Last Movie You Watched

[SimonNZ]

Glad I gave this a second viewing, because I've almost completely reversed my position. Its not at all like its rushing or struggling to get through all the plot you need a miniseries to do justice, in fact its remarkable how leisurely and unhurried it is and how confident it is that it can move the story in just minimal gestures rather than big talky scenes. Though if you hadn't seen the miniseries or read the novel already I can't say how quickly lost you might be by the lack of clearer explanations.

When did Benedict Cumberbatch become a household name? Because I don't remember thinking of the young guy as him from the first viewing. Likewise Tom Hardy.

[relm1]

Glad I gave this a second viewing, because I've almost completely reversed my position. Its not at all like its rushing or struggling to get through all the plot you need a miniseries to do justice, in fact its remarkable how leisurely and unhurried it is and how confident it is that it can move the story in just minimal gestures rather than big talky scenes. Though if you hadn't seen the miniseries or read the novel already I can't say how quickly lost you might be by the lack of clearer explanations.

When did Benedict Cumberbatch become a household name? Because I don't remember thinking of the young guy as him from the first viewing. Likewise Tom Hardy.

I wish I get around to seeing this one of these days.  My big brother said the original film with Sir Alec Guiness was even better and that intrigued me because he was always right.  He also said Dr. Who (1960's) was better than Star Trek and I still haven't seen an episode of that show!  One day I need to see these.

[Cato]

I wish I get around to seeing this one of these days.  My big brother said the original film with Sir Alec Guinness was even better and that intrigued me because he was always right.  He also said Dr. Who (1960's) was better than Star Trek and I still haven't seen an episode of that show!  One day I need to see these.

Your "big brother" is probably right, although I have not seen the version above.

But it will be difficult to beat Alec Guiness!

Speaking of whom, recently we re-watched a classic from David Lean:



Over 40 years old now!  It is difficult (for us) to believe that Judy Davis is now old enough (70 yrs.) to play Peggy Ashcroft's role of Mrs. Moore, who was 76 or 77 at the time.

Peggy Ashcroft had been a great stage actress, but was in some classic movies earlier in her career, e.g. The 39 Steps (one of the early successes of Alfred Hitchcock ) and The Nun's Story with Audrey Hepburn.

We had not watched it in some time, but Mrs. Cato's best friend had never seen it, so we had to fill that gap in her cinematic experience!

I was even more impressed by Alec Guinness as the Indian professor/philosopher, and by the evocation of mystery, especially erotic mystery, throughout the movie.  David Lean, of course, became a master of the wide-screen camera shot, and those are used - sparingly to be sure - to great effect for establishing an atmosphere of strange and arcane happenings.

The great Victor Banerjee is a wonder, portraying Dr. Aziz with an endearing, child-like sensitivity.

I should mention: I find this version of the story preferable to E. M. Forster's novel, and that I have the same preference for David Lean's Dr. Zhivago over Boris Pasternak's original story.  In both, I found deeper, more compelling characterizations and situations than in the books.

[Karl Henning]

Needing a palate-cleanser from Der Ring, I'm re-watching the 1939 Of Mice and Men with Burgess Meredith as George, Lon Chaney, Jr as Lennie and Betty Field as Mae.

[San Antone]

Hannah and Her Sisters



Among my favorites from Allen.

[T. D.]

[AnotherSpin]

Ah, Ma Mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan, a cracking film about love that's bigger than life itself. True love, mind you, not the soppy stuff about shagging. It's got God, a pop icon, and enough French flair to make your heart do the twist. No fluffy romance here, just proper, mad, glorious devotion. Jolly good film.

[Roasted Swan]

My £4 a ticket local cinema is showing this this week;



Set in 1916 its about a small Yorkshire town's choral society trying to put on a concert despite the loss of so many male singers to the Front Line.  They decide to perform The Dream of Gerontius.  The script is by Alan Bennett and its directed ny Nicholas Hytner. 

My wife enjoyed it more than me.  A strong British cast, some nice typically Bennett(ian) one-liners but the whole film feels out of time and flawed in terms of characters and place.  So set in 1916 with very much 2020-style attitudes/morals.  For some reason they have Elgar turn up (having driven in an open top car from Manchester an hour away in full Doctorial robes from an investiture at the University).  Then they make him slightly pervy - offering the young woman who is going to sing The Angel (why is she cast as a soprano not a contralto?) access to lessons in return for implied "favours". 

Ralph Fiennes is a fine actor - can't conduct AT ALL (despite having a coach in the credits!) and he seems a bit weary throughout.  None of that intensity that marks his finest roles.  Nicholas Hytner thinks it would be a good idea to do a "semi-staged" version of the work which has some interesting basic ideas; Gerontius = Soldier, Angel = Nurse but it all feels very "National Theatre" not real-world let alone 1916.  That concept works because in the film you get tiny little filleted excerpts which makes for some striking images/equivalences but would be impossible to make coherent through an entire performance. 

The closing sequence of the latest group of young men departing by train to the front line is powerful as it is accompanied by the Elder/Halle/Coote recording of the Angel's Farewell and is genuinely moving (a fine musical performance).

One of those cosy period films that tries to have a wider message but fails.  I really hoped it would be better than this.....

[Karl Henning]

Needing a palate-cleanser from Der Ring, I'm re-watching the 1939 Of Mice and Men with Burgess Meredith as George, Lon Chaney, Jr as Lennie and Betty Field as Mae.

And, what I had forgotten: music by Aaron Copland. 

[Madiel]

Hail, Caesar!



Oh yes, this is SUCH a Coen Brothers film.

And frequently very funny. Ultimately it does feel a little disjointed, and even by the standards of this stuff the 2nd of Channing Tatum's two big scenes is completely ridiculous, but I had a good time.

The film looks fantastic, a love letter to bad Hollywood movies. I'm sure there were some things where making it look dated was a heck of a lot of work.

[Cato]

My £4 a ticket local cinema is showing this this week;



Set in 1916 its about a small Yorkshire town's choral society trying to put on a concert despite the loss of so many male singers to the Front Line.  They decide to perform The Dream of Gerontius.  The script is by Alan Bennett and its directed ny Nicholas Hytner. 

My wife enjoyed it more than me.  A strong British cast, some nice typically Bennett(ian) one-liners but the whole film feels out of time and flawed in terms of characters and place.  So set in 1916 with very much 2020-style attitudes/morals.  For some reason they have Elgar turn up (having driven in an open top car from Manchester an hour away in full Doctorial robes from an investiture at the University).  Then they make him slightly pervy - offering the young woman who is going to sing The Angel (why is she cast as a soprano not a contralto?) access to lessons in return for implied "favours". 

Ralph Fiennes is a fine actor - can't conduct AT ALL (despite having a coach in the credits!) and he seems a bit weary throughout.  None of that intensity that marks his finest roles.  Nicholas Hytner thinks it would be a good idea to do a "semi-staged" version of the work which has some interesting basic ideas; Gerontius = Soldier, Angel = Nurse but it all feels very "National Theatre" not real-world let alone 1916.  That concept works because in the film you get tiny little filleted excerpts which makes for some striking images/equivalences but would be impossible to make coherent through an entire performance. 

The closing sequence of the latest group of young men departing by train to the front line is powerful as it is accompanied by the Elder/Halle/Coote recording of the Angel's Farewell and is genuinely moving (a fine musical performance).

One of those cosy period films that tries to have a wider message but fails.  I really hoped it would be better than this.....

Your review reminds me of a movie from 1925, The Big Parade, one of the greatest silent movies ever made.  I saw a truncated version 70 years ago, and it was an eye opener in so many ways, even on an early television set.

Here is one of the scenes which stamped itself into my memory:

The actor, John Gilbert, was one of the biggest stars in the Silent Era: supposedly his voice was not what people had been imagining, but the truth was much more complicated, involving alcoholism and deliberate sabotaging of his career via studio heads and fellow actors.  He died before age 40 of alcoholism.

The actress, Renee Adoree, (yes, she was French, and what a name!), also had a great career, but died early in the sound era at age 31 (or 35, depending on the source) of a "lung disease."