Random scattered movie thoughts
 

Random, scattered movie thoughts . . . I am keeping a bunch of my thoughts in a journal for my book some day. I was going to do a book of aphorisms & moral maxims, but now I think I'll just do a book of random movie thoughts.


I love the neo-Artaudian Peckinpah in "Wild Bunch." I consider him neo-Artaudian because his violence -- a critique of enlightenment -- is in a way also a critique of literature & theater -- of phony placement & stage space & various other conventions of "realism." But whereas Artaud used shock to reveal elemental personality & reject values that he felt were corrupting art, Peckinpah just expresses his cynicism by opening the arteries in distorted time. Artaud is primitivist; Peckinpah is nihilist. Peckinpah doesn't believe art is corrupt; he believes everything is corrupt. To me, Peckinpah's theme is "Men are nothing." And so his violence & his style vacillate weirdly between horrific & almost absurdly amusing. "The Wild Bunch" is cinematic catabolism.
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Golan/Globus:
When I think of them, I think of the Israeli musical film "Kazablan."

o/~ Get off my back! Kaa-zaaa-BLAAAAAAANNNN!! o/~

or holding the baby up just after his bris:

o/~ This little boy/Will be a great maaa-aaaan!! o/~
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The reasons I hate the "Lord of the Rings" movies are many, but primary among them is the screenwriting. It's all fustian from top to bottom -- even the "jokes" among elves, or the cutesy asides from wizard to hobbit. I generally don't care how close or how distant an adaptation is to its literary source, but in this case the adaptation is far too literal-minded & it destroys the movie (along with Peter Jackson's endless string of directorial bad ideas derived from a million other contemporary movie sources). There's also something else rank at work here: the attempt to mix the ancient, exalted style of national epic with pop flavors & bubblegum thinking. I can't really adequately explain my hatred for it, although I can throw around a few measly reasons. I just don't think there's so much as a drop of magic or wonder or vision or subtlety -- or even an amusing cadenza -- anywhere in it. The entire ten hours of it (or whatever) has basically become my definition of 'ponderous to the last pore.'
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Best movies of the last 20 years/only one per director:
Hana to Alice (Shunji Iwai
The Profession of Arms (Ermanno Olmi)
Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee)
Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Francesco Rosi)
Secrets & Lies (Mike Leigh)
L.627 (Bertrand Tavernier)
Manhattan Murder Mystery (Woody Allen)
Dodgeball (Rawson Thurber)
High Season (Clare Peploe)
Liberty Heights (Barry Levinson)
Casino (Martin Scorsese)
Best in Show (Christopher Guest)
Big Fish (Tim Burton)
Casualties of War (Brian De Palma)
Hope & Glory (John Boorman)
Roxanne (Fred Schepisi)
Blue Sky (Tony Richardson)
My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan)
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Imagine putting Ann Savage from "Detour" into the role of Cora in "Postman Always Rings Twice." Would that have worked?
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I love the dance Judy Garland & Buddy Ebsen do in "Broadway Melody of 1938" & the song Ginger Rogers sings in Pig Latin in -- I think? -- "Gold Diggers of 1933." These movies were put out by MGM & Warner, & had great casts: actors like Dick Powell (one of the high points of '30s movies for me), Alice Brady, Joan Blondell (how can anyone not like Joan Blondell?), Eleanor Powell, Una Merkel, Sophie Tucker & Frank Morgan.
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What are some good subjects for Christopher Guest & his crew to embrace next?

City/local politics (ever see those hearings & meetings they broadcast on local cable?)?
Little League?
Diet gurus?
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There's something called the Fox Western channel (?) on my digital cable lineup. You can see things like "Johnny Guitar" followed by "Whirlwind" or "The Naked Spur." It also shows a lot of "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza" & so forth. They show a lot of the Bud Boetticher westerns with Randolph Scott, but I haven't seen "The Tall T" yet. The only thing I ever see on the Mystery Channel is "Fatal Attraction." It seems to be playing round the clock.
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"Rebel Without a Cause" is one of Ray's weakest, but I get a kick out of seeing anyone push Jim Backus on his . . . backus.

I wonder whether Mr. & Mrs. (Ward & June) Cleaver took their boys to the drive-in to see "Rebel Without a Cause," & if so, what their reaction was.
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Do you ever get in the mood for a whole afternoon of soap-operaish pre-1965 movies? Some of the stuff from John O'Hara novels is great: "From the Terrace" with Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward & Myrna Loy; "Ten North Frederick" with Gary Cooper; & "A Rage to Live" with Suzanne Pleshette. A lot of people even like "Butterfield 8." But Sirk was really the master of this beautiful goop. If you liked "Picnic," you might like other William Inge adaptations, like "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," "Come Back, Little Sheba," "Splendor in the Grass" & "All Fall Down."

Tennessee Williams & Richard Brooks give you a taste of soap with the Southern hysteria whoop-fests, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" & "Sweet Bird of Youth" (the latter with Geraldine Page's finest performance).
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Some of the best scenes of burning people at the stake are in Dreyer films. Bergman has a good one, too, in "The Seventh Seal." Doesn't Ken Russell have a few -- like in "The Conqueror Worm" or "The Devils"?
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Did any commercial filmmaker ever create better slummy escapism on $79.95 a film than Edgar G. Ulmer? I had had enough of the Gulf stories a few weeks ago, & was in the mood for a little trip to Ulmerland, so I watched "The Man From Planet X." As I hoped & expected, I fell in love with this little piece of cubic zirconia, with its matte paintings of Scottish seacoast villages that look as if they were borrowed from the local high school's production of 'Brigadoon' & its outer-space alien face mask from the Halloween aisle at Target. (Whenever an auto is driven onto the soundstage, it's always from the left, & it always backs out the way it came.) When I watch Ulmer movies, I wish somebody had given him more money to make them, but no matter how low budget, he always succeeds in creating an entertaining piece of work, & I happily turn myself over to it for its hour & ten minutes. Plus he obviously knows how to pace & where to put the camera.

Favorite line (the young couple see lightning in the distance, & she starts counting seconds to gauge the distance of the storm): "Hmm. . . no thunder. Well, static electricity maybe." "At this time of year?"

Another thing is those actors he uses. They're rotten by serious measures, but they're perfect for what they're needed to do; & they're also a refreshing change because I get kind of sick from time to time of staring at the same Big Name Stars or Instantly Recognizable Character Actors in every old movie I see. It's nice to spend some time with different faces & voices in Ulmerland.
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Did "Intolerance" influence Yeats? "The Second Coming" was written in 1919, & contains some passages & images that remind me of the Griffith film: the blood-dimmed tide, the rocking cradle, the references to various world revolutions, the desert sand, vast images, &c.
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Who is this amazing kid -- Paul Francis -- in the 1994 BBC series "Martin Chuzzlewit"? In the space of a five-hour series featuring actors like Scofield, this red-headed little runt steals every scene he's in. The IMDb has practically no information about him. Another Web site says he was in an episode of something called "Just William," I guess a sort of British "Saved By the Bell."
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What can you say about symbolism in Soviet revolutionary cinema? It's pervasive, to say the least. When each little proletarian is born, clouds tower above the farm fields, the zephyr blows, & the workhorses snort & paw at the dirt.
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Lumet's "Twelve Angry Men" strikes me as the last word in dramatic phoniness. In that final scene, when all those mouthpieces filed past the coat rack, one by one in perfect step, I thought my old junior high drama teacher was directing.
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I was watching a little bit of a TV movie, filled with TV performers -- the same ones you see over & over on the same cable channels. They go from "Baywatch" to these movies & then back to "Baywatch" -- you know the sort.

It's all so phony. The good-looking blonde trophy wife is talking to her secret lover, & she says, "I want to forget the past year, except that it brought us together. You have shown me trust, tenderness." And then the two "buddy" detectives, investigating the husband's murder, talk to the housekeeper. She's Asian, so she doesn't look them in the face once during their questioning. She arranges flowers on the table behind the settee, propping them & repropping them.

Flashback next: the husband is on the phone, threatening the boyfriend, & the housekeeper walks by during a four-second phone call, overhearing all.

AAAGGHHH. Are these things written deliberately to be cheap & transparent & utterly phony? i.e., are the writers super-talented bunco artists or just incompetents who think they're doing a good job?

I've been thinking a lot lately about why some things in movies seem real to me -- at least from the heightened perspective of aesthetic plausibility -- & other things are so patently phony that they practically repulse me.

I was watching the Marx Brothers cavort in "A Night in Casablanca" before seeing several minutes of this Lifetime garbage, & later wondered why the former was real & the latter was so artificial on every level. I don't mean "real" in an obvious way like duplicating my empirical experiences; it's more than that, or it's something entirely different. All I can come up with is that there is a sort of joy that comes through in the expression of talent, & that joy infects viewers & they go with it & let it create its own reality. On the other hand, maybe the Marx Brothers *are* more plausible on any level than the cardboard cutouts in vacuous TV movies, who offer nothing to believe in, including the joy of creating formalized experience.

I like that too! Poor little Judy was sooo young then...

Oh my, I sure hooted at that.

Not if you're talking about the remake.

I've always thought infomercials or home shopping networks.

So when can I preorder the book?

What you've posted is intriguing. Not only just to read, but to consider. And I love thinking about movies. Although I think in a pretty different way.
But I'm just wondering - and honestly, with no sarcasm, snark, snadoodle, or anything else remotely smarmy -
before you knew so much about this art, when you were younger, did you have more visceral reactions to what you were seeing? Or have you always dissected movies from an intellectual and referential standpoint, how they relate to other movies, how they relate to societal concepts, really getting in there and defining them? *Small edit, I just read your next to last piece, about the TV movie. To me this was your "most visceral" critique.*
I'm honestly curious. Could I, in my future years, think of movies in the same way? I tend to doubt it, right now - but that's because I focus a lot on the acting, tone, and emotional impact of the movie, usually without relating it to other concepts, movies, styles, books, intellectual movements. I usually just relate the movie to itself. Unless it's really derivative of another movie. And I mainly watch every tiny nuance of the acting. I also notice how sets and camera contribute to the film.
Very nice David - I'm looking forward to reading all the rest. Although, I totally watch different movies. Sam Peckinpah is pretty far down on my list.
No big, though, it's still very interesting. You should publish that. :nod:

'
I agree. Although I express it as: The themes are too simple. There's no nuance. There's little complexity or gray.And the acting is mostly broad, as simple themes can easily demand. It's like a child's fairy tale to me. i find it dull and ponderous and predictable, as well. (I, too, have trouble explaining exactly why I don't like it.)

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I tend to agree with you, on a certain level, but I don't think these hold up especially well, except for any dancing. I view them through "old movie lens". But - I love me some dancing, and I will watch anything with Eleanor Parker in it, cause that girls feet could fly. Her and Anne Miller an Cyd Charisse (strangely, all mainly kind of second bananas) are dancers I don't want to miss. Seriously.
Joan Blondell is pretty charming. If you like the big "MGM thing", it is spectacular. Did busby berkely choreograph any of these? I can't remember. I tend to be a Warner Brothers girl, meself. And to me, Dick Powell aint so much great shakes. A bit ordinary.
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I'd pick either of these, but I'd prefer little league. I think some of them might have to "butch it up" a bit for that, though.:laugh: But oh, the massive humor possible.
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I'm not familiar with any but Johnny Guitar, but if you love to think about westerns, that sounds cool. I've actually never seen the whole bonanza saga, and I want to. I used to watch...crap!....Chuck Connors...oh, The Rifleman! and I've done the Sergio Leone Clint Eastwood trilogy ad nauseum. So I am not totally averse to it.
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This is really a hot tip. Oh, Sirk. Oooohhhhh!!!! And also, I want to see Suzanne Pleshette in a early performance.
I've seen but a few of those, though, thank you for the tip. Splendor in the Grass and Butterfield 8 (I wasn't that impressed with Butterfield 8. I think Liz distracted me with her otherworldly beauty combined with acting that left me...not fulfilled. She's like chinese food. Except in Virginia Wolf. She's a hamburger with fries in that one. Also, William Inge aint half bad. ;) I've been feeling guilt for not seeing come back little sheba.)
Seriously, I hadn't heard of some of these, thank you.



Ken Russel intrigues me. Thanks for the tip. That's all I have on this. Wait - Ken Russel didn't do "Lair of the White Worm", did he? Cause that was awesome. okay.

Gross and repulsive, yet sadly familiar. For instance, if I wrote for some kind of comedy cartoon, it would be a wealth of material. When I actually have to watch it it's a wealth of barf.

Yep. I've gone off movies a bit for that reason. I mean, I've gone off just watching any old movie that comes out. Which doesn't mean that frivolous movies can't be good. They can. Because they have good comedic scriptwriters. To be honest, also, a lot of actors repell me. I feel like I see through them like cheap lingerie. Even actors other people think are good, I detect falseness. It really bugs. Why can't everyone be Julianne Moore? :p Or if they are going to be silly, why can't they be Parker Posey? Or if they are going to be overdramatic and go crazy, why can't they be Isabelle Adjani? Or if they are going to be capable yet emotional, why can't they be Jodi Foster? Or if they are going to straight up chew the Scenery in some awesome way, why can't they be Bette Davis or Al Pacino?:laugh: If you're going to chew some ****, you might as well make it magnificent. Okay, point made.

This is the most intriguing opinion of all. Although I haven't seen much Marx Brothers, I know what you mean. But perhaps it's just because I know the moronic artificiality of TV movies?:shrug: I've seen Marx Brothers clips though, and i just had a deep thought about it. It's because they aren't trying to be real, or approximate actual human emotions in dire situations. They are more plausible, because they successfully accomplish what they set out to do, which was in no way to try to approximate reality - so therefore they are head and shoulders above a crappy T.V. movie with bad acting and bad writing.
mmkay, that's all I "know" about.:wavey:
Thanks again, David. I don't think I'll be watching Soviet Cinema anytime soon, but you've definitely given me other possibilities.

So, what do you think of Cassevetes? (sp?) I think brill. Especially for the time - he barely precluded the time when the subject matter he addressed, and the style he used, would become commonplace. Not a very detailed analysis, I know. :laugh:


:wavey: :thumbsup:
Cool Post.

Ann's number from Kiss Me Kate...Too Darn Hot, is AMAZING!

You don't have to sell Anne, Cyd, or Eleanor to me. I've often lamented that they weren't as big of stars as others. Because - sesly - the athletic and amazing and beautiful dancing that these ladies accomplished is amazing. F*ck Ginger Rogers!!!:laugh: Not really, she's good, too, but definitely not as athletic or dazzling.
And, no, I haven't seen "Kiss Me Kate".:sorry: But I know Ann, so I know it's stellar.
Eleanor Parker is actually the one that astounded me most, in this one thing I saw. It was...so fast and furious and electric - it was like the Stevie of old movie dancing! :laugh:
But I'll cease to bore you.

Glad you appreciate these ladies! I wish they had gotten more well rounded parts at Metro!

GET KISS ME KATE ON DVD AMBER! lol

Conversely, though, I hate singing in movies. I realize it often goes with good dancing, but I really don't like musicals. I often suffer through the vocals to see the dancing (although there are some notable exceptions to that) :sorry:
Now, if you can tell me that "Kiss Me Kate" is action packed with dancing, I might consider watching it.:D
The only musicals I would have seen on purpose were Grease, Cabaret, Auntie Mame, and Singing in the Rain (was that a musical?)
and you should be sleeping, young gay man!!!!:laugh: It's 12:40 here, so I know it's hella late for you.
It's okay, I understand - sometimes you just can't stop masterbating, and you're up late! :shrug:
:lol:
JK.
Oh, and of course I appreciate them, these women were consummate athletes. Truly extroadinary with their craft, IMO. Above and beyond. Magical. I even give props to Esther Williams, super repub though she was. Lol.

Kiss Me Kate has two or three very popular dancing numbers in it! AS A MATTER OF FACT...a dancer named Bob Fosse...was in it! And choreographed a number with Ann Miller. Bob always credited Ann with getting him the attention he needed to make it big....

and of course later make one of the best movie/musicals of all time! CABARET!

So, yes, watch Kiss Me Kate!

Wow, I didn't know Fosse (a Cancer) started with Ann! So in this movie, he was just a dancer?
Anywhoo, it sounds pretty good. I may get it, and fast forward to the dancing parts! :)
You know, it just goes to show - we're all humans, and we all have feelings in common, and apparently we all say cheezy kumbayah things on the Ledge at night.:laugh:
But sesly - I wasn't into your vibe, but it's pretty cool that you busted some Ann Miller with me. You know, it's like, suddenly, your most hated enemy might think Cyd Charise was the most brilliant thing in that movie with Gene Kelly where he danced with cartoon characters! You never know. Judging is bad, mmkay? Take this as a lesson, young gay Republican!
:laugh:
Oh, I forgot to mention I also like that whore one, with Shirley MacLaine - Sweet Charity?

See we all have something in common!

Ann rocks my socks! Her dancing is divine! "Shaking the Blues Away" from Easter Parade is amazing! I think that Easter Parade is probably my fav. classic movie/musical!

Fosse is just a dancer in Kiss Me Kate...yes. He choreographed the "From This moment on" number...GREAT! Don't feel bad though, I skip to the musical sequences too...lol! Too Darn Hot is right at the beginning...

I think that's the one that stands out in my mind, the Easter Parade one. Good Morning! And what's up with the "supertap!" Although weren't there lots of good dances in Easter Parade? Either way, Ann is the shizz.
I'll put it on my list. Have you seen Sweet Charity? Did you know the Maclaine can dance and sing and act? And she has great legs? It's amazing.
Also, note to you - I can't believe you didn't know you were gay before...whenever....:laugh:
Sesly.

No I haven't seen Sweet Charity yet...should I?

I think I really knew I was gay the first time I saw QAF...and after seeing it...good Lord who could blame me!?
?

Oh, Queer as Folk, yeah? Well, whyever, it's pretty awesome any way it happened. :) :woohoo:
Sesly, look at all the outstanding gay men just on here. Could you hope for anything more? I don't think so. :wavey:

*didn't mean to hijack your thread, Dah-Veed!*

No...a lot of hot guys out there! And this naughty little ledgie just waiting to be unleashed. And you have NO IDEA just how naughty I am...SOME DO THOUGH! (and you know who you are!!!)

Ok...back on topic! hehe

WTF? Okay... I know I haven't been very active here lately... but when did this happen????

Last thing I remember you still had Reagan and Coulter in your sig...

Now I see Brian and Justin... and more Brian, and more Brian (which is a very good thing... because one can never see enough of Gale Harold). Great show isn't it? I keep hoping they'll get season five out on DVD, since I've only seen (and own) 1-4. Damn, I need me a QAF fix. I may just have to have a marathon this weekend.

Oh and, word to the wise, don't bother with the British version that Showtime's QAF was based on. It's bloody awful.

"Ran" by Akira Kurosawa might possibly be the best movie ever made. Is that random enough? :laugh:

How extreme my tastes are...:lol:

Oh and I hated the British version....:eek:

Everyone thought the American one was going to suck...hmmm...it DID, but in a better way!

Season 5 is OUTSTANDING!!!!!! I suggest you get the soundtrack as well...

Huh?......

I've never seen Casino. Always wanted to though.