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Post by Rob Allen on Dec 26, 2022 14:09:41 GMT -5
So, late last night I decided to finally get around to watching a movie I've been hearing about (and being ridiculed) for years, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians... I saw that movie in a theater when it was released, but I don't remember anything about it.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 26, 2022 20:23:47 GMT -5
I learnt recently that Fleming had worked for Reuters. Whenever I’ve read a Reuters article, it has been clear, concise and (hopefully) correct, so that would explain why I find the Bond books to be so readable and smoothly-flowing. If only Stephen King had worked for Reuters… Famously, he covered a Soviet show trial, which was of some influence on From Russia With Love, though not the way it is depicted in the complete fiction Spymaker, The Secret Life of Ian Fleming, starring Jason Connery. His journalistic background is on full display in the passages where he sets the exotic locale. Raymond Benson, in the James Bond Bedside Companion, called it "The Fleming Sweep." He would describe, in vivid detail, the location, the climate, the people; then, Bond's attire, food and drink, bath rituals and such. Definitely had the journalist's eye for detail.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 26, 2022 20:26:52 GMT -5
So, late last night I decided to finally get around to watching a movie I've been hearing about (and being ridiculed) for years, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians... I saw that movie in a theater when it was released, but I don't remember anything about it. I recall seeing a trailer for either it or the previous Santa Claus movie, from the same studio. We went to some Holiday matinee showing of cartoons and such, then everyone in the audience was given a Christmas stocking with candies and small toys. I think it was mostly Walter Lantz cartoons; but, that was a long time ago. I distinctly remember the film clip, with Santa in some kind of castle and a telescope, which are part of those two Mexican productions. This would have been the early 1970s.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 28, 2022 3:15:44 GMT -5
Also recently watched another movie that I'd been hearing about for years, Cooley High (1975). It follows the antics of two high school seniors, Leroy "Preach" Jackson and Richard "Cochise" Morris, at the titular vocational high school in Chicago, as they skip classes, chase girls, go to late-night parties and get into other kinds of trouble. However, although they act like a pair of slackers, Preach is actually quite intelligent (he's always reading, reciting poetry and can pass tests without even trying) while Cochise has received a college basketball scholarship. However, as the story progresses, events take a tragic turn. I won't give anything away, but suffice it to say I think this is a really good film that's well worth your time. Some interesting tidbits: Preach is played by Glynn Turman, whose name might not be familiar but you recognize him right away because he's been in countless TV shows and movies for decades (some may recognize him as the mayor of Baltimore in The Wire), while Cochise is played by Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, who I think is best known by many here for playing Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington in Welcome Back, Kotter. It's also interesting to see Garret Morris in a very straight - i.e., non-comedic - role as a high school teacher. The screenplay was written by Eric Monte, who would go on to either create or co-create and/or write for a number of TV sitcoms, like Good Times, The Jeffersons and What's Happening. The latter show was in fact originally pitched as a dramatic adaptation of Cooley High, but was then (quite extensively) reworked into a sitcom. It's easy to see that the latter show's main character, Raj, is based on Preach.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 28, 2022 10:38:09 GMT -5
Also recently watched another movie that I'd been hearing about for years, Cooley High (1975). It follows the antics of two high school seniors, Leroy "Preach" Jackson and Richard "Cochise" Morris, at the titular vocational high school in Chicago, as they skip classes, chase girls, go to late-night parties and get into other kinds of trouble. However, although they act like a pair of slackers, Preach is actually quite intelligent (he's always reading, reciting poetry and can pass tests without even trying) while Cochise has received a college basketball scholarship. However, as the story progresses, events take a tragic turn. I won't give anything away, but suffice it to say I think this is a really good film that's well worth your time. Some interesting tidbits: Preach is played by Glynn Turman, whose name might not be familiar but you recognize him right away because he's been in countless TV shows and movies for decades (some may recognize him as the mayor of Baltimore in The Wire), while Cochise is played by Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, who I think is best known by many here for playing Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington in Welcome Back, Kotter. It's also interesting to see Garret Morris in a very straight - i.e., non-comedic - role as a high school teacher. The screenplay was written by Eric Monte, who would go on to either create or co-create and/or write for a number of TV sitcoms, like Good Times, The Jeffersons and What's Happening. The latter show was in fact originally pitched as a dramatic adaptation of Cooley High, but was then (quite extensively) reworked into a sitcom. It's easy to see that the latter show's main character, Raj, is based on Preach. Cooley High is a great film. A huge influence on both Spike Lee and John Singletary. I need to watch it again.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 28, 2022 13:45:33 GMT -5
I re-watched Lethal Weapon over the weekend because Number Three Son had never seen it. It is just a classic action film. So much of what you have seen in action films for the last almost forty years are completely informed by this movie and Die Hard. I absolutely won't give Mel Gibson a dime at this point (because he's ___) but I can't deny he's excellent here. The movie is a great blend of action, humor and gives just enough real weight to mental health problems like depression and PTSD that it feels slightly grounded. Danny Glover felt weighted down even if he was only 40 years old playing a 50 year old. And I will never believe that Traci Wolfe was 27, when she started portraying Rihanne Murtaugh.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 28, 2022 14:17:17 GMT -5
I re-watched Lethal Weapon over the weekend because Number Three Son had never seen it. It is just a classic action film. So much of what you have seen in action films for the last almost forty years are completely informed by this movie and Die Hard. I absolutely won't give Mel Gibson a dime at this point (because he's ___) but I can't deny he's excellent here. The movie is a great blend of action, humor and gives just enough real weight to mental health problems like depression and PTSD that it feels slightly grounded. Danny Glover felt weighted down even if he was only 40 years old playing a 50 year old. And I will never believe that Traci Wolfe was 27, when she started portraying Rihanne Murtaugh. I used to love the Lethal Weapon movies, but can't watch them anymore (despite Danny Glover). Gibson is one of those cases in which I have trouble separating the artist from the awful person he is in real life. There's only three exceptions where I'm able to look past that for some reason: Mad Max, Road Warrior and Payback.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 28, 2022 14:49:43 GMT -5
I re-watched Lethal Weapon over the weekend because Number Three Son had never seen it. It is just a classic action film. So much of what you have seen in action films for the last almost forty years are completely informed by this movie and Die Hard. I absolutely won't give Mel Gibson a dime at this point (because he's ___) but I can't deny he's excellent here. The movie is a great blend of action, humor and gives just enough real weight to mental health problems like depression and PTSD that it feels slightly grounded. Danny Glover felt weighted down even if he was only 40 years old playing a 50 year old. And I will never believe that Traci Wolfe was 27, when she started portraying Rihanne Murtaugh. I used to love the Lethal Weapon movies, but can't watch them anymore (despite Danny Glover). Gibson is one of those cases in which I have trouble separating the artist from the awful person he is in real life. There's only three exceptions where I'm able to look past that for some reason: Mad Max, Road Warrior and Payback. I feel that. He's completely irredeemable. And I won't give him any money. I'm willing to look past it for Mad Max, Road Warrior and Lethal Weapon because I own all of them on DVD from before he went completely bat-shit and I think all three are historically significant.
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Post by berkley on Dec 28, 2022 19:33:16 GMT -5
I don't think I ever heard of Cooley High before, though it seems like something I should have come across by now. I'm not usually attracted to movies or tv shows with a high school setting or teenage protagonists but every now and then there's an exception so I'll keep this in mind.
I kind of knew Mel Gibson was a nut case before he went off the deep end in a more publicised way with his racist rants and so on - it was an interview I came across somewhere in which he mentioned something about his religious beliefs. So it didn't come as a complete shock to me when his infamous antisemitic tirade made his name mud. I haven't happened to have seen any of his movies for quite a long time even before that so I don't know how I'll feel about his work or if I'll be able to separate it from the person.
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Post by berkley on Dec 28, 2022 20:00:48 GMT -5
Been watching a few classics over Christmas: last night it was a the 1956 War and Peace, which probably would be titled more accurately if they'd put "Excerpts from" in front: this famously lengthy novel was never going to fit into a feature film, not even a 3 & 1/2 hour one. That said, this is a very enjoyable costume drama, as long as you don't expect too much from it. Henry Fonda was miscast as Pierre, and so, to a lesser degree, was Mel Ferrer as Andrei. OTOH, I thought Anita Ekberg was the perfect choice for Hélène and Audrey Hepburn perhaps even more so as Natasha. It's the latter character and Hepburn's performance of it that really carries the film. SHe is nothing short of incredible. Ekberg doesn't have as much to do but she shines as well, though playing an unsympathetic character. Herbert Lom is pretty good as Napoleon, though he overplays it a bit at times - but the fault is probably more in the script than in Lom.
Anyway, this is a great-looking, epic costume drama: no substitute for the book, but surprisingly effective at times.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 28, 2022 21:17:50 GMT -5
I still need to see Cooley High. I've seen quite a bit of the major Blaxploitation films, but never that one. I suppose technically it isn't really an exploitation film; but, it tended to be marketed with that material, since it was made specifically with the Black audience in mind.
I can watch Gibson's earlier stuff, with no problem; but, I wasn't interested in most of his later work, even before the public meltdown. There was always something about them that put me off. Braveheart is kind of a dividing line. I can watch it, though it is total rubbish, as history. After that, I can't think of anything I was compelled to see. The Patriot is ludicrous and insulting beyond belief. I also laughed hysterically at the scene of Gibson and family riding in a coach, up the streets of Charleston, as they CGI ships moored on what was dry land, since the Cooper River was actually on the right side of the screen, beyond the buildings you see, not on the upper left, where you see the ships. Don't get me started on them hiding out in the Gullah community, or the portrayals of Cornwallis and the fictionalized version of Banastre Tarleton. Suprised they didn't through Andrew Jackson in there, for good measure.
I've recently been watching clips of Ridley Scott's The Duelists, which one of the points of trivia was that many of the military costumes had previously been used in War & Peace.
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Post by berkley on Dec 28, 2022 21:41:53 GMT -5
I still need to see Cooley High. I've seen quite a bit of the major Blaxploitation films, but never that one. I suppose technically it isn't really an exploitation film; but, it tended to be marketed with that material, since it was made specifically with the Black audience in mind. I can watch Gibson's earlier stuff, with no problem; but, I wasn't interested in most of his later work, even before the public meltdown. There was always something about them that put me off. Braveheart is kind of a dividing line. I can watch it, though it is total rubbish, as history. After that, I can't think of anything I was compelled to see. The Patriot is ludicrous and insulting beyond belief. I also laughed hysterically at the scene of Gibson and family riding in a coach, up the streets of Charleston, as they CGI ships moored on what was dry land, since the Cooper River was actually on the right side of the screen, beyond the buildings you see, not on the upper left, where you see the ships. Don't get me started on them hiding out in the Gullah community, or the portrayals of Cornwallis and the fictionalized version of Banastre Tarleton. Suprised they didn't through Andrew Jackson in there, for good measure. I've recently been watching clips of Ridley Scott's The Duelists, which one of the points of trivia was that many of the military costumes had previously been used in War & Peace.
I plan to re-watch The Duellists soon: I'm on a bit of an early-19thC/Regency kick at the moment as I've been reading books from that era. Among others I've seen most recently The Pride and the Passion, with Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, and Frank Sinatra, which is set in the Peninsular War, and Beau Brummel, with Stewart Granger and Peter Usitnov, a highly entertaining biopic, though historically inaccurate in all kinds of ways.
One of these days I'll try to see some of the tv miniseries versions of War and Peace, and also the 1966-67 Russian adaptation, which I think was a series of films.
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Post by Calidore on Dec 28, 2022 22:22:45 GMT -5
One of these days I'll try to see some of the tv miniseries versions of War and Peace, and also the 1966-67 Russian adaptation, which I think was a series of films.
I actually did that as a precursor to reading the novel. My hope was that first watching a few movie/TV versions in increasing order of length (specifically the 1956 Hollywood film, the 4-part 1960s Russian film, and the 20-part BBC TV series) would introduce me to the main plot, then gradually add subplots, so that the novel would be easier to digest. And it worked! For starters, the book begins at a society party where you have a whole bunch of Russian names being thrown at you, but thanks to the video prep, I knew exactly who they were and what they were about.
What the movies didn't do was help me get further than about halfway through the book, at which point plowing through Tolstoy's writing was becoming too much of a chore. Oh, well.
The Russian version is available on a Criterion release now, and I'd highly recommend that version if you can get it. I can tell you that the much-lauded battle scenes are every bit as astonishing as advertised.
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Post by berkley on Dec 29, 2022 0:05:24 GMT -5
One of these days I'll try to see some of the tv miniseries versions of War and Peace, and also the 1966-67 Russian adaptation, which I think was a series of films.
I actually did that as a precursor to reading the novel. My hope was that first watching a few movie/TV versions in increasing order of length (specifically the 1956 Hollywood film, the 4-part 1960s Russian film, and the 20-part BBC TV series) would introduce me to the main plot, then gradually add subplots, so that the novel would be easier to digest. And it worked! For starters, the book begins at a society party where you have a whole bunch of Russian names being thrown at you, but thanks to the video prep, I knew exactly who they were and what they were about.
What the movies didn't do was help me get further than about halfway through the book, at which point plowing through Tolstoy's writing was becoming too much of a chore. Oh, well.
The Russian version is available on a Criterion release now, and I'd highly recommend that version if you can get it. I can tell you that the much-lauded battle scenes are every bit as astonishing as advertised.
Thanks, I'll look out for that. I liked the book, but I like the big Russian novelists in general - Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev. You should try Tolstoy's book again someday - maybe a different translation? I often think they should publish it as a trilogy or longer series of books, like some of the long, involved fantasy series that people seem to have no trouble contemplating reading.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 29, 2022 3:39:45 GMT -5
I still need to see Cooley High. I've seen quite a bit of the major Blaxploitation films, but never that one. I suppose technically it isn't really an exploitation film; but, it tended to be marketed with that material, since it was made specifically with the Black audience in mind. (...) Yeah, Cooley High is often lumped in with the Blaxploitation films, just because it was released in the first half of the 1970s and has an almost exclusively Black cast. However, like a few other films from that period that I've seen, like The Bus is Coming or Detroit 9000 ( which I reviewed upthread a few years ago), which are also frequently described as Blaxploitation, it really isn't.
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