Last Movie You Watched

[relm1]

This evening, another about time item: Spartacus. As great as anticipated. I smiled to hear a couple of music cues that I've known forever, thanks to their use by the Firesign Theatre.

Have you ever seen Cleopatra (1963)?  I think the 4 or 5 hour directors cut is fantastic.  Great score too and the cast was made for these performances!

[Papy Oli]

Over the last 2-3 days, Four movies I tried for the first time

I didn't go beyond 45 min to 1 hour for any of them

Fellini's 8 & 1/2
Fellini's Dolce Vita

Both tiring and disjointed, overdubbing not helping either

Lynch's Blue Velvet. What a dragging affair...

Mad Max. Pointless.

(NB: Never seen any Fellini, Lynch or any Mad Max before).

[Karl Henning]

Have you ever seen Cleopatra (1963)?  I think the 4 or 5 hour directors cut is fantastic.  Great score too and the cast was made for these performances!

Yes, indeed!

[Karl Henning]

Over the last 2-3 days, Four movies I tried for the first time

I didn't go beyond 45 min to 1 hour for any of them

Fellini's 8 & 1/2
Fellini's Dolce Vita

Both tiring and disjointed, overdubbing not helping either

Oh, I really like these, esp. Otto e mezzo. I do need to be in the mood to settle in, though.

[Papy Oli]

Oh, I really like these, esp. Otto e mezzo. I do need to be in the mood to settle in, though.

Some visual aspects of his filming did catch my attention but the jerky editing and the sound imbalances were too distracting for my overall experience. What am I missing ? 

I have lined up some other unseen major movies for the coming weeks (Lawrence of Arabia, Schindler's list, 12 Angry Men... and two I have only seen dubbed in French yonks ago but never in original English: Papillon, The Graduate) . We'll see how these goes.

[Karl Henning]

Some visual aspects of his filming did catch my attention but the jerky editing and the sound imbalances were too distracting for my overall experience. What am I missing ?

I'd say, just let them rest, and sometime in future, try 'em again.

[Papy Oli]

I'd say, just let them rest, and sometime in future, try 'em again.

very wise, Fellini and Lynch goes on the resting pile with Boulez & Schnittke 

[Brian]

very wise, Fellini and Lynch goes on the resting pile with Boulez & Schnittke 

I have never understood Lynch. I can see why, visually and artistically, it must be interesting, but not for me. It's like hearing a recital of incredible poetry in a language I don't understand.

[DavidW]

I have never understood Lynch. I can see why, visually and artistically, it must be interesting, but not for me. It's like hearing a recital of incredible poetry in a language I don't understand.

Blue Velvet though isn't weird like Mulholland Drive though.  It is a good movie and a bit more conventional... I should rewatch it...

[DavidW]

Over the last 2-3 days, Four movies I tried for the first time

I didn't go beyond 45 min to 1 hour for any of them

Fellini's 8 & 1/2
Fellini's Dolce Vita

Both tiring and disjointed, overdubbing not helping either

Lynch's Blue Velvet. What a dragging affair...

Mad Max. Pointless.

(NB: Never seen any Fellini, Lynch or any Mad Max before).

Funny enough I really like all those movies!

[Karl Henning]

I have never understood Lynch. I can see why, visually and artistically, it must be interesting, but not for me. It's like hearing a recital of incredible poetry in a language I don't understand.

I enjoy his Dune, for a number of reasons, but of course for Lynch this film is atypically straightforward. The murder mystery of Twin Peaks I found a good fit for his penchant to be elliptical. It's partly a wonder that this became such a popular hit.

[DavidW]

I enjoy his Dune, for a number of reasons, but of course for Lynch this film is atypically straightforward. The murder mystery of Twin Peaks I found a good fit for his penchant to be elliptical. It's partly a wonder that this became such a popular hit.

Of course in Twin Peaks once the mystery resolved itself and it went to Lynch crazy town it was canceled on a cliff hanger!  And The Return was a critical darling that most people didn't watch.

[Karl Henning]

And The Return was a critical darling that most people didn't watch.

That's certainly fair.

[Cato]

Over the last 2-3 days, Four movies I tried for the first time

I didn't go beyond 45 min to 1 hour for any of them

Fellini's 8 & 1/2
Fellini's Dolce Vita

Both tiring and disjointed, overdubbing not helping either

Many moons ago I overheard my Classics professor engaged in a conversation with a colleague, who was extolling the benefits of spending time watching Fellini movies.

Professor X: "And so, if you see all of Fellini's films, you will know all about what he thinks of Life!"

My Professor: "Well, there's a problem with that, you see."

Professor X: "What could that be?"

My Professor: (wry, regretful smile) "I really don't care to know what Fellini thinks about Life, Death, or anything else." * 

(In fact, he had a fairly thick Southern accent, and the sentence was closer to "Ah rillah dohn't cayuh ta know whut Fahlleen-ee thinks abowt Laff, Dayuth, o-ah ennythin' a-yulse.") 

[JBS]

Over the last 2-3 days, Four movies I tried for the first time

I didn't go beyond 45 min to 1 hour for any of them

Fellini's 8 & 1/2
Fellini's Dolce Vita

Both tiring and disjointed, overdubbing not helping either

Lynch's Blue Velvet. What a dragging affair...

Mad Max. Pointless.

(NB: Never seen any Fellini, Lynch or any Mad Max before).

I've seen one Fellini film, Amarcord. I suggest trying that one when you're in the mood.  It's apparently bawdier than usual, and based on Fellini's own teenage years.

[Justice Roberts]

I've seen one Fellini film, Amarcord. I suggest trying that one when you're in the mood.  It's apparently bawdier than usual, and based on Fellini's own teenage years.

Love the movie!

[Justice Roberts]

Enjoyed the movie. It's not hero vs. villains. All the characters are ambiguous but lively and significant. Paradoxically, the movie/story doesn't make sense at all and yet it totally makes sense. Surprisingly, the music was very good- modern and sophisticated.

[Papy Oli]

Thank you for your takes on Fellini and Lynch 

Also noted about "Amarcord" @JBS , thank you!


TD: Last night, Nolan's Memento



Loved the chronological and reverse-order storytellings intertwining and their subtle merging for the concluding chapter. A mindfudge of sorts but most of it makes sort of sense eventually.

Read a couple of online reviews/analysis for further understanding and grasps what I would have missed. There's apparently a YT video of Nolan explaining the building up and meaning of the movie, I might watch that some time (then I read he also made Inception, now that was a mindfudge  Not seen Tenet which apparently is in the same vein ? )

[DavidW]

Not seen Tenet which apparently is in the same vein ? )

Memento is perfectly executed though, and Tenet while good is Nolan at his most indulgent.  I think that Tenet is a much weaker film.  Just IMO

[relm1]

Memento is perfectly executed though, and Tenet while good is Nolan at his most indulgent.  I think that Tenet is a much weaker film.  Just IMO

Totally agreed.  Nolan is not a great storyteller, gets too lost in his own cleverness.  Terrible audio mixes and poor story telling but at his best in his smaller scale films like Memento that have intrigue and drama without excess.  I will be interested in Oppenheimer, a story I adore already.