Last Movie You Watched

[SimonNZ]

Particularly strong performances from the conspirators and especially Richard Pascoe as Brutus, to the extent that I have to wonder why he wasn't given major roles in everything and have become a household name.

Some very inventive photography and carefully choreographed long moving takes, in contrast to the more standard framing in other installments in the series.

[George]

Would have liked more about the other artists (very Beatle-heavy), but still enjoyable.

[Brian]

And now, enter John Williams.

Is it your first time? I totally enjoyed this weekend's rewatch.

[Karl Henning]

Is it your first time? I totally enjoyed this weekend's rewatch.

It is, indeed.

[Karl Henning]

Witness for the Prosecution. I'm already delighted that Elsa Lanchester is in the cast!

Oh, this was great fun!

[drogulus]

     I watched The Trials Of Oscar Wilde, a film from 1960 that deals with the subject with considerable maturity. Peter Finch plays Wilde and he's magnificent. His ferocious adversary Edward Carson is played by James Mason.

     

[SimonNZ]

I was left oddly unconvinced that this guy was worth a documentary, both as a dancer and as a supposedly "bad boy" character.

[relm1]

The Last Samuri was on tv a few days ago.  Enjoyable.  Very beautiful sets and locations, pretty good story but basically Dances with Wolves (disillusioned civil war era veteran with a death wish is assigned a remote outpost assignment to understand the savage natives, ends up slowly accepting their transformative lifestyle and values ultimately siding with them gaining more than acceptance as one of them as they fight united against the imperialist encroachment to their demise).  The movie made me curious about Samuri.  I wonder if there are any more of them still around today. 

[Karl Henning]

The Last Samuri was on tv a few days ago.  Enjoyable.  Very beautiful sets and locations, pretty good story but basically Dances with Wolves (disillusioned civil war era veteran with a death wish is assigned a remote outpost assignment to understand the savage natives, ends up slowly accepting their transformative lifestyle and values ultimately siding with them gaining more than acceptance as one of them as they fight united against the imperialist encroachment to their demise).  The movie made me curious about Samuri.  I wonder if there are any more of them still around today. 

I should re-watch this.

[SonicMan46]

The Enemy Below (1957) - synopsis and cast below - German sub vs. American destroyer in the Atlantic - still packs a punch - recommended if you're into naval war films.

North to Alaska (1960) - summary and cast below - Wayne's more 'comedic' films tend to be ignored, such as this one - has been a favorite of mine for years; an ensemble performance with even Fabian doing well, and the beautiful Capucine.  Dave

The Enemy Below is a 1957 DeLuxe Color war film in CinemaScope about a battle between an American destroyer escort and a German U-boat during World War II. Produced and directed by Dick Powell, the movie stars Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens as the American and German commanding officers, respectively. The film was based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Denys Rayner, a British naval officer involved in antisubmarine warfare throughout the Battle of the Atlantic. (Source)

North to Alaska is a 1960 comedic Western/Northern film directed by Henry Hathaway and John Wayne. The picture stars Wayne along with Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, Fabian, and Capucine. The script is based on the 1939 play Birthday Gift by Ladislas Fodor and is set during the Nome gold rush. The film featured Johnny Horton's song "North to Alaska", sung during the opening titles, setting up an introduction to the story. (Source)

   

[relm1]

Today, I watched Hitchcock's The Man who Knew too Much (1956) with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day.  I LOVED it!! Part of the reason why is it starts off with everyman Tom Hanks...grr, I mean Jimmy Stewart in complete control of his environment but due to plot issues, loses awareness and finds himself completely out of control.  This is a very satisfying plot device.  Having never seen this film before today, I was completely engulphed and absolutely loved this movie and of course the score with its fantastic concert music as a plot device featuring the magnificent Arthur Benjamin Storm Clouds cantata as a plot device! 

[Iota]

I enjoyed this very much the first time I watched it, and enjoyed it very much the second time too. Bradley Cooper as an actor is just so believable, and he's very decent with an editing knife too. Lady Gaga is none too shabby either, living with Cooper all the way, and the intensity with which she invests a song with heart and soul is something to behold. I was scooped up and whisked away more than once by proceedings. : )

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I enjoyed this very much the first time I watched it, and enjoyed it very much the second time too. Bradley Cooper as an actor is just so believable, and he's very decent with an editing knife too. Lady Gaga is none too shabby either, living with Cooper all the way, and the intensity with which she invests a song with heart and soul is something to behold. I was scooped up and whisked away more than once by proceedings. : )

If I'm remembering correctly, he wrote some of the music in the movie--as well as Lady G.?

PD

[Karl Henning]

Network (1976) - synopsis and cast below; saw this film on release and enjoyed; this time around as 'oldsters' not as enthralled w/ the 'screaming and yelling' but still has a punch and worth seeing for the final performance of Finch and the excellent ensemble acting.

They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) - for me, an unprecedented documentary on WW I (Great War) w/ unbelievable colorization, widescreen format, and historic voice recordings - see description below and check the link for more - we saw this on release in the theater (and now a $6 HD buy on Amazon) - a MUST see IMHO - Dave

   

Just watched They Shall Not Grow Old, Dave. Stunning! 🎵 inky-dinky parlez-vous

[Iota]

If I'm remembering correctly, he wrote some of the music in the movie--as well as Lady G.?

PD

Yes that's right, though as you can see in the link below he was generally co-writing with others, including Lady G, Lukas Nelson (son of Willie) and Mark Ronson e.g.
The songs certainly pack a punch both with their stellar performance, and with their appearance in the narrative like arias, magnifying and expanding the dramatic moment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_(2018_soundtrack)
(scroll down to where it says 'Track listing')

[Roasted Swan]

I enjoyed this very much the first time I watched it, and enjoyed it very much the second time too. Bradley Cooper as an actor is just so believable, and he's very decent with an editing knife too. Lady Gaga is none too shabby either, living with Cooper all the way, and the intensity with which she invests a song with heart and soul is something to behold. I was scooped up and whisked away more than once by proceedings. : )

Agree completely - I found this far more compelling and involving than I expected.  Both leads are excellent and the musical elements are genuinely impressive.

[Karl Henning]

Poltergeist. Starting with "The Star-Spangled Banner" threw me off, I wondered if the disc had gone to the preview of another title. Can't believe she was going to flush the bird down the loo. The Star Wars stuff in the children's room was cute. Great fun! When Diane was in the tub, there was definitely a Ripley in the shuttle vibe.

[relm1]

Poltergeist. Starting with "The Star-Spangled Banner" threw me off, I wondered if the disc had gone to the preview of another title. Can't believe she was going to flush the bird down the loo. The Star Wars stuff in the children's room was cute. Great fun! When Diane was in the tub, there was definitely a Ripley in the shuttle vibe.

Love that movie and score.  Very creepy clown in the kids room.  I read once that they used real corpses at the end without telling the cast but don't know if that was just marketing ("a film so realistic, we actually killed people in the making.  Enjoy this film...if you dare!")

[SonicMan46]

Love that movie and score.  Very creepy clown in the kids room.  I read once that they used real corpses at the end without telling the cast but don't know if that was just marketing ("a film so realistic, we actually killed people in the making.  Enjoy this film...if you dare!")

Well, real skeletons (not corpses) were used - story HERE - also the adorable younger daughter played by Heather O'Rourke tragically died at 12 years of age (full story at link).  Dave

BTW - I posted on my new 4K version of this film a number of pages back - worth a purchase if you have the hardware.

[SonicMan46]

Any William Holden (1918-1981) fans?  Last few nights, I've watched the two films below - at the bottom, a list of his 15 Best Movies (link there) - watched the first two also recently; own the top 10 and several more (some not on that list that I enjoy):

Sunset Boulevard (1950) - summary and cast below; 11 Oscar nominations; ratings: 4*/4*, Maltin and 4*/4*, Roger Ebert (his REVIEW) - don't watch often but a MUST if never seen.

The Wild Bunch (1969) - synopsis and cast below; often in the top 10 of 'Best Westerns' - another 4*/4* Ebert REVIEW - highly recommended.  Dave

Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 American black comedy film noir directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, and produced and co-written by Charles Brackett. The film stars William Holden as a struggling screenwriter, and Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a former silent-film star who draws him into her deranged fantasy world, where she dreams of making a triumphant return to the screen. Erich von Stroheim plays Max von Mayerling, her devoted butler, and Nancy Olson, Jack Webb, Lloyd Gough, and Fred Clark appear in supporting roles. Sunset Boulevard was nominated for 11 Academy Awards (including all four acting categories) and won three. It is often ranked among the greatest movies ever made. (Source)

The Wild Bunch is a 1969 American epic Revisionist Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Ben Johnson and Warren Oates. The plot concerns an aging outlaw gang on the Mexico–United States border trying to adapt to the changing modern world of 1913. The film was controversial because of its graphic violence. The screenplay was co-written by Peckinpah and others. The Wild Bunch was filmed in Mexico. The film is noted for intricate, multi-angle, quick-cut editing using normal and slow motion images, a revolutionary cinema technique in 1969. (Source)

   

Top 15 William Holden Films Ranked HERE
01 - Stalag 17 (1953)
02 - Network (1976)
03 - Suset Blvd. (1950)
04 - Wild Bunch (1969)
05 - The Bridge on the River Kwai (1954)
06 - Sabrina (1954)
07 - Born Yesterday (1950)
08 - Executive Suite (1954)
09 - The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)
10 - Picnic (1955)
11 - The Country Girl (1954)
12 - Our Town (1940)
13 - The Towering Inferno (1974)
14 - Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
15 - Golden Boy (1939)