Last Movie You Watched

[Ken B]

Hey Ken - will be interested in your comments - the film was made on a $50 million budget, and made about $21 million in its first month release in the USA - not sure were the finances now stand w/ foreign dollars and now likely video and streaming sales?  Dave

Mixed.
The bad. Too long. Too much fictionalized. Moses for example is fictional, and with him goes quite a lot of stuff made quite a pother of. So's his nephew. Somewhat self important.
The good. Terrific underlying story. Some very effective scenes.

I give it 6.8 

Since Jeffrey is linking books ...
For a terrific book on the destruction of slavery I recommend The Scorpion's Sting, by James Oakes. There is also a much longer, scholarly book by the same author covering the same ground Freedom National.

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[SonicMan46]

Mixed.
The bad. Too long. Too much fictionalized. Moses for example is fictional, and with him goes quite a lot of stuff made quite a pother of. So's his nephew. Somewhat self important.
The good. Terrific underlying story. Some very effective scenes.

I give it 6.8 

Since Jeffrey is linking books ...
For a terrific book on the destruction of slavery I recommend The Scorpion's Sting, by James Oakes. There is also a much longer, scholarly book by the same author covering the same ground Freedom National.

Hi Ken - thanks for your comments - guess that are ratings are similar.  I've not read Scorpion's Sting but will likely do a Kindle DL - Dave

[listener]

silent with music added... including Smetana's The Moldau (rowing out to meet a visiting ship, so there is a water connection) to disorient the first-time viewer
TABU     1931   filmed on location in Tahiti, Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography by Floyd Crosby
my copy is a cheap Bo Ying knock-off, the Kino edition may have a commentary

[James]

The Strain
American drama series

Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the CDC's New York-based Canary Project, is called upon to investigate when an airplane lands with everybody on board dead. What his team discovers is a viral outbreak that has similarities to an ancient strain of vampirism. As the virus begins to spread, Goodweather works with his team and a group of the city's residents to wage a war that could hold humanity's fate in its hand. The show's executive producers include Oscar-nominated writer Guillermo del Toro and Emmy-winning producer Carlton Cuse.

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[André]

silent with music added... including Smetana's The Moldau (rowing out to meet a visiting ship, so there is a water connection) to disorient the first-time viewer
TABU     1931   filmed on location in Tahiti, Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography by Floyd Crosby
my copy is a cheap Bo Ying knock-off, the Kino edition may have a commentary

I haven't seen it in ages. A tale of love and death in a Pacific paradise. I'll check if Criterion has released it.

[listener]

Going through my movie collection as well as my lp's, both turning up things I don't remember from 15+ (50+ in the case of some lps) years ago when first purchased.
AS TEARS GO BY  1988 HK    directed by Wong Kar-Wei
Maggie Cheung, Jackie Cheung, Andy Lau     photographed by Chris Doyle.
Sort of like a Bergman film with a tragic ending and sudden bits of violence throughout.  I found it easy to pause frequently for minor distractions, wouldn't get my money's worth replacing it with a blu-ray

[Ken B]

The Imitation Game



Excellent!

Yes. Some problems with historical accuracy  *Spoiler alert* (Turing was not blackmailed and did not know the mole for example.)
But quite enjoyable.

[Karl Henning]

Night of the Living Dead. At last.  (Maybe I reported that I was watching it a week or so ago, but I stopped less than half an hour in.)

I was better attuned to it last night, especially enjoying what may have been canned music score.  All in all, very good, all the more impressive for its humble budget.  It won't be a favorite film, but, glad to have seen it.  I'm pretty sure.

[Spineur]

Marie-Octobre Julien Duvivier on Arte

Who gave the Marie Octobre resistance network to the gestapo 15 years ago?  A facinating "huit clos" among the best french actors of the period: Danielle Darrieux, Paul Meurisse, Lino Ventura, Bernard Blier, Serge Regianni....
This was the last big succes of Julien Duvivier.  Great scenario by Jeanson
e

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[Bogey]

The Imitation Game



Excellent!

Yes. Some problems with historical accuracy  *Spoiler alert* (Turing was not blackmailed and did not know the mole for example.)
But quite enjoyable.

I wish they would of spent a bit more time on the other characters as they all seemed to have had interesting backgrounds. 

[listener]

another Shaw Brothers film, 1971
SWORDSMAN AT LARGE   
Frankie Wei-Hung, Margaret Hsing-Hui, Tina Chin Fei
A hunt for a super sword to slay the hero, impalings, blood spurting in Shaw red tint, an interpolated song, more outdoor locations than later films, and over in 89 minutes.
"Oblivious of oriole in lurch, the mantis seizes the cicada."

[James]

Faust
1926 ‧ Fantasy ‧ 1h 47m

In this classic of silent cinema, the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) makes a bet with an archangel that a good man's soul can be corrupted. Mephisto sets his sights on the thoughtful old alchemist Faust (Gösta Ekman), who is desperately trying to save his village from a plague. He is able to help the villagers, thanks to Mephisto, but further dealings with the devil lead Faust on a decadent downward spiral. Can he redeem his soul before it's too late?

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[André]

Marie-Octobre Julien Duvivier on Arte

Who gave the Marie Octobre resistance network to the gestapo 15 years ago?  A facinating "huit clos" among the best french actors of the period: Danielle Darrieux, Paul Meurisse, Lino Ventura, Bernard Blier, Serge Regianni....
This was the last big succes of Julien Duvivier.  Great scenario by Jeanson
e

[asin]B01LBJMVRS[/asin]

Thanks, I shall seek this out. Never seen it, only heard about it. What a cast !! (Americans know Paul Meurisse through his portrayal of the cold, sadistic school principal in Clouzot's Diabolique.

[aligreto]

[Drasko]

   

The Doom Generation is a minor camp classic and I've always liked it. Jolene is just awful, though Chastain tries valiantly, might be worth seeing just for her, just might.

[James]

Cat People
1942 ‧ Thriller/Mystery ‧ 1h 13m

Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a New York City--based fashion designer who hails from Serbia, begins a romance with marine engineer Oliver Reed (Kent Smith). After the couple gets married, Oliver becomes concerned about Irena's notion that she is cursed and may transform into a large cat in the heat of passion. Confiding in his beautiful assistant, Alice Moore (Jane Randolph), about his marital issues, Oliver unwittingly triggers Irena's curse, with tragic results.

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[Bogey]

Cat People
1942 ‧ Thriller/Mystery ‧ 1h 13m

Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a New York City--based fashion designer who hails from Serbia, begins a romance with marine engineer Oliver Reed (Kent Smith). After the couple gets married, Oliver becomes concerned about Irena's notion that she is cursed and may transform into a large cat in the heat of passion. Confiding in his beautiful assistant, Alice Moore (Jane Randolph), about his marital issues, Oliver unwittingly triggers Irena's curse, with tragic results.

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How'd it look and was it worth the cost?

[SonicMan46]

How'd it look and was it worth the cost?

Hi James & Bill - the ratings HERE for the BD restoration are superb (see image below) - last year, I recorded Cat People on my DVR (had not seen in years) but decided not burn to DVD-R, so must have not been over thrilled w/ story/film - BUT, the Rotten Tomatoes Critics give the '42 version a 93% rating, so maybe I should watch again?  Dave

[Bogey]

Hi James & Bill - the ratings HERE for the BD restoration are superb (see image below) - last year, I recorded Cat People on my DVR (had not seen in years) but decided not burn to DVD-R, so must have not been over thrilled w/ story/film - BUT, the Rotten Tomatoes Critics give the '42 version a 93% rating, so maybe I should watch again?  Dave

See, that is what I remember about a semi-recent watching as well, Dave.  When you rewatch it, please give the story a review here.

[SonicMan46]

See, that is what I remember about a semi-recent watching as well, Dave.  When you rewatch it, please give the story a review here.

Bill - just checked the TCM Website - the 1942 version of the Cat People is scheduled for October 31 @ 7:15 AM (probably as a Halloween showing - I'm on their email list for a notification a week before the showing) - there is also an Amazon streaming option (below) for a few bucks - will in interested in Jame's opinion.

Now, there is a 1982 remake of this film w/ Nastassia Kinski (Rotten Tomatoes synopsis below - 65% Critics rating) - probably saw that movie back in the '80s - weird very loose adaptation - as I recall, the best part was looking at Nastassia -   Dave

In this loose adaptation of the 1942 horror classic of the same name, a 2001-style opening montage establishes some sort of sacrificial, mystical union between panthers and an ancient tribe of humans. Flash forward to 1980's New Orleans, where waifish Irina (Natassja Kinski) meets her older brother, Paul (Malcolm McDowell), a minister, for the first time since their animal trainer parents died and she was sent to a series of foster homes. Paul's Creole housekeeper, Female (Ruby Dee), helps Irina settle into her brother's home, but Paul himself disappears. Cut to a fleabag motel where a blasé prostitute finds an...