Last Movie you Watched?

colly wrote:

Considering she was top-billed, you almost think Harris wouldve been a BA contender rather than a BSA contender... but thats two consecutive non-me reviewers to be unimpressed with Jo Van Fleet.

Fools.

I wasn't that impressed with her, either. But the only person who really does great work in the film, in my most humble opinion, is Dean, who is so convincing and natural he makes everyone else seem downright stiff and false.

Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) Dir. Jack Arnold

Fun, but not as awesome as the previous 2 entries of my mini 50s-sci-fi-athon - though that said, I'm attempting to pass a very tired afternoon. Richard Carlson and Richard Denning provide some awesomeness, Whit Bissell sets himself on fire and Julia Adams is extremely hot. 8)

The Duellists (1977)
Dir. Ridley Scott



Wow. Just wow.

4/5

The Getaway (1972)
Dir. Sam Peckinpah

Just as awesome as I'd hoped and expected it to be, this is really my kind of film. Right from the brilliantly edited opening sequence, we have a taught, tense and atmospheric crime thriller that makes good use of its two leads, in the forms of Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw - once McQueen wields a shot gun, you know he means business. 8) Peckinpah's stylistic direction is a joy to behold, especially upon McQueen's release from prison at the start of the film and along with the said editing and Quincy Jones' hallucinogenic score , we have a terrific first sixty minutes including the chaotic bank robbery, once again showcasing the masterful editing. Later on in the film, the scenes with Al Lettieri, Sally Struthers and Jack Dodson do get a little silly but they don’t mar the events, in which McQueen and McGraw are forced to go on the run – the pursuit of a thief on a train and the final showdown in the South are both highlights. McGraw deserves a lot of credit too, she’s an underrated actress. Oh, and there's a small part for Slim Pickens.
Brilliance.

5/5

The Conversation (1974) Dir: Francis Ford Coppola

Coppola was on fire during the 70's and this is often overlooked. It's mostly playing out as a character study with themes involving paranoia, the thriller elements that work their way into the are quite effective as well, while never sacrificing the character work handled throughout.

Hackman is great here, playing a character much different than the majority of other roles he's been given, here he has the task of underplaying many emotions to convey the life of a person deep inside his own shell. From the way he handles conversations to the stray looks he gives to something not quite right. John Cazale has a small role but displays what a loss of talent he was. Then you have Harrison Ford, pre-Han Solo in probably his most obscure role.

The surveillance theme as a wonderful way to mix both the plot and the overall atmosphere of the film. Having the opening conversation repeated again and again, propelling both Harry and the viewer into a spiral of analysis over the meaning and context of what is being said functions effectively and leads greatly into the film's final act.

I must mention the score by David Shire, which effectively supports the moods of the characters and the fact that Harry's character is a jazz fan works nicely into the film as well. They don't make thrillers like these anymore.


E.T the Extra Terrestrial (1982) Dir: Steven Spielberg

Watching it after nearly a decade, the film's saccharine nature is more visible than ever but a degree of nostalgia can make me overlook some it's contrivances.

E.T. himself is a wonderful creation, though he does look worrying like a less hideous version of Jack Nance's baby from Eraserhead. With his blinking eyes and expressive voice, coupled with incidental noises that sound like a crying baby and a kitten, he's a credit to the special effects team.

I appreciate some themes about the film, such as the family dysfunction, the reasonable performances from the young cast and the mental symbiosis between E.T. and Elliot. John Williams score is iconic and raises the quality of the film.

The flaws are evidently clear. The film apparently has the first use of product placement with Reese's Pieces. Not only that but Yoda turns up so that Lucas doesn't punch Spielberg for not making him more $$$. Dee Wallace has to be the worst parent in history. Peter Coyote portrays the most useless and bland movie character in history. He does nothing significant and thankfully has less screentime.

Some would say it would be to cynical to dislike it but having immensely enjoyed it as a kid and to some extent I still do, but it's certainly lost it's charm for me compared to other Spielberg outings. I much prefer A.I and Close Encounters anyday.

This Island Earth (1955) Dir. Joseph Newman

An intriguing sci-fi pics thats pretty good for the first 50 minutes, but once they start going into outer space, it just gets a bit dull. Rex Reason plays it cool, I wish we'd gotten more out of Douglas Spencer (THE THING) and Russell Johnson (IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE), and someone hotter than Faith Domergue, but what are you gonna do.

Turned on the TV and what did I find starting but...



Bullseye! (1990) Dir. Michael Winner

One of the silliest films I've ever seen, but often hilarious and worth it just for the by-play of Sir Rog and Caine. Wish theyd been able to make more films together, both in their younger years and the vintage of this 'un. With the John Cleese lookalike too, naturally.

and as a side note, the first film I've watched this year to be made in the past 35 years.

Have been curious about Bullseye! in the past, but not enough to actually watch it ... I seem to recall a review from the time saying that it featured some of the most obvious stunt doubles the reviewer had ever seen.

Plus I am of the opinion that Michael Winner is a utter t w a t.

Sir Mike? Sir Rog? Less than a fiver on Amazon? You can't go wrong. Can you?

Could be a shit print. ;)

Out of the Past

Liked it a lot, but failed to understand some bits near the end (due to tiredness). Story and atmosphere were quite good.

A Fistful of Dollars

Excellent film, great score. Eastwood is already on top form. Got me into Leone addiction again.

colly wrote:

This Island Earth (1955) Dir. Joseph Newman

An intriguing sci-fi pics thats pretty good for the first 50 minutes, but once they start going into outer space, it just gets a bit dull. Rex Reason plays it cool, I wish we'd gotten more out of Douglas Spencer (THE THING) and Russell Johnson (IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE), and someone hotter than Faith Domergue, but what are you gonna do.

May your forehead grow like the mighty oak!

I've never seen the standard version; only the MST3K one.

Manhunter wrote:

Out of the Past

Liked it a lot, but failed to understand some bits near the end (due to tiredness). Story and atmosphere were quite good.

A Fistful of Dollars

Excellent film, great score. Eastwood is already on top form. Got me into Leone addiction again.

I find that OUT OF THE PAST fits together well if you see it a few times. That's something I like about it. It does in fact add up.

Oliver Twist (1948)

Alec Guiness eye catching amongst the cast as Fagin, perhaps too on the nose as the pickpocket-in-charge. A fine version of the book, better than the musical for various reasons. Newton making Sikes truly despicable right down to his speedy and blunt end.

THE BOSTON STRANGLER (1968, dir. Richard Fleischer)

Lousy.

Outstanding. The ending, especially, was incredible. The woman next to me was clutching her seat. No lie.

Must've been great for people seeing it for the first time and on the big screen, too.

Tomorrow night is "Blow Out". I'm looking forward to it. :)

Awesome. I'm not that crazy of the flick but there's a lot to like in it and on the big screen it must have been a sight. I really dug the cinematography of it and having Herrmann's score booming from the speakers in the theater sounds like a worthwhile viewing.

Oh, I'd love to hear the score pumped in a good sound system. It can make a huge difference. When I saw LAWRENCE OF ARABIA on the big screen, the score was almost deafening.

I would love to see an actual print of the movie; I didn't find the cinematography overly impressive on DVD, and I'm wondering how much of that was the transfer.

I only saw it on Netflix HD and from what I saw it looked fine. But I always dug that soft 70s look of that era.

Yeah, the picture was rich and the sound was just right. They did a great job with the screening.

Now that I've been spoiled, I'm not sure if I want to return to the DVD. I'm hoping Criterion releases it sometime within the next couple of years. I'm also crossing my fingers for a remastered score, and expanded.

Greedy, I know.

I dont think I've evere returned to my VERTIGO DVD after seeing it on the big screen, which also had magnificently booming sound. 8)

Friendly Persuasion (1956) Dir. William Wyler

Pretty terrific film, even if I do think it slightly loses its way once it shifts the Civil War more into focus. Before that though, the depiction of Quaker life is utterly charming, and the cast all put in fantastic work, the great shames being that Phyllis Love and Peter Richman didnt become stars following it.

Makeshift Python wrote:

I only saw it on Netflix HD and from what I saw it looked fine. But I always dug that soft 70s look of that era.

See, I thought OBSESSION looked pretty washed-out. If you're going to pay homage to VERTIGO, you better go for some serious color intensity, and I'm not sure whether the film's faded look is just the film, or partially the result of a washed-out, second-rate transfer..

I assume many of the scenes in Obsession were shot through gauze to give that soft look.

The Island (1980)
Dir. Michael Ritchie

"A bunch of arseholes playing Long John F***ing Silver?"

Not quite as bad as I read it would be, but pretty awful all the same. A horror pic from the writer and producers of Jaws, starring Michael Caine, and featuring a score by Ennio Morricone may sound like a great idea, but it's all a bit underbaked. In an unusually weak performance, Caine plays a journalist who drags his son along with him to investigate, who or what may be behind the disappearances of over 600 ships over a period of three years in the Caribbean. In a fairly suspenseful and gory first half-hour, we witness raids and attacks by modern-day pirates on holiday boaters – axes are seen splitting heads open, throats are slit and crazy bearded men with flaming headwear are briefly revealed to be the culprits. Should make for a pretty scary film, yes? Well, no. Once Caine and his son are taken captive on the island, the pirates turn out to be ridiculously-clothed, religious, democratic (well, sort of) hairy bikers who just enjoy living on their island more than anything else. It’s just totally bizarre, and not scary at all. The rest of the film follows their murdering sprees (they rarely even loot the ships ), some ridiculous changes of character from the main cast and that’s pretty much it. Even Morricone’s score isn’t really up to scratch for the most part. There are a few decent shocks and Frank Middlemass is a hoot, but this is a film that Caine, in his own words would say, “paid the rent.”

2/5

The ITV4 print was gorgeous, probably better than any hard-to-find DVD copy would have.




Here's a taster :

ambler wrote:

I assume many of the scenes in Obsession were shot through gauze to give that soft look.

I would expect so. In this way, as with many others, OBSESSION follows after VERTIGO, which also featured a purposefully soft, diffused look to achieve a surreal visual texture.