speedracer5
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Posts posted by speedracer5
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23 minutes ago, lydecker said:
Great read and any article that says: FOREST GUMP, are you kidding??? works for me.
I saw Forrest Gump for the first time a couple years ago and I thought it was awful.
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35 minutes ago, hamradio said:
Re: "Spartacus"...
...or as Cher in "Clueless" calls it “Sparatacus”.
Just read in the "Movies with Movies" thread Cher said "Sporadicus".
I only wrote "Sporadicus" because at some point in the movie, the new word she learns is "sporadically." Lol. I'm sure either spelling is fine for a non-word, non-title.
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In Clueless, Cher and Christian watch Spartacus, or "Sporadicus" as she calls it. A clip of Tony Curtis is seen on Cher's TV.
I'm pretty sure that All That Heaven Allows is featured in the Cape Fear remake somewhere.
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1 hour ago, LornaHansonForbes said:
ALTHOUGH...one thing that occurred to me watching HOLD BACK THE DAWN was how much better a leading man BOYER would have been for JOAN FONTAINE in SUSPICION than CARY GRANT.
Maybe Boyer’s accent would have made the monkey face pet name more palatable?
Every time I see/hear Boyer, I just think of: LUCY, I LOVE YOU, RAWR.
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3 minutes ago, filmnoirguy said:
As good as Gloria Grahame is in The Bad and the Beautiful, I thought she was even better in another 1952 movie, playing Irene Neves in the film noir Sudden Fear.
I also thought she was fantastic in The Big Heat.
I don't want this to turn into a Gloria Grahame thread though. Lol.
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2 minutes ago, TikiSoo said:
Lolly, the old adverb, here.
My very favorite Kirk scene is in THE BAD & THE BEAUTIFUL when he sneers, "Maybe I LIKE being cheap....get out-GET OUT!"
Kirk was the best male screamer of all time.
Similar scream at the 2:40 mark:
I loved that scene. I also loved Lana Turner's breakdown in the car afterward. I thought for sure she'd crash the car, because usually they do when there's drama in the car. But she managed to stay on the road.
I also liked when Lana Turner drunkenly proposes to Kirk:
LANA: Will you marry me?
KIRK: Not even a little bit.
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I thought 594 looked familiar. I've seen The Country Girl too. When I first saw it, the only reason I watched it is because that was the film that William Holden was promoting during his appearance on I Love Lucy. Lol.
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Not to take away from Kirk.
I just watched The Bad and the Beautiful last night. This was a movie that I'd seen, but only as background noise. I'd never actually sat and watched the film intently. I loved it.
First, I didn't recognize Barry Sullivan with the mustache at all. I must have looked away when the credits were on because I didn't realize that Sullivan was in this film. I did see Gilbert Roland's name and I was staring at Sullivan thinking "well that doesn't look like Gilbert Roland." It was only when I was reading the trivia on imdb about the film that I realized that that was Sullivan. With that information in mind, as soon as he spoke again, I thought "duh. Of course that's Barry Sullivan."
Anyway. Sometimes Kirk is too intense in his films to me. However, in this film, I thought he walked the lines between manipulative, charming, bombastic, and vulnerable very well. His character by himself, didn't have any actual talent when it came to the actual production of the film. He had the ideas. Which being an "idea man" isn't a bad thing. But he had to surround himself with persons who were good at directing (Barry Sullivan), acting (Lana Turner), and writing (Dick Powell). I liked how Walter Pidgeon started as the studio head and throughout the film, Kirk very subtly took over all the decision making. I loved how the story line was laid out, with each of his former associates explaining how Kirk essentially screwed them over. I thought Dick Powell's character really suffered the most at the hands of Kirk.
I liked Gloria Grahame in this film, but I wasn't sure if her performance was worthy of an Oscar. I also liked how she played a prim and proper Southern Belle, but then there was still this underlying level of floozy that only Grahame can bring to her portrayals.
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I hate how this trend of armchair activism has to arise where people cannot just feel grief about someone's passing, without some "woke" person coming in trying to tell everyone why they shouldn't grieve for someone's loss. I bet Kirk's family are grieving. We weren't there. We don't know if something allegedly happened between Kirk and Natalie. Nobody here was there. Nobody regurgitating the story on the internet was there. The original sources of the rumor weren't there. At this point, both parties are dead. It doesn't matter anymore. I don't need to know what may or may not have happened. Just like with Errol Flynn, I don't need to know what happened on his yacht. Though unlike Douglas, Flynn was actually tried (and acquitted) for his alleged crime. We can just grieve for people based on the contributions made and how they affected us individually.
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I think 591 is The Old Maid. I've seen that one.
592, I'm guessing is The Bank Dick. I haven't seen that one.
595 is Suddenly Last Summer. I've seen that one.
599 I'm guessing is Moonstruck. I haven't seen that one.
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2 hours ago, JamesStewartFan95 said:
I’m sorry Tom! I love Kirk Douglas as an actor! I would never actually have brought any of that up. I’m just kind of in an emotional bind due to the combination of his death and the mixture of comments on Twitter. It’s hard to make heads or tails of anything. I think he was an amazing talent, especially in Champion on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and especially in Spartacus. His work in that film should have won him the Oscar! Again, I got caught up in trying to make sense of everything that was being said, and I posted something I now regret posting.
As a rule of thumb, not just in re: to a famous person, but in life as a whole, it's good to ignore most things written on Twitter.
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1 hour ago, spence said:
Please. Not here. Not now.
If you don’t like the man, feel free to ignore this thread.
Thank you.
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1 minute ago, CinemaInternational said:
I am a bit ashamed that the title of the last film I saw of his before his passing was A Lovely Way to Die. RIP. He was a great actor and one of the last links to the Golden Age.
That's awkward. Lol.
Maybe you can "right" things by watching him in Lust for Life.
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Kirk will no doubt get a TCM tribute, but unfortunately, we'll have to wait until at least March. I doubt they'd preempt 31 Days of Oscar. I will also guess that Kirk will get a 24 hour tribute.
He's no doubt got a large enough filmography. I'd like to see some of his noir like I Walk Alone and Ace in a Hole. I'd also like to see his boxing movie, Champion. It would be nice too if maybe Michael Douglas could host an evening of his dad's films.
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Okay after watching Mildred Pierce for the millionth time, I want to pitchfork every character Butterfly McQueen has ever played.
That voice.
Oof.
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1 hour ago, Allhallowsday said:
Sometimes it works the other way around. I disliked Dr. Smith on Lost In Space growing up - I found him distracting and annoying. Now, looking at the reruns again, I laugh at Dr. Smith and it's John Robinson I want to pitchfork!
Then there are those whom you've always wanted to pitchfork. Case in point: Ritchie from The Dick Van Dyke Show. Ugh.
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It's hardly surprising considering his age, but it is sad nonetheless, because he's one of the last pieces of Classic Hollywood.
RIP Kirk.
I'll watch one of his movies tonight in his honor.
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An Automat, I imagine would be like being inside of a giant vending machine. Roy Cronin's article states that the last automat closed in NYC in 1991. Unfortunately, I only had a 7 year shot to make it to one. Lol. Apparently 2006 was the last time you could have sent a paper telegram with Western Union. I had a much better chance at receiving one of those, but never did
If I'd known that telegrams were going to close up shop in 2006, I would have sent myself one.
HI SPEEDRACER5, STOP
I AM SENDING YOU A TELEGRAM STOP
HAVE A GOOD DAY STOP
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3 hours ago, thomasterryjr said:
When you are a child you have more of an open mind to certain characters you see on television. I use to watch Gomer Pyle during its initial run in the 60s. I liked him and considered him a friend of mine. I sometimes watch the program now out of sheer curiosity today and find the Gomer Pyle character worthy of being pitchfork.
Jim Nabors was a great actor and tremendous singer. He made the "Gomer Pyle" character realistic, believable and gave him numerous likability traits. The scary part of his characterization is he is actually copying the tendencies and personality of an actual person he once knew I believe. There are times I would like to swing really hard the flat-side of a shovel to Frank Sutton's character abrasive, loud-mouth Sergeant Vince Carter.
I agree with your assessment of children liking specific characters on television, and then coming to dislike them as adults.
I've always disliked Gomer (and Goober) on Andy Griffith. When Gomer runs around going CITIZEN'S ARREST! CITIZEN'S ARREST! I wanted to pitchfork him.
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1 hour ago, NickAndNora34 said:
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978) *Score: 3.5/5
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright.
Not as enjoyable as the original '56 version, but it was nice to have a little Kevin McCarthy cameo in the first half.
THE 39 STEPS (1935) *Score: 2.5/5
Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Helen Haye.
I really didn't enjoy this upon rewatching it. I remember liking it back in high school, but I was terribly bored this second time.
Oh I love The 39 Steps. It was the first film I'd seen with Robert Donat and I thought he was really cute. Though I've only seen it once. Hopefully a second viewing doesn't lessen my enjoyment of it.
Have you seen The Lady Vanishes ? That is another of Hitch's British films before he came to the US to make Rebecca. I loved that movie.
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I agree with what JamesJazz is saying.
The contract system had its pros and cons.
PRO
-Actors were paid regardless of whether they were working on a film or not--steady and work for an actor.
-Actors who are proven moneymakers consistently have work and have projects purchased and created for them.
-Higher rates of film production as everyone was contracted and available for work.
-Studios protected their stars' images at all costs--one night of misadventure wouldn't result in an instant loss of career (save for "death by misadventure."). As an aside: Can you imagine if social media existed in the day of the "fixer" ?
-The Production Code forced filmmakers to skirt around the objectionable content, leading to some more imaginative and interesting films.
CON
-Actors who want to build their craft (e.g. Bette Davis) or actors with proven worth to the studio are unable to choose their own projects.
-Actors who have proven themselves to the studio are punished for refusing multiple projects with offers for even worse projects, or by having time added to their contracts.
-Higher rates of film production so money is spent churning out mediocre productions when it could have been used to improve higher quality projects.
-Studios had control over their employees' extra-curricular activities, including opportunities at other studios.
-Studios also owned the movie theaters in cities, which prohibited independent persons from making any money exhibiting films. The studios could control which theaters featured their films, how many showings of the film there were, how many theaters presented the film. More showings = more $$ Judy Garland's A Star is Born directly suffered from this set-up.
-Production Code stifled the filmmakers' vision of his/her film--hurting the film. See films with happy endings where it doesn't really belong.
Then you have actors like Barbara Stanwyck and Cary Grant who were freelance. While Cary Grant pretty much played "Cary Grant" after The Awful Truth, he was able to find work at pretty much any studio and didn't have to go through the rigmarole of being loaned out. Stanwyck has a much more varied career, playing anything from comedies, to westerns, to drama, pretty much anything. In many ways, I bet she had the career Bette Davis wishes she'd had. However, while Stanwyck is a big star, Bette Davis is probably more well known. I am wondering if that's because of the studio system or is it because Bette Davis had more iconic parts like All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
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1 hour ago, lavenderblue19 said:
No, just plain English spoken here. Besides I'm more the Aunte Mame type rather than Gloria. Any other questions?
As much as I love Gloria (he stepped on the ping pong ball! Can you imagine?!), I also agree that you're more an Auntie Mame. I enjoyed your story about growing up in NYC. I would have loved to have visited an Automat. Lucy and Ethel talk about going to Schraff's in an episode or two of I Love Lucy.
If I were on Auntie Mame, I'd probably be Agnes Gooch, minus the pregnancy. Lol.
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I believe that he was in an episode of I Love Lucy, he played one of the newlyweds who move into the Ricardos' apartment when they move to the country. I didn't realize that he was so prominent in television and had other film roles.
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I feel like some type of studio system would have had to existed, only because movies at the time were such a young entertainment medium. They would have needed something in place to provide some sort of groundwork for the business of making film. I feel like if there were no procedures in place for finding talent, creating the film, etc. then it would be somewhat of a free for all and probably wouldn't have prospered the way that it did. The studios operated like factories, the actors were just part of the production. Once the system gained some footing and the actors began realizing that they were responsible for much of the film's success, that's when they were able to bargain for better parts, higher salaries, etc. As the years went on, that's when we had actors forming their own production studios, directing films, etc. By the time the studio system fell apart, movies had been around for quite some time and people didn't need to be placed into that factory type of production.
If I'd known that telegrams were going to close up shop in 2006, I would have sent myself one.
Special Sales of Classic Titles on DVD & Blu-ray
in Classic Film DVD Reviews
Posted
Does anyone know if the Criterion Flash sales happen around the same times each year? Or are they random?