Last Movie You Watched

[Karl Henning]

I'm pivoting on Cary Grant and watching Notorious.

So, poking around the disc's menu, I found that there are two commentaries. I wound up not watching the movie, per se, but listening to (I suppose) the same commentary I must have listened to in the past, but long enough ago that it sounded new. Tonight: the feature itself!

[Karl Henning]

So, poking around the disc's menu, I found that there are two commentaries. I wound up not watching the movie, per se, but listening to (I suppose) the same commentary I must have listened to in the past, but long enough ago that it sounded new. Tonight: the feature itself!

Ingrid Bergman: "Why won't you let me be happy?"
Cary Grant: "No one's stopping you."

[Karl Henning]

Ingrid Bergman: "Why won't you let me be happy?"
Cary Grant: "No one's stopping you."

The good people of the Criterion Design Dept had some good fun this time.

[Cato]

Given that last week we had seen the Porky Pig-Daffy Duck epic The Day the Earth Blew Up, I thought we had to see one of its ancestors, The Day the Earth Stood Still, with the great score by Bernard Herrmann.

"Gort!  Klaatu, barada, nikto!" 

Klaatu's unnamed planet is "250 million miles away," which today would undoubtedly be changed to 250 million light-years.

The action takes place in Washington D.C., which leads to a highly ironic line, when "Mr. Carpenter" says that any visitor would want "to orient himself in a strange environment."

"There's nothing strange about Washington, Mr. Carpenter." 

One quibble, which I have always wondered about: Gort, the robot 8-feet tall, who moves slowly and deliberately, is able to rescue Klaatu from a prison and carry him (how many blocks/miles?) back to the ship...and not one person follows him during all that time?  With the entire city awash in soldiers looking for him?

Okay, maybe he used an invisibility shield...

Otherwise, a marvelous movie, especially with Patricia Neal, who always adds dramatic gravitas to her roles.

The enhanced sound (via THX) allowed me to notice that Herrmann used a (church?) organ at various points in the score, although that Theremin usually gets all the attention!     

In high school, we had an English teacher (a Marianist Brother), who drove his students crazy by finding "Christ-figures" in every novel or short story under discussion!  He would undoubtedly have found Klaatu to be a "Christ-figure" and so, a church organ in the score would be appropriate!  😇

Also recently, another movie classic, also with a great score, this time by Trevor Jones (Randy Edelman was brought in for some scenes at the end for some reason):




Excellent movie!

[SonicMan46]

Blazing Saddles (1974) - boy I was still a radiology resident when this Brooks classic was released - as funny as ever!  Short synopsis below and what a cast!  Dave 

Blazing Saddles is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Bergman. The film stars Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Brooks appears in two supporting roles: Governor William J. Le Petomane, and a Yiddish-speaking Native American chief; he also dubs lines for one of Lili Von Shtupp's backing troupe and a cranky moviegoer. The supporting cast includes Slim Pickens, Alex Karras and David Huddleston, as well as Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman. Bandleader Count Basie has a cameo as himself, appearing with his orchestra. (Source)

 

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Blazing Saddles (1974) - boy I was still a radiology resident when this Brooks classic was released - as funny as ever!  Short synopsis below and what a cast!  Dave 

 

A bonafide classic! Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs are two of my other favorites from Mel Brooks.

[Cato]

A bonafide classic! Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs are two of my other favorites from Mel Brooks.

Mel Brooks has said, sadly, that the humorless atmosphere of today's kulcher, the inability  to recognize satire, would prevent Blazing Saddles from being made today.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41337151


Speaking of comedy...in recent days, the best of the Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies: The Return of the Pink Panther.

Watch poor Catherine Schell trying not to laugh most of the time: in one scene director Blake Edwards gave up and just let her laugh ("Guy Gadbois" in the nightclub).

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Mel Brooks has said, sadly, that the humorless atmosphere of today's kulcher, the inability  to recognize satire, would prevent Blazing Saddles from being made today.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41337151


Speaking of comedy...in recent days, the best of the Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies: The Return of the Pink Panther.

Watch poor Catherine Schell trying not to laugh most of the time: in one scene director Blake Edwards gave up and just let her laugh ("Guy Gadbois" in the nightclub).

Yes, Blazing Saddles would definitely not be a movie made today. No question about it. Oh, I love those Pink Panther films. So hilarious!

[Karl Henning]

Started Spellbound last night, will wrap it up now. I haven't watched it as many times as others in the Hitchcock canon, but I like it a lot. I smiled last night at the point when I recalled who the actual villain would be.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Started Spellbound last night, will wrap it up now. I haven't watched it as many times as others in the Hitchcock canon, but i like it a lot. I smiled last night at the point when I recalled who the actual villain would be.

Very nice, @Karl Henning. I'm going to have to watch this one soon.

Oh and @Cato, I forgot to mention to you that I love The Last of the Mohicans. Great film --- this scene in particular:

[Cato]

Very nice, @Karl Henning. I'm going to have to watch this one soon.

Oh and @Cato, I forgot to mention to you that I love The Last of the Mohicans. Great film --- this scene in particular:

Yes, very powerful!  I was always impressed by the way the movie portrays the tensions already in the air twenty years before the Revolutionary War between the British and "the colonials."

[ChamberNut]

I've always marvelled at Wes Studi's performance in this great film!

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Yes, very powerful!  I was always impressed by the way the movie portrays the tensions already in the air twenty years before the Revolutionary War between the British and "the colonials."

Absolutely. This film has long been a favorite of mine.

[Karl Henning]

Started Spellbound last night, will wrap it up now. I haven't watched it as many times as others in the Hitchcock canon, but I like it a lot. I smiled last night at the point when I recalled who the actual villain would be.

I understand (and largely sympathize) with the commentary of regret that Dalí's originally elaborate plot of the Dream Sequence got down-sized. (I mean, more Dalí would undoubtedly be of interest.) But the sequence as we have it is entire and brilliant, and serves the film.

[Cato]

I understand (and largely sympathize) with the commentary of regret that Dalí's originally elaborate plot of the Dream Sequence got down-sized. (I mean, more D a l í  would undoubtedly be of interest.) But the sequence as we have it is entire and brilliant, and serves the film.

Like needing more cowbell, one always wants more D a l í 

[Number Six]

Jewish Superhero Comedy double feature last night:

You Don't Mess with the Zohan
The Hebrew Hammer

Love them both. Seen them a zillion times.

[SimonNZ]

Not watching:



Recently put on what I thought was Baz Luhman's directors commentary for his Romeo Plus Juliet. Turns out this was the Special Music Edition DVD and his was one on many commentary tracks that talk exclusively about just the soundtrack. Seriously. Turned off after thirty minutes, but I did learn that they had to use a soundalike for "O Fortuna" near the beginning because the Orff people feel it has been detrimentally overused and are in an extended moratorium on allowing it in film, tv and advertising.

Picked up a cheap copy of the regular dvd and will be playing the regular commentary tonight.

[SonicMan46]

Northwest Passage (1940) - short summary below - a favorite from my boyhood; Tracy great as Robert Rogers (1731-1795) - action occurring during the French & Indian War - gorgeous color and scenery (filmed in Idaho).

Come September (1961) - an enjoyable romantic comedy, now nearly 70 years old!  Darin (in his film debut) and Dee met on the set and were shortly married - he wrote several songs for the film including 'Multiplication' at the bottom.  Dave

Northwest Passage, an American Western film in Technicolor, directed by King Vidor. It stars Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, Walter Brennan and Ruth Hussey. The film is set in 1759, and tells a partly fictionalized version of the real-life St. Francis Raid by Rogers' Rangers, led by Robert Rogers (played by Tracy) on the primarily Abenaki village of St. Francis, in modern-day Canada. The screenplay, by Laurence Stallings and Talbot Jennings, is based on the 1937 historical novel Northwest Passage by Kenneth Roberts. (Source)

Come September is a 1961 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. The film was the first produced by Hudson's film production company, 7 Pictures Corporation, in co-production with Raoul Walsh Enterprises. (Source)

 

[Madiel]

Not watching:



Recently put on what I thought was Baz Luhman's directors commentary for his Romeo Plus Juliet. Turns out this was the Special Music Edition DVD and his was one on many commentary tracks that talk exclusively about just the soundtrack. Seriously. Turned off after thirty minutes, but I did learn that they had to use a soundalike for "O Fortuna" near the beginning because the Orff people feel it has been detrimentally overused and are in an extended moratorium on allowing it in film, tv and advertising.

Picked up a cheap copy of the regular dvd and will be playing the regular commentary tonight.

That... is a weird product to even exist.

I mean, I have the soundtrack albums (both of them, the score one and the songs one). I don't know why I would want to hear a commentary on it though.

[Christo]

Not watching:

errr ..., is this all you're not watching?