|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 8, 2017 13:45:24 GMT -5
I've decided to make more of an organized effort to see all the movies on the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" list.
I've known of the List for more than a decade, and in the last two years, I've made more of an effort to keep an eye on it and watch any of the movies on the List when I see them scheduled on cable. A year and a half ago, I decided to watch all the movies on the List made before 1935 that I hadn't seen. (Because of how much I love the silent era and the early 1930s.) It was less than 20 movies and I spent three or four months watching most of them. (A bunch were on YouTube. But there's only one left. I just can't find Abel Gance's 1927 film Napoleon.)
And then much of last year, I was focused on films on the List from 2006 to 2015. A lot of them are available at the library. I still have about 15 of them to go.
Yeah, I see a few movies that I don't really get. And some films that are OK even though I'm not really sure why I must see them before I die. But I'm never bored by these movies. And I see a lot of films that are GREAT that I don't think I would have ever heard of if I hadn't seen them on the List. Like The Great White Silence, a film from the 1920s about Scott's Antarctic expedition that is very likely my favorite documentary. (Except maybe for Grizzly Man.) Among more recent films, there's movies like In the Loop, Fish Tank and Anvil: The Story of Anvil that I had never heard of that were AMAZING!
(My top recommendation for the movies from the List that I saw last year is Four Lions. It's a comedy about four suicide bombers. Dark comedies don't get much darker than Four Lions.)
So I'm trying to watch eight movies from the List every month. If I can keep it up, every month, I'll see close to 100 movies from the List every year and I estimate that I'll be done with the List in the spring of 2020. (I have a feeling it will get harder and harder to find these movies as I go along, so spring of 2020 is probably wildly optimistic.)
Because they update the List every year - they usually add ten movies and get rid of 10 movies - the actual number of films that have been on the List is closer to 1200. I've seen close to 900 of them.
Here's the eight films I saw in February, listed in the order in which they were made:
Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)
Man of the West (1958)
Cairo Station (1958) - I came across a very nice print on YouTube. Highly recommended!
Flaming Creatures (1963) - A very weird experimental film. I suspect it's one of the underground films that inspired John Waters's early work.
Shaft (1971) - I should have seen this a long time ago!
Candyman (1992)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Osama (2003)
Whiplash (2014)
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 8, 2017 14:04:52 GMT -5
I saw this last night: Babes in Arms (1939) - Starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Directed by Busby Berkeley. It's on the List, and it's probably a film I should have seen a long time ago. It goes so off the rails that I found it wonderfully amusing from start to finish. Some of the songs are kind of dumb. But the camera pulls back and dozens or hundreds or thousands of extras start dancing, building a bonfire for some reason, congregate in a blackface mega-swarm, dress up like movie Indians wearing spectacles, etc. The backface number is just about the most minstrel-y number I've seen in a Hollywood movie. It's quite amazing. I've been reading up on minstrel shows and I'm starting to understand why old movies have a certain amount of blackface. Minstrel shows were wildly popular in the U.S. for 100 years! One source I read said the minstrel show was America's first pop-music sensation. I recommend Babes in Arms guardedly. You have to like 1930s musicals that are just ridiculously off the hook and it also helps if you don't mind too much if a particular movie is really really stupid.
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Mar 8, 2017 14:50:13 GMT -5
Hoosier X, I've never seen all of Babes in Arms in one sitting, but I am a sucker for the title number with that big guy (Doug McPhail) with the big voice at the head of a mob of kids who are grabbing all kinds of stuff from people's backyards as they march off to light a bonfire in the middle of a playground. Which is completely safe. And logical. The Thirties were so simple. I love it!
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 8, 2017 15:11:43 GMT -5
Hoosier X , I've never seen all of Babes in Arms in one sitting, but I am a sucker for the title number with that big guy (Doug McPhail) with the big voice at the head of a mob of kids who are grabbing all kinds of stuff from people's backyards as they march off to light a bonfire in the middle of a playground. Which is completely safe. And logical. The Thirties were so simple. I love it! www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/535450/Babes-In-Arms-Movie-Clip-Title-Song.html You should see the whole thing some day. The blackface scene is ... WOW! Rooney and Garland are both in heavy heavy blackface and trading one-liners with very heavy slave accents. Later in the number, Garland returns but she's not nearly as dark-skinned, looking more like Lena Horne. It goes on forever and it is highly entertaining if not particularly tasteful. It is still boggling my little mind. I thought Marjorie Reynolds was a bit too much in Holiday Inn. But that was NOTHING!
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 9, 2017 16:30:31 GMT -5
Ride The Pink Horse (1947) Robert Montgomery, Thomas Gomez, Fred Clark Menacing tough guy Robert Montgomery has just arrived at a Mexican border town. His best friend has just been killed trying to extort money from gangster Fred Clark. Now Montgomery will continue the extortion scheme and get revenge for his friend as well Montgomery starred and directed the classic film noir thriller Lady In The Lake with the experimental POV camera viewpoint. Montgomery follows up with this film where he also does the same double duty. It's gritty, fast paced and a film noir jewel. A shame Montgomery spent so much time doing innocuous comedies during his career. His tough guy persona is outstanding. Plus he's Elizabeth (Bewitched) Montgomery's father. Thanks Bob
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 9, 2017 21:41:07 GMT -5
Today temps were hitting 60 degrees but there is a coming snowstorm and 3 days of frigid cold right after. So just in time I stocked up with this week's movies on DVD
Got 3 recent releases-Hacksaw Ridge, Moana and Jackie
Some 1980's cheese-Real Genius (1985) w/Val Kilmer, Red Dawn (1984) w/Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen, Revenge Of The Nerds (1984) w/nobody worth mentioning
Rock 'N' Roll High School (1979) PJ Soles and The Ramones
Road To Utopia (1946) Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour
The Redhead From Wyoming (1953) Maureen O'Hara western
Romeo And Juliet (1936) John Barrymore, Edna Mae Oliver, Basil Rathbone, Andy Devine
And 3 that look pretty intriguing
It Happened Tomorrow (1944) Dick Powell, Linda Darnell, Jack Oakie-comedy/fantasy about a newspaper man who gets the latest edition a day in advance
Ring Of Fear (1954) Clyde Beatty, Mickey Spillane, Pat O'Brien-Terror under the big top
Oh! Calcutta! (1972) The nudie Broadway smash comes to the screen with skits written by John Lennon, Jules Feiffer, Sam Shepard, Samuel Beckett and more
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 9, 2017 21:48:29 GMT -5
It may be cheese, but I love Real Genius.
Red Dawn, on the other hand, is one of the worst films ever made.
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 9, 2017 22:13:45 GMT -5
It may be cheese, but I love Real Genius. Just finished watching Real Genius. Young Val Kilmer with his hair dyed bright blonde. Warning: You do not have to whip up a batch of popcorn to watch this film
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 10, 2017 4:09:23 GMT -5
I took a break from watching movies from the 1001 list and watched Bring Me the Head of Machine-Gun Woman (2012). It's a film from Chile. And its available on Netflix streaming. I don't see any reason to say too much about it. You either say "That sounds awesome!" or "Where did he get THAT!"
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2017 23:14:00 GMT -5
I watched this movie tonight and it's one of my favorite Richard Burton movie that also starred Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, Ingrid Pitt, and Patrick Wymark, Michael Horden, and host of others that were excellent supporting/character actors on Turner Classic Movies tonight and it was suspenseful, dramatic, and the last 30 minutes of the film is worth the admission price of the ticket back then. I just find this movie one of the unique film and the chemistry of Burton and Eastwood was excellent despite Eastwood made some changes to the script to give Burton the "lines" and Eastwood the "killings" as he requested so. I seen this movie about 5 times in my life and I was looking forward seeing it again after 7 years ago. It was highly entertaining to boot and not often you see a renowned Horror Movie Starlet by the name of Ingrid Pitt in a War Movie and she was sensational as Heidi and Mary Ure was equally good as Mary Ellison. Left to RightIngrid Pitt, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, and Richard Burton. Anyway, it was incredible and full of high drama and the purpose of this mission to reveal the top German Spy who was portrayed by Patrick Wymark who played Colonel Turner and when I first watch this movie - I was stunned by his betrayal and that the mission that Major (Richard Burton) Smith has to disclose so that the Allies can weed out the bad guys in this movie. I enjoyed it very much and it's a treat to watch this movie after 7 years later ... It was a gem by Alistair MacLean who wrote the story and the screenplay of this movie. Richard Burton made $1,000,000 in this movie
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Mar 11, 2017 0:18:56 GMT -5
I used to read all those Alistair MacLean books when I was a kid and I remember Where Eagles Dare as one of the best of them, but I have never seen the movie.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2017 2:14:15 GMT -5
I used to read all those Alistair MacLean books when I was a kid and I remember Where Eagles Dare as one of the best of them, but I have never seen the movie. If you ever get a chance to see it - don't pass it up and it's one of the best that I seen of Richard Burton and Alistair really shines in this movie in terms of screenplay and pace. The directing of Brian G. Hutton was top notched and he and MacLean were working together to make the story come alive.
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 11, 2017 2:18:35 GMT -5
Ring Of Fear (1954) Clyde Beatty and his entire circus, famed author Mickey Spillane, Pat O'Brien the actor A homicidal psychopath escapes from prison and seeks revenge against Clyde Beatty. Seems the killer used to work at the circus and Clyde laughed at him. A plausible reason for revenge. The killer sabotages a few acts resulting in deaths at the circus. Then the killer asks for his old job back. And he gets it. With health insurance. Seems the circus personnel department doesn't he's been in the clink for a few years. And if there is a serial killer on the loose, who do you call? Mike Hammer is a fictional character but you can call in for the author. Pat O'Brien is the circus manager and it's his bright idea that Spillane is just the guy to solve it in light of the fact that Arthur Conan Doyle is dead You get lots and lots of circus acts. Watch Clyde Beatty whip the lions and tigers to a frenzy. See The Flying Grayson's before their tragic accident. Step right up ladies and gentlemen. John Wayne produced the film
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 11, 2017 19:11:00 GMT -5
Watched the DVD of Oh! Calcutta! For the benefit of the young guppies, some background. The Broadway musical Hair opened in 1968 and became one of the most talked about and commercially successful plays of all time. The music from that play spawned huge hit singles including Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In, Easy To Be Hard, Good Morning Starshine and Hair-the title song. It was a play about the new hippie culture. But the most controversial piece was the ending where the cast all get on stage and disrobe for the final minute before the curtain descends. Oh! Calcutta! debuted in 1969 and was billed as the play that would make Hair look tame. There was copious amounts of nudity throughout the play and all the various skits would deal with the subject of sex. Contributors to the writing included John Lennon, Jules Feiffer, Sam Shepherd, Samuel Beckett and more. Jacques Levy was the director. Of the original cast, the only one I recognized was Bill Macy who went on to a long TV career and is most known as playing the husband on the TV show MaudeThe play ran 3 years on Broadway, it's revival ran 13 years. It also ran about 10 years in London. One of it's early performances was videotaped and shown via pay-per-view in select cities. That tape would up being theatrically released in 1972. That is the DVD performance I watched. As to my opinions-it certainly lacks in the music department compared to Hair. The skits range from interesting to mediocre. The opening skit, where Jack and Jill play a sex game with a ruler to measure their sex organs and Jack winds up raping Jill is quite depressing and not a good way to open the show. But, to me, far and away the best skit is towards the end and believe it or not-it's John Lennon's contribution. I'll try to describe it and hopefully not get banned There is a huge picture screen on the back wall. The set only has that screen and 4 chairs facing it. There are 3 guys and it seems this is their clubhouse for weekly gatherings. The screen is a telepathic projector. They sit in the chairs facing the screen, their backs to the audience.They masturbate and as they do so their sexual fantasies fill part of the screen. They welcome a new 4th member to the club-the former member fractured his wrist. So off they go.You only see the back of their heads bobbing up and down but you see the screen fill up with Playboy Playmate pictures hear stripper music playing. Suddenly you hear the theme of the Lone Ranger and the new guy's portion of the picture screen has a photo of Clayton Moore in his famous mask. Well that kills the mood and the 3 guys start yelling at the new guy. They try it again but the new guy can't help conjuring Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger and theme song when he's about to climax. And soon all 4 guys are thinking and reacting to the Lone Ranger John Lennon's piece is hysterical. And you'll never watch Maude again in the same light.
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 15, 2017 0:59:06 GMT -5
How about some SF films from folks who don't do SF films? It Happened Tomorrow (1944) Dick Powell, Linda Darnell It's the beginning of the 20th Century and plucky newspaper reporter Dick Powell gets hold of a newspaper from 24 hours in the future. It takes awhile to realize it's a future paper and then he sees that on the front page he reported an armed robbery at a theater. he tells a bunch of people it's going to happen and goes to the theater itself so he can witness it. After writing the scoop he's arrested by suspicious cops who think he must have been in the planning stage of the crime. Doh!! Again he gets a newspaper 24 hours early and wants to cash in at the race track. Easy money. Then he gets a final paper that gives the time and place of his death 24 hours from then. Can he prevent it? Probably not It's a fun film adapted from a Lord Dunsany play and directed by Rene Clair. Linda Darnell plays a phony clairvoyant who's of no help to our plucky reporter. Seems he's fated to run out of pluck Sphere (1998) Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson From a Michael Crichton novel Directed by Barry Levinson A huge space ship is found intact at the bottom of the ocean, crash landed 300 years ago. Signals from within indicate activity. A handpicked team of scientists go down for the first encounter. Except evidence shows that the futuristic ship is from Earth. What the? And what's that weird pulsating sphere in the middle of the ship? The film kept my interest.It's filled with mystery and suspense, has a great cast and Levinson is a favorite director of mine. I did expect more from the film as it winds up being a variation of Alien/ The Thing (From Another World). As far as I know, it's the only SF film that Dustin Hoffman appeared in
|
|