ValentineXavier
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Posts posted by ValentineXavier
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I think it's a decent enough film. Actually, rather good, but with just a few flaws. www.allmovie.com raves about the cinematography and lighting. I respect their reviews and descriptions, a lot more than the IMDb's. So, if ever a good DVD copy becomes available, I think we should all reevaluate it.
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>Gin! That's the sweetest gift a boy could give his mom!
"Ma" to Lucky Jordan (from memory, might be off just a bit)
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> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}
> Hey, Val! So you finally saw *Christmas Holiday*...How did you get a hold of it?
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Someone on this board was kind enough to PM me, and send me a copy. I won't repeat the name, to keep other noir fans from hounding her. It still needs a real release, so we can see a good print of the film.
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> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}
> , and *Phantom Lady* had that in spades (what does that expression actually mean, anyway? "Spades" as in shovelfuls? )
In cards, spades>hearts>diamonds>clubs. Spades is the strongest suit.
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3. Lydia, the Tattooed Lady
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As I recall, in one post when you pointed out that a director was Canadian, I listed some of my favorite Canadian directors, including Maddin. Back a few pages in the "Lists" thread, I listed my favorite US and Canadian directors. I know there was one Canadian director I was forgetting. I hoped you would come back with the names of some more. Alas, I guess you were away from the board then.
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> {quote:title=FredCDobbs wrote:}{quote}
> and it's called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Engraving?.
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I guess it was named by The Department of Redundancy Department.
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To me, part of the fun of a good mystery is trying to figure out "who dun-it," which necessitates paying attention to details. This film doesn't really function on that level - it just reveals the bad guy, with insufficient clues before you meet him, IMO. But that's okay, I can still enjoy the film, even if some of the details are a bit off.
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Just what I said, four posts below yours.
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It seemed to me like Gomez was trying to goad Tone into action right there, turning his back to give him the opportunity. Even if he was setting Ella up as bait, that would hardly be the first time the heroine was deliberately used as bait for the baddie in a noir. But, I think they just wanted us to think that, deliberately setting up a red herring.
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> {quote:title=fxreyman wrote:}{quote}
> Ten films with hanging scenes.............
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*The Ruling Class*, assuming that wearing a tutu doesn't invalidate the hanging...
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Might include *The Abominable Dr. Phibes*.
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Well, I like Claude Rains, but I'll take Olivia de Havilland over him any day. But then, I'm a guy.
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> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}
> Was that a "band camp" experience?
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> (you'd have to be familiar with dumb teen sex movies to get the reference...)
I get it. I was banned from camp when I was a teen...
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Plastic Surgery: *Dark Passage*
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> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote} The "hat" aspect, for one thing; do you remember how the mystery lady, on her mystery date with Alan Curtis, exlaimed when she saw the performer on stage wearing the same hat? She exclaimed "MY Hat !" , as though she was surprised, even though, as we find out later, she had had the hat commissioned to be duplicated for herself, presumeable after having already seen it previously in the same show. She asked the hatmaker to make a copy of the singer's unusual hat, hence why the surprise when she saw it on stage?
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Actually, I'd bet that the 'Phantom Lady' saw the hat at the hat maker's shop. Remember, they said that she was a regular customer, so she probably saw it in the shop. Having asked for a duplicate, she might have known who the original was made for, and you might wonder why she would wear it where it could be seen by the person who commissioned the original. But, she was in such a state of shock, it wouldn't have mattered to her, if it even occurred to her.
> But what I really wondered about in *Phantom Lady* was the pivotal point upon which the whole plot hinged: the need to find the mystery lady, or at least a witness who would attest that they saw her, for Alan Curtis' alibi? But why? Her testimony should have been unnecessary, since both the bartender and the cab driver readily agreed that they had seen the Alan Curtis character himself. They could testify that they had seen him, the accused, shortly after 8pm, the supposed time of the murder; they did not deny that they'd seen him, therefore what did it matter whether the mystery lady was produced or not?
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I agree with you. That did occur to me as I watched the film. To play devil's advocate, the cab driver was kind of non-committal about things, and the bar tender placed him in the bar shortly after 8pm, but I think they said that the murder was 8:30-9pm, so he still would have had time. He needed to prove that he was at the show, and the 'phantom lady' was the only one who could do it. I think that should have been made clearer in the film.
Edited by: ValentineXavier on Jan 30, 2011 9:03 PM
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What film is the second shot down from? I don't remember ever seeing her with long straight hair like that.
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Earthworms.
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> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}
> the oft-screened and execrable *Dr. Zhivago*.
I quite agree. In fact, I call it Dr. Zilchvago...
I watched four noirs on Friday, *Lucky Jordan*, *The Phantom Lady*, *Christmas Holiday*, and *The Glass Key*. TGK was the cream of the crop. Alan Ladd, Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and William Bendix. I think it has about the most brutal beating scene in it that I've ever seen, Ladd's character is very clever, and reserved, in atypical ways. It has a good twist ending. A real treat to see again, it's been a few years.
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If you actually believe the BS you are spouting, I suggest you see a documentary film called *HairKutt*, about a heroin addict who wants to quit, and his friends try to help him go cold turkey. It is available on DVD.
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So I'm NOT the only Guy Maddin fan on the forum!
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*V for Vendetta*
*The Shawshank Redemption*
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What happened to *The Spy in Black*, aka U-Boat 29, directed by Michael Powell. It was originally scheduled for 5:15 am this morning? It has been disappeared from the schedule, and not rescheduled. Also, one of three Pabst films originally scheduled was dropped.
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You're right, a lot of things aren't available in WS, because they were prepared to show on 4x3 TVs. As 16x9 TVs reach saturation, hopefully there will be a big move to make WS transfers. Personally, I wish all the SD channels would show anamorphic pictures, so I could just stretch them, instead of having to zoom them.
LEAST & MOST FAVORITE of the week...
in General Discussions
Posted
> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}
> Anyway, I don't put much credence in the Oscars.
I prefer the gouramis myself.