Movies -

[therealfuster]

within movies and movies about movies, always intrigue me.

 

While watching my dvd of "Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment" I enjoyed the part where David Warner goes to the movies, and watches the film "King Kong" which becames a catalyst for his later actions.

 

It is always fun to see an earlier film, used in a new film as a type of shorthand or tribute. One fun instance of this is in the Steve McQueen film "The Blob" wherein there is the famous shot of Adrienne Barrett from the cult film by John Parker, "Dementia" [aka "Daughter of Horror"]. Seeing this clip always made me want to see "Dementia" and it is a great little film, albeit it silent with musical accompaniment. But it still packs some psychological thrills even if some of them are due to the shock of hearing Ed MacMahon narrate a horror film!

 

Films about films, or paying homage to them, are also a breed unto themselves. One of my favorites is Minnelli's "Two Weeks in Another Town" which utilizes clips from his earlier "The Bad and the Beautiful" artfully blended into the drama. Though Truffaut's "Day for Night" and Godard's "Contempt" both are wonderful exercises about filmmaking, the ultimate journey into filmic onanism, has to be in Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" where Norma Desmond lustfully idolizes her own image on screen, from "Queen Kelly" along with her paid lothario, Joe Gillis.

 

Do you have any special films about filmmaking, or films with clips of previous films within, which you would recommend to other movie fans?

[vallo13]

I can think of a few "The Professional"Jon Reno goes to the movies and watches Gene Kelly "singing in the rain", In "The Shawshank Redemption" the prisoners are watching ,Rita Hayworth in "Gilda" and one of my favorites is Rodney Dangerfield in "Easy Money" watching Burt Lancaster In "The Island of Dr.Moreau.......WHAT IS THE LAW? Bill

[ayresorchids]

Purple Rose of Cairo is a fascinating example of the genre. It doesn't work on all levels as well as it could have, but it makes interesting observations about movies and the way they were perceived in the 1930s.

 

Similar to it in some ways is Pennies From Heaven.

 

I love musicals and lighthearted movies of the 1930s, but I can appreciate the effective use of their irony in these two films.

[therealfuster]

to never walk on all fours again!

 

Great choices!

 

Sadly, I have not seen "The Professional" but have heard only good things about it so shall look for it.

 

Thinking of the song "Singing in the Rain" did make me think of Alex in "Clockwork Orange" but I won't go there.

 

Thanks for your input!

 

 

 

[therealfuster]

"Purple Rose of Cairo" is one of Woody's best and a interesting film. I remember seeing Keaton's "Sherlock Junior" and being amazed how similar to it were some of the scenes set in the theatre where he was projectionist, where people would walk onstage into the movie action.

 

I've seen the Steve Martin version of "Pennies From Heaven" and really enjoyed it too, as I love anything set in the 1920's and 1930's, particularly musicals and ones with Christopher Walken in them. You did mean that one didn't you, as I' ve not seen the British mini-series of the Potter story, but keep thinking I should buy it, along with "The Singing Detective".

 

Thanks for your response!

[bggalaxy]

A humorous film that fits here is Scream. Where the kids are around the TV watching horror films as it's happem=ning around them. At the same time they are being watch on a hidden camera watching the films.

[therealfuster]

and that does make the real film even scarier.

 

Thanks, BG!