Last Movie You Watched

[LKB]

The scenery is spectacular though, I must say, but even the climbing is phoney. It is clear that they are crawling along horizontally and then the camera tilted to the vertical in a couple of shots.

They should have had some celebrity pop out of a fissure, stare in confusion and say, " Sorry, thought you were Adam West... "

[André]

Steppenwolf, based on Hermann Hesse's novel of the same title. Fun and bizarre movie.

I find this film reflects the oniric/psychedelic feeling of the book perfectly while never attempting to copy and paste it. It has a life and character all its own. Very strong presence of the characters (Von Sydow, Sanda, Clementi are striking). A one-off maybe, like Pasolini's Teorema, fascinating and ultimately exhilarating. It gets under the skin.

[aligreto]

A little more subtle than that, not much, but a little 

[Karl Henning]

The scenery is spectacular though, I must say, but even the climbing is phoney. It is clear that they are crawling along horizontally and then the camera tilted to the vertical in a couple of shots.

I love that trick in the Adam West Batman shows!

[Karl Henning]

Well, in the original ESB after Luke has tried suicide, there is a very short scene with a very pissed off sounding Vader saying to his men: "Bring my shuttle." This was changed in later editions to very diplomat-like "Alert my star destroyer to prepare for my arrival." Although I still think Lucas made much worse things to this film (the replacing the original emperor with Ian Mcdiarmid in itself would have been ok - what is cringy is Emperor referring to Luke, in revised edition, as the offspring of Anakin Skywalker - while talking to Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker! If the implication was to refer to Ben Kenobi's "certain point of view" statement that Anakin Skywalker died when Darth Vader was born, that is very faulty because a) there is no implication whatsoever that Emperor would use that and moreover and most importantly, b) Ben referred to Anakin being killed by Darth Vader as an excuse to not tell Luke the truth about his father, he hardly would have referred to Anakin Skywalker like he was a different person when talking to Vader himself.

Also, there is this hilarious change (bear in mind that I grew up with this version):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaXgK5HRBjk

Interesting, thanks!

[Karl Henning]

They should have had some celebrity pop out of a fissure, stare in confusion and say, " Sorry, thought you were Adam West... "

Hah!

[Cato]

I love that trick in the Adam West Batman shows!

Who doesn't love that trick?! 

In recent days, one of my favorite late 1960's movies: one of the toughest, hair-raisingest "guy movies" ever, featuring a chainsaw fight and an attempted head removal with a locomotive!

Rod Taylor and Jim Brown as mercenaries in central Africa trying to rescue foreigners trapped during a coup d' etat:




Yes, Yvette Mimieux in her mid-20's is present as well....but does not portray a mercenary, despite what the cover above shows! 

Great score (most of the time) by French composer Jacques Loussier: there is an occasional hokey-sounding '60's French jazz cue, which both Mrs. Cato and I found jarring.

Ignoring that slight defect, the movie is a 1st-class thrill ride!

[VonStupp]

Return of the Jedi

This is the last Star Wars the girls and I will watch for a while, I think. This has a strong 1st Act with a great character concept in Jabba the Hutt. The rest, for me, were mixed feelings about introducing new elements whilst trying to tie up threads started in Empire. The opening song in Jabba's palace was the most egregious addition I didn't remember; and although I recall it in the news, I don't think I have ever seen Darth Vader yelling 'No!' either. But there were more obvious added shots throughout, and of course my cherished 'Yub Nub' is forever gone.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable revisit after I realized the girls hadn't seen them before. They loved everything to do with R2-D2 and C-3PO, an aspect Lucas failed at recreating in his subsequent tales, and they were invested with Luke Skywalker throughout.

[Karl Henning]

Return of the Jedi

This is the last Star Wars the girls and I will watch for a while, I think. This has a strong 1st Act with a great character concept in Jabba the Hutt. The rest, for me, were mixed feelings about introducing new elements whilst trying to tie up threads started in Empire. The opening song in Jabba's palace was the most egregious addition I didn't remember; and although I recall it in the news, I don't think I have ever seen Darth Vader yelling 'No!' either. But there were more obvious added shots throughout, and of course my cherished 'Yub Nub' is forever gone.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable revisit after I realized the girls hadn't seen them before. They loved everything to do with R2-D2 and C-3PO, an aspect Lucas failed at recreating in his subsequent tales, and they were invested with Luke Skywalker throughout.

Although I did just rewatch Empire, I almost cannot bring myself to return to Return, and it's largely the fault of Toodles McLounge Singer and the closing Galactic Jubilation Day montage.  It's just such a vivid reminder of what bad decisions Lucas can make when he sets his mind to.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I find this film reflects the oniric/psychedelic feeling of the book perfectly while never attempting to copy and paste it. It has a life and character all its own. Very strong presence of the characters (Von Sydow, Sanda, Clementi are striking). A one-off maybe, like Pasolini's Teorema, fascinating and ultimately exhilarating. It gets under the skin.

Yes, very psychedelic movie. Many good ideas and efforts. I imagine the adaptation of Seppenwolf was not easy though.  I am a fan of Sanda and Clementi. They stole the show.

[Karl Henning]

Return of the Jedi

This is the last Star Wars the girls and I will watch for a while, I think. This has a strong 1st Act with a great character concept in Jabba the Hutt. The rest, for me, were mixed feelings about introducing new elements whilst trying to tie up threads started in Empire. The opening song in Jabba's palace was the most egregious addition I didn't remember; and although I recall it in the news, I don't think I have ever seen Darth Vader yelling 'No!' either. But there were more obvious added shots throughout, and of course my cherished 'Yub Nub' is forever gone.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable revisit after I realized the girls hadn't seen them before. They loved everything to do with R2-D2 and C-3PO, an aspect Lucas failed at recreating in his subsequent tales, and they were invested with Luke Skywalker throughout.

I semi-watched last night, running the commentary, which made not watching what I prefer not to watch easier. At times the commentary was mildly interesting, and Lucas was periodically less insufferable. Watching without the commentary tonight.

[VonStupp]

I semi-watched last night, running the commentary, which made not watching what I prefer not to watch easier. At times the commentary was mildly interesting, and Lucas was periodically less insufferable. Watching without the commentary tonight.

Good luck to you, sir!

[Karl Henning]

Good luck to you, sir!

Many as are my quarrels with Lucas: e.g. Upon revealing to Leia that she is his sister, Luke tells her that he knows that Vader is on that moon and that he is endangering the mission. So what does he do? Surrenders himself to the Imperial troops with the thin, thin assurance that—no, no, I'm here all on my own, really!—which isn't endangering his friends, no, no!) the scene of Luke lighting his father's pyre is a beautiful moment, and Lucas built it..

[North Star]

the scene of Luke lighting his father's pyre is a beautiful moment, and Lucas built it..

Lucas does excel at setting fire to beautiful things he's built.

[Karl Henning]

Lucas does excel at setting fire to beautiful things he's built.

Very well played, friend!

[Karl Henning]

Last night, for fun: Diamonds Are Forever & Live and Let Die.

[VonStupp]

Last night, for fun: Diamonds Are Forever & Live and Let Die.

Neat! Diamonds is such a silly venture. I am specifically thinking of Thumper and Bambi, the always odd Julian Glover, doppelgänger felines, and sausage magnate Jimmy Dean. I suppose LaLD is similar in tone, but I have a soft-spot for the early Roger Moore entry and its urban settings. No On Her Majesty's Secret Service?

[Karl Henning]

Neat! Diamonds is such a silly venture. I am specifically thinking of Thumper and Bambi, the always odd Julian Glover, doppelgänger felines, and sausage magnate Jimmy Dean. I suppose LaLD is similar in tone, but I have a soft-spot for the early Roger Moore entry and its urban settings. No On Her Majesty's Secret Service?

Will go back to it.  I chose these two for borderline ignorability (last night)

[aligreto]

Honest Thief





A bank robber has stolen millions from a number of banks over the years. One day he meets a woman with whom he falls in love with and he has a crisis of conscience. He phones the FBI and offers to turn himself in. That is when Life begins to get complicated.

[vers la flamme]

1917



I watched this last night, as my girlfriend is out of town and she doesn't normally go for war movies. I loved it! It came highly recommended to me, and I can only echo the praise I've heard.