Film_Fatale
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Posts posted by Film_Fatale
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I think mr6666 nailed it, sounds like *The Blue Bird* - the original, not the awful 70's remake.
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so sorry to hear
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I recently ordered the William Powell/Myrna Loy set, which was on sale for less than 50% of the original suggested retail price.
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*Turner Classic Movies pick for July 19, 2008: King Kong*
?King Kong,? TCM, Saturday, July 19, 4 p.m. (EST)
For those who love old movies, there only one King Kong and he isn?t a CGI or a guy in a rubber suit. Though its special effects may look tame compared to modern day state-of-the-art affairs like ?Jurassic Park? or ?Lord of the Rings,? the original 1933 ?King Kong? still remains the definitive giant monster movie.
Robert Armstrong, who spent most of his career typed as cops and soldiers, had the role of his life as adventurous filmmaker Carl Denham (based on the film?s directors Marian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack) who arranges an expedition to uncharted Skull Island in hopes of getting footage of the mysterious creature known as Kong. (As an in-joke, the real Cooper and Schoedsack are the airplane pilots who kill Kong on top of the Empire State Building in the film?s iconic finale.)
Gorgeous Fay Wray makes her fifth and last appearance in a horror film as Ann Darrow, the woman Denham selects to be the ?love interest? of his movie. Frank Reicher and Bruce Cabot play the captain and first mate respectively of the ship Denham hires for the journey.
And then there?s the Eighth Wonder of the World, King Kong himself, stop-action animation wizard Willis O?Brien?s masterpiece. Thanks to O?Brien?s skill, Kong runs a gamut of emotion that would put many real actors to shame.
Last but not least, there is Max Steiner?s music which was a major milestone in the art of movie scoring. For movie fanatics, the original ?King Kong? is the stuff that dreams are made of.
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I think *Mamma Mia!* is an excellent adaptation of the original musical. At least by contemporary standards. That is to say, I'd say it's considerably better than the film adaptations of, say, *Rent* or *The Producers* turned out to be.
Hope that doesn't sound like faint praise. Meryl Streep is totally delightful, and Christine Baranski also does a very good job (it's almost rare to see her playing a nice lady for a change). Everyone else was OK.
I'm not going to pretend that modern-day musicals can stand up to comparison with the great musicals of the early and mid-20th century. But for the kind of thing you're likely to see today, it seems very well done.
Just consider that if you watch it in the movie theater, you're likely to see the preview for *High School Musical 3: Senior Year*. If that doesn't help put things in perspective, I don't know what will.
My only quibble (and a very small one at that) is that they dropped the song "Knowing Me, Knowing You".
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> {quote:title=Web wrote:}{quote}
> I for one have no problem with Celluloidkid's posts. I just can't stand his name. What were his parents thinking?
They probably never stopped to think that it rhymes with "hemorroid"?
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> {quote:title=hamradio wrote:}{quote}
> Remember that members like filmlover, Film Fatale have greater wisdom then the newer young members. Wisdom comes from experience not a college degree. Even college professors don't know EVERYTHING!
Awww, shucks, thank you!
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> {quote:title=hamradio wrote:}{quote}
> You and your wife are probually correct. Louis B. Meyer severely reprimanded Mickey back in 1938 for having an affair with Norma Shearer. There was quite an uproar over it and Mr. Meyer probually didn't want history to repeat itself. MGM simply didn't want any more problems.
Norma was having affairs just a year after Irving's death? Shocking :0
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> {quote:title=hlywdkjk wrote:}{quote}
> Either way, it is nice to hear that TCM is promoting "Summer Under The Stars" to new viewers. I've been aware that for "SUTS", TCM has revisited the style of promo that was created for this past spring's "31 Days..." event. The "screen" has been moved out of the soundstage and placed outside under the stars. I am hoping there is an extended version of this for the August event. The two minute version of the "31 Days..." promo was breathtaking.
Was it? I don't remember. I'll see if I can find in on YouTube.
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Even though the Examiner writer focused on the *Whistling...* movies, some of theRed Skelton films later in the schedule also look interesting. Especially *The Clown*.
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But.. how could you forget?
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> {quote:title=lzcutter wrote:}{quote}
> Is it opening world-wide tomorrow as well?
It actually opened in many territories 1-2 weeks before its U.S. release date. It also appears to have been #1 at the UK box-office last weekend
http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKL1572246020080715
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It's on my TiVo. Haven't really had a chance to watch it yet, the narration sounds a bit monotone, but it does look very interesting all the same.
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Happy b-day, Red Skelton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(July 18, 1913 - Sept. 17, 1997)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0804026/
Happy b-day, Hume Cronyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(July 18, 1911 - June 15, 2003)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002025/
And last but not least...
Happy b-day, Paul Verhoeven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(July 18, 1938)
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Please stop derailing the thread already... stick with the thread topic, if you'd be so kind.
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> {quote:title=judycwrite wrote:}{quote}
> Start! Start! WWW and the Avengers were by far the most creative shows at that time. Wouldn't it be great if we could have that calibre of shows now?
When you say we don't have that calibre of shows now, do you refer to just the broadcast networks, or also cable/pay TV channels?
Anyone plan to see Mamma Mia?
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I think the Variety review also remarked on the plot similarities with *Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell* but I've yet to hear whether any of the people involved in making the musical actually acknowledged it as an inspiration in some way. I think more than anything they had to fit songs which already existed into some kind of narrative.
And I agree with CM that Meryl is amazingly sexy in this movie. I'm really happy she took the part - can't imagine anyone else being so good at it.