CaveGirl

Oooh, good one, Dargo! Remember that creepy eyeball always looking through the keyhole at Dorothy. Yes, the fact too that she was supposedly mute and helpless does fit into the Final Girl concept of seeming weak yet overcoming the outwardly powerful male protagonist. Thanks!

I think Veronica is always screaming because as cute as her younger sister, Angela was, Veronica was the true talent in the family. She was in those Twilight Zone episodes with the robot grandmother, from the "I Sing the Body Electric" Ray Bradbury story and of course, "The Birds" and so many other things but yet cute little Angela got the long term role as Danny Thomas's daughter, on "Make Room for Daddy" and it probably made poor Veronica want to scream. Just like Billy Chapin from "The Night of the Hunter" was always jealous of little sister, Lauren for getting the plum role as Kitten on "Father Knows Best". Well, just my take and thanks for the info on "Alien"!

Lordie be, I've seen that movie eons ago and remember nothing from it. But I shall take your word and I look forward to seeing it again and thinking about if it fits the genre. Thanks so much, Jakeem!

Love that Agatha Christie movie but as you say, not true to book. Wasn't the one called "Ten Little Indians" with Hugh O'Brian and Shirley Eaton true to the original book? Still can't believe that Fabian was in an Agatha Christie inspired film! Thanks for your thoughts on Golden Age body counts and such, Detective Jim.

I've not seen this film, Marysara but I'm very intriqued now from your tip to see it. By the way, was this before or after James Stacy's motorcycle accident I wonder? Thanks for your information on this movie which could put it into this genre!

Right on about Sigourney fitting the bill, SEW. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is the only film which gave me a nosebleed! It is actually quite interesting that there is really no serious bloodletting in it but just the suggestion. That one guy they picked up in the van, named Edmond or something still gives me the creeps! Correction: Edwin Neal was his name and being creepy was his game.

I've always thought Dargo's posts are way too didactic and need to be expurgated. I really don't come here to learn anything which should be obvious.

Whoa, Nellie! I love anyone going out on a limb and criticizing someone like Jason Robards, Jr. since he is usually a fine actor. I've really not remembered this performance so look forward to finding it to view, since I love to see bad acting. As you say, in well cast roles, Robards is usually exceptional but of course being "hungover" could be a hindrance. Now as you say, I was rather surprised when Kubrick chose the star of Peyton Place for this historic style role. The film was beautiful with all those innovative candle-lit scenes and O'Neal looked ravishing but yeah, his acting was maybe not up to par. Kind of like having an American actor play Robin Hood with a Brooklyn accent. So agreed on that one. Oh, yes now you are getting in gear, with the Candice Bergen critique as she really stunk too in those days. Looked great like MacGraw but couldn't act to save her head from being offed. Never believable and seemed stiff as a board and better acting came from her father, Edgar's dummies like Charlie McCarthy and by the way speaking of talent, what kind of ventriloguist is famous from doing his routines on the radio? Don't write in and tell me he did appear in movies and vaudeville with the same dummies, as I know that, people of TCM! But I digress, so I agree wholeheartedly that Bergen's real talent lay in comedy and she really did improve tremendously in that field and is good in her humorous acting mode. Couldn't thank you more for such a dead on assessment, Kingrat!

I'll be honest, TB and say I missed that. So are you saying Ali was improving or just up to the regular quality of the acting in "Dynasty"? I wonder if I can find a bit of it on Youtube to check out? You know I value your opinion but then we also know you are a lot nicer and kinder than I...though still very discriminating in general. Thanks for your input, TB!

Love that interview with O'Toole and just saw it again the other day. His self effacing manner is instructive and proves the really talented people do not have giant egos as if they are proficient in everything. His singing really is horrid and memorably excruciating to watch, Fedya. Thanks for your, as always, elucidating thoughts!

Yeah, I guess at a certain angle, Bronson could look a bit like Garfield. In fact, if one watches old kinescopes even a young Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show could look like Garfield, with all those wavy lines undulating and getting thinner and fatter as he sings.

Ah, gee...do I have to answer that, Spence? Let's see...I think his visage is too big for a postage stamp maybe.

Apparently you did not attend my grade school where Sister Justine ruled the roost and looked a lot like Karloff, Nip!

Technically that would be, Wally Cox, Marvin Kaplan or Arnold Stang. Who is your favorite nebbish or dweeb in films, and I mean those terms in the most appreciative and kindly way. Please give your reasons in essay form and feel free to nominate any other "dweebs" that you think are ignored in polls.

That scene in "Send Me No Flowers" where he can hardly get out of that tiny sportscar makes me laugh just thinking about it. He was also a real he-man in "Cheyenne" which was one of my dad's favorite Western shows. So sorry to hear he has died. Thanks for the update.

There are some movies that operate below the surface with an inside joke mentality, that many in the audience just don't get. I would say the Brits are really good at making such films, as they have that sly humor that will create April Fool's Day broadcasts like when the BBC had a presentation about spaghetti trees, and their production of cooked noodles hanging on trees. I feel so sorry for those who just don't get the joke and actually believe such tongue in cheek films are not parodies but are being presented as straightforward films. Now some great tongue in cheek films might be called "Mockumentaries" as they spoof real films like Dylan's "Don't Look Back" or other rock documentaries like "This is Spinal Tap" about one of my favorite British bands. Though I was too young to enjoy the works of this band during their heyday when they produced songs like "Stonehenge" I still revere seeing this film pay tribute to their great comeback in the early 1980's. Sure some like John, Paul and George, or Mick or even Jimmy and Eric, but for me the best British Invasion group has to be the one with David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls. If only I had been there to see them when they got stuck in their pods at their peak or even when they played below the Puppet Show at that military base, which was akin to one of the worst episodes of VHI's show "Behind the Music", I could die a happy camper. Well, I guess all I'm saying is, that some dummies can't tell the difference between a real documentary or movie like TIST and a spoof or takeoff of a film genre or type, and they have my sympathy. Name your favorite tongue in cheek film and extra points if it was not made in the UK!

Or the Girl Who Cried Wolf? Or the Girl Who Worked for Harvey Weinstein? Not sure...can I get back to you on this?

I love this topic and want it to show up on the first page so more people answer. Unfortunately my addled brain cannot think of any footage that I can describe properly to add to the thread currently. That's why I want others to post here so I can revel in their descriptions. Guess my brain is lax today... Great topic, Slayton!

It is only interesting to me also, in the idea of a person being in such a dichotomy to their onscreen image. I actually care mostly for the work, not the person's personal status, unless of course they've tortured and killed little puppies or spit in salad bars, which would turn me off to their films.

We've all seen in it horror films. In slasher and exploitation films, particularly with teenage participants, the Final Girl is the one female who is empowered above all the others to best the male oppressor. One might say this hierarchy begins with Laurie Strode in "Halloween" but I'm curious of among the scholarly film fans here if anyone can come up with earlier examples in films. For my part, I might propose Kim Hunter in "The Seventh Victim" as a possible prototype of this concept, in some ways. I really look forward to any examples from earlier films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, or is the Final Girl idea truly a latter day concept invented by Carpenter and carried on by other horror film directors totally? Name the best portrayals of a Final Girl on film and any earlier examples predating "Halloween".

She was pretty good as Spider Woman in the Holmes film, and will be missed. Addendum: A very smart friend of mine here has mentioned to me that though Patricia resembled the Spider Woman looks of Gale in the Sherlock film, she was not really playing Spider Woman. Sorry for the confusion. Whoever Patricia played in that film with Basil, she was superlative as a female villain to be regaled. Thanks, Swithin!

My favorite film doctor is of course, Doctor Praetorius from "The Bride of Frankenstein". I don't think he was an alcoholic, since his hands would be too shaky to work with those people he miniaturized, but he might have been an atheist, since he seemed more into cigars as a vice and didn't mind playing god.

Ya know, TB I love her in movies but have heard she was one of the nastiest women in films and was mostly hated. I always think of that when I see her playing all those sweet roles with that angelic face and wonder if it is true. If you end up like Dorian Gray starting to look like the way you've actually lived, then maybe it is true because she was a rather nasty looking older woman and certainly not sweet looking like Spring Byington. But I still thank you so much for showcasing her movies and I appreciate all the daily work you do here for everyone, to keep us apprised of what good films are being shown weekly!

I met Frank Capra once at a seminar. He was being lauded as an American institution but I think all true film fans know that he was not so nice to Harry Langdon and tried to take credit for his success in films. I wanted to confront Capra about this, but was way too young to do so as we shook hands. I applaud you, Sepia for putting the eye on some questionable socialistic tendencies in his works. Of course we could attribute some of the things to be looked at askance in the film, due to the involvement of that Kaufman influence, and just ask Mary Astor about her affair with him if you want some real dirt. Their love letters almost started a fire in court, when read back in the day.

One of my favorite girls with guns movies is Robert Altman's mysterious "3 Women" with Shelley Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Janice Rule. The scenes with Pinky Rose out at the ranch and its shooting range, are just about as bizarre as the artwork at the bottom of the swimming pool at the apartment complex. Only a person of your calibre could have come up with such a great topic, TB!