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Post by Jesse on May 15, 2014 21:13:12 GMT -5
This Saturday TCM is showing 1963 film The Haunting followed by The Legend of Hell House, Poltergeist, Death by Invitation and Burn, Witch, Burn! (also known as Night of the Eagle).
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Post by berkley on May 15, 2014 22:19:03 GMT -5
Ish, The World of Henry Orient is much underappreciated classic. I saw it when I was a kid (I watched it on late night TV because it had Peter Sellers and I was big Pink Panther fan) and I didn't really get it. I saw it a few years ago and thought it was great. The best Peter Sellers movie that Americans don't seem to know about: I'm All Right Jack. I haven't seen Henry Orient, but I remember loving I'm All Right, Jack when I saw it on tv as a kid. I consider myself a big Sellers fan, but in a way I'm happy there are still a bunch I haven't seen, either at all, or in so long that it'll be almost like watching them for the first time. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 16, 2014 1:58:41 GMT -5
Withnail & I (1986)
Richard E. Grant,Paul McGann,Richard Griffiths
D-Bruce Robinson
London 1969 - two unemployed actors, Withnail and Marwood, fed up with their damp,cold,dirty apartment, decide to leave London for a weekend holiday in the country at the cottage belonging to Withnail's uncle Monty
Bruce Robinson's semi-autobiographical character study courtesy of Criterion DVD.Great dialogue is what drives this film.The characters have to fend off the constant rain,scrounge up food,deal with the locals and fend off the homosexual advances of uncle Monty as they take advantage of his generosity.Friendship is tested against poverty,joblessness and alcoholism while always keeping a sense of humor.
Strangely,the Criterion disc is non-anamorphic.That's rare. 7 of 10 stars
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Post by Jasoomian on May 16, 2014 17:05:13 GMT -5
"Commodified" is one of those words I have problems with. What, specifically, is your problem? "Commodify" is a verb meaning "to make into a commodity." |
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Post by gothos on May 16, 2014 17:37:21 GMT -5
"Commodified" is one of those words I have problems with. What, specifically, is your problem? "Commodify" is a verb meaning "to make into a commodity." Because the word doesn't really say anything. I don't remember if Marx specifically used the term or just created the ideology with his remarks on the "callous cash nexus." But the word "commodification" assumes that there is some ideal state of art-production which is not compromised by some sort of exchange. The fact is that though there are instances in which artists give away art freely, this is only culturally significant because most artists need the cash exchange to pay the bills, even on your basic crumbling garret apartment. Traveling minstrels and storytellers sang for their supper, and many if not most of the fine artists were supported by rich patrons. It might mean something to say, "Disney popularized the Uncle Remus stories," because then you assume he's modifying them to suit a particular culture. But it means no more to say that "Disney commodified the Uncle Remus stories" than to say "Milton commodified the New Testament." |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 16, 2014 18:47:25 GMT -5
The Adventures of Ichabod And Mr Toad (1949)
Voices of Basil Rathbone and Bing Crosby
Two stories. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. J. Thaddeus Toad, owner of Toad Hall, is prone to fads, such as the newfangled motor car. This desire for the very latest lands him in much trouble with the wrong crowd, and it is up to his friends, Mole, Rat and Badger to save him from himself. - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: by Washington Irving.Set in a tiny New England town. Ichabod Crane, the new schoolmaster, falls for the town beauty, Katrina , and the town Bully Brom Bones decides that he is a little too successful and needs "convincing" that Katrina is not for him
The 11th Disney full-length feature,after Song of the South,and very much forgotten compared to their other classic movies.Probably because it was not a big box-office draw and much of it's TV appearences and early home videos split the 2 stories apart. It will be arriving on Blu-Ray soon and well worth watching because its a very strange Disney item for the following reasons
1-The Headless Horseman in the Ichabod Crane tale is one of Disney's scariest sequences ever.And unlike all other Disney tales,here the VILLLIAN WINS
2-You would think of Ichabod Crane as the hero of the story,the nerdy schoolteacher in competition with the town bully for the hand of the lovely Katrina.But in actuality,Ichabod was interested in her father's wealth and the town bully wanted Katerina for herself
I enjoyed both tales.There was a very popular Mr.Toad ride at Disneyland.Decent songs included as well. 7 of 10 stars
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Post by Jasoomian on May 16, 2014 20:54:28 GMT -5
What, specifically, is your problem? "Commodify" is a verb meaning "to make into a commodity." Because the word doesn't really say anything. A "commodity" isn't merely "something that is exchanged." In economics at least, it implies something that it is homogenized and undifferentiated, standardized and widely sold (*note not bartered). E.g.: if you were listening to those Br'er Rabbit stories in the cotton field in 1855, it would have been a different version and different experience than hearing it from someone else, even 100 miles away. Whereas in 1955, virtually everyone on the planet heard one version -- Disney's version -- of the tar baby stories. I'm not trying to make any kind of normative statement. And I certainly ain't no Communist, so you need not hang your hangups on me there. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 16, 2014 23:36:33 GMT -5
Woman Times 7 (1967)
Shirley MacLaine,Peter Sellers,Michael Caine,Alan Arkin,Rossano Brazzi,Vittorio Gassman,Anita Ekberg,Robert Morley,Lex Barker D-Vittorio De Sica
Seven mini-stories of adultery: "Funeral Possession," Peter Sellers putting the moves on a widow at her husband's funeral procession; "Amateur Night," angry wife becomes streetwalker out of revenge; "Two Against One," seemingly prudish girl turns out otherwise when she invites 2 men to her apartment; "Super Simone," wife vainly attempts to divert her over-engrossed writer husband; "At the Opera," a battle over a supposedly exclusive dress; "Suicides," a death pact with Alan Arkin; "Snow," Shirley followed around town by Michael Caine.
Shirley stars in all 7 stories.My favs include Funeral Procession,Super Simone,Suicides and Snow.Filmed in Italy and France. I get a kick seeing the late 60s fashions.Shirley was always delightful to watch in that decade as well.7 of 10 stars
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Post by gothos on May 17, 2014 16:20:25 GMT -5
Because the word doesn't really say anything. A "commodity" isn't merely "something that is exchanged." In economics at least, it implies something that it is homogenized and undifferentiated, standardized and widely sold (*note not bartered). E.g.: if you were listening to those Br'er Rabbit stories in the cotton field in 1855, it would have been a different version and different experience than hearing it from someone else, even 100 miles away. Whereas in 1955, virtually everyone on the planet heard one version -- Disney's version -- of the tar baby stories. I'm not trying to make any kind of normative statement. And I certainly ain't no Communist, so you need not hang your hangups on me there. I've encountered the "homogenization" definition before, but that's why I asked you to specify what you meant when you used the term "commodification." Not everyone means the same thing when they use the word, any more than every tale-teller tells the tar-baby story-- or the birth of Dionysus, or whatever-- exactly the same way. You responded by asking me what my problem was with the term, so I told you. Now, you've answered my original question, and that's what I wanted: your definition, for which I thank you. If you don't care to argue over the term, we certainly don't have to do so. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 18, 2014 9:33:10 GMT -5
Yellow Sky (1948)
Gregory Peck,Richard Widmark,Anne Baxter,Henry Morgan
D-William Wellman
After a bank robbery,"Stretch" Dawson(Peck) and his gang cross the desert to elude the posse and hide out in a ghost town
An excellent oater.Peck and his gang are fully realized characters.Filmed at Death Valley,the desert scenes are stark and compeling. Anne Baxter as the gun-toting grand daughter of an old prospector is believable as she slugs Peck for making a pass at her.And,of course,Richard Widmark can be one mean ole' varmint.The Peck gang is full of great western character actors too.This here's a mighty fine western,you betcha 8 of 10 stars
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Post by Pharozonk on May 18, 2014 9:55:25 GMT -5
Anyone here seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers?(the remake). Is it worth my time?
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 18, 2014 9:59:09 GMT -5
Yours,Mine and ours (1968)
Lucille Ball,Henry Fonda,Van Johnson,Tom Bosley,Tim Matheson
D-Melville Shavelson
Widow Helen North(Ball) who has 8 children marries widower Frank Beardsley (Fonda) who has 10.
Based on a true story.The box office success of this film helped get the greenlight for the TV show The Brady Bunch (whose script was already written but production was stalled).Fluffy family entertainment with a few good scenes but there were a few things that didn't work for me:
Lucy and Henry were a bit too old for this part.In fact Lucy was already 58 years old and in the movie she gets pregnant.I was also of the opinion that by this point,both on TV and the big screen,she wasn't that much funny anymore.
Lucy's best scene was when she meets Fonda's brood for the first time at his house for dinner. His children ply her with alcohol to get her drunk and embarrass her.Lucy plays the scene well,alternately laughing and crying but after a quick trip to the bathroom she becomes stone cold sober again.
Tim Matheson plays the oldest son who gets his draft notice.The family seems proud he is going to serve but the word "Vietnam" is never uttered
This is a film from 1968 with many ,many kids involved but the movie goes out of its way a few times to take potshots against hippies and the youth culture.As Henry Fonda says at one point "It's giving life that counts. Until you're ready for it, all the rest is just a big fraud. All the crazy haircuts in the world won't keep it turning. Life isn't a love in, it's the dishes and the orthodontist and the shoe repairman and... ground round instead of roast beef. And I'll tell you something else: it isn't going to a bed with a man that proves you're in love with him; it's getting up in the morning and facing the drab, miserable, wonderful everyday world with him that counts. " Good old Henry Fonda knows that being square is where its at
Interesting to note that in 1968 a weekly trip to the supermarket for 18 kids and 2 adults will set you back $126
5 of 10 stars
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 18, 2014 10:01:08 GMT -5
Anyone here seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers?(the remake). Is it worth my time? The 1978 version with Donald Sutherland? Absolutely |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 18, 2014 10:15:36 GMT -5
Youth Of The Beast (1963)
Joe Shishido D-Seijun Suzuki
Joe Shishido plays a tough guy with a secret agenda. His violent behavior comes to the attention of a yakuza boss who immediately recruits him. He soon makes a deal with a rival gang and starts a gang war.Joe's real motivations are gradually revealed as we find out why he wants to wipe out both gangs
Watched the Criterion DVD version. This was director Suzuki's breakout film.He is known for his rich,vibrant colors and hallucinatory sequences.Plenty of action here and an obvious love of older American gangster flicks.What with its 60s sensibilities,loud colors and slam-bang cheesy fight scenes,I sometimes was reminded of the Adam West Batman show. 6 of 10 stars
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 18, 2014 10:38:27 GMT -5
Cinderella (1950)
Voices of Ilene Woods,Eleanor Audley
D-Clyde Geronimi/Wilfred Jackson
Disney enters its peak feature-length animated movie period.Cinderella's wicked stepmother and obnoxious step-sisters exploit her like a slave and try to prevent her from going to the Royal Ball
Whats not to like? The songs are good (but no all-time classics). The animation is beautiful as usual. The mice,Gus and Jaques, are fun and Lucifer the cat plays a good villian.
But really Cindy,couldn't you just once stand up for yourself? You seem to be such a pushover and I'm afraid the prince that you get married to will just be another person who will take advantage of your subservient personality. And then what? Will you pray for a Fairy Divorce Lawyer?I noticed that June Foray,the future voice of Rocket J Squirrel was the voice of Lucifer. 8 1/2 stars of 10
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