johnm001
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Posts posted by johnm001
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CLASSIC movies are CLASSIC regardless of the time in which they were made.
Amen to that! I don't agree, at all, with the notion that a film has to be from some particular era. Lots of lousy films were made, since they started making them. A classic, to me, is a film of the highest quality, which is what the word classic means.
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I think lots of films are overrated. But, the one that is consistently so, for me, is SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. I like it, even a lot; but, it is far from the greatest screen musical. I'm always somewhat confounded by those who think it is. I never read any reason why people think it is, they just say it's so. I think it isn't, mostly, becase I feel there are far better examples of the genre.
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Well, I don't deny it or disagree, I just don't care. While I couldn't care less about seeing TOOTSIE, I think it's great that people, with standard cable, can see all types of films, commercial free, in their proper aspect ratios and uncut! It's not as if TCM has replace their classic films with newer one, they've simply been supplemented.
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Yes! Time to say bravo TCM!!!
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but actually came to like baritones -- realllly deep baritones I think they're called something else -- and still do to this day.
They're called basses.
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I can definitely do without Marvin's "Wanderin' Star" and Eastwood's "I Talk to the Trees".
Like all Joshua Logan films, it is horribly directed. Not sure what he had on Hollywood big-wigs to secure directing jobs; especially musicals! I lived in Austria, and Marvin's "Waderin' Star" went to Number 1 on the charts, in most European countries. I have to admit, I liked it. There was something about the combination of his "vocal", and the great arrangement of the tune. Eastwoods number is fine, too, I think. Like all the film versions of Lerner & Lowe Broadway musicals, PAINT YOUR WAGON is a failure, as far as I'm concerned.
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"Phantom of the Opera" may have been a flop in the movies
I'm not sure the word "flop" is appropriate for a film that grossed more than double its cost at the box-office. True, it wasn't anywhere near the hit that CHICAGO was; but "flop" is a stretch. I disliked both films, mostly, because people don't seem to be able to direct musicals, anymore. At least not to my liking. They just don't know how to frame a musical number, or keep their cameras still! All musicals since, at least EVITA, are directed like a music video. Not my cup of tea. I hate all those quick cuts; and, the talent and abilities of the performers (if there truly is any), is never showcased.
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Well of course it's a generational thing, but not the 60's generation, more like the 70's. In the 60's we were still listening and buying Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como, etc., in addition to our own Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Elvis, etc
100% true statement. The 1960s, was the last time the Billboard Top 40 was eclectic. In the same week, you'd have The Supremes, Andy Williams, The Beatles, The Grass Roots, The Tijuana Brass, The Rolling Stones, Edye Gorme, etc. A wonderful time for music. Also, during the 50s and 60s, Broadway music, and Broadway stars, were very well known to people who never attended a Broadway show, due to the wealth of variety/music programs that were on television. Cast recordings of shows like MY FAIR LADY and THE SOUND OF MUSIC, among others, topped the album charts, and their songs were part of the popular culture of the day. That just hasn't been the case, with any sort of frequency, since the late 60s.
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The genre thing gets tricky; and, actually, I suppose epic isn't even a genre, but more a category. We spoke about this on one of the musical threads. What constitutes a musical? I suppose it's just what you consider an "epic", that matters.
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Very difficult to pick just one; but there are three that seem to never grow old, for me; and, I have watched them, both in theaters and home video editions, countless times:
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED
THE BIRDS
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There are about 10 other threads on the fall of TCM. Perhaps if you all got together, you could start a revolution. The network is chock-full of those same classic films you're all lamenting are gone. Much ado about nothing.
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Strange that it didn't work. It's just a link to where I have the file stored (an internet site), so you don't have to do a download. Oh well. Please let me know about the soundtrack recording, once you've had a chance to listen. A film's score, for me, can make or break a picture. Almost more than anything else.
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Miss G, I never knew there was a soundtrack recording. I did find, a few years ago, a recording of a bunch of John Barry music. On it, there was a Tamarind Seed Suite, that has the main title, the music in the very beginning, when Judith is thinking of her husband's death, the long airport sequence music, and end title. I never actually compared the two, but I think this "suite", is in a different key from the actual film. Have a listen!
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Fairhope, I only buy my pretzel right at the bakery. If you haven't already, next time you're there, try DePalma's on Cottman Avenue, 1/2 block off of I-95. Incredible! I wish I were in Philadelphia, right now.
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STAR!, among other things, has definitive renditions of incredible songs by some of the 20th centuries top composers. Julie Andrews' performances, is first-rate, except she's let down by a screenplay that just doesn't engage. However, when compared, today, to the other (successful) bio-pic of the same year, FUNNY GIRL, STAR! is a masterpiece. The film obtained a cult following, in the late 80s and early 90s, and packed them in, at rarely shown revival houses. Fox, finally released a laserdisc of the film, and it sold out its initial pressing, which was completely unexpected. They did a second pressing, and also released it on video tape. So, STAR! has a definitive cult base. There's a DVD, but, unfortunately, it was transferred as if the film was shot in sepia tone. It wasn't, and the DVD's color is wrong. I've transferred my laserdisc to DVD. It's better.
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Hi Miss G,
The Region 2s are only an issue with a film you know really well, like THE TAMARIND SEED. Although, I've gotten to the point where even if its a film I don't know, I get pre-occupied with the pitch of people's voices. Odd, I know. I love the film; and, it's one of the films that I enjoy more and more, with each viewing. I think Sharif is brilliant in it. I saw it during it's initial theatrical release, and, it did fairly good box-office here in the States, and even better box-office in the UK. What it never got was television airplay, so it sort of just disappeared, here.
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Please T.M.C. don't ever air "Paint your Wagon" again.As Howard Dean would say "ARRRGH !!!
What didn't you like about it?
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Jennifer Hudson was better off not winning the competition, where everyone is expected to be size zero (both figure wise and mental wise).
I'm pretty sure the first and most successful American Idol, Kelly Clarkson was not and is not a size zero; and, I'm positive that Ruben Studdard is not!
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I find both LOA and DZ, tedious! I saw both of them during their original releases, and even in re-releases, and just couldn't bear the tedium. They even have scores that are repetitive and tedious. My favorite Omar Sharif role, is in THE TAMARIND SEED. But then, I'm not referring to his "hotness"! :-) The problem with seeing THE TAMARIND SEED, is that it is only available in the US, on a cropped video tape. It was filmed as a 'scope' picture, and the video severely comprimises the film. There is a region 2 (PAL) DVD, but that speeds-up the films, and everyone's voice is pitched, annoyingly higher than it should be. I don't know how those PAL people stand their videos! It is among my most wanted DVD releases.
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Technically, they were both sets on the Paramount lot; but, HOLIDAY INN did shoot some establishing shots at Village Inn, in Monte Rio, California, which I believe renamed itself, Holiday Inn, until there was an actual chain of hotels called that, then they went back to their original name. At least that's my memory of things.
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Yes, but would you replace Hedren with Kelly? I'm not so sure I would. That's tougher, for me. I find Hedren, so perfect in the role. She's my favorite of all the "blondes". The coolest of the "cool blondes", however, is Eva Marie Saint, in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. So, maybe I'd put her in MARNIE.
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What don't you like about widescreen? I only care that I am seeing the film the way the film makers wanted it to be seen. My formative movie-going years, were during the big roadshow theatrical presentations of films. Widescreen was THE thing. Widescreen releases on home video, was the main reason I went the laserdisc route, way back when. In those days, laserdiscs were the only way to get films in their original aspect ratios. I will never, ever purchase a pan and scan version of a film, even if it's the only available format. I won't even watch a pan and scan showing on television. I'm such a geek (purist) about seeing a film in its proper format, that I won't even purchased Region 2 recordings, because they are recorded at a faster rate, and everyone's voice is pitched higher than it should be. I did that a couple of times, and just couldn't get past that annoyance. But, I'd be interested in what you don't like about widescreen, dfordoom.
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the only problem that I had with the movie was the character development, the characters could have been better thought out, I thought that the love relationship between Tony and Maria was poorly developed,
Well, WSS is based on a stage play. To deviate from it too much, would make the film version of it, something else. As it is, Ernest Lehman made changes to the original stage script, to better facilitate the medium of film; and, to change the dramatic tone of the story. However, he created a screenplay that was faithful to the source material, which, apparently, was appealing enough to be purchased and made into a film in the first place. How would you have better developed the love relationship between Tony and Maria?
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Well, that's a bit of a difficult question, since most of the females roles are so well cast; but here's a few:
DIAL M FOR MURDER - replace Grace Kelly w/ Julie Andrews
NORTH BY NORTHWEST - replace EM Saint w/ Grace Kelly
THE BIRDS - replace Tipi Hedren w/ Eva Marie Saint
VERTIGO - please God please!!!, replace Kim Novak w/ Tipi Hedren
REAR WINDOW - replace Grace Kelly w/ Eva Marie Saint
The Turner Man in the Hal
in General Discussions
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It's always reminded me of the comic book Dick Tracy.
Me too!