Last Movie You Watched

[orbital]

Charlotte Gainsbourg is an interesting actress with a quirky kind of beauty. Her mother is Jane Birkin, you know, and the kid ended up a cross between the intensely ugly Serge and her beautiful mother. Here is her family, Charlotte looking androgynous even at age two

Sarge

I happened to catch some footage from an old French TV program where Serge is singing Lemon Incest with her. They were enacting the video on TV You'd probably be crucified if you did that now   

[Solitary Wanderer]

Enjoyed this last night. Reminds me of the 'Cowboys & Indians' movies I saw as a kid. John Wayne was great as the conflicted Ethan. Something about these old movies...

[Drasko]

Double bill at Belgrade Cinematheque earlier this evening (lower one is Murnau with Schreck)

[Lilas Pastia]

And ?? I want to hear your opinion!

[SonicMan46]

  Enjoyed this last night. Reminds me of the 'Cowboys & Indians' movies I saw as a kid. John Wayne was great as the conflicted Ethan. Something about these old movies...

SW - great choice - considered one of the best of the Wayne westerns (but there are so many to consider, e.g. I love Red River w/ him & Cliff) - in fact, a 50th Anniversary 2-DVD set was just released (below) which I replaced my older DVD - the color is just spectacular & the sound greatly improved - for those interested, CLICK on the image for numerous Amazonian comments - 

[Bogey]

This one tops my list in the Wayne Western Dept. Dave and Soiltary....

[SonicMan46]

This one tops my list in the Wayne Western Dept. Dave and Soiltary....

Bill - now, you know that I also own that movie -    Angie Dickinson's presence doesn't hurt & even Nelson is not too bad!  Great flick - but, we haven't even mentioned the John Ford Trilolgy! 

Now watching Corpse Bride - Tim Burton's animation film w/ Depp's voice - at Costco the other day - had it for $9, so could not resist (wife does not like this film) - guess I'm just a 'little Weird' - like it! 

 

[Maciek]

And ?? I want to hear your opinion!

Well, Drasko seems to be out at the moment, so I'll volunteer mine to pass the time (though I did not watch these at the Belgrade Cinematheque, unfortunately ).

I definitely prefer Murnau's version. But as it happens Murnau and Herzog are 2 of my favorite film directors. I can't think of a Murnau film I didn't like (even the ones with sound!). I can think of a couple of Herzog's films that I didn't like as much as the others but not a single one I disliked. Unfortunately Nosferatu is in the less liked category, even though I adore Adjani. Which means: I love the movie but not as much as the ones I consider Herzog's best (like Aguirre or Fitzcarraldo, for example).

Maciek

[Maciek]

Last one I watched:



Mussolini and I

Not a great movie really but Anthony Hopkins redeems it without any doubt. Absolutely spellbinding acting from him - one of his best roles perhaps. Sarandon is also excellent. The others weren't as good, unfortunately. And some of them were outright terrible which is especially evident when the bad actors share the screen with the good ones (the execution scene is the best, even slightly grotesque example: everyone except for Hopkins looks as if they were sitting on a sunny bench in the park). Some striking cinematography too. But as a whole the film doesn't really work, and at times looks like a strange and sorry attempt at whitewashing Mussolini. Would recommend it to anyone who enjoys good acting. If you want anything more from the film, better stay away - this is typical European TV fare, a bit outdated technically and drags a bit.

[SonicMan46]

Tonight - 'burning' a couple of films from the TCM station w/ Rita Hayworth in some latter roles from the 1950s - she still looked great:

Salome (1953) w/ Rita Hayworth & Stewart Granger (also Charles Laughton) - great color & the dance scene was excellent - Rita still quite beautiful; too religious for me @ the end, but worth a watch - great '50s color!  Rating is 4* on Amazon - check out the reviews.

Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) w/ Rita H. & many others (including Jose Ferrer) - she is just superb in this role (made many times previously), in part likely related to her dissolving marriage; this is really worth a watch if you're into Rita, a true 'beauty' even playing a presumed 'slut' in this role; Amazonian Reviews, if interested - 


 

[Drasko]

And ?? I want to hear your opinion!

Andre, sorry for not replying earlier, I actually wrote you an email on this but lost it in computer crash before sending, yesterday.

Discussing merits of Murnau's Nosferatu is I believe rather redundant. That film achieved archetypal status like Casablanca for instance and when scenes like Schreck's raising from the coffin on the ship or shadow ascending the staircase become pop-culture references the original goes beyond the realms of criticism but for the record I do think it is great and only thing is that this time I saw the short 65 mins version and there was no piano accompaniment (I really like piano accompaniment for the silents).

As for Herzog, I like it more than Maciek does (that is becoming a pattern) and believe big screen is making a lot of difference, atmosphere and tension comes across much better, when saw it on TV earlier my opinion was similar to his and I still think it has few weak spots (ending is superfluous, cut off point should be that hilarious Van Helsing arrest attempt and Bruno Ganz as Jonathan is stiff beyond redemption) but so many of it is stunning. Opening shot is one of the eeriest I ever saw, building of the tension during Ganz arrival to Transylvania underpinned with Das Rheingold opening music culminating in their first meeting, those authentic gypsies, Adjani's dismissal of Dracula on their first meeting, Kinski being Kinski.........
What especially caught my eye this time watching both films back to back is to what extent is Herzog's an hommage to Murnau, not only in somewhat adopted acting style of silents (Adjani's sleepwalking scene) but in the fact that entire first half (up to ship's arrival) is matching almost frame per frame, angle per angle and that because of that Herzog gives away some of his trademark thingies (those long staring shots in one spot without panning), in the second part he does go after his agendas (touch of feminism, touch of politics) but he makes it work as a whole.
Overall I think it's one of the very best vampire (and more) films around and even if I do prefer Aguirre I believe that it is top shelf Herzog.

huh, so not into these long posts

I'll try to catch Dreyer tonight.     

[Maciek]

As for Herzog, I like it more than Maciek does (that is becoming a pattern)

On the contrary - except for the last sentence ("Overall I think it's one of the very best vampire (and more) films around and even if I do prefer Aguirre I believe that it is top shelf Herzog") I agree with everything you have written! And I'd generally agree with that one too, I'd only tone it down a little.

BTW, it's a bit of a cult movie in Poland. When I first saw it the cinema was absolutely packed!

[Choo Choo]

I really like piano accompaniment for the silents

We've had a good season of classic silents, each with musical accompaniment - including an über-spooky Caligari with hammered dulcimers, and Murnau's Nosferatu with 4-piece band - also Murnau's Sunrise, Fritz Lang's Destiny, and others.

Next up is this one, which I've heard about but never seen before. 

[Choo Choo]

...and I meant to add, I also admire Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo, but my favourite Herzog is probably Kaspar Hauser.

Heart of Glass is a weird one.  The premiss is a town that's dying because the person who held the secret of the town's only industry has died without revealing it.  Herzog had the whole cast hypnotised throughout the shooting, to create this out-of-touch, other-worldly atmosphere - it's odd, but it's also appealing - and kind of mesmerising to watch.

[orbital]

An old Turkish flick from the 70;s 


Probably adapted from a French screenplay (as was customary for the Turkish cinema during the 70's), the movie centers around that guy in long hair (who in fact was a famous singer) who is in love with the daughter of his industrialist boss; a baby that the boss' young son thinks is his (but pretends that they belong to his sister and the main man so their father will have to marry them) but is not ; and the coming together of this comedy of errors with lots of songs inserted here and there. An oddball comedy but it brings back good memories 

Also caught Mullholand Drive on TV last night (late last night), and of course I had to watch it again. The commercial breaks killed the tension obviously, but I still remained glued to the screen.

[karlhenning]

That photo looks like a still from the Ankara production of Boris Godunov . . . .

[orbital]

That photo looks like a still from the Ankara production of Boris Godunov . . . .

and that young man jumping over the chair could be the scene between Rangoni and Marina 

ps-strangely enough, actually the man is wearing a suit, a tie and suspenders throughout the film

[Drasko]

I'll try to catch Dreyer tonight.     

Unfortunately couldn't make it  and who knows when it's gonna come again on repertoire.

We've had a good season of classic silents, each with musical accompaniment - including an über-spooky Caligari with hammered dulcimers, and Murnau's Nosferatu with 4-piece band - also Murnau's Sunrise, Fritz Lang's Destiny, and others.

Yes I know, Tony told me about those. That Caligari must have been something (is hammered dulcimer something similar to cymbalom?)

An old Turkish flick from the 70;s 

And I naively thought I had a weird taste 

[orbital]

Unfortunately couldn't make it  and who knows when it's gonna come again on repertoire.

Yes I know, Tony told me about those. That Caligari must have been something (is hammered dulcimer something similar to cymbalom?)

And I naively thought I had a weird taste 

Here is a clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jBzHVAofm0

[Maciek]

That is one cool clip! (I've already sent the link to a couple of friends...)