I Just Watched...

[Fading Fast]

17 minutes ago, CineClassics said:

Good write-up and review.  I just got around to seeing Act of Violence a couple of months ago and was equally as impressed.  I was on a noir binge of sorts and having viewed all of the highly acclaimed noirs, I decided to search out other films and stumbled upon Act of Violence.  I purchased the Warner DVD as it wasn't available for streaming or elsewhere, and boy am I glad I did.

Act of Violence deserves to be mentioned alongside the very best the noir genre has to offer.  One of these days I'm going to get around to compiling my favorite noir list, and you better believe this taut little gem will be high on the rankings.

I'm glad you had the same impression. Like you, I was stunned it isn't well known and regularly (or, I think, ever) mentioned in lists of great noirs. I loved Mary Astor in her small but impressive role in it.

 

13 minutes ago, Grumpytoad said:

Watched another movie a while ago showing Angels Flight. I like those old funiculars. Surprised to find out it still exists, but moved from its original location. 

It's amazing how many movies it is in. I doubt I'll ever be in LA, but if I am, I'll be checking it out. In the HBO "Perry Mason" series from a few years back, which was set in the '30s, Angels Flight figures prominently in the fist episode and is fun as heck to see.

[Grumpytoad]

29 minutes ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

you know, I'm quite touched that you trusted me enough to click on that long and admittedly sketchy-looking link.

I live in SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA and unfortunately our downtown library two blocks away is basically a METHADONE CLINIC/ SHELTER where they let you borrow the books that happen to be there.

fun story: about 6 years ago, I checked out a copy of THE OLDE CURIOSITY SHOP only to discover that it had been stamped WILMINGTON COLORED LIBRARY (it had been in circulation that long)

I proceeded to have a four alarm MAUDE FINDLEY-level fit of rightous indignation right then and there.

I usually skip links like that, but because others on here engage with you so much and seem to like and respect you, figured it was worth the risk.

Also my gut says you are unlikely to be a Nigerian scam artist pretending to be a hunky middle aged bachelor or sexy single young girl. 😉

The old book thing is fun. But I'm sad about the state of your library.

 

[txfilmfan]

35 minutes ago, CinemaInternational said:

I started The Loved One (1965) yesterday, but I felt my patience waning with it the longer it went on. Just very tacky and not really clever. I didn't see the very end of it.

I've only seen it once, at the TCM Film Festival a few years back.  It was a midnight screening (which should have prepared me for it) but Robert Morse was scheduled to be there for it, and I'm glad I got to see him.  As for the film - oof!  Cult favorites are just that - some people dig them, everyone else can't stand them.

[LornaHansonForbes]

9 minutes ago, Grumpytoad said:

I usually skip links like that, but because others on here engage with you so much and seem to like and respect you, figured it was worth the risk.

Oh, they fear me too!

(my reviews have been known to kill.)

[Fedya]

1 hour ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

LIBERACE is excellent though.

Genuinely the high point of the film.

[CineClassics]

 

2 hours ago, Fading Fast said:

I'm glad you had the same impression. Like you, I was stunned it isn't well known and regularly (or, I think, ever) mentioned in lists of great noirs. I loved Mary Astor in her small but impressive role in it.

 

It's amazing how many movies it is in. I doubt I'll ever be in LA, but if I am, I'll be checking it out. In the HBO "Perry Mason" series from a few years back, which was set in the '30s, Angels Flight figures prominently in the fist episode and is fun as heck to see.

I'm not from LA (NC native here) but isn't Angels Flight also in the film noir, Criss Cross?

 

 

[CinemaInternational]

This is a picture of my local library... where I basically grew up at.

[EricJ]

4 hours ago, CinemaInternational said:

This is a picture of my local library... where I basically grew up at.

I'm currently living next door to our local library/historical mansion/Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library (one room on the third floor) 😁, where we also have one of the best stocked DVD shelves in the area.

(Including a lot of foreign/documentaries inherited from the old college-town rental store, which made their falling for Kanopy even more redundant.)

[Grumpytoad]

4 hours ago, CinemaInternational said:

This is a picture of my local library... where I basically grew up at.

Nice. A castle of books.
I have nineteen branches to choose from, but grew up going here. Your library beats mine in looks, thats for sure.

 

[LornaHansonForbes]

I watched DAS BOOT (1981) on TUBI. I had never seen it before.

 

some notes before I begin:

1. TUBI tends to be really good about showing the right version of a film, so i am pretty sure what i watched was the 1998 "director's cut" which included a hilarious scene where the sub radio guy comes in very upset over bad news...which turns out to be that Germany has lost a football match. (I cannot BELIEVE this scene was cut from any version!) it was 3.5 hours long.

2. imdb calls this film "THE BOAT" and insists on listing it under that title. I get that DAS BOOT=THE BOAT, but that's just really, really, really ****ing stupid. this film is not "THE BOAT" it is "DAS BOOT" (it's like calling BONJOUR TRISTESSE "Hello Sadness."

3. I get that that the makers were going for a kind of DOUBLE INDEMNITY thing, where the protagonists are technically "bad guys"- but because of the  craftmanship of the film, we (should) be manipulated into ROOTING FOR THEM. That did not happen for me. I respect that this film is a FEAT OF GERMAN ENGINEERING, meticulously crafted and shot, but- at this point in 2022, I am not going to root for the Nazis. and i am not sorry for this. therefore, I had no emotional investment in the outcome of the movie (even if the makers made it a point to not make the sailors overtly NAZI-ish or even at all evil....i have a hard enough time in real life categorizing Nazi-leaning beliefs into "could be worse" or "tolerable" before every holiday gathering.

4. also, I get that the atmosphere is supposed to be off-putting and squirm-inducing. However, judge me if you must for saying this, but I fail to see the problem with being jammed into a 10x50 foot space with a bunch of sweaty, bearded, eastern European men.

in her review of DAS BOOT, which I read an abridged version of, PAULINE KAEL comes off like she is complaining about the film being claustrophobic, TO WIT, i ASK "PAULINE, DARLING, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON THE 200000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA RIDE at DISNEYLAND?

Submarines are not known for their spaciousness, PAULINE.

This is an impeccably crafted film- wonderfully edited with some dazzling camera movements- and I really did like the ending very very much- which helped to make up for a lagging spell in the third act.

the score is awful. it sounds like something from a 1990s syndicated show; I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW MUCH BETTER KNOWN THIS FILM WOULD BE (and it's still pretty well known) WITH A BETTER, MORE MEMORABLE SCORE. Ironically, it lost several technical Oscars to CHARIOTS OF FIRE, which will show you just what a great score can do for a film.

the actors are all fine- but they all end up looking like KRIS KRISTOFFERSON at the end, and the writer (WOLFGANG PETERSON, who also directed brilliantly) could have done more to distinguish the individual characters.

It’s still a damn impressive film though, and I have no idea why they chose to remake it in 2018 as it was clearly done right the first time.

[AndreaDoria]

Charleston WV library where I grew up.  The upstairs children's section was haunted, as it should have been. 

[LornaHansonForbes]

1 hour ago, AndreaDoria said:

Charleston WV library where I grew up.  The upstairs children's section was haunted, as it should have been. 

Please tell me it’s not that evil skeleton librarian ghost from GHOSTBUSTERS…

 

… Or actually you know what? on second thought that actually might be pretty rad.

[LornaHansonForbes]

I would post pictures of my local library , but you guys might think I was stealing from the work of DIANE ARBUS…

[King Rat]

The libraries I remember with so much affection were similar to, but less attractive than, the one posted by Grumpytoad. Zero for architecture, ten for content and love.

I enjoyed what I saw of Randolph Scott's day. Ride Lonesome is one of his, and one of Budd Boetticher's, very best. My husband got interested in Buchanan Rides Alone and we watched it all the way through. Buchanan has almost no women in it--a gal in the saloon, and the Mexican woman who is the housekeeper/mistress of the judge, both very small parts. In Ride Lonesome we understand why Brigade (Scott) is so traumatized that he can't connect with Mrs. Lane, any women in Buchanan's past are too insignificant to be mentioned. What erotic undertones the film has, and they aren't much, are between Pecos and Buchanan (because Pecos seems to fall for another West Texan), and then the sex appeal of the captured young Mexican.

Buchanan Rides Alone has enough plot twists for a film noir, with double-crosses and betrayals aplenty, and an urban film noir version would probably have worked just as well as the western version.

Westbound  is the kind of film to drive a doctrinaire auteurist crazy, because Budd Boetticher's direction is so much less remarkable than it is for his films with scripts by Burt Kennedy. The film is competently directed, but with no discernible style, and could be the work of any more or less competent director. Despite possibilities in the story (which has resemblances to a much earlier Randolph Scott film, Virginia City), there isn't enough tension or suspense, especially in the early parts of the film. The fight between Union and Confederate sympathizers over gold bullion from California ought to generate a more satisfying film. For my taste, Virginia Mayo is too Hollywood dramatic for the stoicism of the best Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher films.

Add Westbound to the list of film with misleading titles. It's about the passage of gold bullion eastbound from California through the Colorado Territory to the Union forces in the East.

 

 

[EricJ]

13 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

2. imdb calls this film "THE BOAT" and insists on listing it under that title. I get that DAS BOOT=THE BOAT, but that's just really, really, really ****ing stupid. this film is not "THE BOAT" it is "DAS BOOT" (it's like calling BONJOUR TRISTESSE "Hello Sadness."

After its arthouse success, it was released in mainstream theaters with an English dub as "The Boat", although Das was better known by reputation at that point.  Still, IMDb only prints American titles when possible.

Quote

in her review of DAS BOOT, which I read an abridged version of, PAULINE KAEL comes off like she is complaining about the film being claustrophobic, TO WIT, i ASK "PAULINE, DARLING, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON THE 200000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA RIDE at DISNEYLAND?

Well, Kael did say that Fantastic Voyage (1966) was not so much a movie as a "Disneyland ride", but that was referring to "Journey into Inner Space".

(And yes, I'll be the nerdy park geek who says that the 20K Leagues ride was at Florida's Disney World, and Disneyland had the USS Nautilus Navy-submarine ride.  🤓 )

[Mr. Gorman]

In the past 3 days I've watched 7 movies.  My VCR is starting to beg for mercy . . . again!  But I've got more tapes to watch darn it . . .

Anyway the seven movies are thus:

DEAD & BURIED (1981-Horror)  (on Vestron Video)

SILVER BULLET (1985-Horror)  (on Paramount)

KANSAS PACIFIC (1953-Western)  (on Video Treasures, 1985).  Somehow the company got hold of a black-and-white TV print instead of the 'regular' color theatrical version. 

ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS (1964-Comedy/Gangster).  (on Warner Home Video; a 'new-old-stock' tape ready to be played!)

HAUNTED GOLD (1933).  (on MGM).  Early John Wayne "B"-Western that has aired on TCM before several times. 

HAUNTED:  The Ferryman (1974-British TVM)  50 minutes.  Starring Jeremy Brett and Natasha Parry.  A book author travels to an out-of-the-way inn and becomes decidedly disturbed; it seems his book has some very odd parallels with his new vacation spot.  (on PRISM Entertainment).

DANDY IN ASPIC, A (1968-UK)  Color/107 minutes.  SPY STUFF!  Laurence Harvey, Tom Courtenay, Mia Farrow, Peter Cook, Harry Andrews, Lionel Stander, Per Oscarsson. 

--------------

No telling what I'll watch next.  Maybe an '80s comedy! 

[EricJ]

46 minutes ago, Mr. Gorman said:

In the past 3 days I've watched 7 movies.  My VCR is starting to beg for mercy . . . again!  But I've got more tapes to watch darn it . . .

Why??   🤨 Are you giving them one farewell watch before the DVD?  

[Mr. Gorman]

You're asking why have I watched 7 movies in the last 3 days?   🤔

I have an out-of-town friend who's been staying in the guest house on the property and coming by in the evenings and he wants to watch some flix.  All different sorts of flicks.  So I've been stuffing all sorts of movies in to the VCR.   

As far as my VCR begging for mercy . . . my last 2 VCR's  I wore out.  I played bunches and bunches of tapes in them.  Now this 'GO Deck' my folks gave me is being introduced to the joys of being used frequently.  I hope it lasts a while.  The tapes I'm playing are not showing signs of wearing out so they should be around a while longer. 

I'll pick up DVDs of movies that never came out on tape •OR• had a different 'cut' of the movie than what's on the videocassette.  A couple of years ago I picked up a DVD of director William Richert's (RIP) 'cut' of "A Night In the Life of Jimmy Reardon" under the title "AREN'T YOU EVEN GOING TO KISS ME GOODBYE?".  The disc even came with a note in it from the director.       

→ I did buy a DVD very recently; arrived on Friday.  After watching THE RUNNING MAN (1963-UK) on 'Laurence Harvey Day' I decided to see if I could find a copy; I knew it hadn't been released on tape, but I did find on U.S. Amazon an Italian-issue DVD with an English-speaking option.  The title on the disc is "UN BUON PREZZO PER MORIRE".  Also says "Doppiaggio Originale D'Epoca" on the top of the disc's insert art.  The back of the disc sleeve says 'ALL-Region NTSC' so I figured I'd buy it.  The total cost from 'Movie Mars' was $22.89 for the new disc ($17.60) + the shipping ($3.99) + tax ($1.30).  

[Tikisoo]

14 hours ago, AndreaDoria said:

Charleston WV library where I grew up. 

I love that area of the country, visit it regularly. Matewan first brought me there.

4 hours ago, Mr. Gorman said:

No telling what I'll watch next.  Maybe an '80s comedy!

Oy! Some posts here reveal too much with "spoilers" and your post just presents a list without any comment or elaboration! Apparently, I cannot be pleased. It's me, not you. 

Although I did very much enjoy Lorna's post on DAS BOOT. I got dragged to the theater by my older brother to see that. Being a kid with severe asthma, I was incredibly claustrophobic and had to leave the auditorium a few times to "breathe". It was riveting though, I still recall how it looked and how it made me feel.

20 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

(even if the makers made it a point to not make the sailors overtly NAZI-ish or even at all evil....i have a hard enough time in real life categorizing Nazi-leaning beliefs into "could be worse" or "tolerable" before every holiday gathering.

Were they possibly trying to portray the idea these were simply patriotic servicemen? Usually those in combat aren't thinking about politics.

20 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

I fail to see the problem with being jammed into a 10x50 foot space with a bunch of sweaty, bearded, eastern European men.

Now THAT'S writing!

 

[Det Jim McLeod]

The Chapman Report (1962) TCM On Demand-3/10

A sex researcher (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) looks for female volunteers to participate in a survey on their sex lives.

It has a good cast and great director (George Cukor) so this is a huge disappointment. Cukor would rebound from this two years later with an Oscar win for My Fair Lady. It is overlong and despite the subject matter, pretty boring. Jane Fonda plays a frigid widow and gives one of her worst performances. Glynis Johns is the comic relief as a ditzy wife who lusts for a beach boy (Ty Hardin). Shelley Winters is OK playing a seemingly perfect wife and mother who has an affair with a theater director (Ray Danton). Claire Bloom is a bitter divorcee who sinks into alcoholism and promiscuity. She gives the best performance. The print on TCM also looked dark and colors were faded.

[LornaHansonForbes]

3 hours ago, Tikisoo said:

1. Although I did very much enjoy Lorna's post on DAS BOOT. I got dragged to the theater by my older brother to see that.

2. [in re: the lack of "Nazi" leanings in the sailors portrayed in DAS BOOT] Were they possibly trying to portray the idea these were simply patriotic servicemen? Usually those in combat aren't thinking about politics.

3. [In re: the section of my review where I mentioned the U-BOAT is basically a big ole gay fantasy scene]  Now THAT'S writing!

1. I dragged my older sister to see JAWS THE REVENGE in 1987, and honestly our relationship has never fully healed.

2. that's accurate, in her review PAULINE KAEL mentioned that DAS BOOT is none-too-far-removed from the BIG HOLLYWOOD WWII WAR MOVIES, where it's a collection of "types" thrown together by circumstance.

3. thank you, I was channeling my inner BLANCHE DEVERAUX...and yet, in typical LORNA style, I got ONE FACT REALLY REALLY WRONG: DAS BOOT in DAS BOOT is actually 150ftx10 feet, AND NOT 50fttx10ft...I guess that was just wishful thinking on my part.

 

[Fading Fast]

10 minutes ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

1. I dragged my older sister to see JAWS THE REVENGE in 1987, and honestly our relationship has never fully healed.

That's perfect. 

[LornaHansonForbes]

5 hours ago, Fading Fast said:

That's perfect. 

I'll never forget, during this scene:

my 17 year old sister going on a diatribe:

"I get ONE DAY off from the frozen yogurt shop and do I get to spend it at the beach? No. Do I get to spend it at the mall? No. Do I get to spend it watching THE LOST BOYS, playing one theater over? No. I get to go see THIS piece of garbage. GAH, what is WRONG WITH YOU? WHY DO YOU LIKE THESE THINGS???? You know you worry Mom and Dad because you watch stuff like this..."

[Mr. Gorman]

@TIKISOO:  I could elaborate on the movies I watched if you'd like!   😀

[Susan Hopkins]

Watched clips of Hard Candy and Juno on You Tube as i am under COvID isolation. COVID twice in four weeks.

By the way, Elliot Page/Bookmark trying to make an issue about having to wear a pretty dress for the "Juno" premiere is obnoxious to any film buff/historian who knows that a lot worse was done to young actresses back in the day.

I'm in a lot of discomfort and outight pain right now so given that, here is an indication of how i feel about Bookmark's unseemly outburst: