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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jun 17, 2015 9:39:59 GMT -5
Videodrome. Quite possibly be the worst waste of time I've spent on a movie. Croenburg has only managed to wow me in any aspect with Scanners or Existence. This movie was just an amalgam of WTF. I'm generally a Cronenberg fan, though my favorite film of his may be his least Cronenbergian, "A History of Violence". I think he is one of the best sci/fi directors of all time. Videodrome is cool because it takes the debate about television making people violent and creates a world in which television actually makes people violent. In general, it seems a thoughtful examination of the changing role of television in our culture. "I think it's what's next." "Then God help us." It just shipped from Netflix today. I have heard good reviews and what not on this film from both fans of Croenberg and non fans. The synopsis seems interesting and maybe I will like it as it doesn't have his usual habits in it. Plus Ed Harris and William Hurt. I think I will like this film. I took it as the Videodrome signal doing nothing more than mind controlling Max to do what they wanted him to do. At the start when first discovering the signal and watching what appeared to be a possible authentic snuff film, and the talk show Max appeared on I thought that's where the direction was going, as far as the message. But when that idea went to taking it literal it just lost me. By the end, like Shutter Island, I had lost all care as to what was real and what was imagined, because it didn't seem intricately intended to be that way, but more of a "confuse the hell out of the viewer, so the ending will seem a surprise whether it makes sense or not" type of thing. I still like Scanners and EXistenZ of his films so far. I have Dead Ringers, Spider, Crash, and The Brood left on my DVD list (mixed in with other movies) though the latter is on a long wait list of availability. And really the one I am more curious about seeing based on it's controversy.
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Post by coke & comics on Jun 17, 2015 15:59:52 GMT -5
I'm generally a Cronenberg fan, though my favorite film of his may be his least Cronenbergian, "A History of Violence". I think he is one of the best sci/fi directors of all time. Videodrome is cool because it takes the debate about television making people violent and creates a world in which television actually makes people violent. In general, it seems a thoughtful examination of the changing role of television in our culture. "I think it's what's next." "Then God help us." It just shipped from Netflix today. I have heard good reviews and what not on this film from both fans of Croenberg and non fans. The synopsis seems interesting and maybe I will like it as it doesn't have his usual habits in it. Plus Ed Harris and William Hurt. I think I will like this film. Obviously you should also read the comic. In the balance, I prefer the film, but they both have their strengths. I prefer the mood and tone the film strikes, but the comic goes into so much more detail of the situation.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 19:17:45 GMT -5
Opinions on the best spy movie that's not a Bond movie. Checking out Eye of the Needle later...it's one of those bake-a-cheesecake nights
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 18, 2015 19:39:00 GMT -5
Opinions on the best spy movie that's not a Bond movie. Checking out Eye of the Needle later...it's one of those bake-a-cheesecake nights The one with Donald Sutherland? Very very good Favorite non-Bond spy film from the 60s-Our Man Flint.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 20:43:23 GMT -5
Opinions on the best spy movie that's not a Bond movie. Checking out Eye of the Needle later...it's one of those bake-a-cheesecake nights The one with Donald Sutherland? Very very good Favorite non-Bond spy film from the 60s-Our Man Flint.
Our Man Flint and In Like Flint are my favorite too. James Corburn was sensational as Derek Flint.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 19, 2015 13:51:54 GMT -5
Various film I've seen the last few days
Amarcord (1973) D-Federico Fellini Hilarious and nostalgic movie about Fellini's childhood home in the 1930's-a small town in Italy. Beautifully directed and very accessible. I very much enjoyed this
Baron Blood (1972) D-Mario Bava Visually impressive but so familiar, derivative, nothing unique to stand out on its own. A descendant of an evil Baron returns to the family castle and stupidly invokes a spell for the evil Baron's resurrection. Joseph Cotton in a wheelchair grabs a quick paycheck so the movie has a recognizable star's name. Well, Elke Sommer is in it too but its just a wastye of 90 minutes. You've seen this film under many different names by other people
Champion (1949) Kirk Douglas Classic boxing drama with a touch of film noir. Kirk is impossibly young and virile, the women of this film are stunning. Recommended
The Counterfeit Traitor (1962) William Holden WWII espionage flick with Holden as a double spy for the Nazis and Allies. Clocks in at 140 minutes but kept my attention throughout. Filmed all over Europe to capture all the locations of this true story
Dames (1934) D-Busby Berkeley The last half hour is strictly Berkeley choreography and nothing can compare to what that guy can do. Feels like I dropped some yellow sunshine when I watched it. Good thing Berkeley wasn't around during the psychedelic 60s because I don't think America could have survived it. Love Joan Blondell in this film. I , for some reason, can't stand Dick Powell and if he was alive I'd love to punch him out for no reason at all. The song "I Only Have Eyes For You" is included-about 4 or 5 times
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Post by Jesse on Jun 19, 2015 16:58:14 GMT -5
Amarcord (1973) D-Federico Fellini Hilarious and nostalgic movie about Fellini's childhood home in the 1930's-a small town in Italy. Beautifully directed and very accessible. I very much enjoyed this. This was actually the first Fellini movie I watched and I've been a huge fan of his work ever since. I thought the comedy bits held up pretty well.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 22, 2015 17:26:20 GMT -5
Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
What's wrong with this movie one might ask:
The monster has no name-Are you going to keep referring to it as "Hey, here comes that creature from the black lagoon". They should just call him Gil or something
He's really not that scary looking- unless your freaked out when you look up close to a goldfish bowl
Not an interesting backstory-His species has been around undiscovered in the Amazon for a million years or so. That's it, that's the whole back story
Can't sympathize with him-You can with Frankie and the Wolfman. Dracula has an air of nobility about him. But Gil? I got nothing
Of all the classic Universal monsters, this brings up the rear
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 22, 2015 17:40:52 GMT -5
Cimarron (1931)
The earliest Western I've ever or will ever have seen. Winner of 5 Oscars including best picture, actor and actress. The story of Yancy Cravet begins during the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush. The film begins great with a scene of hundreds and hundreds of people lining up in the open prairie waiting for the signal to charge ahead and claim free land for themselves. Yancy is really super human and wears a white hat and beautiful boots throughout the movie. He has a deep operatic voice. He's the best gunman in the new, bustling town of Osage, Okla. He's the crusading newspaper editor for that town as well. On Sundays he gives a sermon at the church. He's a defense attorney winning the case for a woman of dubious background that everyone presumed guilty. He's a war hero during the Spanish-American war. Good Grief-Why was there never a comic book about Yancy Cravet? At least they named a street after him
Besides Yancy, the movie is mainly about how Osage, Okla transforms from a praire town in 1889 to a modern city by 1930. Some vile racial stereotypes, probably some cruelty to horses and fun is made about a guy who stutters. But no fault of Yancy's- he wouldn't have stood for that
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 23, 2015 14:52:13 GMT -5
There are some silent Westerns that are very good. I would recommend The Iron Horse. It was directed by John Ford. It's been a while since I saw it, so I don't remember in detail what I liked about it, but I DO remember that I thought it was quite fun to watch.
Also, No Man's Law. This is from 1927 and it's pretty awesome. I used to own it on DVD and I watched it every two or three years for a while because it is so strange and cool. It's set near a mining cabin in Death Valley. The cast is only four people. The hero is a horse. There's a skinny-dipping scene. One of the bad guys is Oliver Hardy! (He's actually very good in this. He's dirty and unshaven and a terrible person. You totally forget about Stan and Ollie, despite Hardy wearing a derby.) Highly recommended. There are only five or six silent films that I've seen more than this one.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 23, 2015 15:09:55 GMT -5
Battle Royale 2 (2003)
Watched and enjoyed the first back about 10 years ago. This Japanese sequel occurs a few years after. The survivors of the first film have declared war on all adults, bombed and demolished some skyscrapers and are now holed up in an island fortress. The government grabs 42 kids from a School for Troubled Youths and Terrible Actors. Self exploding dog collars are put on each kid. If they disbey orders, their heads explode.They are paired up-if one kids' head explodes or dies by other means, his partner dies too. Their mission is to storm the island and kill all the young terrorists. What follows is 2 hours of war movie explosions and gunfire which is pretty non-stop. The bullets never run out, the kids scream endlessly and my ears are still ringing. I can forgive the children for their lack of thespian skills but their is an adult instructor who is the hammiest actor I have ever seen in my life. Seriously no exaggeration. Haven't seen Hunger Games but you're probably better off with that if you're looking for a follow-up to the first and superior Battle Royale
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 23, 2015 15:53:36 GMT -5
Battle Royale 2 (2003) Watched and enjoyed the first back about 10 years ago. This Japanese sequel occurs a few years after. The survivors of the first film have declared war on all adults, bombed and demolished some skyscrapers and are now holed up in an island fortress. The government grabs 42 kids from a School for Troubled Youths and Terrible Actors. Self exploding dog collars are put on each kid. If they disbey orders, their heads explode.They are paired up-if one kids' head explodes or dies by other means, his partner dies too. Their mission is to storm the island and kill all the young terrorists. What follows is 2 hours of war movie explosions and gunfire which is pretty non-stop. The bullets never run out, the kids scream endlessly and my ears are still ringing. I can forgive the children for their lack of thespian skills but their is an adult instructor who is the hammiest actor I have ever seen in my life. Seriously no exaggeration. Haven't seen Hunger Games but you're probably better off with that if you're looking for a follow-up to the first and superior Battle Royale This sounds so much better than Hunger Games.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jun 23, 2015 21:38:52 GMT -5
Diabolique (1955) Simone Signoret
Yes, I agree. A movie that needs to be seen before you die. Supposedly Hitchcock called the author for the film rights only to be told they were sold one hour previously.
A cruel man verbally and physically abuses both his wife and mistress. They befriend each other and plot the murder of the husband. The murder is the simple part-the tension slowly builds as the body goes missing. The final 5 minutes is classic and riveting, still able to bring chills to your spine. I kid thee not. Available as part of the Criterion Collection on disc
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2015 13:52:25 GMT -5
Diabolique (1955) Simone Signoret
Yes, I agree. A movie that needs to be seen before you die. Supposedly Hitchcock called the author for the film rights only to be told they were sold one hour previously.
A cruel man verbally and physically abuses both his wife and mistress. They befriend each other and plot the murder of the husband. The murder is the simple part-the tension slowly builds as the body goes missing. The final 5 minutes is classic and riveting, still able to bring chills to your spine. I kid thee not. Available as part of the Criterion Collection on disc Excellent write-up of this classic Hitchcock fare. I have this film on DVD.
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Post by paulie on Jun 24, 2015 14:19:01 GMT -5
Diabolique (1955) Simone Signoret
Yes, I agree. A movie that needs to be seen before you die. Supposedly Hitchcock called the author for the film rights only to be told they were sold one hour previously.
A cruel man verbally and physically abuses both his wife and mistress. They befriend each other and plot the murder of the husband. The murder is the simple part-the tension slowly builds as the body goes missing. The final 5 minutes is classic and riveting, still able to bring chills to your spine. I kid thee not. Available as part of the Criterion Collection on disc SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER I was rooting against the protagonist because I hated the actress so much. Otherwise, great flick!
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