus on Cushing and there's boundless energy and conviction behind his role here, some of the guest roles are also a joy and Terence Fishers direction is materly - I love the sequence as the padlocks drop from the coffin. This is the Van Helsing Franchise I really wanted, not the dreadful Hugh Jackman debarcle.

Sure, but I'd like to see him battle someone who is up to his level. :) "A hero is only as good as their villain" and so forth.

The Emperor Waltz (1948)

I watched it because it's a Billy Wilder film. This one didn't quite come off. There are things that I liked, such as using Crosby's and Fontaine's dogs to tell their love story, and the last 30 minutes became more interesting than the earlier parts. But it doesn't strike me as a classic. Not the worst film I've ever seen, though.

Tavernier's DEATH WATCH. Finally got to see it in better than VHS quality, though to be honest the movie is pretty rough-looking in a late 70s available light way, so I have a feeling there's a ceiling on how good you could possibly make it look. It is decidedly European in pace, so not for short attention spans (though it ain't Tarkovsky/Lynch slow either.)

I've always thought this film was prescient about reality TV in a way only NETWORK turned out to be, but this time through I was much more emotionally engaged (which often happens when I'm seeing a picture with more clarity, there are nuances in expression that come through that get missed in VHS on a 19" set.)

It is a genuine science fiction film, but more than that, I think it is a very good drama (perhaps this is closer to what Niccol's script for THE TRUMAN SHOW would have been, when Gary Oldman was going to play Truman.) There are all sorts of throwaway background bits that hint at the way of things in this world, a world where young natural death has been all but eradicated, and yet in most other ways it is very much a world familiar and relatable. Keitel, Von Sydow, Harry Dean and Romy Schneider (her last, I think) star.

The Kiss of the Vampire (1963)

Decent flick that felt like it needed some star power. The cast didn't do much for me.

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

Enjoyable, but I wish Lee had more to do in it. I guess he refused to say the dialogue.

Skyfall

And?

Going to see it again tomorrow :D

It's impossible to talk about the film without giving things away, and if I'd had any spoilers before seeing it, I would have been furious. And spoilers don't normally bother me. But I loved it. It's long, there's lots going on. That's all I'll say :D

Ravenstone wrote:

Going to see it again tomorrow :D

It's impossible to talk about the film without giving things away, and if I'd had any spoilers before seeing it, I would have been furious. And spoilers don't normally bother me. But I loved it. It's long, there's lots going on. That's all I'll say :D

I'm surprised I've avoided spoilers at all so far. I only heard the Adele song (most of it) on the Culture Show Thursday.

Seeing it myself tomorrow (first time).

Made do with Carry On today. Lor'

Il gatto a nove code (1971, Argento)

Much more interesting story and more tense than SUSPIRIA. Not perfect, though. I'm a bit disappointed by the revelation of the murderer, they should have done more with

Spoiler:

Nice to see Karl Malden again. Surprised that Horst Frank stars in it. He's always a pleasure. Should have gotten a bigger role.
All in all, it's an enjoyable and entertaining giallo.
(I watched the 114 minutes cut (PAL). The official cinema running time is 110 mins., that would be ca. 107 mins PAL. The found and added scenes were of a poor quality (I mean pic quality), but I'm glad they were included. There are two other versions on the second DVD, I'll watch them some day (hopefully).)


Stalker (1979, Tarkovskiy)

Second viewing, now on the HD flatty (needless to say it looked even better than on laptop ). The importance of some sort of faith and the consequences of a lack thereof seems to be among the main issues of the film. Striking visual philosophy from Russia (USSR). Needs more viewings and contemplations. Still don't get the ending.

The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

Now that WAS interesting! I wouldn't know what to say in the way of insightful commentary, but it's certainly a unique movie and Corman really took it to another level. Would make a good stage show, probably.

A Foreign Affair (1948)

Terrific Billy Wilder film that I've really not heard much of in the way of praise. Maybe because it's not readily on DVD, at least in the states. Jean Arthur and Marlene Dietrich are both excellent, as always. And they both aged very well. Leading man John Lund is actually good in the role, but I find him a bit boring. Wish it had been William Holden, though I think it was SUNSET BOULEVARD that relaunched his career. I'd say this film is in the same kind of bombed-out neighborhood as THE THIRD MAN. Just a bit lighter and more outwardly comedic.

I recommend it, at least: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPoHR-D_reQ

Some great lines.

"If you give a hungry man a loaf of bread, that's democracy, if you leave the wrapper on, that's imperialism."

"[Lots of stuff about Hitler's bunker]"Underneath there's a concrete basement. That's where he married Eva Braun, and that's where they killed themselves. A lot of people say it was the perfect honeymoon."

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Probably my top horror flick, next to some of the Hammer classics.