Last Movie You Watched

[Octave]

LE CERCLE ROUGE
Jean-Pierre Melville

I've been meaning for months to post about Melville's final film, UN FLIC (1972).  (Sometimes lost in the shuffle under one unfortunate English title, DIRTY MONEY.)

I thought it was extraordinary.  Still not sure how much of this is me just finally warming up to his more-overtly-policier type movies, and how much of it is this particular film.  Even with some of the things that irritate me still in place---e.g. being forced to go through an action 'in real time' and finding absolutely no revelations in it, in this case a guy changing clothes on a train in an otherwise quite tense and engaging train heist sequence, patently-fake helicopter and all (and I loved the fake helicopter)----this film brought me into a certain twilight mood, making emotional sense for me, finally, of the fuss I've heard over his movies.  (And actually, I found it easy to really like some of his earlier films, though I see the opinion in this thread, years back, has not been quite as warm.) 

Notable was an early shot-reverse-shot with a corpse (double-rhymed later with a Van Gogh).  Also notable was the rather shockingly cruel treatment (by Alain Delon, our protagonist) of a transgender informant that really impressed me as an ethical standpoint taken by the director/film (how would I ever know this?), though it's not enunciated with Spielberg certainty.  ("First, cut your hair. You damn fairy!  From now on, dress as a man.  I'll charge you with being a fag cruising the streets.  You'll get 6 months.")  One comment made in this thread about iirc LEON MORIN was that it seemed more concerned with evoking a time period than with developing a certain character with psychological depth.  If this is the case in the present film, pertinent to the state of sexual politics and the French police state c.1972, it's a chilling reminder.  Apropos all this, the informant is strikingly beautiful (albeit in the traditional way), and I will never see Melville's floor shows the same way again.  Now I am thinking back to the Afro-orientalism of a previous film's show, and wondering if the director was a bit more ahead of the curve than I'd thought.

Anyway, completely aside from the gender politics (ostensibly a really tiny part of the film), I was knocked out enough to avoid bringing it up until I'd seen it again, but the moment is ripe.  I am hoping several other Melville flicks will be more enjoyable for me now.

[The new erato]

I never could understand the plot of The Big Sleep. I doubt a Blue Ray release could fix that.

[Octave]

I never could understand the plot of The Big Sleep. I doubt a Blue Ray release could fix that.

But the muddle has more clarity in Blu.


"Honey?!  Where's my honey?"

[mc ukrneal]

But the muddle has more clarity in Blu.


"Honey?!  Where's my honey?"

True. But with Bogart and Bacall, the plot is almost irrelevent - so much fun just to watch them.

Erato - you might enjoy this quote from wikipedia:

At the time of its 1946 release, Bosley Crowther said the film leaves the viewer "confused and dissatisfied", points out that Bacall is a "dangerous looking female" ..."who still hasn't learned to act" and notes:

The Big Sleep is one of those pictures in which so many cryptic things occur amid so much involved and devious plotting that the mind becomes utterly confused. And, to make it more aggravating, the brilliant detective in the case is continuously making shrewd deductions which he stubbornly keeps to himself. What with two interlocking mysteries and a great many characters involved, the complex of blackmail and murder soon becomes a web of utter bafflement. Unfortunately, the cunning script-writers have done little to clear it at the end.

Time called the film "wakeful fare for folks who don't care what is going on, or why, so long as the talk is hard and the action harder" but insists that "the plot's crazily mystifying, nightmare blur is an asset, and only one of many"; it calls Bogart "by far the strongest" of its assets and says Hawks, "even on the chaste screen...manages to get down a good deal of the glamorous tawdriness of big-city low life, discreetly laced with hints of dope addiction, voyeurism and fornication

[Karl Henning]

I never could understand the plot of The Big Sleep. I doubt a Blue Ray release could fix that.

Think of it in a way roughly similar to opera . . . what matter that you cannot follow the story when it sounds looks so good?

[Karl Henning]

Ah, Neal got there first!

True. But with Bogart and Bacall, the plot is almost irrelevent - so much fun just to watch them.

[Karl Henning]

Hm, the blur of the plot is part of the effect . . . I can buy that.

[Bogey]

Best I've seen it, you should be pleased.

I also picked up Casablanca and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, the former looks good too, I have yet to watch the latter.

Now if they could only release Beat the Devil, The Big Sleep & In A Lonely Place.

Thanks, James.  It actually arrived yesterday afternoon....Jimmy Johns fast with Amazon Prime!  And do not forget To Have and Have Not and Key Largo....and of course The Oklahoma Kid with Cagney and Bogey as cowboys.

True. But with Bogart and Bacall, the plot is almost irrelevent - so much fun just to watch them.

Indeed.  I have begun a noir catalog of the movies I have seen and have rated them 1-5 stars.  Maltese falls into the 5 category, while The Big Sleep is only a 4 because of the story questions.  Still that good to watch and to own though, IMO. My favorite scene from The Big Sleep is between him and Dorothy Malone in the Acme bookshop:



It is vignettes like this that keep me coming back to the film.  Or the opening where he banters with Charles Waldron:

[Karl Henning]

. . .  I have begun a noir catalog of the movies I have seen and have rated them 1-5 stars.  Maltese falls into the 5 category, while The Big Sleep is only a 4 because of the story questions.

That's fair. And 4 is pretty good.

[Bogey]

That's fair. And 4 is pretty good.

Usually they are a 3 or a 5.  I have just started the list and there are many (12 or so) that I want to rewatch before rating them since it has been a few years, but for example, Sunset Blvd. and The Third Man were easily 5's where Brighton Rock (1947) only made a 4 (solid and well shot from start to finish, but no WOW factor)....then The Naked City only a 3 (solid, but due to a lead in the film that I did not think fit.)  2's are watchable, but just that.  1's....well, I have not found one yet, but I am sure that they will jump out.

[The new erato]

I guess Double Indemnity is a 6 then?

[Bogey]

I guess Double Indemnity is a 6 then?

  No sixes....

Thread duty:



This one broke the into the 4/5 category.  A gem in the rough for me.  Hugh Beaumont (Beaver's dad) was terrific as the detective and of course Jane Randolph was wonderful.  Predictable in every sense, but the acting kept from dropping down to a level 3.  What I thought was interesting was the name of the film company: Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC).  Here is a list of their films:
http://www.imdb.com/company/co0013124/?ref_=ttco_co_1



I recognize the detective in the middle from other films.  Anyone here peg him?

[Bogey]

TCM running a string of noirs as I type.

[Bogey]

I'm not that hardcore ..

Have the blu for Sunset, have yet to watch it yet. Its a bummer that the Criterion blu for the latter is out of print .. as its supposed to be vastly superior to the StudioCanel release.


I'd love to have a blu of Double Indemnity, there is a UK release but its region locked.   

I saw the same thing for Third Man....bumming with you.  I will look for your post on Sunset.  Always add one line about how you think the transfer is for these older films if you can.  Double Indemnity is a weird pic as far as distribution.  Back in the day, I remember that it was hard to come by in any form at one point and the soundtrack was even harder to land.  I liken it to the game Whack-A-Mole.  You better grab what they put out when they put it out, or it's gone.

[North Star]

I've been meaning for months to post about Melville's final film, UN FLIC (1972).  (Sometimes lost in the shuffle under one unfortunate English title, DIRTY MONEY.)

I thought it was extraordinary.  Still not sure how much of this is me just finally warming up to his more-overtly-policier type movies, and how much of it is this particular film.  Even with some of the things that irritate me still in place---e.g. being forced to go through an action 'in real time' and finding absolutely no revelations in it, in this case a guy changing clothes on a train in an otherwise quite tense and engaging train heist sequence, patently-fake helicopter and all (and I loved the fake helicopter)----this film brought me into a certain twilight mood, making emotional sense for me, finally, of the fuss I've heard over his movies.  (And actually, I found it easy to really like some of his earlier films, though I see the opinion in this thread, years back, has not been quite as warm.) 

Notable was an early shot-reverse-shot with a corpse (double-rhymed later with a Van Gogh).  Also notable was the rather shockingly cruel treatment (by Alain Delon, our protagonist) of a transgender informant that really impressed me as an ethical standpoint taken by the director/film (how would I ever know this?), though it's not enunciated with Spielberg certainty.  ("First, cut your hair. You damn fairy!  From now on, dress as a man.  I'll charge you with being a fag cruising the streets.  You'll get 6 months.")  One comment made in this thread about iirc LEON MORIN was that it seemed more concerned with evoking a time period than with developing a certain character with psychological depth.  If this is the case in the present film, pertinent to the state of sexual politics and the French police state c.1972, it's a chilling reminder.  Apropos all this, the informant is strikingly beautiful (albeit in the traditional way), and I will never see Melville's floor shows the same way again.  Now I am thinking back to the Afro-orientalism of a previous film's show, and wondering if the director was a bit more ahead of the curve than I'd thought.

Anyway, completely aside from the gender politics (ostensibly a really tiny part of the film), I was knocked out enough to avoid bringing it up until I'd seen it again, but the moment is ripe.  I am hoping several other Melville flicks will be more enjoyable for me now.

Excellent read as always, and great stills! Is that Afro-orientalism you talk of in LE CERCLE, btw? Lots of loud drumming in this scene, even if all the girls are white as snow. (pic below)
Anyway, I definitely want to see LE FLIC - which one could mistake to mean flick as in movie, when of course it's 'A COP'.
I have no idea when I can see it though, as I doubt they'll be showing more Melville anytime soon on TV.... I love Youtube.

[Bogey]

Two more in the can thanks to




Meh.  Great jazzy score, but almost wanted to turn the channel.  Interesting way of telling a story and decent location shots.  It tried to be a semi-documentary, which in turn gave it a definite b level....almost soap opera at points with the camera shots and poor acting.  I throw it two bones out of five.



and



A poor man's Bonnie and Clyde.  Not much in the way of originality here.  Better than the above, but not much.  2 out 5 for this one.

[SonicMan46]

A poor man's Bonnie and Clyde.  Not much in the way of originality here.  Better than the above, but not much.  2 out 5 for this one.

Bill - I watched that film a few months ago (copied to my DVR from the TCM channel) - pretty much a similar impression - did not burn it to a DVD and don't need to watch again; the guy was boring but she was kind of cute!  Dave

[Bogey]

Bill - I watched that film a few months ago (copied to my DVR from the TCM channel) - pretty much a similar impression - did not burn it to a DVD and don't need to watch again; the guy was boring but she was kind of cute!  Dave

I'm gonna hafta' refer to you as Danger Dave from this point out.

[Octave]

A poor man's Bonnie and Clyde.  Not much in the way of originality here.  Better than the above, but not much.  2 out 5 for this one.

Wow, my impression of GUN CRAZY was way different from you guys'.  When John Dall's face lights up at Peggy Cummins' pistol acumen (no need to invoke psychoanalytic guff to see the penile agency of gunplay here....that look on his face, a revelation that I imagine is more rare than we think: "I know what I want!  I know what I want!"....and what he wants isn't....exactly....Peggy), it is a great moment: something comes alive.  (Oddly enough, I got a similar feeling in a scene with Bogart in THE HARDER THEY FALL, where early in the picture you see a perfect, horrible, perverse picture of joy and corruption curl together across the man's face as he makes some kind of terrible concession that he's going to have to spend the rest of that film wriggling out from under.) 
And the intensifying spiral into the bog at the end, like a lid settling over that brief, strange life-form that flares up between the lovers...it's the antithesis of the razzmatazz, celebrated ending of BONNY AND CLYDE, whose easy, lurid coup de grâce finished the hard, dirty work done on the cheap by GUN CRAZY.  Considering the evidently considerable debt that B&C owes to GUN CRAZY, it seems odd that you'd deprecate GC in relation to its blockbuster nephew, while asserting that GC lacked originality.  Even just in terms of of technical accomplishments, I wonder if the rigged sedan interior of that celebrated GC long take (the heist) was in its way the antecedent to (if not an original of) the really cool ~360-degree terror of the vehicle interior in CHILDREN OF MEN.

Even avoiding reading much about the film before I saw it, I realize that hype works virulently, as though by osmosis; but the evidence of one sitting really made me think this was easily a four star picture, regardless of its budget and suggestively squalid dialogue, delivered sometimes with the kind of pomo flatness/falseness that makes me think of styles that took shape in 1970/80s edge (Cronenberg, Lynch). 

There are plenty of probably great movies that I don't like and some probably bad ones that I do like.....but GUN CRAZY is a great movie that you guys don't like.   
Of course, there is also no shortage of hype or love for it, so it's not exactly a bold position for me to take; it's not like this stuff is conclusive or 'obvious'.  But I was still knocked out!

[Karl Henning]

Well, I watched Yellow Submarine again last night, not that I think it's all that great, but because I had somehow missed the "You don't look bluish" gag.  I do think, though, that I may grow kinder toward the visual elements with further viewing . . . inclined to opine, at present, that the greatest weight dragging the enterprise (hurts me to say it) is the two Harrison songs.  "Only a Northern Song" is the sound of The Beatles phoning it in (sure, I know the story behind it, but that doesn't redeem it to my ears); and together with "It's All Too Much," strikes me as the low point in George's songwriting.  (Of course, I've not heard all his solo material . . . .)


Music:  Patchy, but with peaks of excellence (even in the "for-the-movie" songs . . . "Hey, Bulldog" is a toe-tapper, and I even think that "All Together Now" is better than I at first gave it credit for)


Artwork:  Mixed . . . much of it dated, though even so the nostalgia element is partial redemption.


Story:  It were a mistake to over-analyze it, it's just a lark in order to string together pre-existing songs.  The featurette, though, over-sells it as an Odyssey, and to that extent I am apt to think it mediocre.  (The reverse snobbery embodied in the Boob character winds up nicely defused in their all joining together.)  I don't know that one could realistically expect better, but they do make each of the lads a something of a cartoon.


Script:  Entirely entertaining.