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Post by Roquefort Raider on May 17, 2023 5:58:13 GMT -5
I watched Hitchcock's Notorious yesterday, and it was a blast. What an excellent thriller, managing to keep us on the edge of our seat without resorting to improbable twists or unlikely coincidences. Ingrid Bergman does a dynamite job here.
Cary Grant's character acts like a d*** on several occasions, but the actor handles the role well; that of a love-struck fellow who struggles not to give in to what he really wants to believe.
I loved the way some characters get an open ending while others see a door literally closing on their fate. That was great storytelling.
There are still several Hitchcock films I've never seen (and many I'd love to see again). Next on the list are Bon Voyage and The Lodger.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 17, 2023 7:51:53 GMT -5
I still haven't seen that one (just never had it in front of me, at the right moment) and all I ever knew was that Jane Fonda acts like she is orgasming and then looks at her watch. Beyond that all I knew was that it wasn't like Cat Ballou. Just last year, thanks to my wife, I saw They Shoot Horses, Don't They?......man, what a dark film! I had a read a little about it and knew it was about a marathon dance competition, during the Depression, but had no idea about all of the stuff that went on to draw the crowds. In a small way, it reminded me of The Night They Raided Minskis, in that it's a similar time period and they are hustling the audience; but, that one, even with the dark ending and the cutthroat attitudes and such, still had the comedy routines, at different points, to give you a break from the darker stuff.
I haven't seen either of those but they're on my list - although for They Shoot Horses I might read the book first, still undecided.
You should definitely read the book. It’s a very good early literary noir.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 17, 2023 9:50:52 GMT -5
I always liked Jane Fonda, as an actress. Leaving aside the politics of Vietnam, she never phoned it in and she grew in her craft as she aged. Love her 60s stuff, especially the comedies, like Barefoot In The Park, Any Wednesday, and Cat Ballou. Barbarella is a fun romp and she plays the sexy innocent quite well and captures the comic character. I haven't seen as much of her 1970s work, though Fun With Dick And Jane is terrific. When I was in college, a group of friends and I went to see a movie on campus (various student organizations showed movies, as fundraisers) and watched Agnes of God. It's a controversial film, because of the subject matter (a nun gives birth to a child, in a convent, but claims immaculate conception); but, the acting is amazing, with Fonda mostly playing off Ann Bancroft and Meg Tilly.
In recent years, my wife and I watched Grace and Frankie, on Netflix, with Fonda and Lily Tomlin (and Martin Sheen and Sam Waterson), reuniting from 9 to 5 and The Book Club, with Fonda, Mary Steenburgeon, Diane Keaton and Candace Bergen. Fonda really evolved into an amazing actor across the decades, inhabiting her characters, rather having them tailored to her persona. She kind of became like the Katherine Hepburns, who mentored her.
Watching his later stuff, I kind of felt Peter did much the same thing, kind of growing into a deeper actor, with time. His early stuff is very hit and miss with me; but he was terrific in Ulee's Gold and his small role, in Escape From LA is one of the few decent parts of what was essentially a remake of the original, with less interesting satire.
The sad thing is some of that growth was informed by trying to connect to a father who was always distant from them. Love Henry Finda's work; but, it sounded like he was a poor father.
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Post by Prince Hal on May 17, 2023 17:45:45 GMT -5
I watched Hitchcock's Notorious yesterday, and it was a blast. What an excellent thriller, managing to keep us on the edge of our seat without resorting to improbable twists or unlikely coincidences. Ingrid Bergman does a dynamite job here. Cary Grant's character acts like a d*** on several occasions, but the actor handles the role well; that of a love-struck fellow who struggles not to give in to what he really wants to believe. I loved the way some characters get an open ending while others see a door literally closing on their fate. That was great storytelling. There are still several Hitchcock films I've never seen (and many I'd love to see again). Next on the list are Bon Voyage and The Lodger.Glad you enjoyed "Notorious," which like almost every Hitchcock film, improves with repeated viewings. And "The Lodger" is excellent, especially the finale, which remains truly frightening. Hitchcock was leery of crowds from the get-go.
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Post by berkley on May 17, 2023 18:01:04 GMT -5
I watched Hitchcock's Notorious yesterday, and it was a blast. What an excellent thriller, managing to keep us on the edge of our seat without resorting to improbable twists or unlikely coincidences. Ingrid Bergman does a dynamite job here. Cary Grant's character acts like a d*** on several occasions, but the actor handles the role well; that of a love-struck fellow who struggles not to give in to what he really wants to believe. I loved the way some characters get an open ending while others see a door literally closing on their fate. That was great storytelling. There are still several Hitchcock films I've never seen (and many I'd love to see again). Next on the list are Bon Voyage and The Lodger.
I think Notorious might be my pick for Hitchcock's best, which is saying something. Also a highlight for both Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. The romantic attraction between the two stars is all the more effective for being presented in such a restrained manner - it's basically just a look they exchange fairly early in the film but it conveys the message more convincingly than the usual declarations of love, long kissing scenes, etc.
I'm missing quite a few big Hitchcock films too. I won't try to see all of them right away but I do plan to try to watch some of best-known ones that I haven't seen so far, starting with The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), and Sabotage (1936).
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Post by Hoosier X on May 17, 2023 19:09:34 GMT -5
I watched Hitchcock's Notorious yesterday, and it was a blast. What an excellent thriller, managing to keep us on the edge of our seat without resorting to improbable twists or unlikely coincidences. Ingrid Bergman does a dynamite job here. Cary Grant's character acts like a d*** on several occasions, but the actor handles the role well; that of a love-struck fellow who struggles not to give in to what he really wants to believe. I loved the way some characters get an open ending while others see a door literally closing on their fate. That was great storytelling. There are still several Hitchcock films I've never seen (and many I'd love to see again). Next on the list are Bon Voyage and The Lodger.
I think Notorious might be my pick for Hitchcock's best, which is saying something. Also a highlight for both Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. The romantic attraction between the two stars is all the more effective for being presented in such a restrained manner - it's basically just a look they exchange fairly early in the film but it conveys the message more convincingly than the usual declarations of love, long kissing scenes, etc.
I'm missing quite a few big Hitchcock films too. I won't try to see all of them right away but I do plan to try to watch some of best-known ones that I haven't seen so far, starting with The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), and Sabotage (1936).
I’m not such a big fan of much of his 1930s filmography, but I like Sabotage well enough and I love The Lady Vanishes. My two favorites are Suspicion and The Birds.
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Post by berkley on May 17, 2023 20:36:14 GMT -5
I think Notorious might be my pick for Hitchcock's best, which is saying something. Also a highlight for both Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. The romantic attraction between the two stars is all the more effective for being presented in such a restrained manner - it's basically just a look they exchange fairly early in the film but it conveys the message more convincingly than the usual declarations of love, long kissing scenes, etc.
I'm missing quite a few big Hitchcock films too. I won't try to see all of them right away but I do plan to try to watch some of best-known ones that I haven't seen so far, starting with The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), and Sabotage (1936).
I’m not such a big fan of much of his 1930s filmography, but I like Sabotage well enough and I love The Lady Vanishes. My two favorites are Suspicion and The Birds.
I'm attracted to Sabotage almost as much by Sylvia Sidney as I am by Hitchcock, to be honest.
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Post by Hoosier X on May 17, 2023 20:46:57 GMT -5
Tonight I’m watching Balls of Fury (2007).
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Post by codystarbuck on May 18, 2023 20:48:32 GMT -5
Tonight I’m watching Balls of Fury (2007). Are you being punished for being naughty?
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Post by Roquefort Raider on May 20, 2023 18:31:27 GMT -5
My wife and I watched Stardust memories yesterday, and while it seems to be one of the director's favourites, we found it a little boring. Perhaps it was pretty novel at the time, but now it felt a little tedious.
Of note are the remarkable performance of Charlotte Rampling and the appearance (in very tiny roles) of later-famous actors (at least to us SF fans) Sharon Stone, Brent Spiner and Armin Shimerman.
I'd be hard-pressed to say what my favourite Woody Allen film is. Probably Crimes and Misdemeanours, with Martin Landau.
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Post by Prince Hal on May 20, 2023 18:54:10 GMT -5
Roquefort Raider, I think that “Crimes ” is an excellent movie, too. And off the top of my head, I can’t think of a better Allen movie. Although “Hannah and Her Sisters” is right up there.
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Post by EdoBosnar on May 21, 2023 6:20:50 GMT -5
With a few exceptions, I find pretty much all of Allen's movies after Annie Hall virtually unwatchable.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 21, 2023 11:44:21 GMT -5
With a few exceptions, I find pretty much all of Allen's movies after Annie Hall virtually unwatchable. I wouldn't go quite that far; but few of them hold my interests. I like Radio Days and Mighty Aphrodite was pretty good. I haven't seen much, apart from trailers, after that. I am firmly in t his 60s and early 70s being best, as I love Sleeper and Take The Money & Run, plus the redubbing of Key of Keys, as What's Up Tiger Lily?. Bananas is funny as heck, in parts, but also kind of disjointed, at times. I don't think he had as strong a central plot to string together the gags. I haven't seen it in years, though, and only saw it once. I own the other three. I was never wild about Annie Hall; but, I only saw it on tv, when I was a teenager, after it beat Star Wars, for Best Picture (a crime in my opinion, regardless of how better made Allen's film is). Diane Keaton is very hit and miss for me, which colors part of it. I don't find her routine as cute as others do. I think she matured into a better form, later.
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Post by Prince Hal on May 21, 2023 13:59:54 GMT -5
With a few exceptions, I find pretty much all of Allen's movies after Annie Hall virtually unwatchable. Not even "Radio Days"? I'd forgotten that until cody mentioned it, but that is as affecting a movie as Allen ever made.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 21, 2023 14:18:48 GMT -5
As is pretty apparent from my "Favorite Movie of xxxx" thread, I'm not a fan of Woody Allen. The neurotic nebbish thing just doesn't work for me. The only movie of his that I remember liking better than "Meh" was Sweet and Lowdown. And that's almost certainly because of the subject matter.
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