Last Movie You Watched? the 8th

Erica Ambler wrote:

Hilly wrote:

As for McDowell, his bio on screen cites him as being born in Luton, he's ribbed by Murphy in a British way and yet...he's in the US Army and was in Nam.

Guess it was a last minute rewrite to explain McDowell's accent.

Luton. West Riding. All the same thing.

I love it when movies throw in last minute shit to explain a casting decision, like when they cast Tim Roth as the Russian Emil Blonsky in INCREDIBLE HULK and had to throw in some hilarious exposition about him being a Russian-born British Marine on loan to the US Army.

Personally I prefer the simplicity of GOLDFINGER's "he's English, but doesn't sound like it".

Watched first half of CLOUD ATLAS ... it's ambitious, I'll give it that much. Will perhaps get a better picture tomorrow if I get through the rest of it.

Makeups are all over the place though - Agent Smith as Dr NO looks more like a burn victim reconstruction than an asian.

Hilly wrote:

Blue Thunder

solid fun, as fun as a movie of this theme could be. As a kid this was repetitive viewing and in a way it is now, though anually. Roy Schieder is the best thing about it personally, playing Murphy with good humour and character (as well as being on the edge, verge of going over it) and with good lines. Next to that probably Warren Oates. Something about Oates that demands this recognition. Half expect him to chew up the set and swear his way through everything. Sgt Hulka from Stripes writ large.
A favourite moment remains when Murphy suddenly appears in Blue Thunder behind the cops stopping his girlfriend Kate. "Smile you sonofabitch."
Love the soundtrack as well ("Adios JAFO" still romps up the tension). Lymangood's death (said JAFO) knocked me as a kid, seemed pretty violent (well it is) but compared to films today it's tame I suppose. Anyway...Blue Thunder.


"Catch you later"

There was a single-season spin-off TV show, if memory serves (can't remember if Blue Thunder still being very much operational despite it arguing with a train and losing BADLY at the end of the movie is ever satisfactorily explained). James Farentino and Dana 'Wayne's World' Carvey were the crew, I believe.

I've seen clips of the Blue Thunder series and I'll best avoid the fuller thing :)

DRACULA (1958) and THE BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960).

I plan to see many Hammers, but I figured I'd revisit the Draculas first.  BRIDES is my favorite, oddly enough.  I won't say it's better than the first film, but I love the atmosphere and I like that it's really a Van Helsing movie.  To be honest, I'd have prefered a series of Van Helsing movies after this, but what's done is done.

Now if the States would get a Blu-ray of DRACULA with the proper ratio and added bits.

Hilly wrote:

I've seen clips of the Blue Thunder series and I'll best avoid the fuller thing :)

I watched at the time and quite enjoyed, but I'd imagine time hasn't been kind.

NIGHT ACROSS THE STREET (2013, dir. Raul Ruiz)

My favorite US release of the year so far. Endlessly imaginative, suffused with a wonderful sense of humor and a rich poignancy brought on by Ruiz's awareness of his impending death.

And it even pays homage to the James Bond gunbarrel logo!

1941

"I cannot stand Americans fighting Americans!"

on the second viewing I enjoyed it more than that first one a couple of years ago. It still doesn't feel all that and yet it was a way to pass the evening. Like the opening mick-take of Jaws' opening (right down to the theme and even the same actress/first victim) down to the Battle of Hollywood.
Biggest kick probably came in the form of Slim Pickens taking on the 'dirty Japs' on their sub. Closely followed by Belushi whose Wild Bill is from another planet never mind 1941.
Watch out there's Warren Oates too though if only, somehow, more of John Candy (I suspect if he appeared more it'd end up as his Ox from Stripes).
And Nancy Allen, quite the looker in her day.

BLOOD SIMPLE (1984)

I do love this movie.  I love how everything goes to shit because of a complete lack of communication.  The sequence where Ray has to dispose of Marty I find to be worthy of Hitchcock.

RAISING ARIZONA (1987)

Just doesn't do it for me.  I don't feel it's aged very well.  It's well-crafted like all of the Coens' films, and it has some good moments, but it's my least favorite of their films other than INTOLERABLE CRUELTY (maybe) and THE LADYKILLERS.

I just don't find it funny, but I find BLOOD SIMPLE deeply funny.  This is why I rarely enjoy straight comedies.

MILLER'S CROSSING (1990)

Really enjoy Byrne in this one.  Great cast all around, of course.  I think I prefer BLOOD SIMPLE as it's more engaging viscerally.  But this one looks great, has a wonderful atmosphere and characters, terrific score.  And great dialogue.

DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966)

Wholly unremarkable to me.  Just dull as dishwater.  Seeing Terence Fisher's name on these films is generally a good sign, but he was hobbled by the bland script and a mostly throwaway cast.  I enjoy Keir.

I hear the Blu-ray has a commentary by Lee.  I wonder if he speaks during it. 

1. DRACULA/BRIDES OF DRACULA
3. DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS

Not what I'd call a 'mostly throwaway cast', they were all well known at the time, in England at least. Perhaps you mean you haven't heard of them. Incidentally, Suzan Farmer, the winsome blonde, was married to Ian McShane, but he burnt through her in three years.

FWIW, the full Prince of Darkness is on Daily Motion, but the audio sync problems are too great to bear.

FAREWELL, MY LOVELY (1975, dir. Dick Richards)

Reinterpreting Chandler's Marlowe as an aging detective in a dying city is an appealing direction to take; it's Chandler with a dose of Nathanael West. Unfortunately, while certain moments live up to that concept, most of the film just seems indifferently made.

I love David Shire's score, though.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

a fine film, encapsulating as much of the books and their spirit as it can. Chiefly, three books though mores the pity the enemy was switched from an American privateer (and the 1812 War) to a French one (and the Napoleonic Wars). Crowe tended to be whom I pictured as Aubrey when I spent much of the past year going through the books and he is Aubrey to a point. Great to see him atop mastheads and bows as it were.
And then the last body of the film with the unveiling of the Surprise's colours and the Surprises boarding the Acheron to fight. Have at it.
A shame that there won't likely ever be more on screen adventures of Lucky Jack Aubrey and Dr Mataurin.

Erica Ambler wrote:

Not what I'd call a 'mostly throwaway cast', they were all well known at the time, in England at least. Perhaps you mean you haven't heard of them. Incidentally, Suzan Farmer, the winsome blonde, was married to Ian McShane, but he burnt through her in three years.

FWIW, the full Prince of Darkness is on Daily Motion, but the audio sync problems are too great to bear.

I probably overstated it.  I like Shelley and Farmer, but Matthews comes off as a bit dry.  It's really the film itself that I find mostly "throwaway", because of the script.  The cast is given little, at least in my opinion. I've seen Barbara Shelley in other films where I liked her more. I did like her post-bite in this.

I watched DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE today.  I enjoy the film more than PRINCE OF DARKNESS, and the characters are somewhat more interesting.  Fairly entertaining.  I look forward to seeing TASTE THE BLOOD tonight or tomorrow.  I recall it being my favorite of the later sequels, though since finding out that Vincent Price was replaced by Keen I'm not sure if I'll be a bit frustrated.

Carry On Cabby

seen it scores of times but after a day at deadsville this was the perfect tonic. Sort of the last Carry On before the innuendo went into overdrive. Indeed the first Talbot Rothwell Carry On, who did more of the full joky Carry Ons after Norman Hudis' funny yet with a serious/poignant bit to it (Carry On Sergeant's Sgt. Grimshaw's last platoon for example).
Still, it's solid fun and exceptional at the end to see Sid James clobber one of the crooks.

Alan Partridge : Alpha Papa - BACK OF THE NET! After the success of The Inbetweeners Movie, another 'Britcom' transfers successfully to the big screen. When North Norfolk Digital undergoes a takeover and 'rebrand' to Shape, their late-night DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney) is sacked (on Partridge's recommendation, unbeknownest to Pat). He then takes hostages in an armed siege at the station, and the man he wants to act as negotiator is none other than Alan ...

Michael the Geordie, Alan's much put-upon PA Lynn, 'Sidekick Simon' and fellow DJ Dave Clifton are all present and correct, as are Partridge's lack of self-awareness, his self-servingness, and lack of 'brain-to-mouth filter'. Very funny.

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