I Just Watched...

[speedracer5]

Both of those movies are favourites of mine.  Kim Novak's birthday is today by the way. She is 83.

 

Pushover is exactly the kind of movie I love to watch.

 

Susan Slept Here is a fun movie-but I don't watch it outside the Christmas season.

 

I did see that Novak was 83.  I'm friends with the Classic Hollywood section of the LA Times on Facebook.  Novak's gorgeous portrait greeted me when I logged on this morning.  Everyday, the LA times makes posts throughout the day of "so and so was born today" or "so and so died this day in xxxx" it's an interesting little thing to see each day.  

 

I really like Kim Novak.  The first film of hers that I saw was Picnic.  I remember thinking that she seemed a bit wooden and I wasn't sure if I was going to like her, but as the movie progressed, she grew on me.  I've also had the same impression about her acting style in her other films, in that she seems a bit "stiff" but she has that charm and is absolutely gorgeous on screen that she ends up growing on me and I don't mind her. Now I've actually been seeking her films out.

 

Aside from Pushover and Picnic, I've also seen Novak in: Vertigo, Bell Book and Candle, The Man With the Golden Arm, Jeanne Eagles, Pal Joey, Kiss Me Stupid and Phffft. 

 

I really want to see The Legend of Lylah Claire.  I've heard so much about it. It sounds like it'd be a movie right up my alley.

She also owns a ranch in Southern Oregon, so it's fun to be able to say that I live about 4.5 hours away from Kim Novak.  Lol. 

[LawrenceA]

WILD STYLE - (7/10) - Highly-regarded portrait of the early days of the NYC rap and hip-hop scene. Real-life graffiti artist Lee Quinones stars as Zoro, a Bronx graffiti artist that gets some attention from the mainstream art establishment in Manhattan, and is poised to break through in the greater art world. But will doing so sell out his outlaw artist ideals? Featuring hip-hop scene godfather Fab 5 Freddy, fellow real-life artist Lady Pink, and Patti Astor as an uptown reporter doing a story on the scene.

 

The music side is filled out with some of the luminaries of the day, including Busy Bee Starski, the Cold Crush Brothers, Double Trouble, Fantastic Freaks, the dance moves of the Rock Steady Crew, and even a short bit of spin and scratch work from Grandmaster Flash himself. A couple of Blondie songs are also heard on the soundtrack.

 

The film's bare-bones story pauses frequently for lengthy rap battles and dance performances, and there's a long concert at the end. As executed by writer-producer-director Charlie Ahearn the film doesn't quite work on a narrative level, but as a document of the time and place, it's priceless. The shortcomings of the mostly-amateur actors, and low-budget constraints in the film's presentation, may be off-putting to the unprepared. The dubious folks at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named this one of the Top Ten Rock and Roll Films of all time. Its rock connections may be questionable, but its impact on the hip-hop community has been incalculable, spreading the music and style to the widest audience it had reached up to that point, and remains a touchstone to fans of the genre. 

 

First time watched.   Source: DVD.

[JamesJazGuitar]

I did see that Novak was 83.  I'm friends with the Classic Hollywood section of the LA Times on Facebook.  Novak's gorgeous portrait greeted me when I logged on this morning.  Everyday, the LA times makes posts throughout the day of "so and so was born today" or "so and so died this day in xxxx" it's an interesting little thing to see each day.  

 

I really like Kim Novak.  The first film of hers that I saw was Picnic.  I remember thinking that she seemed a bit wooden and I wasn't sure if I was going to like her, but as the movie progressed, she grew on me.  I've also had the same impression about her acting style in her other films, in that she seems a bit "stiff" but she has that charm and is absolutely gorgeous on screen that she ends up growing on me and I don't mind her. Now I've actually been seeking her films out.

 

Aside from Pushover and Picnic, I've also seen Novak in: Vertigo, Bell Book and Candle, The Man With the Golden Arm, Jeanne Eagles, Pal Joey, Kiss Me Stupid and Phffft. 

 

I really want to see The Legend of Lylah Claire.  I've heard so much about it. It sounds like it'd be a movie right up my alley.

She also owns a ranch in Southern Oregon, so it's fun to be able to say that I live about 4.5 hours away from Kim Novak.  Lol. 

 

I've seen the Novak films you listed as well as the film she did with Fredric March,  Middle of the Night.   Nice drama. 

 

I also didn't have a very positive initial reaction to Novak.    But after giving her more attention I've become a fan.    

[GregoryPeckfan]

I did see that Novak was 83.  I'm friends with the Classic Hollywood section of the LA Times on Facebook.  Novak's gorgeous portrait greeted me when I logged on this morning.  Everyday, the LA times makes posts throughout the day of "so and so was born today" or "so and so died this day in xxxx" it's an interesting little thing to see each day.  

 

I really like Kim Novak.  The first film of hers that I saw was Picnic.  I remember thinking that she seemed a bit wooden and I wasn't sure if I was going to like her, but as the movie progressed, she grew on me.  I've also had the same impression about her acting style in her other films, in that she seems a bit "stiff" but she has that charm and is absolutely gorgeous on screen that she ends up growing on me and I don't mind her. Now I've actually been seeking her films out.

 

Aside from Pushover and Picnic, I've also seen Novak in: Vertigo, Bell Book and Candle, The Man With the Golden Arm, Jeanne Eagles, Pal Joey, Kiss Me Stupid and Phffft. 

 

I really want to see The Legend of Lylah Claire.  I've heard so much about it. It sounds like it'd be a movie right up my alley.

She also owns a ranch in Southern Oregon, so it's fun to be able to say that I live about 4.5 hours away from Kim Novak.  Lol. 

I've seen all the movies you list here. You will love The Legend of Lylah Claire.

 

The movie I have seen of Kim's for the first time most recently is her version of the Bette Davis movie Of Human Bondage.  I didn't care for Lawrence Harvey's performance, but I loved Novak's performance.

 

Regarding a thread here about the two versions of The Letter - Her portrayal of the original actress is in the back of my mind when I see the original version of the movie, and I wonder what I would have thought about it if I had not seen that biopic.

 

I'm not on Facebook.  I tried that for a while, but it was just too invasive for me.

[MCannady1]

I've seen all the movies you list here. You will love The Legend of Lylah Claire.

 

The movie I have seen of Kim's for the first time most recently is her version of the Bette Davis movie Of Human Bondage.  I didn't care for Lawrence Harvey's performance, but I loved Novak's performance.

 

Regarding a thread here about the two versions of The Letter - Her portrayal of the original actress is in the back of my mind when I see the original version of the movie, and I wonder what I would have thought about it if I had not seen that biopic.

 

I'm not on Facebook.  I tried that for a while, but it was just too invasive for me.

I like Kim Novak too.  I did like her performance in Of Human Bondage in the 60's.  I didn't care for Lawrence Harvey in this film either, but did like him in some other films like Room at the Top.   Sad that he died pretty young.

 

Regarding The Letter, I did see the Bette Davis version on TV when I was pretty young and was quite impressed.  The rest of the cast was terrific,  I too wonder what I would have thought of Jeanne's version in '29 if I had not seen the other one years ago.  As it stands, I like them both in a different way.  Too bad there is no musical score in the latter, but it was still well-done.

 

I really liked Picnic, Lylah Clare, and Kim's great performance in the biopic film Legend of Jeanne Eagles, I think it was called.  It co-starred Jeff Chandler as I recall.  I am glad this movie was made to give insight in to Jeanne's performance in The Letter, etc. and her personal life.

[Movie Collector OH]

Weird Science (1985).  A popular John Hughes movie I hadn't seen yet, starring Anthony Michael Hall from National Lampoon's Vacation fame.  I had intended to get some work done last night, but this came on and I procrastinated.  It was on the Ovation channel, which is a mixed bag of movies with commercials and TV shows on Directv.

 

This movie combines Sci-Fi devices with a high school plot.  There are two geeks, a mean older brother who destroys everything, two bullies with girlfriends, and a mysterious woman who everyone in the film deeply admires (sometimes to my bewilderment).  There is a massive house party and the two geeks go from being nothing in their town to...well I won't spoil it.

 

Good enough to relive some of my own memories of the 80s, even though I hadn't seen this one yet.

[LawrenceA]

Weird Science (1985).  A popular John Hughes movie I hadn't seen yet, starring Anthony Michael Hall from National Lampoon's Vacation fame.  I had intended to get some work done last night, but this came on and I procrastinated.  It was on the Ovation channel, which is a mixed bag of movies with commercials and TV shows on Directv.

 

This movie combines Sci-Fi devices with a high school plot.  There are two geeks, a mean older brother who destroys everything, two bullies with girlfriends, and a mysterious woman who everyone in the film deeply admires (sometimes to my bewilderment).  There is a massive house party and the two geeks go from being nothing in their town to...well I won't spoil it.

 

Good enough to relive some of my own memories of the 80s, even though I hadn't seen this one yet.

 

Bill Paxton is terrific in that, as the obnoxious older brother.

[Movie Collector OH]

Bill Paxton is terrific in that, as the obnoxious older brother.

He was really really weird, as was just about everyone in it.  A kind of alternate universe.  I liked the part where he is in the kitchen holding a frying pan, and throws a couple eggs up at the ceiling to crack them.  They come back down into the frying pan, and sure enough they are cracked.  Including the eggshells..lol.

[LornaHansonForbes]

I really want to see The Legend of Lylah Claire.  I've heard so much about it. It sounds like it'd be a movie right up my alley.

 

Has some of what you've heard been from me?  It is a movie I have veeerrry strong opinions about.

Seriously: it will **** you up for life.

[LornaHansonForbes]

 I watched it back to back with Bette Davis' The Letter (which I've now seen three times and I love it, I first discovered it during TCM's fantastic "Summer of Darkness" series last year).

----

 

THE 1940 version of THE LETTER may be- with the exception of CLUE (1985)- the most infinitely watchable film ever made.

 

I own it on DVD, I put it in on rainy days, I listen to it the way people do to cherished albums.

 

I wish there was a good comprehensive source of the soundtrack somewhere, maybe our music expert Ray Faiola (GOD DID I SPELL THAT RIGHT? ALL APOLOGIES IF I DID NOT) knows of one...

 

hAVE YOU SEEN THE 1929 VERSION? i'VE SAID IT 10,000 TIMES, BUT IT'S A FASCINATING (oops stuck caps lock) lesson in storytelling, filmmaking and acting to watch them back to back.

I

[LawrenceA]

WRONG IS RIGHT - (6/10) - Muddled political satire is saved from failure by its stellar cast. Sean Connery stars as a famous and highly influential tv new anchor for the fictitious World News Network. As the film starts, he's in the oil-rich Arab nation of Hagreb to cover the conflict between the country's ruler (Ron Moody) and a group of extremist Islamic terrorists led by Henry Silva. Connery soon learns that the CIA is involved, a notorious arms dealer (Hardy Kruger) is trying to sell suitcase nukes, and a contentious US Presidential election is looming. Others appearing include Katherine Ross, John Saxon, George Grizzard, Dean Stockwell, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Conrad, Rosalind Cash, G.D. Spradlin, Robert Webber, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

 

The film tries to be a DR. STRANGELOVE meets NETWORK takedown of television media, international politics, and Washington chicanery, but the script doesn't rise to the challenge. Veteran director Richard Brooks fails to inject much life into the proceedings, and the film looks at least fifteen years older than it actually is. Connery is good, though, despite a rather unfortunate choice in hairpiece. During one supposedly tense moment in the film, I found myself wondering if Connery and scene co-star John Saxon swapped toupee stories while on set. 

 

First time watched.  Source: DVD.

 

This was my final 1982 film. 

[GregoryPeckfan]

WRONG IS RIGHT - (6/10) - Muddled political satire is saved from failure by its stellar cast. Sean Connery stars as a famous and highly influential tv new anchor for the fictitious World News Network. As the film starts, he's in the oil-rich Arab nation of Hagreb to cover the conflict between the country's ruler (Ron Moody) and a group of extremist Islamic terrorists led by Henry Silva. Connery soon learns that the CIA is involved, a notorious arms dealer (Hardy Kruger) is trying to sell suitcase nukes, and a contentious US Presidential election is looming. Others appearing include Katherine Ross, John Saxon, George Grizzard, Dean Stockwell, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Conrad, Rosalind Cash, G.D. Spradlin, Robert Webber, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

 

The film tries to be a DR. STRANGELOVE meets NETWORK takedown of television media, international politics, and Washington chicanery, but the script doesn't rise to the challenge. Veteran director Richard Brooks fails to inject much life into the proceedings, and the film looks at least fifteen years older than it actually is. Connery is good, though, despite a rather unfortunate choice in hairpiece. During one supposedly tense moment in the film, I found myself wondering if Connery and scene co-star John Saxon swapped toupee stories while on set. 

 

First time watched.  Source: DVD.

 

This was my final 1982 film. 

Your final 1982 film?

 

Do you mean that you own, or do you mean you've seen all the movies released in that year now?

[LawrenceA]

Your final 1982 film?

 

Do you mean that you own, or do you mean you've seen all the movies released in that year now?

I watch the movies I have in my "to watch" pile in year order. That was the last film I had in my "to watch" pile from 1982. I've got a few older films I'll watch next, then move on to the 1983 movies I have to watch, on and on up to 2016, then when I run out, I start over from the beginning with the older films I've recorded/bought since then.

[Fedya]

I just watched Immortal Sergeant today.

 

Henry Fonda plays a Canadian serving with the UK forces in North Africa in World War II, under beloved sergeant Thomas Mitchell. Henry's corporal character is extremely passive, to the point that he basically just lets his girlfriend (Maureen O'Hara) walk off with author/war correspondent Reginald Gardiner. And then the sergeant gets it on a patrol mission, and Fonda, as the highest-ranking person left, has to take command, which allows him to do some toughening up.

 

The war mission story isn't a bad plot, but the parts with Maureen O'Hara are told in flashback intersperesed throughout, which muddles everything and makes the movie rather more of a slog to get through.

[GregoryPeckfan]

THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD (1934):

 

Stars Miriam Hopkins as the title character, Fay Wray as her friend/secretary, Joel McCrea as her potential beau and Reginald Denny as Fay Wray's husband.

 

Fun comedy where Hopkins can't trust any man to want her for herself, so she has Wray to pretend to be her and she pretends to be Wray.  Wray's already married to Denny.  Enter McCrea who thinks she is a secretary.

 

Hopkins is so determined to prove that she won't  be second best choice for McCrea's wife that she very nearly loses him.

 

This is exactly the type of movie that I love and can watch multiple times.  There is just something about 1930s comedies that I just love and always have loved.

[GregoryPeckfan]

SHE DONE HIM WRONG (1934):

 

Actually, I re-watched this last night, but I can't find any other thread where this  post would go better.

 

This pre-code comedy stars Mae West and Cary Grant with a great supporting cast.

 

I have only seen two Mae West movies as I have only had access to two Mae West movies.  I cannot remember how long ago I saw this movie for the first time, but I still enjoy it. 

 

However, I know that I saw it several times before I knew anything about 'pre-code" movies.  Now that I do know about them and what was expected to happen to people who do criminal activity, I do look at it differently.

 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT..................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diamond Lou kills Rita in self defence with a knife.  Then she pretends that Rita is still alive while she is brushing her hair.  Then she gets her accomplice to get rid of Rita's body.  Once the body and death is hidden, it is no longer killing in defence.  After the code came into effect, the ending the movie actually has would not be allowed to happen

 

At the end of the movie, Cary Grant has revealed himself as The Hawk and arrests everyone.  He takes Lou into custody as being under his personal custody as his fiancée without there being any mention of Rita.

 

 

Great movie.

[MCannady1]

THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD (1934):

 

Stars Miriam Hopkins as the title character, Fay Wray as her friend/secretary, Joel McCrea as her potential beau and Reginald Denny as Fay Wray's husband.

 

Fun comedy where Hopkins can't trust any man to want her for herself, so she has Wray to pretend to be her and she pretends to be Wray.  Wray's already married to Denny.  Enter McCrea who thinks she is a secretary.

 

Hopkins is so determined to prove that she won't  be second best choice for McCrea's wife that she very nearly loses him.

 

This is exactly the type of movie that I love and can watch multiple times.  There is just something about 1930s comedies that I just love and always have loved.

 I really like this movie too. THe all-star cast and mix-ups make it a lot of fun to watch!

[MCannady1]

SHE DONE HIM WRONG (1934):

 

Actually, I re-watched this last night, but I can't find any other thread where this  post would go better.

 

This pre-code comedy stars Mae West and Cary Grant with a great supporting cast.

 

I have only seen two Mae West movies as I have only had access to two Mae West movies.  I cannot remember how long ago I saw this movie for the first time, but I still enjoy it. 

 

However, I know that I saw it several times before I knew anything about 'pre-code" movies.  Now that I do know about them and what was expected to happen to people who do criminal activity, I do look at it differently.

 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT..................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diamond Lou kills Rita in self defence with a knife.  Then she pretends that Rita is still alive while she is brushing her hair.  Then she gets her accomplice to get rid of Rita's body.  Once the body and death is hidden, it is no longer killing in defence.  After the code came into effect, the ending the movie actually has would not be allowed to happen

 

At the end of the movie, Cary Grant has revealed himself as The Hawk and arrests everyone.  He takes Lou into custody as being under his personal custody as his fiancée without there being any mention of Rita.

 

 

Great movie.

I like this one too, but did not like how Lou  basically got away with murder.   Ok, it was  pretty much self-defense here,, but it ends strangely.  I did wonder why he (THe Hawk) was not concerned about Rita.  IT sounds like he married Lou in the end. 

 

You are right.  It is a great film but a couple of years later the production code would not have ended the film that way.

[MCannady1]

I watch the movies I have in my "to watch" pile in year order. That was the last film I had in my "to watch" pile from 1982. I've got a few older films I'll watch next, then move on to the 1983 movies I have to watch, on and on up to 2016, then when I run out, I start over from the beginning with the older films I've recorded/bought since then.

Like that system!  I go to my Cross Reference books and start listing what I have not watched yet, alphabetically.  (AT the end of most of the letters there is a title or two.  I taped House of Strangers not long ago, so that is next, but I may end up watching  other Film Noirs; like Woman on the Run, etc.  Somehow I get bogged down (h a p p i l y )  re-watching my favorites and sort of going past the new recordings.  I could go back and find what year, etc.  (Fun - smile, but time consuming). 

[LornaHansonForbes]

I just noticed your tagline, GregPeckFan.

 

Habits....People never knew they had them.

 

.......Agatha Christie

 

That's awesome. Was it a personal quote or from a work of hers?

[GregoryPeckfan]

I just noticed your tagline, GregPeckFan.

 

Habits....People never knew they had them.

 

.......Agatha Christie

 

That's awesome. Was it a personal quote or from a work of hers?

It's from a mystery of hers. 

 

The killer had certain habits as well all have. It was having this habit that got him caught.

 

I spent a lot of time going through Christie lines deciding which tagline to use.

 

Thanks.

[HoldenIsHere]

I really want to see The Legend of Lylah Claire.  I've heard so much about it. It sounds like it'd be a movie right up my alley.

 

 

speedracer, you should definitely watch THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

The movie is good campy fun.

But be prepared for the crying clowns.

 

When you watch, listen for the musical stinger that accents several dramatic moments in the movie, beginning with the one when Elsa steps into Lylah's footprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater.

"Oo-ee-oo-ee-oo  WAH!" 

 

Frank DeVol would later recycle this bit of music for THE BRADY BUNCH Hawaii episodes to highlight the tiki statue that brought the Bradys so much bad luck, including Greg's near-fatal surfing wipeout.

 

  

 

 

 

.

[LawrenceA]

KING RAT - (8/10) - WWII P.O.W. camp drama about the inmates at the Japanese prison of Changi. Because the surrounding terrain of jungle and sea are so hostile and escape is unlikely at best, the prisoners are largely left alone to fend for themselves. The majority of enlisted men are kept inside the main, walled prison, while the officers live just outside in a make-shift village of their own construction. Their daily lives are misery: hunger battles disease to see which can kill the most men. The camp doctor and his staff are overwhelmed with the sick and dying. There is an attempt at societal structure, with some men raising meager livestock, and others acting as a police force to maintain some semblance of order. But mostly there's just soul-crushing boredom, terrible tropical heat, and desperate life lived on the razor-edge of starvation. This isn't the relatively pleasant looking prison life of THE GREAT ESCAPE or HOGAN'S HEROES. This is an all-too-real hell on earth.

 

And then there's Corporal King (George Segal). Despite being enlisted, he maintains rather nice accommodations in one of the officer's huts. He has high ranking officers that are eager to do his bidding. Because King knows how to work the system. While everyone else is wearing dirty rags, and sports shabby beards and dirty hair, King is always well-groomed. Through various ventures and schemes, such as gambling, blackmarket trade, and verbal manipulation, he's able to get what he wants when he wants it. To help in these endeavors, he befriends a young British officer (James Fox) who is fluent in the local dialect and can translate deals with the guards. This working relationship becomes a friendship (and perhaps more). King must also contend with the intense scrutiny of the head Military Policeman (Tom Courtnay), whose by-the-book fanaticism leaves no one safe from his reach.

 

The setting is vividly drawn, and you almost feel the stifling, sweaty heat. The entire story can be seen as a microcosm of man's ultimately selfish interactions with his fellow man. With survival at stake, all bets are off, and there's a grim, yet realistic take on morality. Segal is terrific as the smug King, and Fox is a real stand-out as well. Others in the cast include John Mills, Patrick O'Neal, James Donald, Denholm Elliott, Todd Armstrong, Gerald Sim, Leonard Rossiter, Joe Turkel, and Richard Dawson.

 

Recommended.

 

 

First time watched. Source: DVD.

[LornaHansonForbes]

It's from a mystery of hers. 

 

The killer had certain habits as well all have. It was having this habit that got him caught.

 

I spent a lot of time going through Christie lines deciding which tagline to use.

 

Thanks.

 

I think she's one of the most underrated writers of the 20th century...I mean, yes, a few of her later books are awful, but she wrote- what? one a year for, like what?, seventy-something years straight or something, and when she's on-the-mark, she's exquisite.

 

she's also one of the best (if not THE best) British writers to utilize classic drama and poetry for titles and quotes.

[LornaHansonForbes]

speedracer, you should definitely watch THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

The movie is good campy fun.

But be prepared for the crying clowns.

 

DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!

HE'S MAD!!!!! MAD, I TELL YOU!!!!

 

LISTEN TO ME:

 

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO SURVIVE AN ENTIRE VIEWING OF "THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE":

 

THOSE, LIKE ME, WHO WANT TO SPARE OTHER HUMANS THE PEEK INTO THE INNER ONION SLIVER OF HELL ITSELF AND THOSE, LIKE HOLDEN, WHO ARE TIRED OF THE LONELY DAYS SPENT EXISTING IN THEIR UNIQUE, DAMAGED MADNESS AND WISH TO SWELL THE GODLESS, HOPELESS RANKS OF THOSE LIKE US WHO ARE DAMNED ETERNALLY FOR HAVING SAT THROUGH THIS MOVIE.

 

sigh.

 

AT THE END OF THE DAY, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION IN RE: "LYLAH CLARE":

 

ARE YOU THE SORT OF PERSON WHO, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS "WHOA! YOU GOTTA SMELL THIS MILK!," SMELLS THE MILK OR NOT ?

 

IF THE ANSWER IS "YES," THEN YOU DESERVE WHATEVER YOU GET.

 

(SEE YOU IN THE METHADONE LINE. )