therealfuster

Very nice of you to invite me to post in your thread, and I may take you up on it. My only problem would be...that often I point out films that really might not qualify under the "Great Movie" tagline, since it's not the whole movie which makes it watching, but just sometimes one tiny bit or appearance by someone special. As I said...my choices are a bit "bent"! Who else might be excited about seeing Bess Flowers? But she is part of film history, and the movies most famous extra and I always get a kick out of spotting her in a film. Of course her absolutely most famous bit has to be when she congratulates Eve Harrington on her Sarah Siddons award, at the end of "All About Eve". Other than that I don't think I've seen Bess talk.... I hope to "butt" in on your thread with some recommended "greats" very soon. Especially if TCM finds any Maria Montez films to screen!

as Travis Bickle might say? Sure I get your drift. I shop that way too, besides my more gourmet shopping trips, in which I lose my sense of thriftiness, when I see remastered versions of things like "Que Viva Mexico", "Mill of the Stone Women" or "Carnival of Souls". Then I dish out the $39.95 for fear of Kino or Criterion putting the thing on the OOP list. Nothing more fun than picking up some classics for 10 bucks or less, and often even as low as $7.99 down to $5.99. I must say occasionally, it does not pay to buy too cheap versions though, for example when one sees Chaplin boxed sets for about 20 bucks, and one finds later that one should have bought the $79.95 set, that is if one really would like to see Chaplin and not some blur with a hat, cane and mustache. But for more recent films, or drive-in type flicks, usually the low prices are not indicative of a real horrible transfer....so I indulge. Thanks Moviejoe, and I will be returning this week to Borders to pick up the $10.99 dvd of "Casino Royale" which has that great soundtrack and Jean-Paul Belmondo to boot!

that symbolism is an acquired taste. I can see symbolism in a Laurel and Hardy film, but I think it is due to reading too much Freud and Carl Jung during my formative years. What are some of your favorite junk food snack films?

if your tastes are a bit bent like mine! Today at 4pm you can see "Babes on Broadway" with Judy and Mickey. But it is also your chance to see who Monty Wooley was impersonating in "The Man Who Came to Dinner"! Yes, the snide Alexander Woolcott plays himself in this Busby Berkeley film, which really makes it worth seeing. The credits also list Joe Yule [Mickey's dad] though I've never noticed him in it. He is listed in the credits as Mason, the aide to Reed. At 6pm today TCM is showing "Bathing Beauty" with Esther and even Keaton's last wife Eleanor. Also look for famed British stage performer, Elsbeth Dudgeon as Miss Travers. At 10pm you can view "Now, Voyager" with the classic cigarette scene. Here's another chance to see Elspeth Dudgeon as Aunt Hester! Oh and also famed extra Bess Flowers as an uncredited woman at concert "Humoresque" comes on at 2:15am. Want to see Robert Blake as the young Garfield? Then this is your movie....also again with an uncredited appearance by Bess Flowers as a fan of the adult Garfield. "The Letter" with La Davis is on at 4:30am. This is a great adaption of the Somerset Maugham book. Davis is at the top of her deceitful form, with Gale Sondergaard scary as all get out, and Herbert Marshall walking placidly through it, in spite of his wooden leg. This film is repeated on Saturday at Noon. Tomorrow, Wednesday is Western day at TCM! See "Duel in the Sun" at 3pm. The inspiration for John Waters "Lust in the Dust" this King Vidor melodrama has Lillian Gish and Butterfly McQueen to aid the festivities and beautiful cinematography by Lee Garmes and Harold Rosson with music by Dimitri Tiomkin. On Thurday, one of Mitchum's most appealing performanca is in "Rachel and the Stranger" at 4:30pm. Nuf said.... 12:30 am brings a classic film of silent cinema.... "Sparrows". Watch this just to see the work of famed speedy director, William [one shot] Beaudine! Learn how he honed his technique, so as to still be working for Disney in the Fifties directing episodes of the kid's tv serial, "Spin and Marty". "Sparrows" is also notable for the appearance of silent screen villain, Gustav von Seyffertitz of the most imperious manner and distasteful attitude. The scenes of "Little Mary" and the children escaping from the crocodiles through the swamp is unbelievably graphic and harrowing! On Friday at 2:30 pm, one can catch " The Alphabet Murders". Besides getting to see the great Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot, assisted by Robert Morley, this film is directed by the amazing, Frank Tashlin known for his live action cartoons, like "The Girl Can't Help It", and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter". In the foreign cinema slot at 2am, TCM is showing "Kapo" (1959)...an earlier film directed by Gillo Pontecorvo of "Battle of Algiers" fame. Stay up till 4:00 am and see "Don't Make Waves" with the lovely Claudia Cardinale and Sharon Tate. Though this is light weight fare, nevertheless it was directed by the marvelous Alexander Mackendrick. If you like the Ealing classics, that he did with Alec Guinness, then you might enjoy his work outside of England, even this is no way close to his American classic, "The Sweet Smell of Success", even though it also stars Tony Curtis. And then there's Kubrick Saturday, but that is a bit far in the future.....

Anyone here see "Counsellor at Law" on TCM the other day, with John Barrymore? I've seen it before, but never noticed that director Vincent Sherman was an actor in it...as arrestee, Harry Becker. Sherman was so young in it, that he had to be accompanied to the attorney's office...with his mother! I thought he was quite good when he told off John Barrymore in his office. So...anyone know why Sherman quit acting and turned toward directing? By the way, the movie was great also starring Melvyn Douglas, Isabel Jewell, Thelma Todd, and Bogey's former wife, tough girl Mayo Methot.

about Darin's movie career? Even though they were throwaways, the Dee-Darin pairings did show a deft sense of comic timing in a farcical kind of way from Darin. I think he could have become a fine actor. Interestingly, many singers are inherently good actors, as if they can project truth in their lyrical renditions, they are also able to do so in roles. But then many comedians are also good dramatic actors. Like Gleason and Chaplin, and even Jerry Lewis in "The King of Comedy". What do you think would have happened to Darin's career if he had lived?

are like food, and I like a varied diet. There is food for thought, and food for nourishment and then just some food for frivolous fun. There is junk food, which one can take a little of, instead of cooking up a real meal...and sometimes some Cheetos are just right for dinner. Movies are like that. I go shopping for movies, just like I shop at the grocery. A little bit from the gourmet department, a few tried and true staples, some condiments, a stab at trying a new item which is unknown, some exotic dishes and voila...my shopping is done. Just last week I went shopping at Borders for my film dietary demands for the next few months. They were having a Buy Three DVD's and Get One Free offer which lasts all January, so I decided to stock up for the winter. Here are some of the delicious delicacies I picked up: L'Atalante, Barry Lyndon, Chaplin:Short Comedy Classics, Color of Pomegranates, Deathdream, Ivan the Terrible, Lady from Shanghai, A Mighty Wind, Monterey Pop Festival, Monty Python's Holy Grail, One Step Beyond Boxed Set, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Rififi, The Rules of the Game, Saragossa Manuscript, Shadow of a Doubt, Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman, Village of the Damned, Walkabout, Wild at Heart, and Wrestling Women Vs. the Aztec Mummy. Sure, a few of these I already had, but a friend asked me to pick him up some copies. I've already made about three trips to Borders, as it does make sense to buy the more expensive $35.99 things together and things under 20 bucks together. They will let you buy as many multiples of four as you want though, and you get the lowest priced ones free. So, my film diet will be rich with many types of nourishment for the next few months. I plan to go back on Thursday and pick up a few $10.99-$12.99 offerings like Darling, Moulin Rouge [the old one], and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. What films would you say are the staples of your diet....exotic, family fare, junk food, frothy delicacies or...?

butting in, but I do have one exception to your remarks in your fine post. Though I agree totally with your assessment of Spacey as Darin, and your contention that Darin was somewhat underappreciated, and the current critics may be unaware of much of his career...there is one bit of a shred of truth about the inference of him copying another's style, in one instance...that has some validity. Though whether this is specifically what the critics are beefing about...I don't know. Though I have never been able to understand it, being that Darin was supremely talented, had a beautiful voice and a unique style as far back as his early rock records like "Splish Splash" and then later when he went on to more mature classics like "Mack the Knife", I remember reading in a book on Dion, that he had worked with Darin, who did not want to be an old rock and roller, but always had dreams of working a more adult market. Darin was a smart businessman, according to Dion and knew how to keep his career flowing, and not fall by the wayside, despite the pitfalls of showbiz. Dion seemed impressed that Darin was not the patsy that most young performers are, for agents and record labels. But...there came a time in the Sixties, when many major recording stars were floundering, with the influx of British groups and a California sound on the airwaves, and Darin started affecting a different more laid back style, what with wearing jeans and longer hair to stay in the game. Darin has been justly accused of taking a style that was trademarked by the artist, Tim Hardin and honed for years by said composer, and using it to Darin's own benefit in his cover version of Tim Hardin's composition, "If I Were a Carpenter". Anyone who has heard the original, can tell the Darin version sounds more like Tim Hardin than Darin. Supposedly Tim Hardin never forgave Darin, as he had been slowly building his own career with a distinct singing style, and felt that Darin had appropriated and stolen it from him, lock, stock and barrel. One could say Hardin should be glad a star took his song to the Top Ten, but Hardin supposedly never forgave him. And t'is true that at the time, this was a hit that Darin needed, not having had any major chart hits for a long while. Hardin had been known as one of the most talented singer-songwriters of his day, with tunes like "Misty Roses", "How Can We Hang On To A Dream", the Carpenters "Reason to Believe" and others. The easy answer is that drugs took his life, but many still say that Darin's copy of his most signature, confessional style is what really killed Hardin's spirit. If you haven't heard Hardin, you owe it to yourself to check out one of his old albums. Other than than minor bone to pick, I agree with everything you said about Darin, as I love his singing and have many of his albums, that I inherited from my mother. So, despite his talent Darin may have been a bit of an opportunist, but hey....that's show biz!

so interesting, as even without seeing the flicks in question, I've had almost the same thoughts. One, that I could enjoy the Hughes epic, even though I would have a problem seeing Leonardo as "the man", being that Hughes' visual image is fused in my memory too well. That might not be a problem for some who really have never seen that many photos of the young Hughes though. For my money, Tommy Lee Jones did a bang up job as Hughes previously on film, and I even dug that wacky Jonathan Demme hallucination ["Melvin and Howard"] about how the infamous Melvin Dummar came to pick up a shadow of his former self Hughes in the desert, and got rewarded in his will. Do I really believe that? NO! But who cares, the movie was marvelous with Jason Robards as Hughes, and Paul Le Mat of "American Graffiti" fame as the crafty Dummar, with a wonderful comedy performance by Mary Steenburgen. Nevertheless, in the scenes I've seen with DiCaprio he does bring his usual intensity to the role, which is convincing on a psychological level of the Hughes persona. And Blanchett is great as always, but that chick playing Ava Gardner, ain't no Ava Gardner! As for Bobby Darin, just last nite I picked up one of my favorite Darin-Dee combinations, "If A Man Answers" [wherein Dee learns to control her new husband with the aid of a doggie training book] and I agree that though at first Spacey seemed a bit old, it also hit me that Darin started looking prematurely old, midway through his career, and a bit worn. May be due to his heart condition, or being married to Dee or life on the road, or the oddity of who was his real mother...but for whatever reason I think Spacey seems to pull it off, the more I see of him in the role in clips. The guy can do anything, and I look forward to seeing that film! I think your reviews are right on the money and you should hired by Newsweek magazine or some worthy newspaper!

classic it is, jposkitt1983! Hasn't everyone seen it about 25 or more times, like I have? Favorite parts? How can one pare them down to just a few? Geez, the part when Dana Andrews baby brother gives Joan the boot in the bedroom, with that line which makes no sense about "if you're drunk" or "if you're not drunk". I like when Christina is sitting in front of Joan's vanity mirror, pretending to be a "star" and Joan whacks all her [wig] hair off with a scissors! The midnight raids scene, with the scrubbing of the bathroom floors, and Joan throwing the clothes around and then making Tina clean it up. The Christmas scene, where Christina is "allowed" to keep one special gift and ALSO the charm bracelet given by Uncle Steve Forrest. I think that this movie is a farce, and that the normally low key Faye Dunaway was possessed and went bananas, and I can't say it is really her usual fine acting, but it is like watching a roller coaster go off the tracks...and I enjoy it tremendously. Now I do think that the little girl playing Christina is good, and that Diana Scarwid turns in a fine acting job, as does Howard da Silva. Oh, other famous scenes...when Joan tells the maid, after finding that she cleaned the living room floor without moving the planter "I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt!" I think that though a bit exaggerrated by Christina, that this is all true. Anyone who has seen photos of Joan in her pre-movie days from blue movies, can imagine a bit more hidden, diabolical side to her than the long suffering mother in "Mildred Pierce". That's not to mean that I don't watch every Lucille LeSeuer film ever made, as I enjoy her onscreen. In Baby Jane, I almost think she is better than Davis, who is tops in my book! Oh, do you not love the scene where Tina triumphs when she will not eat the day old meat that Joan has served to her for her breakfast?

as I was on my way to Borders to buy that Fritz Lang film of "The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse" so now I can put my money elsewhere. On either "Grey Gardens", an Eisenstein boxed set or "Wrestling Women Versus the Aztec Mummy". Certainly money well spent!

I guess you are right! I'm going to Borders right now, so I will look at it. The Borders listings do say there is one for 150 smackeroos and one for 250. # 1-Bobby Jones - Complete Golf Instructional Series Edition List Price: $150.00 I. Status: In Print UPC: 189269000027 Subject: DVD Golf, Instructional, Instructional (General), Sports, Sports (General), Sports Heroes/Legends/Inspirations, Sports/Recreation Description: DVD Features: Boxed Set Full Frame - 1.33 Booklets - 1. 8 Page Booklet On The Trues Story Of Bobby Jones In Hollywood 2. DVD Chapter Descriptions Booklet Description: As part of a 75th anniversary celebration, this package pays glorious tribute to immortal golf legend, Bobby Jones. The classic, old school instructional footage (which has been digitally re-mastered), shows the moves that earned him the Grand Slam in 1930. With over three hours of instruction "How I Play Golf" offers comprehensive coverage of all areas of play and equipment. Topics include how to use the putter, all types of irons, and three and two woods. In addition, he offers some tips for dealing with problem areas and even plays a round using the aforementioned moves. "How to Break 90" shows use of the grip, positioning, hip action, swings, impacts, and fine points. Collectors will covet "Bobby Jones in Hollywood" an eight-page color booklet that follows the player's career on the silver screen. ____________________________________ #2-Bobby Jones - Golf Instructional Collector's Edition List Price: $250.00 Status: In Print UPC: 189269000010 Subject: DVD Golf, Instructional, Instructional (General), Sports, Sports (General), Sports Heroes/Legends/Inspirations, Sports/Recreation Description: DVD Features: Boxed Set Full Frame - 1.33 Booklets - 1. BOBBY JONES IN HOLLYWOOD 2. DVD Chapter Descriptions Booklet Lithograph Of Movie Poster For HOW I PLAY GOLF Hardback Coffee Table Book Description: As part of a 75th anniversary celebration, this package pays glorious tribute to immortal golf legend, Bobby Jones. The classic, old school instructional footage (which has been digitally re-mastered) shows the moves that earned him the Grand Slam in 1930. With over three hours of instruction "How I Play Golf" offers comprehensive coverage of all areas of play and equipment. Topics include how to use the putter, all types of irons, and three and two woods. In addition, he offers some tips for dealing with problem areas and even plays a round using the aforementioned moves. "How to Break 90" shows use of the grip, positioning, hip action, swings, impacts, and fine points. Collectors will covet "Bobby Jones in Hollywood" an eight-page color booklet that follows the player's career on the silver screen. This release also comes with a hardback coffee table book about Bobby Jones and a lithograph of the original movie poster for "How I Play Golf."

kick myself now for not looking at the price, but I saw this last week at my local Borders store. Now the items which are more than about 100 bucks, they usually keep in the locked glass case, and this was just out on the shelves, so I am assuming it did not cost that much. I do love seeing the old instructional by him, and looking at his knickers and socks, so it might be fun to own.

During the past week, TCM was showing this cool visual, of a bunch of chorine type chicks dancing up a storm for the New Year celebration in glorious black and white. There were closeups of lovely faces with the obligatory Marcelled hair, and then a long shot of the girls all over the frame, in isolated dancing patterns with balloons all around them. It looked like a scene taken from a Busby Berkeley film of the 1930's, and really looked familiar but I can't place it. I think TCM may have put a track of Auld Lang Syne behind them, and then it dissolved to say on the screen..."Happy New Year!". Does anyone know what film this was from? Thanks for any help.

a pain, since I love your topic of movie mistakes...as I constantly look for them, but I don't think there is any problem with the trolley cars being in the film, "Meet Me in St. Louis". That's set in the time period of 1904, as stated in another post and there were trolleys around for sure in 1900, and even earlier as I recall. I just saw a photo online of a trolley built in 1900. I do love anachronisms in film though, as in Roman warriors wearing wristwatches, so this topic is fun. Seems to me that in "Anatomy of a Murder" Lee Remick is dancing in one scene in a skirt, and then walks out of the scene wearing slacks....or maybe the reverse. I notice it every time I see the film.

"see" at the end of a sentence, with Eddie G. Robinson. But I'm sure he was not the only one to say it. Another word used in a lot of Thirties films is "swell", as a compliment and not as in "We're a couple of swells". I really like to see old newsreels with people being interviewed, who were not famous to hear how they pronounce words. That old film footage from the time of Dillinger is interesting. They say "gay" a lot in old films, as in gay divorcees, gay blade and a few other things, but would be surprised to see its evolution I bet.

against Andrew Lloyd Webber, and I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with the music in his shows or that the songs are not melodious and appealing, but from the moment I heard songs from his biggest stage hits, I found that they were immediately recognizable, which led me to believe that they were a bit derivative of much from classical music, and hence not entirely original. One can always rip off some small snippet of a not too well known piece, and not have the general audience be suspicious, I think. Of course, this is done a lot in films, with even soundtracks like the excellent one for "Vertigo" reminding one often of snatches from Tristan and Isolde, so I guess it's not a big deal. I just happen to like music that is new to me the very first time that I hear it played...and not some rehashing of bits from a bunch of stuff from NPR. I've seen the play and will go see the movie though, and will probably enjoy it. And I found the comments in this thread interesting.

I never meant to imply that Susan is being represented by the shrieking white cockatoo or anything. In fact, it is this very anomalous character to the shot in question, that makes it so interesting to me. Nor do I think the white cockatoo in Mad Love represents the Galatea theme, but the characters as played by Lorre and Welles have such similar makeup and bald heads, that it is a bit disconcerting.

loved Marsha Hunt! She was like the quintessential Forties woman to me, so lovely, soft spoken and genteel, and she always gave competent and intelligent performances. I thought she was so pretty, and it was fun to see her in Raw Deal, with the John Alton stars showing in her eyes, competing against the bad girl. The only film in which she ever seemed not herself, was as the wallflower in Pride and Prejudice with Garson as her sister. I look forward to seeing her in this new movie and thank for the heads up!

and he had a best friend named Benjamin Kubelsky, for anyone else who cares. What I like even more than a person changing their slightly unwieldy name for a shorter marqeelike moniker, is when a celebrity on purpose takes their most normal name and changes it to something more odd. For example, a singer like Gerry Dorsey.....

Kirk Douglas, as who can forget that name! Nathan Birnbaum is a good one and not so far off from the real thing. I just think the dream factory liked to change names to fit maquees.

Does anyone else here have this obsession I have, to always see that part of the film "Citizen Kane" where there is like the obtrusive overlay of the screaming bansheelike white cockatoo, on the film strip? It comes around the part of the film where there is the picnic, the wild jazz band, and Kane and wife #2 are arguing. It's odd because Kane's appearance in this film does seem similar to Peter Lorre's in the earlier film, "Mad Love" which also had the wild cockatoo flying around in the Galatea statue scene, with Lorre ensconced in his abode. Comparisons are odious, but.....the two films have a bit of a similar theme, of the protagonist trying to invent and recreate a woman to fit his ideals. What's your take?

interesting that often it was the most glamorous stars who had the most unglamorous original names? Like Archie. The madeup names I enjoy are 1950's ones that are so plasticy, like Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter, who were named by the same man as I recall. Names like Doris Day...instead of von Kappelhoff [sp?] and Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, are just so kitschy.

I buy lots of things from the Criterion website and also Movies Unlimited. Both have exceptionally high quality, unless it is a low priced B-type film which has not been restored, that one might find at a place like Movies Unlimited. Kino is also a great site for unusual flicks, which are immaculately restored usually.

the Lubitsch version is wonderful! But that is not to disregard the Garland version, which stands on its own. Plus there is that extremely funny scene, where Keaton takes the supposed Stradivarius violin up to the dais, and trips on the step, falls back and lands perfectly on the imposter violin and flattens it. It makes me laugh every time I see it. Perfect stunt comedy execution by Buster. For that reason, see both of the films, but you can pass on the Meg Ryan one.