Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

Is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels any good?  I'll never forget my dad watching this in the late 1980's dying laughing but as a teen, couldn't be interested to join in on the fun but it looks like it could be an enjoyable comedy.

I think it's fun.

[SonicMan46]

Is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels any good?  I'll never forget my dad watching this in the late 1980's dying laughing but as a teen, couldn't be interested to join in on the fun but it looks like it could be an enjoyable comedy.

Well, there are actually two films to consider: 1) Bedtime Story (1964) w/ Marlon Brando, David Niven, & Shirley Jones and 2) Remake - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) w/ Steve Martin, Michael Caine, & Glenne Headly.  I've seen both several times but don't own either; as to ratings, Dirty RS hits 89% (84% audience) on Rotten Tomatoes; not enough votes for the earlier film; on IMDB, 6.7/10 vs. 7.4/10, respectively - the newer movie is nearly 2 hours in length and could have been shorter - I like both (not enough to purchase though).  If you're into screwy comedies and like the actors involved, then both are worth seeing, however, the remake seems to get the better ratings.  Enjoy - Dave

 

[Karl Henning]

the newer movie is nearly 2 hours in length and could have been shorter

FWIW, I think the pacing and length are fine.

[Karl Henning]

It occurs to me, having seen and enjoyed both The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist, that I haven't seen The Green Mile (also directed by Frank Darabont and based on a Stephen King book. So, I'm fixin' to, but at three hours, it's too long for me to slip into the tray tonight. Roger Ebert's review.

• So, the long story (I don't promise that it will be super interesting) on two of my summer breaks from Wooster, I worked at Viking-Penguin (when they still had their Distribution Center in E. Rutherford, New Jersey) Stephen King was (still is?) one of their flagship authors, and this was the time of both Misery and It. Few people close to me were readers of King, but one was an old friend who (A) fancies himself a genius with something "important" to say about everything, and (B) at the time also fancied himself a budding writer. Anyway, said friend expressed admiration for King's writing. Now, I realize, in the first place that King is an enormous success (and nothing succeeds like success) and that, in the second, a lot of people near-ish me (including GMG'ers) think we'll of his writing. And, we should probably add that, for whatever passel of reasons, horror as a literary genre typically has little attraction for me, so mine is apt to be a "low-information" to uninformed opinion. Having the opportunity there in the Viking-Penguin warehouses, I made the occasional stab at reading King, and pace my friend, the writing qua writing failed to grab me, and I failed to get to any of the fright material, to form any opinion. Those were still days, too when I had practically no appetite for horror as a cinematic genre. I had seen Alien in the cinema, and I still remember near jumping out of my skin. At the time, I respected it, but was shy of liking it. The respect did result in my going to the cinema to see Jim Cameron's sequel. I had also seen The Shining broadcast on TV. Didn't suppose, then, that I would later really like it. Fast forward... I wound up watching The Shawshank Redemption on cable and liking it very much (though I may not have joined the "this is the greatest movie of all time" claque. It was illuming in that I now realized that I shouldn't pigeonhole King. Quite a bit later my sister turned me on to King's miniseries Kingdom Hospital, which has some horror elements, but is more a mystery cum subversive soap opera (stylishly done, but not "David Lynch Out There.") At whatever point that I was aware of The Green Mile, I suppose that I was subconsciously dismissive, both because King was the source, and because I can take or leave Tom Hanks. Well, I was wrong to be dismissive. It's a powerful and moving story, and the film is superbly executed (no pun intended.)

[VonStupp]

I think it's fun.

Quite, indeed!
VS

[George]

John Wick 4 - Disappointing. Not as bad as 3, but not as good as 1 and 2.

[brewski]

First time seeing Mel Brooks' High Anxiety since 1977, when it was released, and I recall liking it at the time. But this outing, not so much. Comedy is such an ephemeral art, and despite the great cast and a handful of really funny scenes, somehow the humor seems infrequent. I really admire Brooks, make no mistake, but this isn't quite holding up.



-Bruce

[Brian]

First time seeing Mel Brooks' High Anxiety since 1977, when it was released, and I recall liking it at the time. But this outing, not so much. Comedy is such an ephemeral art, and despite the great cast and a handful of really funny scenes, somehow the humor seems infrequent. I really admire Brooks, make no mistake, but this isn't quite holding up.



-Bruce

Yeah, I think that is the end of his winning streak. The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Silent Movie are greats. After that, the consistency really started to fall apart. Still, it was worth it for Brooks to make that movie because he got to have dinner with Hitchcock and the great director apparently sent him a congratulatory case of vintage champagne after High Anxiety premiered.

[Karl Henning]

Yeah, I think that is the end of his winning streak. The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Silent Movie are greats. After that, the consistency really started to fall apart. Still, it was worth it for Brooks to make that movie because he got to have dinner with Hitchcock and the great director apparently sent him a congratulatory case of vintage champagne after High Anxiety premiered.

Shy of his best work, yes. 

[Iota]

Well that was quite something. It felt more like a play than a film for large parts, and by the end seemed to achieve the white hot intensity that perhaps only really comes with live theatre, the climax being one of the more stirring things I've seen for a while.

I've never really paid much attention to Brendan Fraser, but on the basis of this he's an actor of some considerable power. Contributions from all  were very good.

[SonicMan46]

Memorial Day weekend in the US so put together a long list (about 50) of war-related films in my collection to watch a few; now Susan is picky on this topic but first up:

Tuskegee Airmen (1995) - synopsis and cast below; for me Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (the only 'real' person portrayed - see below) was amazingly impressive (check the Wiki link), retiring a 4 star Air Force general!  We're watch a few more 'Memorial Day' films, spousal choice.  Dave

P.S. for those interested, my collection list is attached - does not include everything ever made, and except for a couple all are all from pre-2000 - an eclectic mix covering most American wars and a variety of storylines.

The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps, that fought in World War II. The film was directed by Robert Markowitz and stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Besides the character of Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr. played by Andre Braugher, no other actual real-life Tuskegee airmen were portrayed in this film. Other featured Tuskegee Airmen characters are composites of the men with whom Williams served (middle pic on left). (Source)

   

[Karl Henning]

John Wick 4 - Disappointing. Not as bad as 3, but not as good as 1 and 2.

Thanks for this,  George. I'll watch 2, after all. Was it too cynical of me, to presume that the franchise would go south?

[Todd]

A Man Called Otto.  A treacly, entirely predictable tragicomedy about a grumpy old man with a heart of gold.  I can't imagine the Swedish original being any better, and I don't know if it includes the nod to contemporary American culture war politics that this one does.  I shan't find out.

[SonicMan46]

Continuing w/ Memorial Day viewing, last night:

Stalag 17 (1953) - summary & cast below; Holden won the Oscar for Best Actor - mixture of serious POW reality mixed w/ comedic interludes, such as the 'Hitler scene' below, second pic. Of course, the television series Hogan's Heroes (CBS, 1965–71) is based on a similar Stalag. Dave

Stalag 17 is an American war film, which tells the story of a group of American airmen confined with 40,000 prisoners in a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp "somewhere on the Danube". Their compound holds 630 sergeants, but the film focuses on one particular barracks, where the men come to suspect that one of their number is an informant. The film was directed and produced by Billy Wilder, who with Edwin Blum adapted the screenplay from the Broadway play of the same name. The play was written by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski, based on their experiences as prisoners in Stalag 17B in Austria. The film stars William Holden, Don Taylor, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Peter Graves, and Otto Preminger. Strauss and Lembeck appeared in the original Broadway production. (Source)

 

[Karl Henning]

Lovin' this!

[Karl Henning]

Lovin' this!

What I find is that the "pre-concert lecture" is a meal in itself, and I need to come back to the a actual performance another day. I'm entirely okay with that. 

[SonicMan46]

Continuing our Memorial Day war movie viewing - last night:

To Hell and Back (1955) - story of Audie Murphy (1925-1971) in WW II, as in first quote below; earned all of his medals before his 20th birthday (second quote).  Became a movie star w/ over 40 films to his credit.  Died in a private plane crash at age 45 years near Roanoke, Virginia (about 90 mins from where I live).  Highly recommended for war film buffs! Dave

To Hell and Back is a Technicolor and CinemaScope war film released in 1955. It was directed by Jesse Hibbs and stars Audie Murphy as himself. It is based on the 1949 autobiography of the same name and is an account of Murphy's World War II experiences as a soldier in the U.S. Army. The book was ghostwritten by his friend, David McClure, who served in the U.S. Army's Signal Corps during World War II. (Source)

On April 23, 1945, at the age of only 19, Murphy received the Medal of Honor for his actions. Though Murphy's heroism on January 26 was extraordinary, it was not the first time Murphy had distinguished himself. He had previously received over 20 awards for valor, including the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Star medals, and two Bronze Star medals for valor in Italy and France. After receiving the Medal of Honor, Murphy was widely celebrated as the most decorated American soldier in World War II and was featured on the cover of Life magazine. Murphy died on May 28, 1971 at the age of 45 in a plane crash near Roanoke, Virginia. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. (Source)

   

[BWV 1080]

Lesser known 70s noir w 18yo Melanie Griffith (kind of uncomfortable how much of 18Yo Melanie Griffith you get to see). Good film though

[George]

Lesser known 70s noir w 18yo Melanie Griffith (kind of uncomfortable how much of 18Yo Melanie Griffith you get to see). Good film though

I just read that she was 16 years old when they shot the film, though it was released 2 years later.

[BWV 1080]

I just read that she was 16 years old when they shot the film, though it was released 2 years later.

Wow, guess that was how they did things in the 70s