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LawrenceA
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Days Won
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Posts posted by LawrenceA
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Tall and gangly character actor Richard Libertini has died at the age of 82. He started in theater, including Woody Allen's DON'T DRINK THE WATER, before beginning his film career with 1968's THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S. He went on to amass over 100 film and television credits in a career that stretched all the way to 2015. Some of his films include THE IN-LAWS (as the dictator), FLETCH, POPEYE, DAYS OF HEAVEN, AWAKENINGS, CATCH-22, and many more.
I always found him funny and a welcome presence in anything I saw him in.
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Lawrence, I think I was so busy looking for the "scorpions hidden under white rocks" that I got distracted.[/size]
I bought the dvd so I shall watch again.[/size]
I was kidding. I watched it but have no idea what the point was. I just remember a wagon being pushed around some rocky terrain.
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I just watched the Bette Davis version of The Letter. Fantastic from the opening scene, where Bette manages to shoot someone six times while still doing that famous pelvis-forward walk of hers. The entire cast was good, particularly Gale Sondergaard ,the Minnesota girl, who played the "Eurasian" woman. She is compelling in every role.
Now I'm sorry I missed the 1929 version that came on just before it.
That is a terrific movie, and I really love that opening. The 29 version is excellent, as well.
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Lol...I enjoyed FANDO AND LIS! It was a simple tale of simple people, just trying to make their way in the world."Fando and Lis" by Alejandro Jodorowsky.
I'm now more confused than I was when I saw "El Topo".
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I recently rewatched I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. I found myself getting bored about a third of the way through, so I switched over to the commentary track by Joe Bob Briggs, and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Recommended.
I read the novel of THE MANITOU in one evening, a record for me. I'm not sure why, I wasn't crazy about the book, but I couldn't put it down.
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THE LOVELESS - (5/10) - Willem DaFoe gets his first major role starring as a paroled greasy-haired, leather-clad biker in the 1950's, on his way south to Daytona for a motorcycle rally. He and other 50's stereotypes hang around a small-town diner and around a gas-station/garage, taking turns posing and mumbling bad pulp dialogue. The film, first for director Kathryn Bigelow, plays more like a series of overly staged photographs or music video clips than a traditional narrative film, and it treats the assembly of leather bikers with a fetishistic worship. This is included in the "500 Essential Cult Films" book, so some people like it.
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1978-1980: there were five American comedies during this period that made me laugh a lot. Just a phrase can bring back some of the fun, the way Swithin's invocation of "Seymour Pippin" did. Hints :
1. "Far out!"
2. "It was part Maui Wowie and part Labrador."
3. "Six years of college down the drain!"
4. "Miss, I speak jive."
5. "He didn't tell me he was bisexual!"
4 is AIRPLANE! I assume 1 and maybe 2 are Cheech & Chong?
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BLUE COLLAR is one I've been wanting to see for a long time. I've just never been able to. The only other one I haven't seen is MONEY MOVERS, which I've never heard of.
As for my choices, I did a write-up on STAR CRASH on the "I Just Watched" thread after rewatching it recently. SLITHIS is a silly mutated-by-nuclear-waste monster movie.
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1978 - 138 films seen
1. Halloween
2. Dawn of the Dead
3. The Deer Hunter
4. Straight Time
5. The Last Waltz
6. Days of Heaven
7. Midnight Express
8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
9. Superman: The Movie
10. Coming Home
Runner-ups: Goin' South, La Cage Aux Folles, Get Out Your Handkerchiefs, Interiors, and King of the Gypsies.
Larry's Choices: Star Crash & Slithis
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I want to start an argument about Killer of Sheep, but I won't.
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Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1977:
The American Friend**
Annie Hall
Ceddo**
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Eraserhead
The Hills Have Eyes
Killer of Sheep
Last Chants for a Slow Dance**
The Last Wave
Man of Marble
Saturday Night Fever
Sleeping Dogs**
Soldier of Orange**
Star Wars
Stroszek**
Suspiria
**denotes films I have not seen, 6 again, ugh
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Another aspect that contributes to the "talk" about a film that then fades away, is the unholy awards season hype machine. Unlike summer movies, which get huge pushes for being "a fun-filled rollercoaster ride", those same publicists push the "relevance and importance" of their nominated films, something that upon closer inspection isn't really present in the hyped movie.
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Film lover, you listed A BOY AND HIS DOG! I thought I'd get flack for listing that. Glad to see someone else liked it.
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I agree, Sepia "it might have helped" if I had given some examples but my mind is a blank from watching all the TCM films yesterday and also reading the book "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" for like nine hours.
That's what got me to thinking about it, but then my movie memory gave out. Sorry!
I do like your explanation though for how the first instance of seeing a film might give it cachet.
Firstly, a warning about the 1001 book, they don't hesitate to completely spoil the films in the write-ups. If you don't mind, have at it. But I've learned not to read the full entry until after viewing the film.
Secondly, as regards your thread topic, some films date more quickly than others. Some that were seen as groundbreaking or controversial have had their subject matter enter into the public consciousness to such a degree that the previously revelatory nature of the original films is either lost or seems naive.
As far as modern audiences for film, I read an article recently about the increased disposability of our pop culture, especially film and music. New projects used to be savored and discussed for days and weeks and even years after their initial release. But over the last 15-20 years, it has become more and more about the pre-release hype and anticipation for a film, and once it has been released and tweeted about, forgotten so that the hype for the next thing can begin. People don't discuss what they've seen, only what they're going to see. This mentality is also partially the cause of the decrease in home entertainment sales (dvd, blu ray, digital downloads), as more people lose the desire to revisit something they've already seen. Finally, the sheer amount of content now readily available to a consumer means they have little time for reflection because it's on to the next movie/show or they'll never "get caught up".
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Bogie, you've got quite a few I don't know this time: PROVIDENCE, THE PICTURE SHOW MAN, WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND, and THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF. I also haven't seen STROSZEK, ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, CROSS OF IRON, and SOLDIER OF ORANGE.
As for mine: THE SENTINEL is a supernatural thriller, kind of a ROSEMARY'S BABY vibe. Young model moves into an apartment building with sinister secrets. It's got a large cast of well-known actors. It's not generally well regarded, but I like the creepy atmosphere it has.
HAUSU is a completely crazed Japanese horror(?) film, but don't let the horror put you off; it's truly one of the oddest things I've ever seen. Criterion released it a few years ago.
THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE is a sketch comedy film from the makers of AIRPLANE. Crude but in a good way.
MARTIN is a revisionist vampire film from George Romero. It's very low budget, and its more of a drama than a horror or thriller.
PETEY WHEATSTRAW is another Rudy Ray Moore film. This is as stupidly entertaining as the previous DOLEMITE.
THE DEMON LOVER is a low budget horror film about a devil worshipper. Inept and hilarious. The way-too-serious star actually cut off some of his fingers for the insurance money to finish the movie.
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HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART 1 - (6/10) - Hit-or-miss comedy from Mel Brooks tackles the biggest subject possible. Starting with the dawn of man and meandering through time, the film is a series of vignettes set in various locales with a very wide assortment of comedy stars both new and old. Mel himself gets the most screen time, with Sid Caesar, Gregory Hines (in his debut), Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, John Hurt as Jesus, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman, and scores of cameos. The jokes only work about half the time, but with so many tossed in, you're bound to laugh some. The sets and costumes are very good.
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Swithin, I don't know THE CHESS PLAYERS.
TopBilled, I haven't seen CANDLESHOE, FUN WITH DICK AND JANE, or I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN.
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1977 - 135 films seen
1. Star Wars
2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
3. Suspiria
4. Annie Hall
5. The Duellists
6. The Kentucky Fried Movie
7. The Sentinel
8. Looking for Mr. Goodbar
9. The Last Wave
10. A Bridge Too Far
Runner-ups: Eraserhead, Hausu (House), Martin, That Obscure Object of Desire, and The Late Show.
Larry's Choices: The Demon Lover & Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-In-Law
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Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1976:
1900
All the President's Men
Ascent
Carrie
In the Realm of the Senses
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Network
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Rocky
Taxi Driver
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Swithin, I don't know The Ritz, Don's Party, or The Marquise of O.
Bogie, I haven't seen Kings of the Road, Volcano, Black and White in Color, or Hollywood On Trial.
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It's good that many here remember Alan Rickman in a variety of roles. Still, I'm surprised that so few (I think I'm actually the only one) who has talked about his portrayal of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series.
It can't be that people didn't think he was good in the part: Snape was a character Rickman was born to play. So I have to assume that not a lot of people on these boards have actually seen the Harry Potter movies. Really? This surprises me.
I thought he was terrific as Snape. In interviews I've seen, he thought very highly of the role, and was very proud of the series. I also think he was happy to remembered for a role other than Hans Gruber from Die Hard. Not that he disliked that part, but I think he was tired of only being associated with that single screen role.
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kingrat, I haven't seen Welcome to L.A. I want to, and I know TCM has had it scheduled in the past, but if I recall correctly, it's one of those that got canceled at the last minute.
TopBilled, I haven't seen Blizna, The Devil's Playground, Freaky Friday, Monsieur Klein, or The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea. I know about the Friday and Sailor, but not the other three.
FYI: the 1001 book has less films listed from '76 than just about any year in the 70's.
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1976 - 147 films seen
1. Taxi Driver
2. Network
3. All the President's Men
4. The Outlaw Josey Wales
5. Carrie
6. Marathon Man
7. The Man Who Fell to Earth
8. Robin and Marian
9. The Tenant
10. The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
Runner-ups: 1900, Bound for Glory, Harlan County USA, The Missouri Breaks, and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.
Larry's Choices: Hot Potato & Track of the Moon Beast
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Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1975:
Barry Lyndon
Cria Cuervos
Deewaar/The Wall**
Dog Day Afternoon
Fox and His Friends**
India Song**
Jaws
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
Manila in the Claws of Brightness**
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Nashville
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom
The Traveling Players**
**denotes films I haven't seen
Top Ten Films of...
in Your Favorites
Posted
Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1978:
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin/Shaolin Master Killer
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith**
Dawn of the Dead
Days of Heaven
The Deer Hunter
Five Deadly Venoms
Grease
Halloween
The Tree of Wooden Clogs**
Up in Smoke
**denotes films I have not seen