Last Movie You Watched

[Lilas Pastia]

I heard about the Spielberg-Tintin film, too. Should that ever come to something, I trust Spielberg to make good on all aspects of the books.

Speaking of which, Hergé was a big opera fan. The Tintin series are larded with opera quotes, and not just when the unsinkable Bianca Castafiore is featured. Note, too that as an illustrator, Hergé often used real pictures to base his own creations on. Every little detail had its root in reality.

Compare this, from a 1938 National Geographic picture
(Machu Picchu had been discovered only a few years before):
With this Tintin pic:

[LaciDeeLeBlanc]

[Kullervo]

Fury (1936)

Directed by Fritz Lang



This is the first "talkie" film I've seen by Lang, and while it's not as huge in scope as his earlier silents, it's still very masterful. An excellent commentary on lynch mob mentality which is still very timely today. Great acting as well from all parties involved — the supporting actors really shine here. Recommended.

[Bogey]

Fury (1936)

Directed by Fritz Lang

This is the first "talkie" film I've seen by Lang, and while it's not as huge in scope as his earlier silents, it's still very masterful. An excellent commentary on lynch mob mentality which is still very timely today. Great acting as well from all parties involved — the supporting actors really shine here. Recommended.

I watched this a year or two ago and actually did not care for it much....I cannot recall all the reasons at this time, but I do remember thinking that that I never bought Tracy's acting in this one.  Do not know if I felt it was a miscast issue or just poor acting on his part, but I remember it was pretty painful viewing IMO after he became an "angry" man.  Just my take though.  Glad you enjoyed it.

Another Lang film that fell short....and I mean way short for me, was Scarlet Street (1945) with Edward G. Robinson.  That approached "pure garbage".  I did however enjoy his Big Heat (1953) with Glenn Ford.....but not enough to watch it again anytime soon.

[Harry]

From the Eric Rohmer box, I played two films.

Le Signe du Lion. 1959.

La Collectioneuse 1967.

and as a somewhat lighter genre, Steve Martins Roxanne, I love that scene in the beginning, meeting these two guys somewhat drunk, that make a joke about his not so very large nose, he then plays with them, in a most amusing way.

[Kullervo]

I watched this a year or two ago and actually did not care for it much....I cannot recall all the reasons at this time, but I do remember thinking that that I never bought Tracy's acting in this one.  Do not know if I felt it was a miscast issue or just poor acting on his part, but I remember it was pretty painful viewing IMO after he became an "angry" man.  Just my take though.  Glad you enjoyed it.

Another Lang film that fell short....and I mean way short for me, was Scarlet Street (1945) with Edward G. Robinson.  That approached "pure garbage".  I did however enjoy his Big Heat (1953) with Glenn Ford.....but not enough to watch it again anytime soon.

Well I agree that Tracy was a bit melodramatic, but as I said before, the supporting cast really shines — especially the sheriff (played by Edward Ellis, who I was not familiar with until now).

[Haffner]

and as a somewhat lighter genre, Steve Martins Roxanne, I love that scene in the beginning, meeting these two guys somewhat drunk, that make a joke about his not so very large nose, he then plays with them, in a most amusing way.

I love Roxanne, the movie. But I love your signature of the Blessed Mother even more!

[Maciek]

Hi Andy! How is your extensive musical education going?

[George]

I love Roxanne, the movie. But I love your signature of the Blessed Mother even more!

Ello, Andy!

Check PM for surprise! 

[Haffner]

Hi Andy! How is your extensive musical education going?

Grueling work!

Thank you so much for asking! My friends here at GMG keep me coming back!

[Haffner]

Ello, Andy!

Check PM for surprise! 

JA!

'ellos, George!

[George]

Thank you so much for asking! My friends here at GMG keep me coming back!

...and we'll continue to do so! 

[rockerreds]

I just watched Monte Hellman's "Two Lane Blacktop" (1971), which I hadn't seen in many years.  The quintessence of the existential road movie--there's still no "road movie" that even comes close.  Many will undoubtedly find it tedious and/or pretentious, but it has an authenticity of which Hollywood today is incapable.  Well, I shouldn't say "authenticity," because that word inevitably leads to controversy...but it does have "something" which simply doesn't exist anymore.


andrew

I wrote a term paper on that movie in college.

[rockerreds]

For Love of the Game

[Harry]

I love Roxanne, the movie. But I love your signature of the Blessed Mother even more!

Well thank you Andy, it makes me glad you noticed, and are touched by the Mother of god.

[Mozart]

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg.

I have seen it 3 times now, its a good movie/musical whatever

[Lilas Pastia]

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg.

I have seen it 3 times now, its a good movie/musical whatever

A real classic. Anyone still listening to the Julie Andrews marshmallow musicals should fall for this bittersweet, unhappy ending one.

[Maciek]

I love it!

[sidoze]

Another wonderful film by Ceylan, and I'm happy to see that Artifical Eye have just released two of his earlier films. I feel this wasn't quite as good as Uzak however. It seemed sparer, even more refined in dialogue and setting than the latter--which is saying something as that was already pared down to a transparent eyeball. Without a pregnant mise-en-scene it's a very risky venture, and I found there were several times when, in spite of his beautiful cinematography, the visual stage itself struck me as lacking meaning or emotion or a sense of purpose to add weight and impetus to the picture. In a word I found that at times it didn't resonate, either directly or in a larger encompassing sense. That happened few times though, and I mention it only because I didn't have that feeling while watching Uzak (though I might if I watch it for a third time, I don't know).

There's no doubt Ceylan draws heavily on his own life and experiences in both films, everything from budding (albeit already on the verge of failing) film directors and photographers to family and marital relationships (he and his wife star in the film, and I believe his parents appear too) to a certain insuppressible wanderlust which torments the characters. Like with Uzak the film focused on just two characters, and like with Uzak it ended by staying with the one who was deserted. There were a few other times when I felt he wasn't exactly taking giant strides forward either, such as the scene when the male lead crumples up the paper containing the taxi driver's address (I believe that happened in Uzak at least -- the action was entirely predictable, so I presume it must have) and the whole thing about finding it hard to speak to a person very close to you (the alienation thing). These aren't criticisms which I thought detracted from the film. They're merely observations of duplications from one of his films to the next, and it seems all directors have these leitmotifs: Tarkovsky, Tarr, Makk, and countless others have their own obsessions. One moment I do feel like criticisng though is the van scene when he tells her he's a changed man. Surely he could have avoided a cliche like that, or acted it out somehow or just said something else similar. To say it bluntly might be realistic, and that's admirable and all, but not if it reaches a sense of realistic banality.

This film is definitely worth seeing, though I'd suggest viewing Uzak first, even if it's not as visually beautiful as this one was at times (Ceylan's photography is worth viewing on his website -- some gorgeous, striking pictures are there).

Best scene of the film for me: no doubt the sex scene about half way through. In a matter of two to three minutes it encompassed everything from farce to sheer horror.

[Harry]

During my workout I saw this beautiful comedy.
Juliette Binoche is ravishing.