Last Movie You Watched

[VonStupp]

ZARDOZ
As I recall, reviews were mixed to terrible.  The movie is in a strange gray area of "WOW!  What a trip!" + "WOW!  How bad was that?!" + "WOW!  It's so bad it's good!"  All three opinions will probably occur as you watch it.

Yes, I watched it for the first time a few years ago, and I agree with your summation here. I was oddly entertained throughout, although my wife was mightily uncertain from the opening quote below and what follows it. 

The gun is good[...]

[Karl Henning]

Maybe I'm giving it short shrift? Perhaps my library can scare up a DVD....

[VonStupp]

Maybe I'm giving it short shrift? Perhaps my library can scare up a DVD....

It deserves the shortest of shrifts. Make sure your library foots the bill for this one.   

[Karl Henning]

(* chortle *)

[Daverz]

Exquisite, until Merlin catches up with her, anyway.

I'm old enough now to bristle at that.  Give the old gal has time to clean up first...

I should mention that I was 17 when this was first in the theaters.

[SonicMan46]

Sahara (1943) w/ Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, Dan Duryea, Kurt Krueger, and others.  Short summary below - Bogart is in charge of an American M3 tank , replaced by the better M4 Sherman - filming: "The cast and crew spent eleven weeks on location in the Imperial County, California, portion of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park near the Salton Sea." (same link below)

I've been watching this film for decades - 100% Critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes - the movie is B&W in 4:3 aspect ratio - for $8, I bought Amazon's HD streaming version - the grain and detail in the scenes were an improvement over my old DVD (off to the local charity); however, there were frequent dirt specks which were not that bothersome, but obviously no major attempt was made to 'clean up' the re-scan - probably needs a better original film copy for scanning and the use of professional restoration.  But highly recommended to WW II, tank, and Bogart fans!  Dave

The British forces were routed, and as shown in Sahara, many tanks were damaged, but were unable to be salvaged due to the 8th Army's retreat. The British lost virtually all their tanks, although a small number were evacuated. General Rommel pursued the British into Egypt, trying to keep British forces under pressure and denying them the opportunity to regroup. As both sides neared exhaustion, the British were able to check Rommel's advance at the First Battle of El Alamein. Bogart's character and his M3 crew are able to rally before hearing a radio report about the British victory. (Source)

 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Two English Girls (Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent), François Truffaut.
Love triangle among English sisters and a French guy.

[Karl Henning]

Two English Girls (Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent), François Truffaut.
Love triangle among English sisters and a French guy.

As yet the only Truffaut film I've seen is Fahrenheit 451

[Karl Henning]

It deserves the shortest of shrifts. Make sure your library foots the bill for this one.   

Can get it via inter-library loan, I need to wait out a hold.

[VonStupp]

Can get it via inter-library loan, I need to wait out a hold.

Nice!

[Karl Henning]

Roger Ebert's review is fun:

I remember standing in the rain once outside a theater that was playing "Last Year at Marienbad." Now there was a movie so complex and personal no one claimed to be able to understand it, not even Time magazine. The people coming out from the previous show were shaking their heads and admitting that they, too, didn't have a clue. And then it was our turn to go in and be mystified.

Every once in a while, a movie like that comes along; a movie you've got to see so that you, too, can be in the dark about it.

[André]

Not all films by Ray are masterpieces - a mere half-dozen. Some are merely beautiful and compelling. Home and the World is one such movie. It was during the filming (in 1984) that the director suffered not one, but two heart attacks. Adapting a classic novel by Rabindranath Tagore, it depicts domestic, social and political conflicts during the rise of the Swadeshi movement(*) following the 1905 partition of Bengal. Sumptuously filmed and superbly acted, it's like a domestic version of Attenborough's Gandhi - without Gandhi (Swadeshi was picked up a decade later by Gandhi to foster his indian independance movement).

Noted film critics Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert wrote « When it comes to truthfulness about women's lives, this great Indian moviemaker Satyajit Ray shames the American and European directors of both sexes« (P.K.), and « It is a contemplative movie -- quiet, slow, a series of conversations punctuated by sudden bursts of activity." (R.E.)

(*) Swadeshi:
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/swadeshi-movement-286966-2015-08-07

[Karl Henning]

Not all films by Ray are masterpieces - a mere half-dozen. Some are merely beautiful and compelling. Home and the World is one such movie. It was during the filming (in 1984) that the director suffered not one, but two heart attacks. Adapting a classic novel by Rabindranath Tagore, it depicts domestic, social and political conflicts during the rise of the Swadeshi movement(*)  in Bengal following the 1905 partition of Bengal in 1905. Sumptuously filmed and superbly acted, it's like a domestic version of Attenborough's Gandhi - without Gandhi (Swadeshi was picked up later by Gandhi to foster his indian independance movement).

Noted film critics Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert wrote « When it comes to truthfulness about women's lives, this great Indian moviemaker Satyajit Ray shames the American and European directors of both sexes« (P.K.), and « It is a contemplative movie -- quiet, slow, a series of conversations punctuated by sudden bursts of activity." (R.E.)

(*) Swadeshi:
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/swadeshi-movement-286966-2015-08-07

Très intéressant!

[LKB]

I'm old enough now to bristle at that.  Give the old gal has time to clean up first...

I should mention that I was 17 when this was first in the theaters.

I was in college, and selected Excalibur for the first date with a lady l was sweet on...

( pauses to allow a goodly number of face-palms )

... yeah.

I was saved by the fact that 1) she was as fanatical about music as l am, and 2) thought the film was hilarious.

And so the relationship actually developed, despite my poor cinematic judgement.

[SonicMan46]

Winchester '73 (1950) w/ James Stewart, Dan Duryea, Shelley Winters, Stephen McNally, and others, including "supporting actors, Rock Hudson portrays an American Indian and Tony Curtis plays a besieged cavalry trooper, both in small roles at the beginnings of their careers. (Source)"; now, Hudson as an Indian and a rather elderly rotund Will Geer as Wyatt Earp may have been mis-cast?

This was the first collaboration between James Stewart and director Anthony Mann - from 1950-55, they made 8 films together with 5 being Westerns (see second pic below - Source) - this is their only film done in B&W (4:3 aspect ratio); after remainder in color and then to widescreen w/ Thunder Bay (not a western, but quite good).  Dave

   

[Karl Henning]

I was in college, and selected Excalibur for the first date with a lady l was sweet on...

( pauses to allow a goodly number of face-palms )

... yeah.

I was saved by the fact that 1) she was as fanatical about music as l am, and 2) thought the film was hilarious.

And so the relationship actually developed, despite my poor cinematic judgement.

Sometimes the Universe is our friend

[aligreto]

The Contract:





A man and his son out for a camping trip get embroiled with a contract killer and his gang. The story is interesting and it keeps one's attention. It is not too bad a film.

[SonicMan46]

Tous les Matins du Monde (English: All the Mornings of the World) (1991) - French film w/ English subtitles about Marin Marais and Sainte-Colombe; brief summary below - the old Marais portrayed by Gérard Depardieu, and his younger self by his son Guillaume (1971-2008); Jean-Pierre Marielle as S-Colombe (other actors in link below); Nominations and Awards in second pic (from same link). 

"Apart from Savall, the musicians are Monserrat Figueras and Mari-Cristina Kiehr (sopranos), Christophe Coin and Jérôme Hantaï (viola da gamba), Rolf Lislevand (theorbo) and Pierre Hantaï (harpsichord and organ)." Prompted to stream this film from Amazon ($4 rental, and seen before) last night because I spent the day listening to my Marais collection, including the 5-disc set w/ Savall, Koopman,  and Hopkinson Smith.  Roger Ebert's review from 1992 HERE for those interested - probably a MUST see for those into this music.  Dave

The film revolves around the late-17th/early-18th-century composer Marin Marais's life as a musician, his mentor Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe and Sainte-Colombe's daughters. The ageing Marais, played by Gérard Depardieu, narrates the story, while Depardieu's son Guillaume Depardieu plays the young Marais. The haunting sound of his instrument, the viol (viola da gamba), here played by Jordi Savall, is heard throughout the film and plays a major role in setting the mood. Though fictional, the story is based on historical characters, and what little is known about their lives is generally accurately portrayed. (Source)

 

[aligreto]

Tous les Matins du Monde (English: All the Mornings of the World) (1991) - French film w/ English subtitles about Marin Marais and Sainte-Colombe; brief summary below - the old Marais portrayed by Gérard Depardieu, and his younger self by his son Guillaume (1971-2008); Jean-Pierre Marielle as S-Colombe (other actors in link below); Nominations and Awards in second pic (from same link). 

"Apart from Savall, the musicians are Monserrat Figueras and Mari-Cristina Kiehr (sopranos), Christophe Coin and Jérôme Hantaï (viola da gamba), Rolf Lislevand (theorbo) and Pierre Hantaï (harpsichord and organ)." Prompted to stream this film from Amazon ($4 rental, and seen before) last night because I spent the day listening to my Marais collection, including the 5-disc set w/ Savall, Koopman,  and Hopkinson Smith.  Roger Ebert's review from 1992 HERE for those interested - probably a MUST see for those into this music.  Dave


 

I have seen that film a number of times, Dave, and I have always enjoyed it.

[SonicMan46]

I have seen that film a number of times, Dave, and I have always enjoyed it.

Hi Fergus - just my second time, but enjoyed; watched w/ wife who's not a big fan of viol music (although we did see Jordi Savall live decades ago) and thought that it was a little slow - debated whether to buy the HD film on Amazon ($4 vs. $13), but probably don't have a desire to see again.   Dave