misswonderly3

I know you didn't, Tom baby. My comments about "best film of the decade" being over-the-top were not addressed to you so much as the original poster and specifically the title of his thread here. Why can't someone just say, "Anyone Else Here Who Really Loves The Artist ?" I just take issue with the whole "best" of anything concept. If you really haven't seen any of the other films I listed in my earlier post on this thread, I recommend you check some of them out. And if you only want to see one, make it Hugo. I loved this movie.

"co-incidence" ?

I thought under the circumstances it was the appropriate thing to do to "like" the above post. You know what? I'm going to go whole hog (I wish people still said "go whole hog" ) and "like" my own damn post here, just for the hell of it and to say I once "liked" my own post. Even if it is a bit onanistic.

I want to reiterate that I liked The Artist, for the reasons you articulate so well. I'm sure I'd enjoy it if I saw it again just as much as I did the first time. My problem isn't with praise for The Artist, it's with the hyperbolic statement that it's the "best" movie of the decade. I wonder why people always want to do that, come up with lists, compile them in order of quality (movies or songs or cars or whatever), and also to declare that this or that is "the best" - of the decade, or the century, or of all. Mirror mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? In a way, that's what the Oscars are all about, too. Deciding and declaring which of many disparate movies came out in the same year deserves to be labelled "the best". It's why I don't care about the Oscars, except to check out my favourite stars and their gowns. (And even with that, the entertainment industry has to decree which gown was "the best".)

Ok, now I'm feeling dumb. Here I'd thought von Aschenbach died from the fever or whatever the contagious disease was that was raging through Venice at the time. I know you can't be saying Tadzio literally murdered him; so, are you suggesting that he somehow played with Von Aschenbach's obsession with him til he died? Or do you mean some kind of murder of the psyche? Now I'm feeling both confused and pretentious.

Cave Girl, I posted a few thoughts about Nightmare on the "I Just Watched" thread. I think quoting one's own posts is a bit cheesy and don't normally do it (although this will make it twice in one day, actually), but rather than write a whole new post about this movie, I'm doing the lazy thing and just copying and pasting the post I wrote in the other thread here. I apologize, everyone, for this tacky behaviour. ____________________________________________________________________________- "Nightmare I saw this was on the TCM schedule, and planned in advance to watch it - in real time ! (how many of us actually still do this?) I'd heard of this noir, plus it was mentioned recently in the "Mirrors" thread (sorry, off-hand I forget who posted about Nightmare and mirrors, but kudos to them...) So, thoughts about Nightmare: Well, first, I really enjoyed it. This might be partly due to "first time watching a noir that's new to me" syndrome. It's rare that I don't really like any film noir I've never seen before, at least on first viewing. It's got that eerie dream-like atmosphere some noirs have (that drug-addled scene in Murder, My Sweet, Spellbound -almost anything by Hitch is at least border-line noir -, lots of other film noirs.) I love this "dream / nightmare / lost memory" trope in movies. If it's well-done, it's a fascinating trip into a character's psyche, and also an interesting exercise in trying to guess what's real and what isn't. Kevin McCarthy stars as a musician who wakes up one morning to find tangible evidence of something he thought he'd done in a dream. I like this actor, who's probably best-known for his role in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (made the same year as Nightmare, 1956.) But the film really gets going when good old Edward G. Robinson appears as the musician's brother-in-law who also just happens to be a police detective. There's just something about Edward G. that compels us to watch him, whatever he's in. McCarthy's character, Stan, thinks he may have committed a murder, and is tortured by the fact that he has no recollection of doing so, except in his "nightmare". (Not to mention that hopefully most normal people who think they might have killed someone but can't remember who or why would be "tortured".) He can't reconcile what he knows as reality with what he remembers from his dream and the evidence he found afterwards. (Intriguingly, a button and an odd-looking key.) Oh, there's also a few female characters, none of them of the fatale variety. One of them is just a pick-up in a seedy all-night bar (interesting and kind of fun scene, though), the other two are his sister and his "girlfriend". I put girlfriend in quotation marks because Stan doesn't seem to have much regard for the poor girl, who's a jazz singer (not bad, either) and devoted to him. Poor Gina, Stan has not the least interest in confiding his troubles to her, or in fact talking to her at all, as far as I could tell. He reminded me a little of Charlton Heston's character in Touch of Evil, in the way he's always leaving his wife (or in the case of Nightmare, his girlfriend), telling her he'll get back to her later, when he's straightened some things out. Some noirs have a smart and sympathetic girlfriend or secretary (who of course later becomes the girlfriend) who helps the main character sort out his troubles, but Nightmare isn't one of those. It's all about Edward G. and his crime-solving abilities. But who's complaining when Edward G. solves or even commits a crime in any movie? The story is set and filmed on location in New Orleans. This is a major strength of the film. There's one scene where Stan goes on a desperate search through the nightclubs and all-night bars of the city, trying to find a musician who's heard the mysterious melody he heard in his nightmare. I love all the neon lights flashing on and off, proclaiming the alluring names of the nightclubs - scenes like this are what noir is made of. Another memorable scene is when Stan, the long-suffering Gina, and Edward G.Robinson and his wife (Stan's sister) go on a picnic and get caught in a rainstorm. They take refuge in a deserted house, where they light a fire and make themselves tea ! It just struck me as funny that they were making themselves so much at home in a complete stranger's house. Now, there is a reason for this, but I'm not going to do any spoilers. Anyway, I got a big kick out of Nightmare. As I said, I really enjoyed this cool little noir, and would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. "

Shirley you cannot be serious. I can think of better movies made the same year as The Artist, never mind the same decade. I should make it clear, I liked The Artist. It was a nice little movie, it was entertaining and made me feel good. And it was a nice idea, making it black and white and silent. I'd say it was a good film. But that's all. I forgot about it soon after I saw it, it didn't "stay" with me. And one of my personal standards for whether a film was really good is if it was memorable, if it resonates with me after the immediate experience of watching it. The Artist ? Nope. A few movies that were better than that one which were also made in 2011 come to mind, by no means an exhaustive list: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Ok, I concede you have to already be a fan of this series to include this. But the Harry Potter movies (and of course books) address "big" questions and make you both feel and think. The Help: I don't know why this film has so many detractors; it tells it like it was in the southern USA circa early 1960s. I found it entertaining, educational and moving; it was also well-acted and quite funny in parts. Drive: a suspenseful action/psychological drama, with two of my favourite 21st century actors, Ryan Gosling and Carrie Mulligan Bridesmaids: yup, Bridemaids: a smart funny engaging rom com with a nice performance from Kristin Wiig The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: I know the original Swedish version is supposed to be better, and I believe it (even though I haven't seen the Swedish version.) But this English language re-make is pretty darn good. This film is a mystery, a family drama, an action thriller, and a crime story all in one. It's deliciously dark and never predictable. And I say you can't go wrong with Daniel Craig I could go on, there are a lot more. Some I wasn't crazy about, but they did get accolades, such as Tree of Life and The Descendants. I'll just cite one more film from 2011, a film which is one of my very favourite movies since the turn of this century (that is, since "the year 2000".) Hugo: Something different from Martin Scorsese, this delicate story is about many things: children trying to survive on their own, finding a purpose in life, and the joy of creating beauty through art. It's one of the very few movies I can think of where the C.G. effects really work with the story and don't overwhelm it. Hugo is a truly moving film, and gives us a lot to think about. I think it is an under-rated masterpiece, but I might be going over-the-top a bit. I feel a real emotional connection to this film. Anyway, I know I'm being disagreeable, but I just don't get this love for the sweet but unremarkable film The Artist. I think the "different-ness" of its being both a silent film and a black and white one being made in the year 2011 has a lot to do with why people like it so much.

I like Jeff Bridges.I realize now that the way I wrote my post about my lack of interest in seeing Against All Bods made it sound like I wouldn't consider watching the film because Jeff Bridges was in it, when what I meant was, probably the only reason I'd bother is because Jeff Bridges is in it. Sorry about that.

I'd hardly call the plain dismissive statements I and Kidd Dabb made about Phil Collins "vitriol". We were both just stating a simple fact- that his music - at least most of his 80s music - wasn't very good. Some of the definitions I looked up of the word "vitriol" include such terms as "harsh nasty criticism" and "bitterly abusive expression". I agree, I don't feel much more strongly about his music than I do elevator music. It's more to be disregarded than "harshly criticised".

I'll settle for "liking" yours' .

I haven't seen it, and don't really care to.Maybe just because Jeff Bridges is in it. I did read the description, but just thought I'd come right out and speak of the cinematic elephant in the room. You didn't actually mention Out of the Past in your write-up of Against All Bods. Not a criticism (why should you, especially if it was so obvious?), just wanted to name the noir from out of the past. One plot feature that's different though - or rather, absent altogether - is the story about Jeff and the lovely, "true" girl he's recounting most of his tale to, Anne, along with his friend, the deaf kid. While the narrative can work without this (Anne, the kid, and Jeff's relationship to them), it adds to the emotional impact of Jeff's slide back into darkness, because he had something good to return to if he could escape from Kathie and all she represents, and he cannot.

Well, it's better than "Against All Odds" or "Take a Look at Me Now" or whatever it's called. Full disclosure: I am not a Phil Collins fan. (so sue me.)

Well, Hibi baby, to quote myself (an unseemly thing to do, I concede), "The Phil Collins song encapsulates everything that was wretched about 80s music."

The Phil Collins song encapsulates everything that was wretched about 80s music.

cigarjoe, I've never seen Against All Odds, but I've always heard it was a re-make (or "re-imagining" might be a better word) of Out of the Past. Have you heard this too? Whaja think? Any similarities?

It is "Miss Havisham", but I kind of like "Miss Favisham". Good comparison, the elder Edie, languishing in her bed with a million cats wandering over her and cans of tinned cat food (or human food - tuna, maybe?) lying around all over the place, the decrepit home, the sense of decay and waiting for something to happen that never did (who knows what?) the feeling that time has stopped, all are reminiscent of the gothic character in the Dickens novel. (well, except for the millions of cats.) By the way, and off-topic, I'm currently watching a series I have on DVD, "Little Dorrit". It's a first-rate screen version of the novel, I highly recommend it. Anyway, the central female character - other than Amy Dorrit - is Mrs. Clennam, this wicked old woman who sits all day in her horrible decaying house, wasting her nasty life away and living in the past (I think at one point she plays the Jethro Tull song ---er, no, she doesn't.) She reminds me very much of Miss Havisham. Of course, that's not so coincidental, when you think both characters were created by the same author.

Looks like we're on a roll with lounge-lizardly singers and heavily made-up babes from the 80s (or early 90s, maybe.) Those videos are quite fun, although I'm not sure if that's intentional.Actually, from what you noticed speedy, the humour is intentional. Change of pace...I recently mentioned the film St. Vincent. The whole soundtrack's good, but the other stand-out song for me (other than "Everyone Hides") is a tune by a truly great band, the National. These guys write wonderful songs. The singer has an unusual deep voice, which adds to the moody feel of a lot of their stuff. Here's an exquisite song by them, "Start a War" :

What ? ! I always thought that song was about Mick Jagger ! (Maybe it was an amalgamation of the two...)

TikiSoo baby, that would depend on who you ask. Holden is a big fan of the film, as are several other intelligent and discerning posters here. I, on the other hand, found it not only depressing but boring as hell. I can take "depressing", but when it comes to "boring", I'm out. (But I suspect I'm not as discerning as other posters who appreciate "Grey Gardens".) I know this is blasphemy, and I also know how much everybody here hates poor old Drew, but the fact is, I found the more "fictionalized" 2009 biopic movie about the Edies and Grey Gardens much more entertaining. It featured Drew as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as her mother. I thought it wasn't bad, but then I'm a plebian and a philistine. In fact, I'm a plebian philistine.

Jumping in here for no particular reason (except I saw that LornaHansenForbes was posting on this thread), I have to say (well, of course I don't have to say; I choose to say), I've never thought Warren Beatty was the handsome hunk he's generally regarded to be. In fact, I do not find him attractive at all. I picked the handsomest picture of him I could find, and even it (the best pic) doesn't do anything for me. "Come on, miss w, how can you resist me?" Quite easily, actually, Warren baby. I dunno...his eyes are too close together. That sounds mean, but I don't think Mr. Beatty has to worry about one lowly classic movie message board poster not liking his looks. And he looks like a "jock", at least he did in his early movies. Never been attracted to the jock type. "That said", I like him as an actor and am a fan of several of his movies - my favourite probably being Splendour in the Grass, (in which, come to think of it, his character was a bit of a jock.)

Thanks, scuzzy. I had heard of the original version. It would be interesting to compare the two. I wonder if DeForest Kelley, in Fear in the Night, ever barks out, "Damn it, Cliff, I'm a jazz musician, not a detective !" edit: oh, I see in the original, the nightmare - haunted character is a bank teller, not a jazz musician. But "Dammit, Cliff, I'm a bank teller, not a detective!" just doesn't resonate quite the same way.

Nightmare I saw this was on the TCM schedule, and planned in advance to watch it - in real time ! (how many of us actually still do this?) I'd heard of this noir, plus it was mentioned recently in the "Mirrors" thread (sorry, off-hand I forget who posted about Nightmare and mirrors, but kudos to them...) So, thoughts about Nightmare: Well, first, I really enjoyed it. This might be partly due to "first time watching a noir that's new to me" syndrome. It's rare that I don't really like any film noir I've never seen before, at least on first viewing. It's got that eerie dream-like atmosphere some noirs have (that drug-addled scene in Murder, My Sweet, Spellbound -almost anything by Hitch is at least border-line noir -, lots of other film noirs.) I love this "dream / nightmare / lost memory" trope in movies. If it's well-done, it's a fascinating trip into a character's psyche, and also an interesting exercise in trying to guess what's real and what isn't. Kevin McCarthy stars as a musician who wakes up one morning to find tangible evidence of something he thought he'd done in a dream. I like this actor, who's probably best-known for his role in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (made the same year as Nightmare, 1956.) But the film really gets going when good old Edward G. Robinson appears as the musician's brother-in-law who also just happens to be a police detective. There's just something about Edward G. that compels us to watch him, whatever he's in. McCarthy's character, Stan, thinks he may have committed a murder, and is tortured by the fact that he has no recollection of doing so, except in his "nightmare". (Not to mention that hopefully most normal people who think they might have killed someone but can't remember who or why would be "tortured".) He can't reconcile what he knows as reality with what he remembers from his dream and the evidence he found afterwards. (Intriguingly, a button and an odd-looking key.) Oh, there's also a few female characters, none of them of the fatale variety. One of them is just a pick-up in a seedy all-night bar (interesting and kind of fun scene, though), the other two are his sister and his "girlfriend". I put girlfriend in quotation marks because Stan doesn't seem to have much regard for the poor girl, who's a jazz singer (not bad, either) and devoted to him. Poor Gina, Stan has not the least interest in confiding his troubles to her, or in fact talking to her at all, as far as I could tell. He reminded me a little of Charlton Heston's character in Touch of Evil, in the way he's always leaving his wife (or in the case of Nightmare, his girlfriend), telling her he'll get back to her later, when he's straightened some things out. Some noirs have a smart and sympathetic girlfriend or secretary (who of course later becomes the girlfriend) who helps the main character sort out his troubles, but Nightmare isn't one of those. It's all about Edward G. and his crime-solving abilities. But who's complaining when Edward G. solves or even commits a crime in any movie? The story is set and filmed on location in New Orleans. This is a major strength of the film. There's one scene where Stan goes on a desperate search through the nightclubs and all-night bars of the city, trying to find a musician who's heard the mysterious melody he heard in his nightmare. I love all the neon lights flashing on and off, proclaiming the alluring names of the nightclubs - scenes like this are what noir is made of. Another memorable scene is when Stan, the long-suffering Gina, and Edward G.Robinson and his wife (Stan's sister) go on a picnic and get caught in a rainstorm. They take refuge in a deserted house, where they light a fire and make themselves tea ! It just struck me as funny that they were making themselves so much at home in a complete stranger's house. Now, there is a reason for this, but I'm not going to do any spoilers. Anyway, I got a big kick out of Nightmare. As I said, I really enjoyed this cool little noir, and would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

Wow, Palmerin, were you a spy once?

I looked it up. He was 15 when he auditioned, and probably going on 16 by the time they actually started filming. So very young, yes, but not a little kid.

A little while ago I saw the movie St. Vincent. (You know, the Bill Murray comedy about the slacker senior...) I really liked it, and I liked the soundtrack too. The opening tune was by one of my very favourite current songwriters, Jeff Tweedy. I couldn't figure out if it was Jeff solo, or if it was a Wilco song. I highly recommend both. I also highly recommend Bill Murray in almost anything, including St.Vincent.