[I Just Watched...]

5 hours ago, cigarjoe said:

If you don't tune to it, you don't tune to it.

What it has (Sweet Smell...) for me is also a nostalgia ingredient in the formula, I as a small kid imprinted on that New York, I crossed that bridge many times, the street with Bogard's was on 59th Street just a couple of storefronts up from where a friends brother had a waterbed store in the 60s. That whole New York is not there now but it was on it's last crumbling legs in 1957 and some of the ruins are still around today, if you know where to look. If you don't tune strongly to that particular ingredient it may not click. That NYC was on TV, Toots Shor's and 21 Club were talked about on The Ed Sullivan Show, or later Johnny Carson. Add that to the of the slimy tabloid journalism/promotion business and it's accompanying Zeitgeist, and the great acting of Curtis and Lancaster.

For me the Noir films have to have a good story, good locations, great characters, good cinematography, good sound/music and good actors. Some time the shear weight of one of those parts can buoy up where a film is lacking in others. The Crooked Way has great cinematography good locations/sets, OK actors, good story, and I don't remember much about the sound or music. Which maybe back then wasn't the point on a "B" picture, mostly studio mill music, but then somebody figured a soundtrack tie in. now the music is a more potent ingredient. Just think if they could have used say Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" (1955) as diegetic music blaring over a car radio during a chase scene in any late fifties Noir, or just real popular music playing in the background.

Some Noirs actually have great enough sound design that you actually notice it as an extra dimension.

Some times the actors and the script are so good that the whole film can take place in a few rather uninteresting sets. like say the you've seen it a billion times Hollywood Hotel Room in The Maltese Falcon.  

Some you tune to some you don't

 

I think what makes this film more compelling to some, is if they are cognescent of the cutthroat areas of entertainment that existed back then with people like Walter Winchell controlling certain areas of the industry and then it makes a lot more sense, with its dour and most snide and sordid aspects. I can see why it might turn off some people but for me, Lancaster was never more brilliant and Curtis is great too. 

I think the films of Alexander MacKendrick [spelling this without looking it up!] are a sophisticated bunch and very impressive.

["WHERE THE GOLDEN AGE GIANTS REST"]

On 3/18/2016 at 12:57 AM, spence said:

   (*-denotes OSCAR winner)   It's likely that the fans within this site already have heard & for yrs about the massive 317 acre & mostly up large rolling hills, "Forest Lawn, cem" the 1 located in Glendale, CALIF & not the 1 based in the Hollywood Hills, where for the most pt more modern stars chose as their final resting place-(NOTE: on my 3 trips to whats left of an empire called "Hollywood" to date, I never visited that park myself)  I was always-(since about the age of 14 to 15 around 1979) to see the former, where the Golden Age/Studio-System Heavyweights-(circa: 1925 to 1960)  picked.

I just wanted any to chime in on this & if any other TCM-ITES have visited as yet?

Nicknamed "The Disneyland of Graveyards"-(NOTE: However, as long as I can recall it's well known to not really be happy w/fans & especially taking pictures. I was a bit able to, but they don't always give permission to enter some areas of the mammoth place  i.e. "The Great Mausoleam" Many tourists have actually thought each one was interred under their "WOF-Star?"  Also, check out a terrific website for just about everything related to Hollywood & it's glorious past-(www.seeingstars.com) & I first found a lot out in movie books.  & now that most of their original homes are gone too. Just a sample of some of the classic stars located here are-(it's virtually like a few months of these folks that also air on TCM)>*"The King of Hollywood: Clark Gable" -(TRIVIA: He was actually voted that crown in a 1938 poll of movie fans & Myrna Loy was voted "Queen") *"The Great: Spencer Tracy" *Humphrey Bogart, Bacall, *Walt Disney, *Jimmy Stewart, Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, *Mary Pickford, *Liz Taylor, M. Jackson, W.C. Fields, Lon Chaney, Harold Lloyd, *Wallace Beery & *Marie Dressler, Errol Flynn, Alan Ladd, *Burns & Allen, *Victor McLaglen, Jean Hersholt, Sammy Davis, Jr., Nat "King" Cole, Clara Bow, Dorothy Dangridge, L. Frank Baum, Red Skelton, John Gilbert, Robert Taylor,  Robert Young, Ted Knight, Jeanette MacDonald, *Jane Darwell, Alla Nazimova-(of "The Garden of Allah"), Harry Carey, Sr., Francis X. Bushman, Alan Hale, Sr., Mervyn Leroy, Hal B. Wallis,  Chico Marx, Larry Fine, The Dolly Sisters, Clifford 0dets, Jack Carson, Richard Dix, Robert Cummings, `Tom Mix, *Goldwyn, *Thalberg, *Selznick & famed/classic directors: *Wyler, *Cukor, *Curtiz, Lubitsch, *Vincente Minnelli, James Whale, Joe E. Brown, Henry Travers,  & can you believe it, many, many, more  W.S. Van Dyke II, *Donald Crisp, *Frank Borzage-(1st BD *Academy award winner) Dick Powell & June Allyson, Joe Besser, Jack 0akie, Aimee Semple McPherson, Thelma Todd, Carole Landis, James Arness & Peter Graves, Buddy Ebsen, *Alfred Newman, *Max Steiner, *Dimitri Tiomkin, Rouben Mamoulian, Ed & Keenan Wynn, Joe Youle, Sr.-(Mickey rooney's pop), Sid Grauman, Alexander Pantages, Joan Rivers

 

& many others.  Plus, they don't offer maps, as do "Westwood, cem."-(only 3 &1/2 acres) & "Hollywood Forever"

 

In the beginning I mainly always just wanted to see the grave of *Tracy-(located at very top & if you drive all the way up, your ear will actually pop due to the altitude!)

 

So, if interested & in the area, you must do your homework first

 

 (CORRECTION: I wrote that the other "F. Lawn" located in the Hollywood Hills, basically has more modern stars that chose it instead of Glendale's & I'm correct, but I forgot about: Stan Laurel, along w/of course the one's I already mentioned: *Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Buster Keaton-(Marty Feldman deliberately chose to be interred nxt to his idol Buster & was), *Charles Laughton, *Rod Steiger, George Raft, *George Stevens,etc  However, the majority here & it's a much younger park too, are also tv stars.)

I think though Richard Pryor chose this cem. I know The Nelson's did & typically, many-(including staff) say they haunt the joint

 

THANK YOU

I have a whole book about Forest Lawn and find its history fascinating.

Thanks, Spence for digging up such a good topic!

[Dudley Sutton 1933-2018]

On 9/17/2018 at 9:02 AM, Swithin said:

Dudley Sutton, who played the very first Mr. Sloane in Joe Orton's play Entertaining Mr. Sloane, has died aged 85. He had a rich career in theater, film, and television.

One of my favorite performances by Mr. Sutton was his role as Pete in the rarely seen film The Leather Boys.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/sep/16/dudley-sutton-obituary

 

I own "The Leather Boys", Swithin so appreciated your post. The title sounds so much more salacious than it really is though, doncha think.

Sorry to hear of this but thanks for posting the news.

[Imaginary Places You'd Like to Visit]

27 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

I'd like to visit the Walter Parks Thatcher Memorial Library.

And see what else there is to know about Charles Foster Kane.

Oh, yeah!

I don't know if my ears could take all those clanking sounds that keep reverberating off the walls though, which could kill one's eardrums. I think that place needs some nice rugs and curtains to mask some of those sounds. Other than that, what a fine choice and don't talk out loud or you might get thrown out by that nasty librarian, TB!

[Do Different Movies With Same Titles Sometimes Annoy You?]

Or cap and cape! Imagine if you put your hat on your body and your cape on your head.

This is like the book called "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for His Hate" by Oliver Sacks.

Okay, I'll stop now, TB...I can sense your disdain.

[Do Different Movies With Same Titles Sometimes Annoy You?]

On 9/18/2018 at 2:44 AM, TopBilled said:

And don't forget TOPAZE (1933) or TOPAZ (1969). I guess that extra "E" makes a difference.

An extra "e" can make the difference between rap and rape too, TB.

[Do Different Movies With Same Titles Sometimes Annoy You?]

On 9/18/2018 at 2:23 AM, TopBilled said:

It gets more confusing when the same title is used in the same year.

1973's A DOLL HOUSE with Jane Fonda:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll's_House_(1973_Losey_film)

and 1973's A DOLL HOUSE with Claire Bloom:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll's_House_(1973_Garland_film)

That door slamming was the same in both versions, heard all around the world as it once was when it was a play!

[Imaginary Places You'd Like to Visit]

I'll admit it, I've always wanted to visit Skull Island, where Skull Mountain supposedly exists along with Kong, as one of my favorite film locales.

Now, I'd not want to be the bride of Kong, since it seems like a thankless task, nor do I even want to go to the wedding feast.

I might want to watch Kong take on any contenders from the Lycosidae Family though, as that would be ripping good sport. I also would probably enjoy things more if Robert Armstrong were along, since I find him and his ebullience quite appealing but it is not necessary if we have a good captain aboard and able mates.

I have a nice still camera and a old Super 8 one also, plus tripods if I need to take any fast action shots of any Robert Ripley or Frank Buck types incidents, to bring back to civilization.

What imaginary film spot in the world or the Lesser Antilles* and beyond, would you like to visit?

*I think ahead now. This is a joke. I got this line from W.C. Fields and know that the Lesser Antilles are actually a part of this world.

[Do You Watch TCM Underground Often?]

28 minutes ago, Gershwin fan said:

TCM has shown some really wild and grotesque movies before but as I've said, I think there are some really good movies that would belong on Underground that they don't show. I wish they showed more exploitation films like Cannibal Ferox, Caligula or Last O_rgy of the Third Reich.

The day they show "Caligula" I will eat some little boots made of licorice, just like Chaplin sorta did!

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

20 minutes ago, jamesjazzguitar said:

Paget is 12 years older than Priscilla so I don't see how she could play her in an Elvis biopic.

I know that, it was meant to be a joke.

Apparently I did not make that more apparent...sorry!

 

[Seminal Noir]

8 hours ago, cigarjoe said:

Nice list....

I agree, great list, Arpirose!

I've seen most of those, and even can agree that early silents like "The Musketeers of Pig Alley" seem seminal. Also most definitely Murnau's "Sunrise" with the evil city woman, and "The Great Gabbo" plus just bought last year Renoir's "La Chienne" and it's now my favorite over "Scarlet Street" surprisingly. Thanks!

[Seminal Noir]

On 9/18/2018 at 3:16 PM, TheCid said:

I also had to look up seminal when I first came across this thread.  Agree that the cinematography, night scenes, etc. might be noirish, but I don't think this influenced later noir, but then again what do I know.  Couldn't you say the same thing about a lot of mystery and horro movies? 

It just did not seem to flow very well.

I get your point, TheCid. Miss Wonderly explained well though my mission, which was just about establishing starting points for what later became noirish elements in many films classified as such. I first saw SOTTF quite a long while ago but did think it has many classic representations of what later was elemental in such films. But you are quite free to say as a totality that the film perhaps is not that good according to your standards. I get it and thanks for giving your opinion which is appreciated. The belief I only want to hear opinions running the gamut from A to B is highly debatable.

[Seminal Noir]

On 9/15/2018 at 11:02 PM, TomJH said:

There are various film noir classifications that get used. There's neo noir and there's tech noir, for example.

But I would like to cite Strangers on the Third Floor as the first Dental Noir.

That's right. Take a look at those choppers in Peter Lorre's mouth. This is the first of the "Oh My Aching Teeth, They're Driving Me to Do Anti-Social Things" films.

A good dental plan and a little mouth wash might have done Peter's character wonders in the dating department. Instead he's cornering women in hallways like this and breathing all over them. And, based on the face of this woman here, they're less than thrilled with the experience.

Unfortunately it's a theme in noirs that never seemed to really catch on, guys who lurk in dark shadows with really bad teeth.

Tom, now I've read about Dentophobia in Masters and Johnson, but being mere medical folks they did not add the necessary connection to Film Noir.

Thanks for a great addition to the canon of noir connections!

[Seminal Noir]

On 9/15/2018 at 7:40 PM, misswonderly3 said:

A lot of those early German expressionist films, not only the silents but some of the sound films from the '30s, clearly influenced noir directors; you can see the antecedents there in many ways. The dark shadows, including light and shadow bars across characters' faces, odd camera angles, seedy settings, and most of all, the conflicted and often pathological psychological state of the characters, all demonstrate noir tropes that future filmmakers would use.

Just a couple of examples:  The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a German silent from 1920, features bizarre camera angles, dark, ominous corners, and most of all a  mentally unstable protagonist.  Then there's the original M, from 1931, a deeply affecting and disturbing work from noir stalwart-to-be, Fritz Lang. Interestingly, Peter Lorre also stars in this, and, like the pathetic and dangerous criminal he plays almost ten years later in Stranger on the Third Floor, Lorre gives us an unforgettable performance of a profoundly ill man, alienated from society, capable of unspeakable acts, and yet who somehow manages to elicit our compassion..

In fact, I believe it's Lorre's brief but intense portrayal of the frightened, violent yet oddly sympathetic sociopath in SOTTF that makes this seminal noir so memorable.

I also really enjoy the hero's dream, full of guilt and fear and those German expressionist graphics.

Also, I never realized before that the secret to great coffee is putting a raisin the the cup before you pour it.

Great overview of the Noir element and its antecedents, Miss Wonderly.

Doncha also think that the work of New York photographer, Weegee was seminal? I mean the guy wrote a book called "Murder is My Business" and just one look at how he captured crime scenes almost instantaneously with all the gory details, is so reminiscent of how such scenes are shot in films. His other book, "Naked City" is also tangential to the film, and seeing any of his photos brings a noirish glow to the happening, even if he is only shooting dowager queens attending a Broadway play.

Thanks for your fine exegesis of the whole background of early noir origins, pre and post talkies!

[Favorite Robert Mitchum Movie]

On 9/18/2018 at 2:16 PM, Hoganman1 said:

I've watched several of his movies recently. My favorite, so far, has been OUT OF THE PAST. What's your favorite?

"Ryan's Daughter".

Why? Because he is so unlike Robert Mitchum in the film that I was mightily impressed.

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

13 minutes ago, jakeem said:

I looked it up. She was 16 or so at the time the movie was filmed. Cagney was about 41. 

I remember reading that Debra Paget was very young when her film career started.

Debra Paget would have been great playing Priscilla in any Elvis biopic, mostly since Elvis had that big crush on her and tried to make the real Priscilla look a lot like her with the darker hair and all.

He shoulda dated her sister, Lisa Gaye who might have been more into him!

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

48 minutes ago, Dargo said:

Btw here folks. I do believe I can readily see another actor playing the Rick Blaine part as well as Bogie.

However, Casablanca would have to have been made about a decade later in order for the actor I'm envisioning playing the part to be both old enough and by then being associated with playing the cynical type and a romantic lead.

(...so, any guesses as to which actor I'm think of here?...this should be easy if you think about it)

Dunno, Dar.

But I sure know who you want to play the lead in "The James Coburn Story" I bet...

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

On 9/18/2018 at 1:28 PM, Dargo said:

Actually Tom, I don't think Stallone would have.

You see and as I recall, one of Sly's major prerequisites in getting his story made into a film, was that HE and he alone would have to star in it.

(...oh and btw...I still say even as great an actor as Bobby is, he couldn't have done as memorable a job in playing Rocky Balboa as Sly did)

You're right again, Dargo, as usual and Sly would probably not have even let a young Brando play it. He knew the film was possibly his claim to fame and he was right.

Now I usually only want to see films about good looking boxers like Billy Conn. Sure I like them a little bit beat up looking but basically attractive and in shape, not paunchy like LaMotta in his older years.

I did find Rocky Marciano quite cute in a Peter Falkish way, but there is no way Rocky Graziano shoulda been played by Newman. Really? I think it should have been someone more like a Tony Danza type. You dig?

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

On 9/18/2018 at 1:10 PM, Arturo said:

The TV Robin Hood, Richard Greene wasn't bad either.  At least one theatrical film was released with Greene as Robin Hood.  Ironical that this actor got his start in the late 30s at 20th Century Fox as their answer to Errol Flynn.  His return to Britain at the start of WW2 in Europe to fight for his country in 1940 pretty much squashed his career momentum. 

 

The person who was fabulous in the Richard Greene series was Alan Wheatley as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

He was kind of a more suave, British born Jack Cassidy! And he looked great in all those black leather studded outfits with his platinum hair. I always look for him in British movies as he played in many.

[Do You Watch TCM Underground Often?]

11 minutes ago, DVDPhreak said:

Flightmare involves cannibalism and it is a relatively straight-up horror film.  It is still pretty disturbing for a 1974 film but not as envelope-pushing in terms of treatment of taboo subjects.  I guess eating human flesh is not as problematic as other things.  For that reason, TCM may show it.  One of the actresses' name is Kim Butcher, which is quite appropriate.

Much more shocking and controversial are the two films by the same director (Pete Walker) that involves religion: House of Whipcord (1974) is about a brutal correctional facility for young girls run by religious fanatics, and House of Mortal Sin (1976) is about an angry priest who is so sick of young women's immoral ways that he goes out at night and guts them like Jack the Ripper!  I just don't envision TCM showing these anytime soon.  All of Pete Walker's films can be found on two Blu-ray sets by Kino Lorber.  In the Blu-ray interviews, Walker said these two films were attacked by both the left and the right; the left hated the stories involving right-wing fanaticism, and the right hated the negative portrayals of religious people.  Walker was/is a conservative himself.

Another film of his that I don't see TCM airing is the underage-adult romance Home Before Midnight (1979) which I mentioned in an earlier post here.  Schizo (1976) involves a creepy man stalking a figure skater, and The Flesh and Blood Show (1972) is a horror-murder mystery set in an abandoned theater.  Both films have naughty bits and gory bits but are not as boundary-pushing, so I can envision TCM showing them.

Yes, I have a whole book devoted to films like "Frightmare" which has a good write-up on it. Saw it once but it was quite a long time ago. Noticed it mentioned for sale in a dvd catalog I get so I might buy it.

You are right...the last frontier and most taboo topic in movies, probably is religion.

Anything considered critical or even tongue in cheek humor like "Life of Brian" can stir an immediate uproar and derail a film from viewing or engagements. Thanks for your thoughts, DVDP!

Remember that Jean-Luc Godard film called "Hail Mary"?

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

3 minutes ago, jakeem said:

Oh, but I'll bet you were just fine with Grant's romancing Audrey Hepburn in "Charade" -- despite the 25-year difference in their ages.

 

No, I wasn't!

Well, okay...maybe only in Cary Grant's case since he always looked good his whole life. He looked better at 82 than some people do at 22.

Sorry I'm so shallow...

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

On 9/16/2018 at 12:08 PM, TomJH said:

It may not have anything to do with acting ability. It may their attitude, their physical appearance or, perhaps, their screen persona that does it for you. Most likely it's a combination of them.

Whatever it is about the casting of that actor/actress in a certain role, that person so inhabits the part that it is all but impossible for you to envision someone else in the role. Or, if someone else had attempted it, he or she just couldn't do the part the same justice, as far as you're concerned.

 

Here is one of mine:

Maureen O'Hara as the proud, fiery, exasperating Mary Kate Danaher in John Ford's The Quiet Man.

Not only was O'Hara a haunting beauty as photographed by Winton C. Hoch in 1951 when she played Mary Kate but the actress completely brought the role vibrantly to life. O'Hara is Mary Kate: proud, haughty, stubborn, ready to stand nose to nose with any man (even though the screenplay has her disappointingly "tamed" at the end). She also enjoyed, probably more here than in any of her other films with John Wayne, an extraordinary chemistry with her leading man. Even Wayne haters would probably admit that.

Very few would probably ever call Maureen O'Hara a great actress but her Mary Kate remains an unforgettable vision and screen presence right from her very first appearance in Ford's film . . .

 

 

Name a film performer that falls into this same category for you.

I'm gonna go with Bob Mathias, Olympic Decathalon winner playing Bob Mathias, in the movie "The Bob Mathias Story".

Now just who could have played that part better, I ask you? Very few males had feet as big as his which helped his balance during the many events, and were athletically inclined, or could sleep at a moment's notice on the Olympic sidelines and were from Tulare, which Bob was from.

Great casting I say!

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

On 9/16/2018 at 1:00 PM, jakeem said:

In my humble opinion, Cary Grant was the quintessential Hitchcock protagonist in "North By Northwest" (1959). He brought a great deal of levity -- and his inimitable style -- to a dramatic role.

I refuse to watch that movie, since Jessie Royce Landis would have had to have baby Cary at the age of eight years, if she is his mother.

That's just sick!

[Actors So Perfect In Their Roles You Cannot Envision Anyone Else]

On 9/16/2018 at 12:52 PM, Dargo said:

Say what ya want about the actor and/or the movie, but in the feel-good hit of '76, I can't think of anyone else playing a certain washed-up club fighter than this one young actor here who you had probably never heard of before...

Methinks Chuck Wepner might disagree with ya, Palooka! Okay, okay so he's not an actor.

I'm calling this a technical knock out, Dar.

[Do You Watch TCM Underground Often?]

33 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

Yes, I thought In Cold Blood was an odd choice for Underground, but I guess they needed something to pair with River's Edge (which itself isn't exactly a fringe movie, although it has a cult following) for a "true crime" double-header.

I'm surprised there is not a TCM festival with only Crispin Glover movies. He is the antidote to normalcy in most any setting. He was quite good in "River's Edge". I would star him in a film with Pee Wee Herman as two bloodthirsty siblings whose father is Harrison Ford, and has had them both chained in the basement for years, but let them up once and they murdered him. They are now off on a wild hunt to replicate the crimes of John Wayne Gacy and have joined a circus where they one is a clown and one a mime, who kills silently.