LoveFilmNoir
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Posts posted by LoveFilmNoir
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I don't care for most horror, most sci-fi or any slapstick comedy. People usually have great arguments as to why these genres are good, but they just do not interest me. Therefore, I try to keep my opinion short since it is obviously biased.
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FredCDobbs, I agree, I think title is key!
I don't mind when a movie is a loose remake, or when a film is adapted from the same original story. However, once the same title is used, it creates a certain level of expectations from movie goers who are familiar with the original. If I see a preview for a film called "North by Northwest", no matter how great the actor, my expectations will be VERY high. There is a film that comes on some mornings on Encore Mystery called "Rear Window" it is a remake with Christopher Reeves. I have never given this film a view and I have already dismissed it as "not even close to as good as the original".
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Interesting story. I find that usually that type of narrow mindedness in a person is across the board. They won't try a certain cuisine, or visit particular cities/countries etc and no argument you make can convince them otherwise.
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I think any dramatic leading lady or gentleman that spends their "middle aged-ness" doing campy horror flicks has come to a low in their career. Sometimes they do it for the money, or they think it will keep them relevant etc.
I caught "Psychomania" on TCM underground some months ago where George Sanders plays a butler named Shadwell....he committed suicide shortly after completing this film. He was 72 years old. Not saying the two are related but, I don't think the role added to the "don't do it" argument of the angel on his left shoulder either.
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This is a great topic.
I wanted to add that I think there are two types of people you will deal with when introducing them to an actor, particularly those from the "classic" era. The open minded and the not-so open minded. I think the open minded will appreciate a long, drawn out story, so something that may be a drama or suspense where they will have to really watch the actor and the plot. I think a not-so open minded person may need something that isn't too long, probably in Technicolor, with a simple storyline.
Examples:
Introducing an open minded person to Cary Grant:
Destination Tokyo, Suspicion, Mr. Blandings, His Girl Friday
Closed Minded:
An Affair to Remember, Houseboat, Aresenic and Old Lace, North by Northwest
This is not to say that the not so open minded person won't learn to appreciate the actor, I just think they need to start off "light" and I definitely think that these days, something as simple as color is a huge factor in determining if a person will watch a film or not.
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> {quote:title=JarrodMcDonald wrote:}{quote}
> I think THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN definitely gets played a lot on TCM. But it's a great film and I'm sure most people don't mind it so much.
Actually, it doesn't. It used to be on AMC full of commercials for a long time. I figured now TCM had the rights to play it and I have seen it in prime time as well as maybe one other time but it definitely doesn't get played a lot. I should also mention it is a long movie and all long movies that are played often tend to stand out to me, the DirecTV guide-**** LOL
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For the life of me, I respect Will Smith as a "contemporary" but I just don't think ANYONE at this point should be remaking any Hitchcock....unless it is done as a loose remake....like a Lifetime Movie or something. Whenever something from the 30s or 40s or 50s is redone, all of the purity seems to be SUCKED out of it, and the remake usually becomes a campy version of the original. Unfortunately, movie audiences almost 70 years ago appreciated the beauty of the actors on the screen but also the words that were coming out of their mouth ie THE SCRIPT.....what are we going to be subjected to...a fleshy sex scene with the Lina character and Johnnie (played by Will Smith? Pffffft!!!) delivering what is supposed to be dramatic scenes with a sailor's mouth? I can't!
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Two Fox Biopics:
With a Song in My Heart - story of singer Jane Froman
I Want to Live! - story of convicted murderess Barbara Graham
Both starring Susan Hayward in great performances.
Also:
I'll Cry Tomorrow - story of 30s star Lillian Roth and her rocky marriages and alcoholism (playing on TCM 3/3 at 6pm)
This film also stars Hayward.
Also want to note that Hayward was nominated for Best Actress Oscar for all three performances but won for "I Want to Live!"
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> {quote:title=fredbaetz wrote:}{quote}
> When I first saw "Twin Peaks" and saw his name I kept asking myself 'Which one is he". I didn't recognize him at all. I couldn't believe later that was the same actor I had watched in "West Side Story"'his looks had changed so much .
He didn't age well. Period.
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Thanks for mentioning this! I will be setting my DVR when I get home.
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The following is just a random list of actors and the films I would introduce a person to if I wanted them to learn more about them (or even their range as an actor).
Edmond O'Brien: DOA, THE BIGAMIST, THE HITCH HIKER
Ida Lupino: ROAD HOUSE, THE BIGAMIST, THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT
Ann Sheridan: I WAS A MALE WAR BRIDE, NORA PRENTISS
Betty Grable: MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, I WAKE UP SCREAMING, DOWN ARGENTINE WAY
Victor Mature: KISS OF DEATH, I WAKE UP SCREAMING, SAMSON AND DELILAH
Susan Hayworth: I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE, WITH A SONG IN MY HEART, I WANT TO LIVE, HOUSE OF STRANGERS
Richard Conte: SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT, THE BLUE GARDENIA, HOUSE OF STRANGERS
Thelma Ritter: PICK UP ON SOUTH STREET, THE MATING SEASON, BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ
Jeanne Crain: PINKY, MARGIE, A LETTER TO THREE WIVES
Linda Darnell: A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, BLOOD AND SAND, FALLEN ANGEL
Dana Andrews: THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, LAURA, WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT(hee hee hee)
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What is it with this title "The Major and The Minor" and Ginger Rogers?? I swear I had no idea it was such an important film in her filmography. I have to give this one a chance the next time TCM airs it.
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I would rather SUTS be made up of:
25% the usual suspects
40% stars from studios where a majority of their titles will have to be borrowed
35% character actors
Wishful thinking, eh?
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> {quote:title=HollywoodGolightly wrote:}{quote}
> > {quote:title=LoveFilmNoir wrote:}{quote}
> > I also like LOVE IS NEWS starring Ty Power, Loretta Young and Don Ameche. Cute and funny film revolved around a newspaper tabloid trying to print some gossip about an heiress.
>
> That one sounds like something I'd like to watch, too! Did you watch it on DVD? I don't think they've shown it on FMC any time recently.
It hasn't been on FMC since 2008. It is in the Tyrone Power Matinee Idol box set that came out November 2008. I believe the remake "That Wonderful Urge" is also in it. I have been meaning to pick it up. I procrastinated when it was only $25 on Amazon - Johnny Apollo is also on it!
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> {quote:title=faceinthecrowd wrote:}{quote}
> I have THE SCAR and THE LIMPING MAN on the same DVD, from VCI. The quality isn't good; the best I can say is that it's better than not having these movies at all.
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> When you see THE SCAR, watch for the scene where a gangster says, "Not going to let him get away, are you, Bullseye?" Bullseye is played by someone you may recognize.
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> And in THE LIMPING MAN, see if you know the actresses who play the landlady's beatnik daughter, and the barmaid.
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> If you don't know who they are, IMDb to the rescue. It's great for cast listings, even those who are uncredited.
Thanks for the info! At $6 a DVD with 5 movies on each, I guess it is worth it, bad print quality and all!
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I would like to Nominate George Raft in 1945's Nob Hill
A splashy Fox technicolor musical - well not so splashy, as the film has never been released to DVD and needs to be restored. FMC plays the title every so often and the print looks so washed. Doesn't make Raft look good in Technicolor - almost greenish in some shots (but again, that is more the film quality).
Anyway, he is a saloon owner on the Barbary Coast in the early 1900s that wants to get in with the "somebodies" of Nob Hill and to make a long synopsis short, his night club headliner (Vivian Blaine) and a Nob Hill socialite (Joan Bennett) are both in love with him to the point where they have a physical fight before the film's finale performance. Peggy Ann Garner is also in the cast and is cute as a button in the film.
Now that I got that out of the way, who does Fox think we (the viewers) are that we would even fall for the idea of Raft being seen as this dreamy mug vs. the Fox musical usuals - John Payne, Don Ameche or Cesar Romero. Totally miscast.
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> {quote:title=JonnyGeetar wrote:}{quote}
> > {quote:title=LoveFilmNoir wrote:}{quote}
> > I consider it a low point when Joan Crawford was cast as a screamer in 60s horror flicks. She is someone who I could have seen segueing into a weekly network sitcom or drama.
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> i think her drinking was getting in the way of the work, TV would not have fit in with her "schedule." you make people wait for long enough, they get **** about it.
Thank you for this insight.
If back in 1960, I had to list 10 female stars of the 30s-50s that I think would have successfully transferred over to TV and been just as successful, Joan would be on my list before Angela Lansbury (who I love).
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Sad to say but these studios have been shelving releasing many of these classics and box sets. I think they base these decisions off of the economy and previous sales. For example, Fox gave Betty Grable, Carmen Miranda and Alice Faye Box sets. Faye got two, the other two ladies we are just left wondering. The worst part about it is that they aren't putting rare films on the box sets. Over 80% of them can be purchased on their own!
I know Universal and MGM have noirs out but I wasn't too sure about Columbia to begin with. I am going to go check out Amazon.com right now!
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I still have Deadline USA on my DVR and have yet to watch it, yet I have heard great things.
I also like LOVE IS NEWS starring Ty Power, Loretta Young and Don Ameche. Cute and funny film revolved around a newspaper tabloid trying to print some gossip about an heiress.
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I consider it a low point when Joan Crawford was cast as a screamer in 60s horror flicks. She is someone who I could have seen segueing into a weekly network sitcom or drama.
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> {quote:title=JonnyGeetar wrote:}{quote}
> Nothing beats some of the AWFUL choices Henry Fonda made in the late 70's.
> Tentacoli anyone?
What about "Stage Struck" with Susan Strasburg?
They played it on his SUTS day in 2008. The movie was okay, I actually want to see it again because I faintly remember being a little creeped out in a "OMG Hank, don't kiss her, she's Jane's age!" kinda way.
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Geraldine Fitzgerald was in RACHEL, RACHEL with Joanne Woodward
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UNDERRATED!
I never seen him in a stinker - I even liked him as the mob boss in "The Girl Can't Help it" with goofy Tom Ewell and in "The Barefoot Contessa". He was excellent in DOA, The Bigamist, the Hitch-hiker!
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> {quote:title=HollywoodGolightly wrote:}{quote}
> > {quote:title=markbeckuaf wrote:}{quote}
> > I'd love to see DETOUR and other PD films get some more airing time!
>
> I would like that, too, but hopefully they an get good prints, and not the super-fuzzy looking ones.
Wikipedia has a page of a list of PD films. There are several noirs and I am sure they are in TCM's library. I know some have probably been quickie-restored but none have probably got the treatment of some other PD films like Kansas City Confidential (I have a CRISPY dvd), Beat the Devil, Fritz Lang's M (Criterion!) etc.
While I don't like the fuzzy ones, if they can show some of those early exploitation films on TCM Underground that snap crackle and pop and even Cyrano de Bergerac (I don't think a solid transfer exists for this film) in prime time, then we can get some okay-looking PD films during the day!
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Just wanted to say that someone like Don Ameche was known more for his career at the end of his life (He is one of my all time faves and I have theories on why this was, but whatever for now)
I would say his essentials were HEAVEN CAN WAIT, THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, and FOLKS or COCOON