Tikisoo
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Posts
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Posts posted by Tikisoo
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Mickey Rooney is the most talented person alive...Happy Birthday!
I'm sure glad his talent has been captured on film for several generations to enjoy! We love you, Mick!
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For all of you who cannot picture Katherine Hepburn as "bait", you need to realize men pretty much will look at anything, especially on a beach!
If you are tall, lithe and full of yourself as the Mrs Venerable charactor was, with some decent costuming (expensive bathing suit, large hat with flowing scarf, strappy sandals) along with a happy expression, flowing hair and walking with attitude, you can attract a throng of interested followers.
Doesn't really matter if you're pretty, just as long as you *think* you're pretty. Thinness generally is equated with youth, so no one really noticed her age until up close and then too late!
The major part of the story is Mrs Venerable's jealousy realizing she's so easily replaced by Liz's charactor, both in youth and closeness to Sebastian. She has zero empathy for any "victims" because it's all about her own vanity.
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>Does anyone know if Joe was doing what was best for Betty by sending her away from Norma's house? I didn't know if he was trying to do good by her, or if he really is a super cad.
None of us KNOW, but Joe definitely did not strike me as a cad at all. I imagined Joe was ashamed Betty discovered his secret. He literally sold his life away, which is why the party scene with his old friends was so touching.
This is the tragedy of the story-poor Norma has been coddled & fooled all her life and has no idea of reality. Her flaw comes in the form of manipulation, and I'm not even sure she's aware she's doing anything wrong. It's always worked for her in the past.
Poor Joe just wants a job and he'll take whatever opportunity arises. Sad he misjudged the situation, thought he could just work & be paid.
Both charactors slide down a slippery slope. It's tragic because we all see how easily this scenario can happen.
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Boycotts Rule!
An entire bunch of curmudgeons stay home while the world spins past them.
But I agree 100%. I also never attend digital presentations of classic movies. You've never seen that unnamed film until you've seen it projected 35mm with an audience.
(except of course digital restorations of film fragments not sound enough for projection)
>Fred said: Well, actually, the original story was set in the Principality of Kansastein in central Europe.
>hamradio: Leave this classic ALONE! We don't need it in 3D, stereo on steroids or the first 15 minutes colorized. What's next, the wicked witch with a CGI nose job?
I recognise my fellow curmudgeons.
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Australian speech is interesting....a few wholly different terms for the same thing, like "pushers" for baby stroller carts or "wind cheaters" for knitted wool sweaters, which struck me as a quaint British term.
I loved the pronunciation of "aluminum" which adds an extra syllable; al-u-MIN-ee-um" and the herb oregano, as US says it "or-EH-geh-no", they say, "or-a-GAH-no".
Very cute.
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I've known a fair number of documentary film makers in my day and from what I've observed, there is often a "galley" type print made with a random narrator just to wed the voice-over with the image timing. (I've watched a lot of those in my day)
A non professional narrator ALWAYS distracts from the information presented, no matter how fascinating. While Mark Cousins may be a decent actor, he of all people should have realized the value of hiring a professional narrator. If this is his "production" and he absolutely wanted his "voice" included, he could have introduced or summed up each chapter personally.
Good professional narrators can be found in every city, at radio stations, local TV stations, etc. And they're looking for decent work and I'm sure compared to other production costs would have been a small expense for a much better result.
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Thanks for responding, TCMAdmin. Guess we'll just have to wait until they figure out how to fix it.
(but really, it's been what, a month now? If I ever designed a blunder like white lettering on a white field, I'd be FIRED and someone else would have been called in to fix it asap)
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I don't know where it's FROM....but I think you'd get a better response if you posted it in the "Information, Please" forum.
(this is "general discussions ")
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Well, this is how mine looks:
Seems to be an entirely different font.
When you're on a message board, can you see the page numbers?
I can, if they are on the light turquoise field, but I still seem to have WHITE NUMBERS on a WHITE FIELD!
Issues like this used to happen because I was on a Mac, but these days everyone has a Mac, so it should be an even playing field.
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...the TCM "boards" went through an overhaul "update" over a month ago and they STILL haven't figured out white page numbers just don't show up on a white field!
Really?
Not nearly as annoying, but still pretty badly designed is the top menu links where "month highlights" overruns "community TCMDB" and "movie morlocks" overruns "magazine shop". You can clearly see the bars that are supposed to separate the words falling within the word itself.
Just sloppy and unprofessional. HTML is just not that hard to figure out, and TCM _paid_ someone to make these changes?
Wow.
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When I showed PSYCHO to the 16 y/o kid, she was completely confused by the ending. She listened closely to the psychiatrist "explanation", but still didn't completely understand.
I thought the length was just right, because it gives you a moment to catch your breath.
Then, you get the closing shot of Norman (back to the story) and you could see the light bulb go on over TikiKid's head.
So, while it may not work well for everyone, the ending was perfect for some.
>Sepia said: Wouldn't it have been cool to instead of superimposing the skull, to have Norman talking to "himself", but using the "Mother's" voice?
He DID, it was just in his head....which to me, was so much better than spoken aloud.
Who's the actress who played "Mother's Voice"? I always thought it was an old lady seen on Andy Griffith's Show, but looking at PSYCHO's credits, guess I was mistaken.
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>tight budget
It is my understanding that PSYCHO was Hitch's reaction to how expensive making movies was becoming. He was trying to prove a really great film could (& should) be made relatively cheaply even casting "stars". Hitch employed his TV crew to make a feature film.
I assumed that's what the new film "Hitchcock" was about. If they didn't cover that, they were amiss.
I agree the opening credits & music by Saul Bass are perfect for warming you up for what you about to see. One of Saul's best openings. It was said Hitch wanted only stringed instruments because they use "guts".
And classyteen, I'm pretty offended you use the term "cult classic" for PSYCHO. A cult classic means only a certain group of people (a "cult") enjoy the film, while the general population just don't "get" it. People who truly enjoy Ed Wood or slasher films make them "cult classics" while critics and GP think they're awful.
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>Fred said: I suppose we could count the cops and soldiers who shoot at innocent people, knowing they are innocent but just wanting to kill someone, but those cases are difficult to determine.
Guess I misinterpreted what he was saying here.
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>Fred said: I met several serial killers during my news career, and several committed murders after I met them.
Really? What IS it about you, Fred?
Police Officers rarely shoot people. I'd guess 90% of cops never even point their gun at anyone in their entire career, so don't assume cops are "multiple killers".
There are several cops in my family including MrTiki who deals with murderers every day in prison.
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It's kind of sad to me that some films have become so infamous, we "know" many of the scenes before seeing the movie itself.
I showed TikiKid PSYCHO last year because all she knew was the shower scene and the music that goes along with it. She was pretty surprised it was near the beginning.
The movie as a whole is a very well told story and captured her interest for the entirety even though it was "old" and "b&w".
And her take on it was "Norman is so cute, I can't believe he was so screwed up" something as an adult, I never considered. (she's 16)
MrTiki said, "Remember that, you can't tell a kook from his looks."
I was terrified to see THE EXORCIST until I was in my 30's. And by then I had seen every parody of every scene making it not nearly as scary-I pretty much knew what was coming.
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>JJG wrote: It wasn't until the 50s that we saw black actors playing roles like judges, doctors, policemen, etc.. instead of bell boys, maids, servants, comic clowns,
I watch a lot of old black cinema, the kind that would run the circuit in the south where theaters were segregated. A lot of those films are public domain and are of terrible (visual & sound) quality, but so interesting in an historical & cultural aspect (often with stellar musical performances)
It's amazing to me that in films made BY blacks FOR blacks you see what we consider distasteful stereotyping: mumbly speaking, lazy maids, buggy eyed reaction to ghosts, etc. And I'm speaking of films made in the 40's-50's!
I find it incredibly offensive but take it as an historical artifact.
Hattie McDaniel was successful in "white" cinema, an achievement-she even won an Oscar! She did not lower herself as an actress to do so, but instead was so incredibly talented (and loved) she broke through the barrier.
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>Andy said: The more Kirk Douglas movies I see, the higher my opinion of him gets, in spite of the fact that he performed in several of my least favorite genres.
Indeed! I feel exactly the same way!
He's always Kirk, but boy he sure can stretch for any genre - soaper, western, war, costumer...
Just finished watching A DETECTIVE STORY where his performance was over-the-top. But boy, that kind of performance just grabs the viewer, not unlike Cagney.
No Kirk film is complete without the sneer and girly scream & I wasn't disappointed!
But I love him best in LONELY ARE THE BRAVE because of his relationship with Whiskey the horse. (which I covered in a thread over a year ago)
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Sorry to interject into this conversation here-
I think Shirley Jones is a great performer, she's beautiful and has a gorgeous singing voice and deserves to be honored for her contribution in film.
I took a quick look through her book in the store the other day and was struck by a photo of her as a young woman. She bore a striking resemblance to Marilyn Monroe in her Norma Jean days.
Why is her autobiography so repugnant to some posters here? I find her story worthy. She has gone through the same trials as anyone else and pretty successfully kept her private life private. I'd call that dignity.
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If mid 60's bubblegum music "all sounds alike" and today's music "all sounds alike"
...the big difference is generally pop music of the past was happy happy silly love themes and pop music of today contains so much negativity: whining, anger, disappointment or braggadocio.
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JJG, glad you piped in support of *Sugar, Sugar.* I loved these pop tunes and think they're nothing to sneeze at.
Lots of great pop tunes were well written by talents such as Boyce & Hart and Sonny Bono. And most were performed by versatile & talented studio musicians who never even received credit.
Many Paul Anka & Neil Sedaka pop tunes though, are tiring because they're too "genre" driven, but they've written a share.
And favorite band BLONDIE, mentioned earlier was known for their 60's "pop tune" girl sound. It was at the heart of the NYC punk movement. I was one of those with pink hair and Chuck Taylors in mismatched colors. Oy.
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re: *1*
"...is the loneliest number that you'll ever do."
Even when I was a kid I'd think, "do WHAT to one"?
How can you *do* anything to a number?
Obviously I was destined to be a linguist, even as a 10 years old.
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Universal released a 5 disc DVD set Mae West-The Glamour Collection a few years ago. (I bought it for 9.99)
Just the title illustrates the powers that be at Uni just don't understand what kind of gold mine they have in their vaults.
It includes:
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
I'M NO ANGEL
GOIN' TO TOWN
GO WEST YOUNG MAN
MY LITTLE CHICKADEE
Between that and the few TCM shows on occasion, you can see a decent body of Mae's work. (although I'd skip Chickadee..sub-par)
If only they'd wake up and realize they have a huge library of films many film buffs and new generations would enjoy. The rental of the film packages would promote sales of the DVDs.
A lot of lesser seen Fox & Paramount movies are available as box sets, proof Universal does not put a lot of value on their classic film library. Good for the consumer, though.
It certainly worked for their MONSTER collection. And with the decline of cable TV, promoting their DVDs with limited broadcasts would be a smart move.
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JJG, I'm shocked...shocked that you were ever involved in thievery! Hey, glad you got past it and learned at an early age. (I've done my share, the lessons were valuable)
If anyone interested, there is a great book written on the making of the movie: Scarlett, Rhett & A Cast of Thousands by Roland Flamini. A fun read since many involved were still alive when it was written.
I think Leigh was the perfect choice as Scarlett because she could be cloying and subtle in her anger. Bette Davis cannot control her anger in the same way-her speech becomes clipped instead of softer as Leigh brilliantly acted as Scarlett.
I have always felt Paulette Goddard would have been great as Scarlett. I think she was a fine actress, but just never had the opportunity to show it in a decent film.
Could there be a reason for this?
When she was with Chaplin, she commanded your attention, but in later films her screen presence seemed kind of "small".
Maybe they passed over Goddard (for GWTW and better roles) because she was difficult to work with or direct? Or maybe they were afraid she couldn't carry a 3 hour film the world was waiting to see?
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Well, I like this movie. I especially like Elizabeth Taylor's performance as a disturbed person and the the confusion in the asylum. Granted, it's over-the-top but it's a movie trying to get a point across (or just be dramatic)
I completely buy Clift's charactor as well as Kate Hepburn's charactor and the oddball situation these people are in. Hey, I'd rather see these people's drama than have anything like that in my own life.
slayton- bookmark: http://home.no/femma/smilies and look in subcategories for your desired emoticon. No tongue-in-cheek, but you can pair any with "kidding" like this:
or my favorite when I post something flame-worthy:
"Middle of the Night", uhh, well folks....
in General Discussions
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I'm with Andy on this one, Fred. I love MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT and find the couple's romance bittersweet & worth watching as it unfolds. First both charactors resist involvement feeling uncomfortable with the age difference and especially the boss/employee taboo. Then once involved, they realize none of that is more important than how they feel about each other. It's much the same story as GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER. And all the time the audience sees how really good they are for each other. Loved it.
It certainly doesn't hurt having great Chayefsky writing and stellar performances by both Novak & March. It's just petty to judge the charactors on their "looks".