Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

The Fifth Element is a classic. Not quite sci-fi spoof, but there is such fun to be had watching this, and great set numbers as well. The zany MC at the show,, Invan Mula's singing of an 'arranged' Lucia Mad Scene...

That is good fun!

Thread Duty:  Daredevil

[Drasko]

[SonicMan46]

Another bunch of oldies burned to DVD-R off the TCM network:

In Name Only (1939) w/ Cary Grant & Carole Lombard - almost a pre-cursor to some of the 'soaps' that appeared in the 1950s - Lombard is wonderful as usual - died tragically in an airplane crash in 1942 at the age of 33 yrs - loved her best in the 'screwball' comedies and she could have gone on making more wonderful films! 

Intruder in the Dust (1949) w/ Juano Hernandez as the accused black man - based on a William Faulkner novel and filmed around Oxford, Mississippi - part of a synopsis below from Rotten Tomatoes - highly recommended!

In Which We Serve (1942) w/ Noel Coward, John Mills, et al - made early in WW II and worth a watch - part of a synopsis below also from Rotten Tomatoes - recommended.  Dave

Intruder in the Dust is one of the best of Hollywood's postwar "racial tolerance" cycle--a cycle that would come to an abrupt end in the politically paranoid 1950s. Based on a novel by William Faulkner, the film takes place in a small Mississippi town (it was filmed on location in and around Oxford, MS). Juano Hernandez plays an African-American landowner who is arrested on a murder charge.......

Few morale-boosting wartime films have retained their power and entertainment value as emphatically as Noël Coward's In Which We Serve. To witness Coward's sober, no-nonsense direction (in collaboration with his co-director/editor, David Lean) and to watch his straightforward portrayal of navy captain Kinross, one would never suspect that he'd built his theatrical reputation upon sophisticated drawing-room comedies and brittle, witty song lyrics. The real star of In Which We Serve is the British....

   

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

If you thought Danish film director Carl Dreyer's genius was limited to the big themes - vampires and Joan of Arc - consider seeing his domestic drama/comedy Master of the House from 1925 in which an overbearing, indeed abusive, husband and father gets his comeuppance.  If you've seen the Passion of Joan and Vampyre, you'll recognize the same attn. to detail, the deft camera movement - real and implied - and dramatic close-ups, as well as the same dramatic tension he builds from working in small, confined spaces. Worth seeing alone for the bespectacled Mads, good name for her, the big stick-toting nanny.  Mercifully waits until the conclusion to become overly preachy.  Fun is also to be had id-ing all the Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert used originally to accompany the film. 

[asin]B00HVOFP62[/asin] 

[Linus]

If you thought Danish film director Carl Dreyer's genius was limited to the big themes - vampires and Joan of Arc - consider seeing his domestic drama/comedy Master of the House from 1925 in which an overbearing, indeed abusive, husband and father gets his comeuppance.  If you've seen the Passion of Joan and Vampyre, you'll recognize the same attn. to detail, the deft camera movement - real and implied - and dramatic close-ups, as well as the same dramatic tension he builds from working in small, confined spaces. Worth seeing alone for the bespectacled Mads, good name for her, the big stick-toting nanny.  Mercifully waits until the conclusion to become overly preachy.  Fun is also to be had id-ing all the Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert used originally to accompany the film. 

[asin]B00HVOFP62[/asin]

I love Dreyer, but hadn't heard of this one. Thanks.

[George]

Devastating.

[SonicMan46]

Arrived a few days ago and watched last night - classics improved on blu-ray restoration and w/ plenty of Criterion extras - Dave

Hi Milos - thanks for the reminder!  Just put in an order for two favorites below - one not to be released until next week - Dave

 

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I love Dreyer, but hadn't heard of this one. Thanks.

I think you will be struck by the You Are There presence of these characters. I should watch Vampyr again. 

[Todd]

Looks like there can now be two.

[André]

I think you will be struck by the You Are There presence of these characters. I should watch Vampyr again.

Vampyr has possibly the greatest one word one-liner in movies: "Blut".

[Linus]

I think you will be struck by the You Are There presence of these characters.

Looking forward to it.

I should watch Vampyr again. 

Me too. And Passion. And Ordet.

Looks like there can now be two.

When I was a kid the original film was the epitome of cool. Should be interesting to see what they can do with it.

[Drasko]

http://www.amazon.com/Vynalez-Zkazy-Fabulous-World-Jules/dp/B00FC48O2A

[SonicMan46]

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown - streaming this series from Netflix the last few nights - wonderful combination of traveling to some of the many places on the planet, great commentary & interviews, and the food descriptions are amazing - a very entertaining series so far.

The King & Four Queens (1956) w/ Clark Gable & Eleanor Parker; one of Gable's last films; Jo Van Fleet (a great character actress) was superb and Parker beautiful @ that time - not a great film, but enjoyable - Clark could put on a good performance until the end.

The Killers (1946) w/ Burt Lancaster & Ava Gardner - an excellent film noir; my copy was a burned DVD-R from the TCM channel but now available from Criterion as a DVD (assume they will do a Blu-ray in the near future) - really worth a watch; Ava just SO delectable!  Every time I take my wife to the coast near Wilmington, we past the exit to Smithfield, NC, her birthplace. Dave

   

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I actually prefer the first one to sequel. When I watched the first half of the Aliens I thought that this was going to be even better than original but the second half is largely uncreative, predictable and not that entertaining. It is still a fine movie, I just would have hoped the second half would have been as good as the first half.

People usually quote Aliens more than Alien but Alien has actually several awesome lines as well.

"You admire it."
"I admire its purity."

"I can't lie to you about your chances, but... you have my sympathies."

"That's the only way! We'll move in pairs. We'll go step by step and cut off every bulkhead and every vent until we have it cornered. And then we'll blow it the fuck out into space. Is that acceptable to you?"
"If you think it means killing it, yeah, that's acceptable to me."
"Obviously, it means killing it."

[Linus]

I actually prefer the first one to sequel. When I watched the first half of the Aliens I thought that this was going to be even better than original but the second half is largely uncreative, predictable and not that entertaining. It is still a fine movie, I just would have hoped the second half would have been as good as the first half.

It's weird how that works.

The original is one of the greatest films I've ever seen, I find amazing the ability to express the cold sensation of a place where human morals are confronted with a perfect killing machine. Direction, editing, design, acting, everything is brilliant (save a few special effects). The second film I tried to watch, but couldn't even sit through.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Everything is brilliant (save a few special effects). The second film I tried to watch, but couldn't even sit through.

Agreed 100 % about the first film. And yeah, special effects look bit stupid at few points, mainly at the part when alien has burst out of Kane's chest and then runs away like Road runner from Looney tunes. But that has some kind of odd, hilarious charm in it. But overall, even without considering this movie is from 1979, the special effects for the most part are genuine looking enough so that the threatening atmosphere isn't ruined. And the fact that you don't see much of the alien fully during the movie, kind of like in Jaws with the shark, adds many scary points.

[Linus]

And yeah, special effects look bit stupid at few points, mainly at the part when alien has burst out of Kane's chest and then runs away like Road runner from Looney tunes.

Haha, now I'll never be able to see that scene again without laughing.

And the fact that you don't see much of the alien fully during the movie, kind of like in Jaws with the shark, adds many scary points.

Agreed. "Jaws" was surprisingly excellent for me, I was so certain it would be totally lame.

[Bogey]

The first Alien just may be my all time favorite sci-fi film, just ahead of Blade Runner.  However, when it comes to the second installment, I quite enjoy it. 

[Karl Henning]

Cheers, Bill!  Have a great holiday!

[Bogey]

Cheers, Bill!  Have a great holiday!

*raises mug of coffee to screen*
Easily my favorite holiday of the year.  Enjoy the time with your family, Karl.