Vautrin

Yes, revival theaters, bookstores, auditing college classes, that's where you could find the typical Allen characters of that period. I remember going to revival houses in the early and mid 1970s and they showed both the studio era classics and the usual suspects foreign films--Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut, etc. At that time there weren't other options to see these films so one had to head out to the revival theaters or to MOMA. The former were usually short on amenities but that was just part of the experience. Not as convenient as popping a tape or disc into a machine but more enjoyable.

Yes, after the half way point some people are obvious by their absence in the interview sections, which gives one the idea they were probably the victim. Yes, boundary claims often figure in the program, along with pets and kids loudly playing outdoors. I think the older woman had lived there much longer than her neighbors and likely felt some resentment when they claimed what she thought was her land as their own. I also get the idea that some of these disputes last longer than they seem to in the show, so that things are simmering over the years until someone blows their top.

Uh oh . Yes I did see it, classic FTN. This land is my land, this land ain't your land. I'm sure that older woman could be a pain, but to shoot her in the back of the head. And by the guy who was only indirectly involved in the land dispute. I'm glad they put him away. I was hoping that there would be a legal determination of the dispute because it wasn't clear where the boundaries were. The death of the woman made that a moot point. I love the beginning narration of each episode, Joe Blow hoped to start anew in the quiet and peaceful neighborhood of X. Then everything slowly goes to hell.

I think Bergman started to be in vogue in the mid 1960s to mid 1970s. I remember a girl mentioning him during a college class like it was a big deal and I guess at the time it sort of was. Love and Death is just your basic Woody Allen 1970s comedy set in 19th century Russia instead of 20th century NYC, with a parody of 19th century Russia literature included. I haven't seen it in years, but it's not one of my favorite Allen films. I haven't seen any of his recent films, but there was a time when they seemed to revolve around the same types of big city intellectuals with relationship problems, nttawwt. To me Interiors was his first Bergman like film, so alike that it's unintentionally funny. Bergman's films are about universal themes, but I've always wondered would they come off the same if they were set in Acapulco instead of Sweden.

The Woodman "borrowed" a lot more from the Bergman than the Farrowwoman ever did. I caught part of it just by chance. The comments were just run of the mill Bergman stuff, nothing very special.

Yeah, the country mouse and the city mouse finding one another and making an alliance that slowly turns into a friendship. I got a kick out of Ratso giving Buck advice about how to be a gigolo. I've seen Dog Day Afternoon two or three times. Very well done. Pacino and Cazale were even dumber than Ratso and Joe.

I can imagine that Ratso could be interested in Joe, but it's hard to see how Joe, unless he had some kink, would be interested in Ratso.

That totally sucks . I was a little surprised myself.

Three soundtracks, that's devotion. I was never much into movie soundtracks. The only one I have is A Clockwork Orange in LP form. I agree that Hoffman's role is a showier than Voight's, though both do very well. I always thought Buck was just a naive guy who got into situations because, for the most part, he didn't know any better. Ratso was just a streetwise con man, at least at the beginning. To me Macadam Cowboy sounds more like a guy in a suburb somewhere. It did have that upbeat ending which doesn't seem to go along with the rest of the movie, but most people are probably glad that Joe Buck was going to get a second chance in sunny Florida. Just think of all the rich middle-age widows down there. No more sticky floored movie theaters. And it's also hard to compete against a well loved but Oscar less actor who is getting along in years and won't have many chances left.

I've seen it maybe a half dozen times over the years and enjoyed it. A small town hick coming to the big city to make his mark and utterly failing meets a native who isn't much of anything. These guys go together. I'm rarely depressed by depressing movies, which Midnight Cowboy is in certain respects. There are many comic moments too. My favorite is when Joe gives up on high end women and has to hustle in Times Square, where he lets Bob Balaban as his schoolboy client suck him off while he watches that low budget sci-fi flick. Priceless. I still recall hearing that Florida orange juice commercial on the radio which Joe and Ratso listen to as they shiver in their condemned building. I don't know if I'll watch it again this time. For films that I've seen a number of times it all matters what mood I'm in.

I'm a boomer, so we can't blame our millenial friends. As I've already said, I've sampled some of these movies and have no desire to see them in full. I don't doubt the talent of Astaire and Rodgers or l'il Shirley, I just don't have any interest in watching them. So my lack of interest in concrete, not symbolic. I should add that I do like Shirley Temple in some of the movies she did as an adult. To balance things, I do like Vertigo, 2001, Katharine Hepburn, Bringing Up Baby, Godfather I & II (III was pretty hard to take), even Shadow of a Doubt. Sure Uncle Charlie almost wears a Kiss Me I'm a Psycho tee shirt, but that never took away my enjoyment of the movie.

That's why I would never make a good cinephile. There are some types of movies I'm just not interested in. I've seen bits of some Shirley Temple films and I have no interest going any farther. I wouldn't use the phrase I can't stand them, I just have no interest in watching them. I realize I'm missing a bit of movie history, but I can live with that.

I can usually figure out, when I know in general what a movie is about, whether I want to see it or not. I'm about 90% certain I wouldn't want to see The Sound of Muzak, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (the dumb title is enough of a clue), Gigi, etc. I also stay away from those overlong Biblical epics like The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, etc. I've never seen a Shirley Temple film and don't plan to. The same goes for Astaire and Rogers. No doubt they're very talented hoofers, but I just ain't interested. I did watch Mister Smith Goes to Washington when it was last on, only because I hadn't seen it in about 20 years. Pretty cornball, which does lead to some unintended comedy.

A Place in the Sun also left out large chunks of the novel but I prefer it to the 1931 version. It has a certain energy that the earlier version lacks for me. More assured direction and of course Monty Clift and Liz Taylor instead of Philip Holmes and Frances Dee.

One would think that unabridged would be straightforward, but I imagine that that is not always the case. I saw the 1931 version of An American Tragedy on TCM a few nights ago. The bare bones of the novel are there, but that's about it. The details of what made the book what it is are pretty much missing, though given the time constraints of the movie that's understandable to a degree.

In non-literature matters, I dislike him because he was a loud mouth, clueless imperialist. I don't know his tastes in fiction, but I would guess Dickens was not enough of a he-man writer for TR. Dickens, like most great writers, had his flaws, but Roosevelt's criticism sounds more like that of an ignorant spoiled child that that of a serious critic.

Personally I stick to the unabridged editions. If people, for whatever reason, prefer an abridged version that's fine. Great Expectations has had so many adaptations that the original book seems to get a little lost in the crowd. I've always liked it and read it >1. Like other Dickens' characters, Pip has to go through a number of humbling experiences before he sees the light, at least as Dickens considered it. A book I've always enjoyed is Tristram Shandy. Hard to summarize and with not much of a plot but a very wild, unusual piece of literature. ~~~~~~~~~. I don't take advice on literature from overweight American imperialists and won't be starting now.

Even in the face of overwhelming odds Tapley remains upbeat, though I think there were a few times when even he had some doubts, though he kept on being jolly. Yes, Martin came down with a serious fever due to the pestilential conditions of the new town where they settled, which was totally unlike the glowing recommendations of the founders, and Mark nursed him back to health. The satire on America is very biting and entertaining and something that would not be out of place today.

Make a great second rate Tennessee Williams' play The front porch of the old Beauregard manse. It is but a shell of its former self. Kudzu grows rampant on the porch rails, hairs grows rampant on Ida Mae's chin as she opens the creaking porch door and sits in an old rush bottom chair and fans herself. Ida Mae: For lord's sake it's a hot outta here. It's even hotter than the night old man Blamtinder kilt himself in an auto-erotic hoedown. Lulu Mae (raises voice) LULA MAE. Lula Mae: (speaking behind the screen door of the porch) Yes mamar, what dues you want? Ida Mae: Damn, it's hotter than pig's snot out here. Bring me some of dat sweet tea from the icebox. And Lulu... Lula Mae: Yessum. Ida Mae: Put a little sumtine extry in it. Lula Mae: You wants some more sugar? Ida Mae: Oh lordy, you are dumber than ditchwarter. I mean put some lively spirits in that sucker. Where's Pa? Lula Mae: I think he's down in the back room of the pool hall putting Miz Oglethorpe behind the eight ball. Ida Mae: Well when he gets home I gonta take a hot poker and put it up his nevermind.

I suppose to some degree Melville was following the old adage to write about what you know. Even with his uniquely weird style there are some parts of the book where all the information about whaling gets to be dull, but to me they are survivable and a minor annoyance to the greater pleasures of the book. I've meant to read Middlemarch for the last few years, so maybe I'll get around to it in 2020. As I recall, the gradual romance between Tapley and Mrs. Lupin is in the novel but it takes place at long intervals between other action, so it's a bit non-continuous. In a novel this long it's not unusual for some characters to "disappear" for stretches of time. Tapley also aids Martin in taking stock of his character and making improvements to it. The overly sentimental occurs sometimes in Dickens but I think for the most part he manages to keep it at bay. I enjoyed Martin Chuzzlewit as much as any other Dickens' novel even if it is not as famous as some of the others.

I've seen that one but I think the one I recall isn't TDBN. I'll have to do a little checking and see if I can come up with a title.

Actually I read it before I moved to North Carolina. For some reason I lost interest in Wolfe and never read any of his other books. Maybe Look Homeward, Angel has something in it that appeals to younger readers. I live outside Asheville, but I did visit Wolfe's home a long time ago. As you may know, there was a fire there a number of years ago and it took awhile for it to be restored so it could be open to the public again. Martin Chuzzlewit is another of those tales of an arrogant though unaware young man who must go through a lot of tribulations before he learns to be a better person. There is also a hilarious section set in America, making fun of the braggadocio and cluelessness of the inhabitants of the new country. Next I'm going to read The Golden Bowl, blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back.

A crooked produce peddler noir or the poor man's version of The Wages of Fear. The last twenty minutes or so were pure Hollywood cornpone. All of a sudden Polly, who seemed okay, turns into a money hungry shrew. I guess that's so Conte can marry the wisecracking pro with a heart of gold. Sorry, doesn't pass the smell test. Other than that it was pretty good, though nothing very special. Even Lee J. Cobb didn't go full bore. I got a laugh out of how, at the end, Jack Oakie makes sure to keep together the money that Cobb has scattered on bar. Here's a man with his head screwed on right. I seem to remember another film about crooked produce peddlers and truckers, though I can't remember the title.

Well I looked at my watch, it was the midnight hour, I told the old bag don't be so sour, And we was reelin, reelin' and rockin' rollin' till the break of dawn.