|
Post by brutalis on Nov 19, 2018 13:54:55 GMT -5
Appreciate the heads up Hoosier X on the films. Looked them up on Amazon and both around $4-6 so put them in my order box along with some Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power DVD's. Just need another to make the $25 minimum order/discount mark and they will be mine! And it amazes me to no end that there are so many "kids" (meaning ages 15-30) of today who just won't watch a black and white movie or television show. They will never know what gems they are missing.
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Nov 21, 2018 8:03:01 GMT -5
Enjoyed last night from 1941, The Maltese Falcon. Good ol' gumshoe Sam Spade unwilling to be anyone's "sap" while he unravels the death of his partner while seeking out the Falcon takes us on a merry ride in which film history is created. Spade is an arrogant and cocky sure of himself detective who won't let them make him a suspect or culprit in the killing. He is smarter than the cops and the villains and certain he can and will clear himself and solve everything. Such a spectacular 1st outing for John Huston while Bogart chews up the words and spits them out with such vigor and gusto you can truly feel them spewing forth. Peter Lorre does more acting with his body and actions here than many actors ever do with a lifetime of speaking of parts.
The movie is a splendid puzzle piece of words, actions and visuals, so if you would want to watch a truly fine mystery/thriller/detective story then you are in for a wonderful viewing. There are reasons this movie is considered a classic and one of the best ever.
|
|
|
Post by The Captain on Nov 21, 2018 9:37:51 GMT -5
Enjoyed last night from 1941, The Maltese Falcon. Good ol' gumshoe Sam Spade unwilling to be anyone's "sap" while he unravels the death of his partner while seeking out the Falcon takes us on a merry ride in which film history is created. Spade is an arrogant and cocky sure of himself detective who won't let them make him a suspect or culprit in the killing. He is smarter than the cops and the villains and certain he can and will clear himself and solve everything. Such a spectacular 1st outing for John Huston while Bogart chews up the words and spits them out with such vigor and gusto you can truly feel them spewing forth. Peter Lorre does more acting with his body and actions here than many actors ever do with a lifetime of speaking of parts. The movie is a splendid puzzle piece of words, actions and visuals, so if you would want to watch a truly fine mystery/thriller/detective story then you are in for a wonderful viewing. There are reasons this movie is considered a classic and one of the best ever. Such a great movie! Back when my wife and I still had cable, we would DVR tons of movies from TCM and then watch them on weekends after our girls went to bed. For a while we were on a big Bogart kick, with Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, African Queen, and Treasure of the Sierra Madre. If our local cable provider would ever allow us to go a la carte with channels, I would go back for TCM in a heartbeat.
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Nov 21, 2018 10:29:58 GMT -5
Yes, it would be nice to pick and choose the FEW cable channels you would want or utilize. Since I can't do that I am on the DVD wagon for classic movies for the most part. I do get to watch some oldies via over the air channels for my western fix from GRITtv and my science-fiction/fantasy/horror from COMETtv and for awhile MoviesTVnetwork was filling the classics void but all 3 are very limited in their libraries and if you watch them over several months you find that they are simply on a rotation with very little "NEW" classic movies being added.
Be that as it may, the prices on some classics on DVD/Blueray are low enough these days along with here in Phoenix a couple of very good discount/used media stores it isn't that hard to find the good stuff. All I do is keep my buy list in Amazon and update a computer document whenever I hear about those I want to search for. Often enough I will find what I search for at the discount stores but when I cannot then I will go fishing through Amazon discounts and/or used.
Since I started earlier this year with a few Bogart movies I found in the Walmart $5 bin I have quickly built up my Bogey, Flynn, Power, Douglas, Lancaster and others classics buys this year. Now have a nice shelf full to pick and choose from what ever strikes my mood. Currently due from Amazon this weekend and I am looking forward to watching are Too Late for Tears, Beat the Devil, Sahara, Against all Flags, Buccaneer's Girl, Yankee Buccaneer, Double Crossbones, Master of Ballantrae. Along with 3 books listing the films of Bogart, Flynn and Power. Merry Holidays to me!!!
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Nov 21, 2018 11:04:45 GMT -5
Sahara is SO GREAT! It's been a while since I saw it so I've been looking out for it on TCM.
Some obscure Bogart recommendations:
The Bad Sister - Bette Davis's first movie was Bogart's fourth.
Three on a Match - He's only in it for a few minutes but it's the first time Bogart played a gangster. It's really good!
Isle of Fury - You'll probably wonder why anyone would recommend this. Yes, it's true, Bogart's pencil-thin moustache is very amusing. But then, you'll get to the part where Bogart fights the octopus!
The Wagons Roll by Night - Bogart's circus movie!
The Return of Doctor X - This looks more like something that Lionel Atwill or Boris Karloff would do. But Bogart is amazing! Listen to the director's track and you'll hear the host reading letters that Bogart wrote to the studio asking to be taken off the picture because he didn't understand the role. I think he did a great job with a unique interpretation of the mad doctor role.
The Black Legion - Bogart joins the KKK! Gulp.
Stand-In - Hollywood loves to make fun of itself. Bogart has a supporting role as a producer in this lively comedy featuring Leslie Howard and Joan Blondell.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2018 11:23:30 GMT -5
Weekly Movie Report
Turner Classic Movies
On Tuesday, BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ (1962), I recorded this movie on my DVR and watched this movie on Wednesday, excellent movie and this is the first time that I watch it. Loved it. On Wednesday, BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936 (1936), Enjoyed it better 2nd time around ... watch this movie a year ago on TCM and I really liked it better this time.
On other Cable Stations
Red Eye, can't remember what day it was ... starred Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy ... My favorite McAdams Movie! Seen it about 3 times already, made in 2005.
On DVD's
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) ... Funny Glenn Ford Movie and one of the best also starring Marlon Brando too. ]
Slow Week ... watched a lot of documentaries that week and not enough time for movies.
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Nov 24, 2018 0:20:09 GMT -5
Birdman is a great film; but, you can pretty much say that about all of the Burt Lancaster/John Frankenheimer films. They made a great team, even if they didn't always get along.
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Nov 24, 2018 15:34:49 GMT -5
Arsenic and Old Lace. Dir. Frank Capra. Starring Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Priscilla Lane. My youngest son wanted to see this so we rented it from Amazon Prime. I hadn't seen it in at least thirty years. Connor laughed his butt off...so I guess it did its job. And it's a funny movie, though not without its faults. Grant mugs it up something fierce. And it's a shame that Boris Karloff wasn't allowed to leave the stage performance for long enough to reprise his role as Jonathan Brewster (not to take anything away from Raymond Massey). Overall though it's a super fun film good for a lot of laughs.
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Nov 25, 2018 20:29:15 GMT -5
Cary Grant might be my favourite Hollywood star so of course I like this movie a lot. Maybe it's biggest flaw is that it mostly looks like they just filmed the stage play - or at least that's how I remember it. My impression is they didn't really take as much advantage as they might have of this being movie version.
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Nov 25, 2018 20:48:24 GMT -5
Cary Grant might be my favourite Hollywood star so of course I like this movie a lot. Maybe it's biggest flaw is that it mostly looks like they just filmed the stage play - or at least that's how I remember it. My impression is they didn't really take as much advantage as they might have of this being movie version. It was largely filmed on a very large set that was the rooms of the Brewster House. There were a couple of scenes that were filmed outside the house and the opening scene was at the licensing bureau. But it looks more like a stage-play than your average movie.
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Nov 26, 2018 8:40:47 GMT -5
Best thing about a 4 day holiday weekend is there being enough time to enjoy the holiday with friends and see new movies at the theater and still time for classics and relaxations.
Thanksgiving day spent with a friend cooking and eating with him and his 3 teen age boys. We watched a double bill of Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Poppins was in preparation for the new one later this month and not having seen it many a long year made it that much more pleasurable and there were several times I teared up. Old man Disney knew how to tug at the old heart strings while still creating a mirthful and entertaining movie that stand up well even by today's standards. Very well deserving of the Oscar's it won. And as much as it is a Julie Andrews movie I enjoyed Dick Van Dyke's Bert so much more as the better written character who does as much if not more for the children and family.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from 1968 on the other hand doesn't hold up nearly as well. Van Dyke is a pure joy as is Grandfather Potts Lionel Jeffries in the movie but the children and "love" interest don't do much in the movie. A cute cameo from Benny Hill and the car is creative but lacking in character which could have made the movie much more fun. Still worth a seeing but not nearly as much joy and fun considering this is supposed to be a children'smovie.
From 1949 it's Prince of Foxes with Tyrone Power and Orson Welles telling the story of the Borgia's fall as Cesare's personally chosen spy/manipulator Andrea Orsini eventually turns "traitor" to his superiors. This movie screams and cries out for Technicolor with the Italian scenery and scrumptious costumes as the black and white shadow play of this movie leaves it a much darker and moody movie. Which also might explain why it is a lesser known movie to most people. Well enough acted and yet perhaps overly talky and intellectual creating a rather slow moving movie which would have played better as a big flashy sword and tights swashbuckler.
1952 delivers us Against All Flags with Errol Flynn, Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn pirating along the coat of Madagascar. Flynn is beginning to show his age and the wear and tear of his playboy lifestyle but there are still some moments of play and sparkles of charm in the ol' boy. O'Hara and Quinn are strong and vibrant. Overall an entertaining pirate movie that delivers plenty of swords and quips.
Last stop on the classic movie train is Beat the Devil from 1953. The names alone should have you want to watch this one. Huston, Capote, Bogart, Lollobrigida, Morley, Lorre. More of a spoof where a band of money hungry folk are on their way to Africa hoping to get rich off Uranium mines the fun is watching the interplay and lies and deceits of the characters as they are all in pursuit of their own riches and goals. As it is considered the 1st "camp" film it holds a place in cinema history and it is a very talkative movie in which you must pay attention to what is being spoken and said throughout the picture as the characters all speak and act against one another the entire time.
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Nov 27, 2018 0:36:08 GMT -5
Best thing about a 4 day holiday weekend is there being enough time to enjoy the holiday with friends and see new movies at the theater and still time for classics and relaxations. Thanksgiving day spent with a friend cooking and eating with him and his 3 teen age boys. We watched a double bill of Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Poppins was in preparation for the new one later this month and not having seen it many a long year made it that much more pleasurable and there were several times I teared up. Old man Disney knew how to tug at the old heart strings while still creating a mirthful and entertaining movie that stand up well even by today's standards. Very well deserving of the Oscar's it won. And as much as it is a Julie Andrews movie I enjoyed Dick Van Dyke's Bert so much more as the better written character who does as much if not more for the children and family. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from 1968 on the other hand doesn't hold up nearly as well. Van Dyke is a pure joy as is Grandfather Potts Lionel Jeffries in the movie but the children and "love" interest don't do much in the movie. A cute cameo from Benny Hill and the car is creative but lacking in character which could have made the movie much more fun. Still worth a seeing but not nearly as much joy and fun considering this is supposed to be a children'smovie. From 1949 it's Prince of Foxes with Tyrone Power and Orson Welles telling the story of the Borgia's fall as Cesare's personally chosen spy/manipulator Andrea Orsini eventually turns "traitor" to his superiors. This movie screams and cries out for Technicolor with the Italian scenery and scrumptious costumes as the black and white shadow play of this movie leaves it a much darker and moody movie. Which also might explain why it is a lesser known movie to most people. Well enough acted and yet perhaps overly talky and intellectual creating a rather slow moving movie which would have played better as a big flashy sword and tights swashbuckler. 1952 delivers us Against All Flags with Errol Flynn, Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn pirating along the coat of Madagascar. Flynn is beginning to show his age and the wear and tear of his playboy lifestyle but there are still some moments of play and sparkles of charm in the ol' boy. O'Hara and Quinn are strong and vibrant. Overall an entertaining pirate movie that delivers plenty of swords and quips. Last stop on the classic movie train is Beat the Devil from 1953. The names alone should have you want to watch this one. Huston, Capote, Bogart, Lollobrigida, Morley, Lorre. More of a spoof where a band of money hungry folk are on their way to Africa hoping to get rich off Uranium mines the fun is watching the interplay and lies and deceits of the characters as they are all in pursuit of their own riches and goals. As it is considered the 1st "camp" film it holds a place in cinema history and it is a very talkative movie in which you must pay attention to what is being spoken and said throughout the picture as the characters all speak and act against one another the entire time. When I first saw CCBB on network tv, in the early 70s, and saw the Child Catcher, I ran screaming from the room. Way scarier than the flying monkeys or the witch in Wizard of Oz. Otherwise, aside from a couple of musical numbers, it's really not a good film, let alone a great one. Against All Flags is one I recommended before; not the equivalent of The Sea Hawk; but, a decent swashbuckler. Better than The Spanish Main or Blackbeard the Pirate (though that one is fun, just for Robert Newton chewing scenery). Beat the Devil gets by on the cast, because the story is kind of all over and the pacing is a bit different. Still, just watching those actors go at it is enjoyable in and of itself.
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Nov 27, 2018 0:45:39 GMT -5
Speaking of swashbucklers, here is my list of great swashbucklers, from IMDB (my screen name was Grendelkhan). If you fancy some swordplay, check out some of the films listed. I also have some other themed lists there, with commentary, including a review of 1970s Saturday morning favorites that got a ton of views.
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Nov 27, 2018 16:51:13 GMT -5
Some Humphrey Bogart notes! Up the River is available on Amazon Prime for $5! This is a 1930 movie with Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy. It's Bogart's first film and he has a pretty big supporting role. It's an early film for Tracy. And it's directed by John Ford! I know a lot of the members here at CCF are Bogart fans, so you might find this worth your while. It's only technically a prison movie. There's no prison riot, the escape scene is played for laughs (even though it's not really a comedy), there's no brutal guards or rotten conditions. But most of it takes place in prison. It's actually kind of weird. Bogart is a model prisoner who will soon be up for parole. When he gets out, he is soon in a bit of a jam, and Spencer and another convict escape to help him out. As early sound pictures go, this is pretty good and kind of fun. But it might not be worth $5 for people who aren't already fans of early sound (1929 to 1931) just to see Bogart's first movie. I watched the end of Across the Pacific today. I've seen it before but it's been a while. It's worth seeing once for Bogart fans. There's one scene I had totally forgotten about that caught my attention. The movie mostly takes place in Panama - the Canal Zone. There's a scene where Bogart goes to a Japanese theater to meet a contact and you see a little bit of the Japanese movie the audience is watching. I love this kind of stuff! I'd love to know what movie they are watching! I've only seen a handful of Japanese movies from before 1950, so I'm very curious. And here's a heads-up for Isle of Fury! This movie. This movie! Just watch it! You might be wondering why I suggested this ... but you'll get there! And you'll be glad you did! Not that it's ever boring or a chore to watch. It's just rather unremarkable for much of the running time. But it's got Bogart and Margaret Lindsay, two actors you can always count on to be interesting and trying hard, no matter what gibberish is paying the bills this week. Isle of Fury is scheduled on TCM in December! So check your listings! You'll be glad you did. Either that, or you'll know never to trust my movies recommendations ever again!
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Nov 29, 2018 14:53:37 GMT -5
Has anybody seen Triple Cross (1966)? I was browsing TCM's Tuesday schedule and I saw Triple Cross listed. I never heard of it. But it has Romy Schneider! I love her! I've only seen one movie with her in it. "What's New Pussycat?" I love that movie! And I love her so much! So I thought I'd give Triple Cross a try just to see Romy Schneider in something else aside from "What's New Pussycat?", which I've seen a bunch of times. It's OK. It goes on a bit. (I'm glad TCM showed the 126-minute version and not the 140-minute version!) I liked the World War II setting. In addition to Romy (sigh), it also has Christopher Plummer, Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard and Goldfinger himself, Gert Frobe. In much smaller roles - Anthony Dawson, who I recognized as the guy that Grace Kelly stabs with the scissors in Dial M for Murder. (Grace Kelly can stab me with scissors any time!) And Edward Underdown - Harry Chelm from Beat the Devil!
|
|