SansFin
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Days Won
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Posts posted by SansFin
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1 hour ago, Sepiatone said:
I guess where SANS hails from it's the same with motorcycles as it is in some American regions with soft drinks. Like, ALL motorcycles being referred to as "Harley's" is like (in some American regions) ALL soft drinks being referred to as "Cokes".
Sepiatone
I was referencing a: "First World Problems" meme:
I felt it was more appropriate and less insulting than responding to his mention of a ride with this image:
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7 hours ago, Dargo said:
That is a very cute bike. What sort of Harley is it?
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8 hours ago, Dargo said:
Now first, you're a little off with your "WWI" returning war veteran becoming motorcylists thing here. This social phenomenon actually became most pronounced among the WWII returning war vets. Motorcycle "clubs" such as The Boozefighters began in the immediate post-WWII era, In the 1953 film The Wild One, Lee Marvin portrayed the leader of a fictionalized version of that group. The Hells Angels m/c "club" was also started during this time. Yep, it was the immediate post-WWII era in which motorcycling had its biggest increase and until its even bigger boom began with the Boomer generation and the "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" sales slogan of the 1960s.
[...]
And thirdly, Dean Martin wasn't an "obnoxious drunk". That was mostly part of his "act" and not of his real life. And in fact, when he DID play drunk ("play" being the operative word here) he seldom played the obnoxious or "mean" drunk but mostly the happy or funny type.
I said what I meant and I meant what I said. 😉
USA was not the only country with pilots or motorcycles. Most WWI pilots were White Russian. They lost most of their status and much of their freedoms in the years after the war ended. Motorcycles were a way for them to recapture some.
I never met Dean Martin nor was I present when he was drinking. My impression comes solely from his performances and the 'home movies' with him and other members of the: Rat Pack. I fully realize that he may have been in a sense performing for the benefit of the camera on the latter cases.
I mean by: 'obnoxious' his self-bestowed mantle as God's gift to women and obvious disdain of any woman who did not swoon over him. This was present in all my viewings of him. I find superciliousness and phony charm to be more offensive than semi-stupefied aggression. I can handle a mean drunk by either speaking with him softly or by twisting his arm behind his back and smashing his face into the bar. A smarmy lout is incurable by any means short of bloodletting.
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I know that people will disagree with my assessment. That is normal because I am such a disagreeable person.
Steve McQueen is the ultimate cool because of his loner and live-and-let-live attitude and his looks which tell that he has seen much of life. He presents similarly to the WWI pilots who later became motorcycle riders because they sought the freedom and the control of their own destiny.
Robert Mitchum is as cool as a dead frog in the middle of the road because of his overbearing attitude and his looks which are those of a punch-drunk boxer who did not have the sense to quit after his ninety-second consecutive loss. It would have been typecasting if he had been given a role as a Brown Shirt goon.
Dean Martin could portray a cool character but it was not of his personal nature. He was a wonderful singer but an obnoxious drunk and self-styled womanizer also.
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30 minutes ago, LornaHansonForbes said:
thanks, i kinda get it. more or less. i think.
"I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant" ― Alan Greenspan
I am sorry to say that I know of no site which explains it clearly in non-technical terms. The best that I can suggest is for you to scan the Wikipedia article for: "magnetic tape" to see if any parts are understandable.
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19 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:
I am confused about some thing, and I don’t mean to betray myself as completely stupid, but I seem to recall that rubbing a magnet against the VHS tape was a bad thing that would erase it, am I thinking wrong? I’m just commenting on how odd is that a video release and company would be named magnetic...
I am far from the best choice for explaining technical details in English but I will try to make it understandable. Please forgive me if this seems a mish-mash.
The tape used for recordings has a coating with tiny particles which can be magnetized. That is why it is called: magnetic tape. Whether or not a particular particle is magnetized is part of the 'code' of the recording. Example: adjacent particles which are respectively: magnetized, not magnetized, magnetized, not magnetized can be read in binary as: 1010 or in analog as on-off-on-off.
The recording head of a tape recorder selectively magnetizes some particles and does not magnetize others to match the data to be stored. A permanent magnet makes all of the particles magnetic. This removes/replaces any previously recorded data.
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Salome's Last Dance (1988)
A playwright goes to a brothel and is given a surprise performance of his recently banned play with his friends and prostitutes playing the parts.
This movie encompasses three major timeframes: 1) the biblical story of Salome, 2) the Victorian world of Oscar Wilde and 3) today's audience which has been exposed to: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
This is a Ken Russell movie. Dichotomies abound. Excess is personified. It is wondrously beautiful and disgustingly ugly. The actors are consummate professionals portraying rank amateurs. The transparency of the special effects reinforces the realism of an ad hoc production.
The performance by Imogen Millais-Scott as Salome was ethereal. Bits of artless hamming flowed into captivating soliloquies. Her passion was intense while her heart was ice. She has a commanding presence while remaining completely aloof. Her grace and beauty would attract anyone no matter which of the five Alexandrian sexes they are.
She was so perfectly wonderful in all regards that I had to investigate why she did not become a major star. I will not reveal her personal situation at the time of filming because it would prejudice any viewer's appreciation for her presentation. All I can say is that it is a tragedy that she was in only three movies.
I am quite sure that this is a love-it-or-hate-it movie. Embracing the idea that you are watching an in-story amateur production and judging it by that standard might be a bit of a stretch for some people. Expecting a typical Wilde play or not understanding Russell's style might taint it for others.
My personal recommendation is to watch this movie and then watch it again in a year if it seemed to not be to your taste the first time.
8.4/10
This movie is available for viewing for free with commercials on: TubiTV and is included with a subscription to: Amazon Prime Video.
[This commentary written using a Review Style Sheet for content and sentence construction and edited based on Beta Reader's comments.]
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Bernard And The Genie (1991)
A naive young art dealer happens to generate a £50,000,000 profit for his company. This results in his being fired, his girlfriend leaving him and a maniac attacking him with a scimitar.This movie is a romp. It is simply heart-warming while not saccharine. Even the few bits of revenge are sweetly appropriate. It is just plain good fun.
Alan Cumming is a cuddly little cherub! It is easy to see why he can never cope with the troubles thrown his way. His thoughts turn to helping others even when he is at his lowest. He is the most hopeless of all hopeless gits. He submerges for this role all those traits which have brought him so much critical acclaim as a dramatic actor in London and on Broadway.
Lenny Henry is one of the funniest men who ever lived! He is marvelously antic in perfectly natural way. He is best described as a cross between Groucho Marx and Benny Hill.
8.4/11
This movie is available for viewing for free with commercials on IMDbTV.
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The Big Caper (1957)
A con man decides to branch out into bank robbery and enlists his partner's reluctant help.
This is listed as: film-noir. I suppose it does meet some person's concept of the criteria. I found it to be more along the lines of a soap-opera loaded with talk of crime with virtually no action. The caper itself is a huge yawn with no tension. The few incidents of fighting were poorly choreographed and quite unbelievable.
Rory Calhoun is far from my idea of either a confidence man or a burglar. James Gregory is suitable in his role but it would have been much better if he had not had to add certain elements of psychopath in his portrayal. I never did figure out what Corey Allen's character was supposed to be. I found Robert H. Harris the most believable as a gin-addled pyromaniac.
4.4/10
I believe that this movie is currently available only on: Amazon Prime Video but I think that this is no great loss as I can not recommend it on any level.
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Radio was supposed to be the end of live musical performances.
Radio was supposed to be the end of newspapers.
Movies were supposed to be the end of live theater.
Television was supposed to be the end of movie theaters.
Video games were supposed to be the end of civilization.
Computers were supposed to be the end of paper being used in offices.
The Internet was supposed to be the end of newspapers, radio and television.
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Young Frankenstein (1974)
A doctor leaves his teaching position to dedicate himself to applied research after he inherits his ancestral home.
I decided to re-watch this after reading a snippet that Teri Garr is the last surviving member of the primary cast.
I must admit that: "Blücher" still does make me giggle a little bit but the remainder of the movie has moved from riotous laughter to being a comfortable friend. It is not so much that the humour is dated as happens to so many other movies but that repeated watchings and immersing myself into it so totally means that the oddities seem perfectly natural.
8.2/10
I am sorry to say that I believe that: Amazon Prime Video is the only streaming service now carrying it.
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I was sent to a military base to do inoculations and follow-up recordkeeping. The building in which movies were normally shown was closed because a series of 'lively' nights resulted in extensive repairs being required. Command was not in the mood to expedite those repairs.
A solution was found by placing a projector on its back in the bottom of a maintenance pit in a little-used hanger and showing movies on the ceiling. Very few officers were allowed to know of it because it was illicit use of facilities. The staff with whom I worked considered me a good risk and introduced me to the arrangement.
You had to bring your own blanket and pillow because the concrete floor was cold and hard. Space was limited for good viewing because of the compromised angle. It was not shoulder-to-shoulder but shoulder-to-hip to achieve best use of space. It was highly advisable to visit the ladies room prior to the movie beginning because stepping over people was much worse than moving down a crowded row of seats. The close packing discouraged also bringing sardines as snacks.
I can not recall a single movie which I watched there but it was all great good fun which I will never forget!
The same general arrangement was used also at two other sites which I visited but those were approved uses. Those were fun also but lacked the subtle thrill of shared danger.
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Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
A reclusive underground musician is feeling the weight of his years. His wife comes to comfort him.
This is a perfectly lovely movie with neither action nor plot. The cinematography is ethereal. It is gentle humor and quiet wisdom. A reviewer on: IMDb.com said it is: "of mood and metaphor" and I can think of no higher compliment. It is imagery, atmosphere and comfortable romance. It evokes empathy for the characters. It is entering a world which has a love/hate relationship with our own.
Some viewers may have heard of some of the members of the cast: Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt, Tom Hiddleston and Anton Yelchin.
8.6/10
I am sorry to say that I can find it only on subscription streaming services at this time. "Currently you are able to watch "Only Lovers Left Alive" streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Sundance Now, DIRECTV, Spectrum On Demand, AMC Plus."
I suggest that any who wish to experience the simple innocence of this wonderful movie search for the title on whichever subscription streaming service they have and do not read any blurb/synopsis before beginning the movie.
In like manner I respectfully request that no one here give any spoiler concerning any characters' background or nature.
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8 hours ago, ElCid said:
I'll have to check these out. Can't remember which ones, but the Drummond movies I watched some years ago were not impressive.
I find them generally quite enjoyable but they are definitely not the type of movies which are impressive or memorable. They are simply a nice way to spend an hour.
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Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937)
Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938)
A World War One veteran seeks danger and excitement and beautiful women to lift him out of the boredom of being just another English gentleman of independent means.
I recently discovered that: TubiTV has these and several more Bulldog Drummond movies.
It is interesting to see the differences which Ray Milland, John Lodge and John Howard bring to the role. R. Milland is the most polished but his humor seems a bit forced. I had the impression that J. Lodge did not find the role comfortable. That his movie was the worst-written did not help. I found J. Howard to be the most believable as a man who would go through life as an undemanding bum if he were not wealthy and this seems to me to fit the concept of the character.
6.4/10 5.2/10 6.1/10
I am sorry to say that there is one Bulldog Drummond movie which I have never watched. 13 Lead Soldiers (1948) starring Tom Conway does not seem to be available anywhere.
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1 hour ago, Dargo said:
WHAT?! Now Sans, HOW in the world could you forget I'll Take Paris by the Springtime?!
YOU know, that comedy by director Hans Von Friedhoffer that showcased those wacky exploits of the Wehrmacht's 8th Cavalry Division.
(...especially can't believe you've forgotten the scene with the talking horse that does that great impression of Hermann Goering...uh-huh, kind'a a like a Teutonic Mr. Ed...now that horse was GREAT!)
I believe that you are forgetting your film history. The play: I'll Take Paris by Springtime toured London, Moscow and Buenos Aires from 1936 to 1940 but was not filmed until 1941. It was in any event a fantasy and not a comedy.
Or are you confusing it with: Springtime for Hitler?
I do not recall a horse doing an impression of Goering. I doubt that any horse would lower himself to imitate a jackass.
The Führer's New Groove did feature a talking llama but that was not released until 2000.
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6 hours ago, fxreyman said:
Here is the thing about creating lists:
There are only so many films one could list as either their favorite films, or what they might consider to be the so-called “Greatest Films”, or most watched films.
One way to create a bonafide “best of list” would be to create a list based on Genre’s.
[...]
This is much how I am but I often break it down to decade, country and genre because of the ways genres evolve. 1930s French surrealism has little in common with 1960s French surrealism.
This does result in some gross inequities. It is easy for me to fill a list with 1960s Czech comedies but struggle to name any 1930s German comedies.
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5 hours ago, jamesjazzguitar said:
Today (September 7th), is my 24th wedding anniversary. But we really have two: one where we were official married here in the USA in a very small US family setting, and the other on the 21st where we went to Italy and were married in her hometown where I was welcomed like Patton was in the film when he entered Italy. E.g. Many people out on their balconies throwing flowers and filling up the streets outside the 800 year old church.
Congratulations on your anniversary! I do hope you realize that you will be expected to create a very special celebration next year.
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15 minutes ago, speedracer5 said:
As for my Labor Day, really a 4-day Labor Day weekend, I celebrated my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband.
Congratulations on your anniversary! I hope that you are very happy.
We will soon have our seventh. I have learned that traditional gifts are copper and wool so I will give him a penny and a pair of socks.
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I volunteered for extra load so that two people with families would not have to be on-call. Such holidays usually have light activity and so I ended up doing slightly less than twice the normal load. It was all very routine.
I have heard of the Jerry Lewis Telethon but I have never had an opportunity to watch it.
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The Grass Is Greener (1960) shows well how a caring, wise and very very British gentleman reacts to his wife running off to London for an affair with an American. The entire situation is handled with thought, consideration and pistols at thirty paces.
I feel it strains credibility a bit that any woman married to Cary Grant might feel even the slightest attraction to Robert Mitchum but there is no accounting for taste.
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3 hours ago, txfilmfan said:
So I've only watched 4 or 5 of the new intros, but the ones with Dave Karger and Alicia Malone that I've seen didn't have the side-to-side movement. They both had a slow zoom-in to center them in the frame, and then the picture was held still. But in every one of the Mank intros I've seen, there's the disturbing side-to-side panning.
I believe that may be due to limits of their technology. It is easy for camera to center on Dave K. and Alicia M. because they are focused people. It may be that Ben M. is so fuzzy that the software is continually searching for clarity.
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2 hours ago, 37kitties said:
Umm...why are you telling us this?
The title and a blurb might lead some to believe that it is a fun little movie. I am here to say that it is not.
Name Your Favorite Ensemble Cast Movies
in General Discussions
Posted
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Formula of Love (1984)
While the Door Was Locked (1946)
The Sleeping Car Murder (1965)
The Night My Mother Killed My Father (2016)