Arkadin
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Posts posted by Arkadin
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If I am interested in a film be it old or new I will read everything I can find on it by whomever. Everyone has a different viewpoint and someone that you've read and felt was totally wrong about one film might be the only one who has a ligitamate understanding of another.
Like many others here, I write as well and I like to check out different ideas on films and see how they compare with my own. While I agree there are a few "bad eggs" out there, you can usually suss out in the opening paragraph if someone knows what they're talking about.
I would also like to say that while "The Godfather" (1972) is a fine film, I think Puzo's book is much deeper and does indeed have many themes and values it expounds upon.
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"All The King's Men" (1949) never lived up to the book by a longshot, but I did feel that MM and B. Crawford were perfectly cast in those roles. Also loved her in "Johnny Guitar" (1954) as well.
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> Haven't been to Texas in ages -- would love to be in
> Austin for SXSW one of these years... when do they
> have that, again?
You've probably been to Austin since I have. I have not been down there in years (I'm in Ft. Worth/Dallas area). As far as SXSW, never been.
TX is an unusual state in tastes. I discovered a long time ago that I'd starve making the kind of music I want here, so I went into the family business instead and built my own studio to record (2" analog) my own stuff just for my ears.
My wife did a lot on the stage scene around here as an actress, stage manager, etc. She had some amazing offers, but at that time she had to quit to take care of her mother who has since passed on. I would like to see her get back into it though.
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That would be great. There are tons of blemishes in the Criterion version.
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Hey Dewey,
Just wanted to let you know I finally got a copy of "the Big Combo" and just finished watching it. A very cool film. I think I had gotten this film and another mixed up awhile back.
I need to do some more viewing to really have something to say, but so far I'm pretty impressed. Most American acting in the 50's especially in crime films can get really overblown. I thought they had a pretty good balance here. As I said I really need to do some more viewing, but thanks so much for the tip!
And just to show I'm not a total thread hijacker--yes I'm recording "The Sniper" tonight as well. We'll meet back here tomorrow for a round table discussion!
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> I think I managed to see this theaterically, not sure
> if it was a festival or a regular engagement. Should
> love a repeat viewing.
Give me a ring the next time your in TX. I'll put the coffee on and we'll have a viewing!
>
> And you're right about the pleasure of listening to
> Scorsese -- how many of his own movies has he done
> audio commentaries for? Hasn't he recorded some
> commentaries for some P&P movies?
I know "The Red Shoes" (1948) contains some of his personal collection of memorabilla. "Black Narcissus" (1947) has his commentary. "BN" is my personal fave of all the P&P work.
I love his commentary for "The Setup" (1949). He also did a nice 20-30 min intro for the Criterion version of "La Strada" (1954). Worth every penny. On some of my old VHS tapes of "Johnny Guitar" (1954), "Force of Evil" (1948), and "Pursued" (1947) he did 15-20 min, intros that had quite interesting views on the films.
The DVD of "Force" has no commentary to speak of. Don't know about "Pursued", and "JG" has not been released yet as far as I know.
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I personally don't like Star Wars, but I don't think you can really call it "a poorly made" film.
Lucas broke all kinds of standards for special effects use and was so highly sought after that he created his own company that made special effects for other films.
Whether or not it is art is open to debate, but it's not shoddily made.
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I totally agree. You never hear about a smoker sliding into a family of five.
I have no problems with smoking as long as I can get away from it. I worked a lot of places (playing or mixing) where it was awful. I would come home and just be reeking like I was the smoker.
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> New member here. Here are some of my favorites:
> Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House/any Cary Grant
> Gone With The Wind
> It Happened One Night
> Giant
> The Best Years of Our Lives
> Philedelphia Story
> The Women
> Pillow Talk
> Original Father of the Bride
> Shop Around the Corner
> Bombshell
> Just to name a few.....
>
> Message was edited by:
> grantgirl68
Welcome. There is a thread about "Shop" in the Romantic Comedies section. There was also a recent "Best Years" thread in the General Discussion or Hot Topics section if you want to dig it up.
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> Young people can't get it through their heads that
> smoking was at one time 100% accepted by everyone,
> even doctors. Even after the warnings started
> coming out doctors and nurses still smoked.
And many of them still do. I remember when my grandfather was dying of Pulmonary Fibrosis (he never smoked BTW) his lung doctor who was a top specialist in his field was talking to me and I could smell the cigarettes on his breath.
I asked another doctor friend of mine: "What gives? Why would a man who knows the effects of this habit and sees people die every day do something like this?"
He told me: "That's just it. They see people die everyday and realize the fragility of life. As a result many doctors are very Hard Livers (some of them probably have hard livers too!)."
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> IRL I'm a CPA.
>
> I can't think of any films about accountants at the
> present time...although I'm just positive I've seen a
> couple.
>
> Must not have been too memorable. Can't IMAGINE why!
> *lol*
The Producers (1968)?
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I have the old VHS...
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One really great film that hasn't been mentioned is Scorsese's documentary: "My Voyage to Italy" (1998). If you haven't seen this movie you are missing out on one of the best documentaries on Italian films.
Scorsese is such a pleasure to listen to, and he goes through a lot of the great ones on this 2 DVD release.
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I like your name! Reference to the Chaney film?
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> He said that it was beautiful art, and that out
> weighed the negative points. My brother was having
> quite the time when this all was happening, and I was
> trying to influence him with more possitive films.
>
> That is until I overheard my own youth pastor trying
> to talk him into watching this movie. I confronted my
> pastor about it first, telling him not to offer any
> more suggestions to my bro. Then I spoke to my
> brother and he said he tried watching the film
> himself and couldn't get through it. Imagine this
> teenager telling his youth pastor he couldn't stomach
> a film and the pastor telling him "Try it one more
> time, maybe you'll like it the second time." :0
There is no way any pastor should recommend something like that to a teenager. I am a Christian and while I accept that some films have nudity and language issues, I would certainly not recommend such films to younger viewers. Especially not when there are so many great films that have none of those issues.
If there is a reason in the film for these things (i.e.: it advances the plot or is part of the realism), I can understand it.
Many films though, just push the boundaries to titillate the viewer which show themselves to be awful films anyway. If you have to resort to shock value because you don't have anything to say you are not much of an artist.
Many great films like "Belle De Jour" (1967) are erotic without even showing skin. "Raise the Red Lantern" (1991) although the theme is sexual enslavement--no sex or nudity is shown!
In a film like "Resevoir Dogs" (1992) though, I can understand them dropping the F-bombs and talking that way because people DO actually speak like that. However, I would not recommend it to a under 17 teenager (or anyone that is easily offended by that kind of talk).
I hope you and your brother found another church.
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Yes. That's it.
One of my all time favorite scenes is when Tone hunts down that guy in the twisting streets (being delibrately vague here for folks that haven't seen it) while the snow is falling and people are singing Christmas carols. A truly beautifully shot film.
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Well, if you enjoyed "All Quiet" make sure you check out another of Remarque's works: "Three Comrades" (1938). It will be showing quite soon (3/6).
Set your hanky somewhere to dry though because you will need it again!
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Lew Ayres later became popular doing the Dr. Kildare series. He was also in 1929's "The Kiss" with Garbo.
He served in the Medical Corps during WW2, but took a lot of heat from the press because he declared himself a pacifist and would not fight--a very unpopular stance in that day.
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Will some other people besides me request this film? It's a great B-western with Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, and Tina Louise. Kind of a Noir western "Key Largo" (1947), but with lots of snow scenes reminiscent of "On Dangerous Ground" (1952).
It's a great film, but TCM hasn't shown it in over 2 years--at least.
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Let me know how it looks.
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I need to get the new transfer for sure. This is one of my favorite war films taken from one of my favorite writers Erich Maria Remarque who also wrote "Three Comrades" (showing 3/6), "The Road Back", and "A Time to Love, A Time to Die". If you liked the movie, check out the book. The man has a beautiful way with words.
This film (and Remarque's books) were banned and burned in Germany when the Nazi's took control for obvious reasons. War, although sometimes necessary is never a grand or glorious thing. As Paul says: "We live in the trenches. We try not to be killed, but sometimes we are."
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I know Fellini worked on "Open City" (1945), but am not sure about Paisan.
I, Vitelloni (the name means "young calves") is his own creation and inspired many films from "Mean Streets" (1973) to "Diner" (1982). In my opinion, it's one of his essential works. Heck, it should be on "The Essentials" for that matter!
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It's nice to find another fan of that film--it's one of the unknown greats!
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Mr. Dash,
Are you talking about Sam Peckinpah's "Cross of Iron" (1976) or another film?
"Berlin Alexanderplatz"
in Foreign Language Films
Posted
Wondering what the cost will be...probably on 4 DVD's with a bonus of extras?