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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jun 20, 2014 23:45:03 GMT -5
I haven't posted a movie review for a while and for a good reason.I have watched some very,very strange films recently and need to take some time to wrap my brain around them. A Japanese horror/comedy, a pre-code musical and a John Ford title.I'm going to watch a Disney animated classic to snap back to normal. See you tomorrow Hardly a classic movie but your description there reminded me of watching Hellevator:The Bottled Fools. My heads still unwrapped from that one. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 20, 2014 23:51:01 GMT -5
I haven't posted a movie review for a while and for a good reason.I have watched some very,very strange films recently and need to take some time to wrap my brain around them. A Japanese horror/comedy, a pre-code musical and a John Ford title.I'm going to watch a Disney animated classic to snap back to normal. See you tomorrow Hardly a classic movie but your description there reminded me of watching Hellevator:The Bottled Fools. My heads still unwrapped from that one. That's a great title,Hellevator I've seen 2 Argento films- Bird With The Crystal Plummage.I saw that in the theaters when it was released.I image it was his homage to Hitchcock's Psycho. I also watched Suspiria |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 21, 2014 0:14:57 GMT -5
Hooray for pre-code musicals! Was it 42nd Street? Footlight Parade (which I sometimes think is Jimmy Cagney's best movie)? Broadway Melody?
Did it have Ruby Keeler dressed as a cat? Or Ginger Rogers with a monocle? Or Joan Crawford dancing with Fred Astaire in a musical tribute to Oktoberfest?
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Post by MDG on Jun 21, 2014 7:25:03 GMT -5
Hardly a classic movie but your description there reminded me of watching Hellevator:The Bottled Fools. My heads still unwrapped from that one. That's a great title,Hellevator I've seen 2 Argento films- Bird With The Crystal Plummage.I saw that in the theaters when it was released.I image it was his homage to Hitchcock's Psycho. I also watched SuspiriaI'd recommend both of those, as well as Deep Red and Tenebre. Us spirit is justin the cusp of when he starts to go off the rails. But I like the earlier, more Giallo, flicks. Four Flies on Gray Velvet and Cat o' Nine Tails are two more. I'm trying to find a streaming version of Screaming Mimi, which is based on the same book as Bird With The Crystal Plumage, by Frederic Brown. i watched New Tale of Zatoichi last night, the third in the series about the blind swordsman. Enjoying the series very much. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 21, 2014 9:09:57 GMT -5
It's hard to sneak anything past Hoosier
Dancing Lady (1933)
Joan Crawford,Clark Gable,The 3 Stooges,Fred Astaire,Franchot Tone,May Robson,Robert Benchley,Nelson Eddy,Sterling Holloway
D-Robert Z. Leonard
An attractive dancer (Crawford)is rescued from jail by a rich man (Tone), who helps her to have her first big opportunity at a musical play on Broadway directed by Patch Gallegher (Gable).
What an unbelievable mixture of stars.And some kooky scenes too.
Joan Crawford dances in the striptease circuit (thank you pre-code Hollywood) and is arrested when she gets down to her bra and panties.Rich playboy Tod Newton (Tone) takes pity on her,bails her out. She tries to get a job with a legitimate Broadway dance troupe by literally stalking its tough guy musical director (Gable) all over town.She's got moxie,that kid.She's hired and now begins the grueling rehearsals with the Curly and Moe as stagehands,slapping each other silly,and Larry on piano.Fred Astaire makes his film debut here,tophat and coat tails included
I never knew Gable,Crawford and the Stooges had played together in the same scenes.Or Astaire dancing to Larry's piano playing.Eve Arden makes a cameo early on,the fantastic Sterling Holloway is a writer who's unhappy with what they did to his script.The Stooges' former partner Ted Healy co-stars as well and gets a few slaps in too
And then the actual performance.MGM does its best Busby Berkley imitation.The lead-footed Crawford is Astaire's very first dance partner.After the first number the pair steps on a disc that elevates up into the nighttime sky and takes off over the Atlantic Ocean.They're dancing on whats probably the first flying saucer in cinema history.They land in Germany surrounded by people in lederhosen and begin singing "Lets Go Bavarian" which is an ode to beer.Hitler had just come to power and I wonder if this was one of the causes of WWII.
The DVD includes 2 musical shorts:Plane Nuts with Ted Healy and the Stooges doing their vaudville act and Roast Beef & Movies which stars Curly Howard
For pure kitsch and an unforgettable cast 8 of 10 stars
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 21, 2014 9:36:02 GMT -5
House (1977)
A bunch of Japanese schoolgirls
D-Nobuhiko Obayashi
Seven girls on their summer trip pay a visit to a possessed house which plans to eat them in extremely bizzare and surreal ways.
Some think this is one of the greatest films ever made,some think its the distillation of the term WTF?. I think its Scooby Doo in real life on LSD
Theres 7 schoolgirls whose names tell you all about their character: Gorgeous-the star of the movie,Prof-she's smart and wears glasses,Melody-she can play piano,Fantasy-she likes to day dream,Kung Fu-she's the action hero with her own theme song,Mac-the Etta Candy of the group always eating and Sweet-yes she is and cleans the floors too. All trapped in a haunted house which wants to eat them.There is also a big white pussycat whose eyes glow green when the house gets ready to attack
This is all done in a cartoon,surreal style.Yes body limbs are severed and blood squirts out in bucketloads but its so over-the-top and stylish that its not gross.It uses every available special effect handy in 1977.
If you enjoy the zany,the weird,the insane-and you should-check out House.On Criterion
10 of 10 stars for audacious fun
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 21, 2014 9:41:33 GMT -5
Joan's audition for Clark Gable is a riot. Larry is playing the piano, and Moe and Curly (the stagehands) are called over to help out. (Clark is annoyed by Joan's persistence and thinks this stunt may get rid of her.) Moe (I think) plays the spoons and Curly plays harmonica? washtub? I don't recall right offhand, but it's a very chaotic scene.
Those shorts sound great. I saw it on TCM years ago. You're lucky to have it on DVD.
See if you can find Hollywood Party with Jimmy Durante, the Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Lupe Velez and a bunch of others. It is similarly insane.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 21, 2014 10:02:27 GMT -5
The Fugitive (1947)
Henry Fonda,Delores Del Rio,Pedro Armendariz,J. Carrol Naish,Leo Carrillo,Ward Bond,Robert Armstrong,John Qualen
D-John Ford
Based of the Graham Greene novel about a priest in Central America. A priest (Fonda) who is The Fugitive is trying to getaway from the authorities who have denounced Christianity and want anyone linked to it dead. The Fugitive finds shelter with an Indian Woman (Del Rio), a faithful parishioner, who gives the priest directions to Puerto Grande, where he could then board a ship and sail to freedom in America. On his journey to Puerto Grande, he meets up with a man who says he will protect him. In reality, he is the Police Informer (Naish) and once The Fugitive realizes this, he is back on the run, but the Police Informer is never far behind along with the authorities.
Fonda does not make a convincing latino. Everytime it seems he might escape the murderous government troops looking to kill all priests,some poor peasant recognizes him as a father and begs for his service.The Fugitve forsakes his escape route to hold a baptismal or officiate last rites and then is on the run again.Eternally torn between duty and self-preservation
John Ford thought this was his finest film.It is beautifully shot in b&w,stark and moody. It was Ford's biggest box office bomb,criticized as heavy handed and odd.Fonda seemed to be drugged throughout the film.Naish and Armendariz do fine jobs though.Everytime Delores Del Rio appears,they shine the godlight on her so you know she's really Mother Mary
No one has names in this film but you know who's Jesus,Judas,Mary,Pilate etc. Ford is certainly using a big enough hammer. 6 0f 10 stars
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 21, 2014 10:27:47 GMT -5
The Jungle Book (1967)
Voices of Phil Harris,Sebastian Cabot,Bruce Reitherman,George Sanders,Sterling Holloway
D-Wolfgang Reitherman
Disney animation inspired by Rudyard Kiplings "Mowgli" story. Mowgli is a boy who has been raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. When the wolves hear that the fierce tiger, Shere Kahn, is nearby, they decide to send Mowgli to a local "man tribe". On his way to the village, Mowgli meets many animal characters in this musical tale
I made mention before that I considered 101 Dalmatians the last of the classic Disney full length animated features.I'd like to amend that pronouncent by including this movie within that prestigious group.My first viewing of Jungle Book and an enjoyable view it was.The story proceeded at a proper pace. The characters and animation were splendid.Some great songs too including the classic "Bear Necessities Of Life". Hey,pretty much a perfect Disney movie
The last Disney film overseen by Walt himself
I never knew the Vultures were supposed to be played by The Beatles.Their manager,Brien Epstein was all for it but for unknown reasons,John Lennon vetoed the idea.The original rock song they would have sang was subsequently changed into a barbershop quartet.
A Rhino character voiced by Frank Fontaine (Crazy Guggenheimer from the Jackie Gleason Show) was also edited out
After the disappointing results of Sword in the Stone,Jungle Books' spectacular box office results saved the animation division of Disney from shutting down
10 of 10 stars
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 21, 2014 10:37:39 GMT -5
The Jungle Book has always been my favorite Disney film. It was probably the first movie I saw in a theater. (I was three when it first came out.) I don't actually remember going to see it but we had the soundtrack on LP and it was played a lot and I had (and still have) very vivid images of key scenes from the film.
I don't remember a time when I didn't know the words to Bare Necessities or the King Louie song.
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Post by MDG on Jun 21, 2014 11:04:32 GMT -5
House (1977)
A bunch of Japanese schoolgirls
D-Nobuhiko Obayashi
Love this movie! The director mainly made commercials. He asked his daughter for ideas for a movie. |
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Post by Jesse on Jun 21, 2014 16:21:46 GMT -5
Hausu is ridiculously fun. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. Definitely one of my favorite J-horror movies.
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Post by berkley on Jun 21, 2014 20:48:45 GMT -5
I saw House a couple years or so ago at a local cinema. One of the craziest movies I've ever watched. I agree with Ish and MDG and Art School Dropout: Highly recommended!
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Post by Jesse on Jun 21, 2014 21:46:11 GMT -5
I rewatched Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) and I think it has grown to be my favorite animated version of the Justice League. I haven't read the Darwyn Cooke series yet so I have no idea how well of an adaptation it is. Still if there's a better Justice League animated movie I've yet to watch it.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 21, 2014 22:25:22 GMT -5
I rewatched Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) and I think it has grown to be my favorite animated version of the Justice League. I haven't read the Darwyn Cooke series yet so I have no idea how well of an adaptation it is. Still if there's a better Justice League animated movie I've yet to watch it. Read it! It's outstanding. I'd be happy to have DC give the DCU to Cooke as his personal playground. |
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