Jump to content
 
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...

JefCostello

Members
  • Posts

    619
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by JefCostello

  1. I agree that Crime and Punishment wasn't in the novel's league, but it's almost impossible to do a good film version of Dostoevsky.

     

    And yeah, I've seen the Russian version of The Brothers Karamazov. Didn't work either.

     

    His novels are not about pure action and character. There's a lot more philosophical undercurrent and mood underneath the surface, which can't be captured in a film less than 5 hours long.

  2. Beautiful cinematography and set designs in all his movies. Seems like they're filmed in dungeons somewhere or in someone's nightmare. Love the way his movies take you to places like that. The castle in The Scarlett Empress and the nightclub in The Shanghai Gesture are probably the best examples of that.

     

    He also knew how to shoot Dietrich and make her look like a great seductress. I never found her appealing until I saw the films she made with von Sternberg and saw the way he filmed her face and the lighting he used on her.

  3. I've never been the biggest Renoir fan, despite having seen most of his films.

     

    I think the deep focus is certainly one strength, but specifically the film's ability to weave multiple characters in one big romantic farce. The way Renoir stages those cat and mouse scenes from room to room in that house is quite impressive, and has been duplicated in many films.

     

    Also, the movie was controversial in its stance against the bourgeoisie, which led to the film being panned by many critics.

     

    All in all, I wouldn't rank it as one of the 10 or even 20 best films ever, but I could say the same about many classic films which get rave reviews from critics. It's a good film, but not great. Maybe with repeated viewings, I'll change my stance on it and call it great.

  4. This may be off topic, but Strother Martin starred in the 3 big Westerns that year.

     

    The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and True Grit. That's pretty impressive!

     

    I'm just glad the Coen Brothers didn't get their hands on the other two, as True Grit isn't really all that good a Western in my opinion. At least not compared to some other Westerns which could have been remade.

  5. To you maybe.

     

    If you're talking about the general public, then they have no clue who either woman is. They're too busy ogling over Reese Witherspoon and Sandra ****.

     

    To me, I love Ava and Grace, but like Grace more. I don't think she's worn off at all. If anything, I crave seeing more and more of her, and wind up regreting that she had so few films because of her early retirement.

     

    They don't make stars like this anymore, so there's no way I can say that she's wearing thin.

  6. To me Grace Kelly is the perfect film starlet. Incredibly beautiful blonde with blue eyes, very talented, great voice, great on screen persona, lots of top notch films, fashion icon, etc.

     

    She's everything a movie star should be. If she's not sexy, then I must have bad taste in women.

© 2022 Turner Classic Movies Inc. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings
×
×
  • Create New...