LawrenceA

Love Affair

Joe E. Brown was in SOME LIKE IT HOT with Pat O'Brien

Ivey, Judith

Usher, Roderick - Vincent Price in FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHEF

Anne of Green Gables

Palm Springs Weekend

1950

Yes, THE DEAD was a very important film to him, as I'm sure the documentary showed, and he occasionally rallied to the challenge before then, with THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, WISE BLOOD, and PRIZZI'S HONOR all getting his full attention, each to some level of critical success. FAT CITY was a another film he gave up on, which is surprising because he was really enthusiastic to begin with, and felt a kinship to the material. But he was also dealing with a myriad of health and financial problems the last 20 years of life, so that may be part of the reason.

I should give this hint: the films in question were released in 1960's. The two acclaimed directors had their career peaks in the 1970's.

To follow-up on what film lover said about BLACK SUNDAY, it had a huge impact in Europe, and kickstarted the decade long Gothic Horror trend in Italy. Along with Hammer's classy chillers and Roger Corman's Edgar Allen Poe films, BLACK SUNDAY shaped a new style of well-produced, literate horror film that revived the genre from it's post-Universal doldrums. And Barbara Steele assumed the #1 spot as the 1960's scream queen.

I recently read a John Huston biography, and according to it, after the early 1950's or so, Huston would often get bored with a film after about 3/4 of the way filming it, and would basically leave it to his AD's and editors to finish it up. THE UNFORGIVEN was supposedly one victim of this habit, although I don't think it's a terrible film.

Of the films you've mentioned, SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, PURPLE NOON, TESTAMENT OF ORPHEUS, and SEVEN THIEVES were all movies I enjoyed. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only fan of BLACK SUNDAY. I haven't seen BELLS ARE RINGING or COMANCHE STATION.

Excellent choices, Swithin. I like HORROR HOTEL, too. I haven't seen MAKE MINE MINK, but I have seen the rest, even MACUMBA LOVE. I have a friend in a rock band who fancies himself a voodoo practitioner (don't ask), and he has a large collection of voodoo-related films, books, etc. He would ask me occasionally to watch some with him, and MACUMBA LOVE was one such title. I eyed him warily throughout.

I can see one difference as we move forward is there are less films listed that I haven't seen. Bogie: TUNES OF GLORY, SINK THE BISMARK!, and THE PASSIONATE THIEF. TopBilled: PORTRAIT IN BLACK.

After today's doctor visit, I think it's best to keep things moving...lol! 1960 - 110 films seen 1. Spartacus - The best swords'n'sandals epic ever made, with an iconic Kirk Douglas, a hilarious Peter Ustinov, a tragically radiant Jean Simmons, Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, Woody Strode, etc, etc. "Some men like snails AND oysters!" 2. Psycho - What starts off as an adequate episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" turns into Hitchcock's greatest film, and Anthony Perkins is so good he could never escape the role. Hard to estimate just how influential this one has been. 3. La Dolce Vita - Exuberant Fellini fantasia with a wonderfully world-weary Marcello Mastroianni. 4. The Magnificent Seven - One of the best remakes ever, with one of the best action casts of the era. Eli Wallach's grinning scene-chewing is fun. 5. Peeping Tom - Uncomfortable tale of perversion, repression, voyeurism, and murder. Virtually ended Michael Powell's career. 6. The Time Machine - Colorful sci-fi fantasy with a dashing Rod Taylor saving Yvette Mimeaux from the Morlocks. 7. The Bad Sleep Well - Akira Kurosawa does film noir in this terrifically tense tale featuring Toshiro Mifune. 8. The Virgin Spring - Ingmar Bergman's sadly moving fable is not quite like his other films, with perhaps a greater accessibility. 9. L'Avventura - Ambiguity was never more artfully represented then in this infuriating-to-some mystery with the lovely Monica Vitti. 10. Village of the Damned - Excellent British sci-fi creeper with George Sanders vs otherworldy children. Runner-ups: Black Sunday, Le Trou, Two Women, Inherit the Wind, and Rocco & His Brothers. Larry's Choices: Last Woman on Earth - You've never welcomed the apocalypse quite as much as you will while watching this misfire written and starring future big-time Hollywood screenwriter Robert Towne. Two guys sort of fight over the titular damsel after the rest of humanity dies, probably from boredom. Horrors of Spider Island - A plane full of professional dancers crash lands on a small island. Their boss gets bitten by a mutant spider, slowly changing him into a Man-Spider! He has a taste for warm flesh, and stalks the lovely ladies, until some guys show up, and things get interesting. Or do they?

Ok, this one is complicated, so be prepared. Roger Corman, the legendary b-movie impresario, has a reputation for discovering fresh new talent to work on his films, many of whom go on to fame and fortune. One such future Oscar winning writer-director was tasked with taking a Soviet science fiction movie and adding new footage, re-editing it, and dubbing it into English. He did so, and the subsequent renamed film was released. Years later, this same Soviet SF film had it's footage spliced into yet another Soviet SF film, dubbed and then released with another title. Finally, that second splice job was re-edited yet again, adding new English footage (featuring a b-movie glamour girl), and retitled for a third time, all by yet another future Oscar nominated writer-director. Name the two future acclaimed directors, and all three of the English-language films. Bonus points for naming the director of the second version, the glamour girl in the third, and either of the original Soviet films.

This 1000%. It's took me thirty+ years to stop doing this with music, and nearly as long with movies. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean it's bad, it's just not for me. It's probably someone somewhere's favorite film or song. Who am I to tell them they're wrong for finding enjoyment in something?

Some film buffs are such because it's more preferable to look at the screen than out the window or in the mirror.

Favorites of the 1950's Films 1. THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER 2. SUNSET BLVD. 3. THE WAGES OF FEAR 4. FORBIDDEN PLANET 5. THE SEARCHERS 6. TOKYO STORY 7. SEVEN SAMURAI 8. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 9. THE THING 10. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL Actors 1. Marlon Brando 2. William Holden 3. Robert Mitchum 4. Kirk Douglas 5. Montgomery Clift 6. Burt Lancaster 7. Toshiro Mifune 8. James Stewart 9. John Wayne 10. Peter Cushing Actresses 1. Marilyn Monroe 2. Thelma Ritter 3. Deborah Kerr 4. Audrey Hepburn 5. Ingrid Bergman 6. Setsuko Hara 7. Ava Gardner 8. Katharine Hepburn 9. Shelley Winters 10. Gloria Grahame Directors 1. Akira Kurosawa 2. Ingmar Bergman 3. Elia Kazan 4. Billy Wilder 5. Yasujiro Ozu 6. Federico Fellini 7. Jack Arnold 8. Kon Ichikawa 9. Robert Bresson 10. Nicholas Ray Science Fiction was my favorite genre of the decade. I also loved the emergence of b-movie heroes Roger Corman and William Castle, as well as Hammer releasing their first color horror films. Westerns were outstanding in the 1950's. The further attention to foreign language releases was also appreciated, with special consideration to Japan, France and Italy.

My critique of the film had nothing to do with the source books and everything to do with the primitive make-up, bizarre stunt casting, terrible stage sets, and poor pacing of the film. While intriguing to watch once for the uncomfortable looking cast, I can't say it's something I'd want to watch again.

Still hoping film lover and SansFin post for '59.

Is it William H. Daniels, personal cinematographer to Greta Garbo, and later director of such films as LURED and THE NAKED CITY?

Jose Iturbi was in THREE DARING DAUGHTERS with Edward Arnold.

Joan Crawford

(A) Very Long Engagement