Last Movie You Watched

[relm1]

New to Netflix UK;



Very powerful and very bleak...... just in case we needed reminding about the idiocy of War.....

I will add All's Quiet on the Western Front to my watch list.  Today. I saw Peter Weir's 1981 film, Gallipoli for the first time.  Excellent film and very fine performances.  Say what you will about Mel Gibson's personal foils but he's an excellent actor and director.  He was 25 years old in this film which predates his more famous Bounty and Mad Max.  He was so good as an Australian adventurer who signed up for the ill-advised Australian WW1 infantry campaign, but the crux of the film is more about coming of age, friendship, and futility of war.  Interestingly, the soundtrack of this film consists entirely of two very contrasting pieces - Tomaso Albinoni's Adagio in G minor and early 1980's electronica, Oxygene by Jean-Michel Jarr. The film has similarities to 1917 which I consider far superior, but I imagine in the early 1980's, this film must have felt shockingly transparent criticism of war.

[VonStupp]

The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (2001)
The Lost Skeleton Returns Again (2008)

These lo-fi Larry Blamire homages/spoofs of 50's B movies puts my wife in stitches. It is rather silly and provides me plenty of smiles and amusement.

I don't think a 3rd was ever made due to lack of funds.

VS

   

[Ganondorf]

When it comes to WW1 movies I have special fondness for Kubrick's Paths of Glory. The man just seemed to excel in pretty much any genre he took.

[Karl Henning]

When it comes to WW1 movies I have special fondness for Kubrick's Paths of Glory. The man just seemed to excel in pretty much any genre he took.

Superb!

[SonicMan46]

When it comes to WW1 movies I have special fondness for Kubrick's Paths of Glory. The man just seemed to excel in pretty much any genre he took.

Agree - from my list a couple of pages back, Paths of Glory is the one I've watched the most - also one of Kirk's favorite movies (more discussion HERE for those interested).  Dave

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Ashes and Diamonds, Andrzej Wajda.

[Todd]

Father Stu.  Purportedly based on true events, this movie follows the conversion and ordination of a hard-drinking, profane ne'er-do-well after a near fatal accident.  I expected something awful, but fortunately it is merely mediocre.  The highlight is seeing Mel Gibson in something other than an action role.  That written, who's not pumped to see Lethal Weapon 5?  Yes, that is supposedly being made.  Ooh boy.

[Karl Henning]

The Great Escape

The Blu-ray edition is generously appointed with featurettes, now watching Great Escape: the Untold Story, which is especially superb.

[LKB]

The Blu-ray edition is generously appointed with featurettes, now watching Great Escape: the Untold Story, which is especially superb.

Always nice when a classic film has some worthy extras, which is why I own lots of blu-rays.

Now I get to start building a 4K library as well...

[Karl Henning]

Last night: Tron. I'm unsure whether I actually watched this back when it opened. If so, I didn't remember that Wendy Carlos did the score, and it would have been before I was aware of David Warner. The movie was sufficiently fresh for me, that I suppose I was likely mistaken in thinking I'd seen it. I certainly did play the arcade game in the College Student Center, though I was never especially good at it.

[Karl Henning]

Always nice when a classic film has some worthy extras, which is why I own lots of blu-rays.

Now I get to start building a 4K library as well...

I upgraded from DVDs of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and Rod Serling's Night Gallery largely because of the extras, though the visual upgrade was an undeniable and more-than-considerable benefit.

[relm1]

I upgraded from DVDs of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and Rod Serling's Night Gallery largely because of the extras, though the visual upgrade was an undeniable and more-than-considerable benefit.

I'm a huge fan of TZ and Outer Limits.  Those are so great.  Fabulous stories and music but don't know much about Night Gallery.  It didn't seem to have the same DNA as the others though Rod Serling was involved.  Sort of like how that Nostradamus documentary narrated by Orson Wells had nothing to do with his gravitas and Citizen Kane innovation but exploited his legacy for their lackluster production.  I know that Night Gallery granted opportunities to promising filmmakers like Spielberg, but hard to get engaged with it since it's mostly a sell out production.

[Daverz]

https://archive.org/details/panic-in-the-streets-1950

https://www.youtube.com/v/gk1r0TO-US8

Full film at archive.org.

[SimonNZ]

[Karl Henning]

I'm a huge fan of TZ and Outer Limits.  Those are so great.  Fabulous stories and music but don't know much about Night Gallery.  It didn't seem to have the same DNA as the others though Rod Serling was involved.  Sort of like how that Nostradamus documentary narrated by Orson Wells had nothing to do with his gravitas and Citizen Kane innovation but exploited his legacy for their lackluster production.  I know that Night Gallery granted opportunities to promising filmmakers like Spielberg, but hard to get engaged with it since it's mostly a sell out production.

At the risk of derailing the thread ... dismissing Night Gallery as a "sell-out" does no justice the the series as a whole, and to Rod Serling in particular. Serling did some superb work for the series. notable examples: "The Caterpillar," his adaptation of (a great improvement upon) "Boomerang"' a short story by Oscar Cook; "The Messiah on Mott Street" (with a marvelous performance by E.G. Robinson) and "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" (the latter nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Single Program," 1971.) "Class of '99" with Vincent Price as a lecturer. "The Academy" with Pat Boone cast against type. "Cool Air," an adaptation of Lovecraft.

In line with the series' "mission," "The Caterpillar" and "Cool Air" are landmarks in prime-time TV horror. The screenplays for all of these are first-rate television.
The problems with Night Gallery have nothing to do with anyone "selling out." In the first place, Serling thought that (as with Twilight Zone) he would have creative control, but (sad words) he should have gotten that in the contract. So it was producer Jack Laird who pulled the strings, and although Laird was not genuinely inept, the rubbishy "blackout comic" sketches are all his doing. Serling bridled at this, especially because his name was in the title. The second great problem for the series was how it was butchered for syndication. In short, the very best of the series is second to none.

[relm1]

At the risk of derailing the thread ... dismissing Night Gallery as a "sell-out" does no justice the the series as a whole, and to Rod Serling in particular. Serling did some superb work for the series. notable examples: "The Caterpillar," his adaptation of (a great improvement upon) "Boomerang"' a short story by Oscar Cook; "The Messiah on Mott Street" (with a marvelous performance by E.G. Robinson) and "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" (the latter nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Single Program," 1971.) "Class of '99" with Vincent Price as a lecturer. "The Academy" with Pat Boone cast against type. "Cool Air," an adaptation of Lovecraft.

In line with the series' "mission," "The Caterpillar" and "Cool Air" are landmarks in prime-time TV horror. The screenplays for all of these are first-rate television.
The problems with Night Gallery have nothing to do with anyone "selling out." In the first place, Serling thought that (as with Twilight Zone) he would have creative control, but (sad words) he should have gotten that in the contract. So it was producer Jack Laird who pulled the strings, and although Laird was not genuinely inept, the rubbishy "blackout comic" sketches are all his doing. Serling bridled at this, especially because his name was in the title. The second great problem for the series was how it was butchered for syndication. In short, the very best of the series is second to none.

Thanks for clarifying.  I only recently saw Outer Limits for the first time.  When it is good, it's very deep and rich, lingering in your memory like TZ.  But it also had a lot of monster of the week.  It clearly had a massive influence on the next generation, and I love the soundtrack, but again, it doesn't stack up to TZ's scores.  I would conclude that TZ set the bar very high and Outer Limits is very fine on its own standard but doesn't quite live up to TZ.  Maybe Night Gallery falls in a similar category that it is worth seeing without thinking of Sterling's legacy.  I think if I wanted TZ 2.0, I'll hate it.  But it is its own thing and should be judged that way.  I also know it introduced the world to a 22 year old kid named Steven Spielberg directing a megadiva named Joan Crawford.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks for clarifying.  I only recently saw Outer Limits for the first time.  When it is good, it's very deep and rich, lingering in your memory like TZ.  But it also had a lot of monster of the week.  It clearly had a massive influence on the next generation, and I love the soundtrack, but again, it doesn't stack up to TZ's scores.  I would conclude that TZ set the bar very high and Outer Limits is very fine on its own standard but doesn't quite live up to TZ.  Maybe Night Gallery falls in a similar category that it is worth seeing without thinking of Sterling's legacy.  I think if I wanted TZ 2.0, I'll hate it.  But it is its own thing and should be judged that way.  I also know it introduced the world to a 22 year old kid named Steven Spielberg directing a megadiva named Joan Crawford.

I think your assessment of The Outer Limits is fair. Certainly some great episodes in there. I think the reputation of Night Gallery has always suffered in comparison to The Zone. OTOH, I remember watching "The Caterpillar" as a teenager, and I was riveted.

TD:
Watched The Untouchables again last night. Still thoroughly enjoyable. Great Morricone score.

[SonicMan46]

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) - new German version (see below + cast) - watched on Netflix (English dubbing - captions also available) - own the 1930 original in BD so debated on a watch?  But the film was beautifully filmed, bloody, gruesome and projected a strong anti-war feeling - ratings:  92%, Rotten Tomatoes; 7.9/10, IMDB - worth a watch IMO - Dave

All Quiet on the Western Front) is a 2022 German epic anti-war film based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque. Directed by Edward Berger, it stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl, Sebastian Hülk, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic and Devid Striesow. Set in the closing years of World War I, it follows the life of German soldier Paul Bäumer, who finds himself at risk to the realities of war, shattering the early hopes of becoming heroes. The film was released to streaming on Netflix on October 28, 2022. In August 2022, the film was announced for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards. The film received widespread critical acclaim for faithfulness to the source material's anti-war message. (Source)

 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

CC. Modern Times.

[Karl Henning]

CC. Modern Times.

Classic!