cigarjoe
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Posts posted by cigarjoe
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15 minutes ago, CinemaInternational said:
Went a bit more modern today and took care of a film from 2007, Zodiac, on Showtime. I'm kicking myself over not seeing it sooner. Why did I wait so long to view it? Because I ended up loving it. It's one of the best of its decade and aside from a few gory scenes, is blessedly more atmospheric than grisly and in-your-face. For the most part it feels more like a 70s film in terms or depth of emotion than one made more recently. Sublime performances and a gripping tale that holds interest for over 2 and a half hours.
It a great Neo Noir sort of an amalgam of Police Procedurals like M (1931), He Walked by Night (1948), The Naked City (1948), The Blue Lamp (1950) The Big Heat (1953) and a Newspaper Noirs like Scandal Sheet (1952), Call Northside 777 (1948), etc., etc., with a lot of style.
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Mollycoddle - a pampered or effeminate man or boy
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I like TCM for both of the reasons mentioned so far.
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Sling TV ($35 per month) and casting is the way to go as long as you have a high speed cable and a wifi. Your most expensive upgrade is the flat screen TV with HDMI connections if you don't have one. You can cast right to the TV on the newest ones if' they are "smart TVs" they already got wifi.
Roku Box ($35 one time)+/- Sling or Hulu gets you TCM & On Demand
Chromecast ($35 one time) cast anything to your TV that you can play on your laptop or on your phone.
Amazon Prime - from this, there are a lot of films that you can watch fro free whenever you want or either pay a rental fee of $1.99 or $2.99 for a set so many hours of watching time available.
A lot of times while looking a film up on IMDb there will be a box below the title telling me it's free to watch on Amazon Prime or available to rent or available on a disc to purchase.
Also have...
A Sony Blu/DVD player that is region free ($150) that is already set up for Netflix & Youtube and other stuff again through wifi that I haven't even looked at yet.
And an old Sony VHS player that connects to the TV where your coaxial cable used to connect so we can still play the few VHS tapes we still have.
If you just like to watch movies this is the way to go. If you have to sports the sling package for that will cost you more. I just have the movie package the basic sling gets some fox sports. It's the only drawback.
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All Crime/Noir Night tonight
Dillinger (1945)
7:45 PM
Detour (1945)
9:30 PM
Set-Up, The (1949)
11:00 PM
Big Steal, The (1949)
12:17 AM
Narrow Margin, The (1952)
3:15 AM
Hoodlum, The (1951)
4:18 AM
Threat, The (1949)
5:45 AM
Journey Into Fear (1942)-
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1 minute ago, kingrat said:
Joe, I believe that Frankenheimer, like so many of his contemporaries, had drug problems which affected his career.
Could be, I'd have to read a bio and check it out.
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Quote
???
"Pins"?
It was in an earlier film today in fact, either Cagney said it to someone or someone said it to Cagney
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She's got a nice pair of pins - Legs a nice pair of legs
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52 Pickup (1986)
This is a John Frankenheimer film, and that should have meant something.Frankenhieimer gave us some great Transitional Noirs, In the early 60s he was on fire. Those Transitional Noirs were All Fall Down, The Manchurian Candidate, and Seconds. He also directed Seven Days in May, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Train, and Grand Prix which I believe was his first color film.
Then he just sort of disappeared below my horizon, I don't remember much of note, maybe he didn't like working in color, who knows? He kept making films. Films that made some blips on the radar screen. I haven't seen all of them but those I did somewhat like were Ronin, Reindeer Games and this one 52 Pickup.
It was written by Elmore Leonard and based on his novel. Cinematography was by Jost Vacano and Stephen Ramsey (uncredited). Music was by Gary Chang.
The film stars Roy Scheider as Harry Mitchell, Ann-Margret as Barbara Mitchell, Vanity as Doreen, John Glover as Alan Raimy, Clarence Williams III as Bobby Shy, Lonny Chapman as Jim O'Boyle, Kelly Preston as Cini, Robert Trebor as Leo Franks, Doug McClure as Mark Arveson, and real porn stars Ron Jeremy and Amber Lynn as Party Goers.
52 Pickup suffers from a real lack of any character development so you don't really care enough for any of the cast to get emotionally sucked into the story. The film proceeds in a pedestrian by the book manner without a lot of heart or very much of a memorable style and it feels like it's from another era. Ann-Margaret is underused. I was hoping to see her in at least one good Noir/Neo Noir. It also suffers from the lack of a very strong villain. It diffuses the villainy among three characters. It needed an over the top protagonist.
Remember at the same time 52 Pickup came out we already had films by those that would be the new torch bearers setting new benchmarks, the Coen Brothers and David Lynch were making their marks and pushing the envelope. The Coen's Blood Simple (1984), Wim Wenders Paris, Texas (1984), Eastwood's Tightrope (1984), William Friedkin's To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Lynch's Blue Velvet (1986), and Alan Parker's Angel Heart (1987). Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs was just five years down the road. Full review with screen caps in Fiim Noir/Gangster pages. Watchable 6-7/10
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52 Pickup (1986)
This is a John Frankenheimer film, and that should have meant something.
Frankenhieimer gave us some great Transitional Noirs, In the early 60s he was on fire. The Noirs were All Fall Down, The Manchurian Candidate, and Seconds. He also directed Seven Days in May, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Train, and Grand Prix which I believe was his first color film.
Then he just sort of disappeared below my horizon, I don't remember much of note, maybe he didn't like working in color, who knows? He kept making films. Films that made some blips on the radar screen. I haven't seen all of them but those I did somewhat like were Ronin, Reindeer Games and this one 52 Pickup.
It was written by Elmore Leonard and based on his novel. Leonard penned a few hits Jackie Brown, Get Shorty, Mr. Majestyk, Joe Kidd, Valdez Is Coming, Hombre, 3:10 to Yuma, and The Tall T. Cinematography was by Jost Vacano and Stephen Ramsey (uncredited). Music was by Gary Chang.
The film stars Roy Scheider as Harry Mitchell, Ann-Margret as Barbara Mitchell, Vanity as Doreen, John Glover as Alan Raimy, Clarence Williams III as Bobby Shy, Lonny Chapman as Jim O'Boyle, Kelly Preston as Cini, Robert Trebor as Leo Franks, Doug McClure as Mark Arveson, and real porn stars Ron Jeremy and Amber Lynn as Party Goers.
Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is a guy who runs a metal fabrication business. They have a way to fuse steel to other metals through planned explosions. He drives around in a very cool '65 Jaguar XKE
Roy Scheider as Harry Mitchell 
1965 Jaguar XK-E His wife Barbara (Ann-Margret) is a politician running for the Los Angeles City Council.
Ann-Margret as Barbara Mitchell 
Harry is two-timing Barbara. He's shacking up on the side with Cini (Kelly Preston). Cini poses as a model. She is a "live nude girl." Her specialty is posing nude for drooling pervs with cameras. The joint even rents Polaroid cameras for those that need them. They get to keep their whack off keepsakes for their photo albums.
Cini was used by three low rent blackmailers to lure Harry to a motel room containing hidden cameras. One of them is her boss Leo Franks (Robert Trebor) the others are Alan Raimy (John Glover) and his muscle Bobby Shy (Clarence Williams III). Raimy is a pornographer and the brains of the scheme.
Harry arriving for his scheduled session with Cini is confronted by three masked men instead. They show him a tape they made of Harry doing Cini. They want a payment of $100,000 or they are going to show the tape to Barbara.
Harry refuses to pay. The blackmailers get **** off and kill Cini with Harry's own gun to frame him for the murder. They video taped the murder and again show Harry. Now they want a payment of $105,000 a year for life.
Harry tells them that he doesn't have that much money. He offers to show Raimy his books to prove it. When Raimy sees that Harry is telling the truth he accepts Harry's offer of $52,000.
John Glover as Alan Raimy
This buys Harry time to turn the blackmailers against each other. He starts with Leo, the weakest link. Things in Noirsville unravel quickly.
Noirsville
Kelly Preston as Cini 
Robert Trebor as Leo Franks 
Clarence Williams III as Bobby Shy 
Lonny Chapman as Jim O'Boyle 
52 Pickup suffers from a real lack of any character development so you don't really care enough for any of the cast to get emotionally sucked into the story. The film proceeds in a pedestrian by the book manner without a lot of heart or very much of a memorable style and it feels like it's from another era. Ann-Margaret is underused. I was hoping to see her in at least one good Noir/Neo Noir. It also suffers from the lack of a very strong villain. It diffuses the villainy among three characters. It needed an over the top protagonist.
Remember at the same time 52 Pickup came out we already had films by those that would be the new torch bearers setting new benchmarks, the Coen Brothers and David Lynch were making their marks and pushing the envelope. The Coen's Blood Simple (1984), Wim Wenders Paris, Texas (1984), Eastwood's Tightrope (1984), William Friedkin'x To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Lynch's Blue Velvet (1986), and Alan Parker's Angel Heart (1987). Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs was just five years down the road. Full review with screen caps at Noirsville. Watchable 6-7/10-
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4 hours ago, TikiSoo said:
Re: Bill Maher above: I was shocked when working retail at how many grown adult customers dress like children. Men had shaved heads, long t-shirts with some cartoon logo (often with holes or worn out) droopy shorts that ended near the knee, & flip flops or Chuck Taylors.
Unfortunately could not find suitable pics, but girls get stuck too-look for the severely pulled back hair & skintight clothing showing every roll & crease along with that tweety tattoo.
nailed it.
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21 hours ago, TikiSoo said:
Funny, I was just about to buy this from TCM.com:
They call it a: Brass Praxinoscope Collectible
It comes with 43 card strips!
Far out!
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3 hours ago, midwestan said:
And I get your point about the heroine falling for the wrong guy. My pals and I in college were astounded at how poorly attractive-looking co-eds were treated by their boyfriends, yet they stuck to these guys like glue!
Reg above: Wanna be bad girls like bad guys.
But in Clash By Night Stanwyck's Mae didn't come off believable. She didn't act like a mother. Didn't have that brave mothering instinct on display. It just seems weird that she was acting as if there was no baby. It just seams that no matter what drama was going on in her life that mothering instinct should be there. If not it's unnatural. It made the dynamics of every thing else in the depictions of the relationships off. Does that seem like a fault to anybody else?
It bothers me in that respect.
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26 minutes ago, mot925 said:
My Cable bill went up to near $200.00 a mo. They took TCM off the air without ANY notice, needless to say they will be gone on Monday!
Not sure what promoted all the poor choices TCM has made in the past years, I bet Robert would be SO DISAPPOINTED! Perhaps if TCM would stop showing some the 70, 80, etc crap movies and go back to the CLASSICS they wouldn't of had to raise the rates and lose viewers?
Turner purchased these classic movies for a steal according to his interview!
TCM needs to show more 60s, 70s, and 80s films to stay relevant not less. Robert Osborn would be pleased.
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Gun Moll, Gangsters Moll, ever think about the term. In our Hollywood-ized accounts she, the moll, is invariably always depicted as the gal pal of the gang leader. This forms the basis of a lot of gangster pics, and some Noirs.
"Moll" derives from "Molly", and was used as a euphemism for "****" or "prostitute." A moll is a hooker, think about it. A gang pulls a job they go on the run, what would keep everybody safer, happier and cozy... a tough hard a nails gang hooker who can take care of her self and service the needs of the gang to boot for a cut of the loot.
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Barbara Payton....
Star to Hooker
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R.I.P.
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23 hours ago, TopBilled said:
What do you think of SHOWGIRLS (1995)...would you say it also has gritty noir elements?
I haven't caught up with Showgirls yet believe it or not. I don't even know what the plot is about. Just that it wasn't anything special. So word of mouth wasn't convincing. Do you think it's got gritty noir elements? If it does I'll check it out.
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Clash By Night - caught this Saturday night, but didn't have a way of posting till now. I was just reading on the phone. I've seen it before. Anyway nobodies mentioned the relationship between the three leads. I didn't see any chemistry between Ryan and Barbara Stanwyck it just happened too quick. Ryan gives off his not quite all there damaged individual vibe which you'd think most women would steer clear of. It wasn't believe-able to me and neither was Stanwyck's mother character. She didn't seem to care very much about her baby. It was like it wasn't even there. Maybe the screenwriter just failed to convey a realistic mother. Or it was the studio screwing with the direction or the edits?
It would have been interesting to read where the original version would have gone had it followed the original plot point of Paul Douglas killing Robert Ryan.
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51 minutes ago, TikiSoo said:
Agreed. I cut the cord around 6 years ago and mostly got by the same as Eric:
So much is available-even more if your li-berry can do "inter-library requests". All of Fox's Alice Faye & Carmen Miranda movies TCM won't show are there, and I'm in a smaller size city.
No need to watch movies/TV on your little computer.
Two years or so ago, my Movie Buddy had me over his house to explain & demonstrate the entire "streaming" thing. If you have a new TV with streaming capability, you simply buy a modem & router as SansFin was describing. One time cost. Then you buy a "server" like Roku, Apple TV or Amazon's Firestick, the 3 most common. One time cost. Then the only cash cow is the internet stream, I pay $15/month.
I then showed MrT how to stream & HE cut the cord last year. He pays for HBO and Netflix and we share accounts so I get them too, but haven't really been impressed with the offerings. No need to buy ANY channels unless you want to. You can drop any "paid" station anytime you want, when you're done binge watching a series.
It's the a la carte system we all were hoping for. I think it helps older people like me to have a friend familiarize you with how the system works.
It's the way to go definitely, lots of stuff shows up on Youtube and Amazon Prime for free or its a 1.99 or 2.99 fee for 24 hours to stream.
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23 minutes ago, Roy Cronin said:
To those familiar with the film/movie:
Which one the Shearer version or the Coppola?
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Just got finished watching Marie Antoinette, what was Hollywood's MGM's fascination with these despots? Are we supposed to feel sorry, they certainly pulled all the heartstrings in the film.
Comments From IMDb:
"I had no sympathy for the character and would have gladly chopped off her head myself if it could have somehow shortened the movie! Avoid it--there are much better costume dramas!"
"... the people who take part in the revolution are depicted like some kind of 19th Century newspaper cartoon anarchist. They all have unkempt hair, ragged clothing, dark splotches of charcoal on their faces, and they're all uniformly **** in their behavior. They are like angry children, and the royal family are portrayed as loving parents who can no longer control their charges."
"I don't think I have ever seen such a sympathetic portrait of the French queen. She is truly presented as without flaw, a wonderful, warm woman. This makes her end truly difficult to bear, especially given the highly emotional final scenes of the movie. When they take her son from her, it is hard to hold back the tears.
The truth, of course, was otherwise. This is, therefore, a whitewashing of the historical Marie Antoinette, and it is worth asking why.
In part, it seems to be a conservative's rewrite of history. The revolutionaries are portrayed as uniformly bad, so this is a condemnation of revolution and a positive presentation of absolute monarchy."
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9 hours ago, midwestan said:
Alicia Malone stated in her post-movie wrap that "Devil In A Blue Dress" was critically acclaimed, but it was a box office bomb. Because it lost money, producers have been more than hesitant to pursue any more Easy Rawlins stories. I liked the movie shown with Denzel Washington. Too bad they couldn't have made another episode or two.
Somebody should pick it up the rights to The Easy Rawlins novels and make a mini series.
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This could play Donald Twump
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I Just Watched...
in General Discussions
Posted
Yes definitely, there's more that we can site if we think of them. 😎
Ace in the Hole (1951) and Deadline - U.S.A. (1952) are others