After watching Rocky Balboa the other night, I dont think Sly is going down without a fight! ... pun intended
I'm thinking about seeing Rocky Balboa. Although some of the previous sequels weren't particularly great, the first film was a real knockout.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
'Keane,' an ambiguous drama with Damian Lewis as a grieving father searching for his missing daughter in New York.
and also
'Children of Men,' with Clive Owen.
Both outstanding. Neither have been nominated for many awards which strikes me as a shame. Especially when self-important tosh like 'Babel,' seems to be up for everything.
Loved it. This film has something for everyone. It's very funny, gory and with plenty of action.
It has a cast to die for ... just about everyone from British comedy and some fabulous British character actors all gloriously hamming it up.
Pegg and Wright have mixed up a few genres but this is definitely based on the American police action buddy movies. If you've enjoyed 'Point Break', 'Bad Boys' and 'Lethal Weapon', you'll get this. It also has a touch of 'The Wicker Man.' Its pretty eclectic but, IMO , it works.
Pegg is great, Nick Frost steals the show and Timothy Dalton looks like it is the most fun he has had in years.
If you enjoyed Shaun Of The Dead, you will enjoy this. For once it is a British film that delivers and I hope it is a huge sucess.
Not cheery, but quite gripping. None of the climate change that's predicted - 2027 or thereabouts is very grey according to this. Owen is great, but could not have been Bond really. Michael Caine puts in a very good, pleasing performance, quite natural.
It was pretty good really. It was 9 days before its release so security was quite tight, searching bags and phones etc for recording equipment and some guy wearing his night vision specs all the way through. We also got free pop corn, coke and a goody bag containing a signed poster and a DVD of Shaun of The Dead. Not a bad night out.
This is an early 80s period drama based around the nine-day queen. When King Henry VIII died there were succession problems... his son Edward was young and weak and died aged 15 after being king for a short while, the other contendor was Elizabeth, who did get her shot at the title, but at the time was seen as suspect being the daughter of the beheaded, dodgy Ann Boleyn.
Lady Jane is in some ways the precursor to Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett (a sequel to that is being filmed). It stars Helena Bonham Carter as the reluctant queen, with Cary Elwes as her arranged marriage - he loafs around like Stewart Copeland in The Police! Good stuff actually, directed by Trevor Nunn, with Patrick Stewart as Northumberland, who has foolhardy ambitions for his son. It's all set against the religous factions of the time, protestant v popery, and who do you back, prot Lady Jane or popish Mary (later known as Bloody Mary thanks to her penchant for a stiff drink..)
However, it's a bit lacking as the arranged bride and groom didn't really fall in love, so all that part of it seems invented and contrived for emotional manipulative purposes...
It also lacks that x-factor of Elizabeth with Blachett, which we sort of knew wasn't that true to life, but seemed a bit more fun and vital, a bit more stylish, it had the va-va-voom that Lady Jane lacks.
'The Informant,' on Sky TV, with ex-Bond Timothy Dalton. Think it must have been made for television. Fairly standard drama about an IRA informant. Would not have bothered watching if Dalton wasn't in it.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
'The Informant,' on Sky TV, with ex-Bond Timothy Dalton. Think it must have been made for television. Fairly standard drama about an IRA informant. Would not have bothered watching if Dalton wasn't in it.
Funny you should mention that, JD, since I just saw FRAMED starring Timothy Dalton last night on an old video of mine.
Even playing the bad guy, Dalton exudes a Bond-esque quality. I don't know if you've seen it or not but it's a good film.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
'The Informant,' on Sky TV, with ex-Bond Timothy Dalton. Think it must have been made for television. Fairly standard drama about an IRA informant. Would not have bothered watching if Dalton wasn't in it.
Funny you should mention that, JD, since I just saw FRAMED starring Timothy Dalton last night on an old video of mine.
Even playing the bad guy, Dalton exudes a Bond-esque quality. I don't know if you've seen it or not but it's a good film.
I remember watching it when it first aired in the early 90's. Haven't seen it for a while, but I remember liking it. Horrorzone channel is showing the 90's version of 'Tales from the Crypt,' and Dalton's episode was on not long ago. He played a charming villian in that too. He's pretty good at them, but you're right he does always have that Bond quality to him.
Blood Diamond
this evening 10.30 pm to 1 am. Didn't mind the length, filmed beautifully. Interesting story, although had parallels with the last film I saw, Apocalypto. In Apocalypto a group ramapaged villages to get people to work for them ie building temples, offering sacrifices and killed the rest of their families. In BD a group rampaged villages to get workers to dig diamonds for them, and killed their families. Both Films had one man's search for his family.
Anyone else think that Blood Diamond was 'Apocalyto in Africa'.
Smokin' Aces
I saw this film last night with my twin brother, and it was an enjoyable romp. Definately not a chick flick! A Las Vegas gangster film, with a great cast, including Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jeremy Piven, Australian actors Martin Henderson and Joel Edgerton, and a surprisingly good Alicia Keys.
This film is also a "spot the cameo" film, and I saw Matthew Fox from Party Of Five, and Nastor Carbonell from the old TV sitcom Suddenly Susan.
On the way home, my brother said this film has done quite well in the US and has earned a cult following, likened to Pulp Fiction. I don't know if it was as good as Pulp Fiction though, it's soundtrack was nowhere near as good as PF. But with great performances by the entire cast, an interesting story, plenty of action, and Jeremy Piven as a magician, I can see why people love this film!
Drawn Out Dad.
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
Just saw an adavance preview screening (for free -that part counts). Opened as a standard British comedy with familiar faces then just turned into another genre - kinda gore fest. i'd give it a 6.5-7 /10 and i think it will do well , considering the 'Shaun' fans.
Watching this film also reminded me how I have missed Timothy Dalton as Bond since. It is 20 years since he first played 007, and today he was aged gracefully and would have bettered Connery in DAF and Moore in AVATK had he played a maturer Bond today. He had good timing and wonderful sense of Black Humour.
Blood Diamond. I liked it more than I thought I would. I had expected it to be another worthy, hey, we care about important issues, can we have an Academy Award please? type movie. It was, but it crossed genres with the kind of action thrillers they made in the 70's, often starring Roger Moore, (Shout at the Devil, Gold), that I find quite entertaining.
I just watched This Film Is Not Yet Rated, a scathing (and often hilarious) documentary about the secretive Motion Picture Association of America, which is responsible for our often absurd movie rating system. The film zeroes-in on the MPAA's hypocrital favoring of violence over sex and heterosexual love scenes over homosexual love scenes; and a few notable filmmakers such as Kevin Smith and John Waters appear on camera to tell their own horror stories of dealing with the MPAA. There are also several shots of Eva Green from The Dreamers and Pierce Brosnan blasting up the "holographic" MI6 Headquarters in DAD. Much recommended if you like movies and free expression.
I remember as a family my dad thought it would be a good idea to rent this film when it came out on dvd. Slowly but surely my brother and sister were told they had to leave, then me mum and finally I felt a little uncomfortable sitting there watching it. Saw it last night by myself.
Somehow, though I know it's a classic, I feel I should enjoy this film more. I don't know, maybe Liza Minelli's Sally Bowles just seems a bit to brazen, her vulnerability not really convincing. Oddly, the highlight for me is the Hitler youth song Tomorrow Belongs To Me, which is a strangely chilling scene where all the agrarian Germans join in forcefully.
Also, Walt Disney's Peter Pan. This really has to be the funniest Disney film, Captain Hook cracks me up. He reminds me of Richard E Grant's Withnail, going from swaggering arrogance and disdain to pure cowardliness. Like Bond films, the Disney movies are only as good as the villain imo, note Cruella da Vil in 101 Dalmations and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Shopping
I enjoyed this movie about a young Jude Law being a reckless, angst ridden teen who hates his life and uses crime as an adrenaline rush to get over the pain. Sure, the dialogue is repetitive. "We're too old for this... we need to move on... why don't you grow up..." and the story never really builds up (Jude Law never really comes across as a hero to anyone, although he tells us that he has been) and he doesn't really seem any good at what he is supposedly the best at (the one time they go "shopping" they steal a kettle and a t-shirt) but Jude Law gives a compelling performance, and the world is intriguingly gritty. The story, though flawed, is compelling, and the ending shows that you can't get away from responsibility. Despite its glaring flaws, I really ejoyed this film.
And you had Sean Bean practising his 006 impersonation...
Venus
Saw it with my sister, she loved it I hated it. I really didn't go for Peter O'Toole's creepy behaviour around the young chav. Both characters seemed quite unlikeable. All a bit trite in the writing too, with O'Toole mouthing off well-known Shakespearian passages all a bit cliche.
Didn't really like Leslie Phillips performance either, he seemed to be doing comedy when he was fretting over his niece's daughter, you didn't really believe he was a real neurotic.
O'Toole had one great bit near the beginning when he just looks at the camera almost breaking the fourth wall, like he's frozen or something, then snaps into gear. Otherwise, he's just O'Toole really, not that much of a stretch I'd have thought. Redgrave was great, didn't recognise her. And the girl, who is in fact posh I believe, is a good actress, it's more of a stretch for her to play chav.
Got to say, no real directorial flourishes from Michell either, so not sad he dropped out of Bond 22.
Not my kind of movie normally, but a friend gave it to Bride Of Barbel for her birthday. Streep is awesome, OTT in the good way, and clearly enjoying playing the bitch boss from hell. Hathaway, ostensibly the heroine, is simply blown off the screen.
Finally saw 'Electra Glide in Blue,' with Robert Blake as a biker cop who dreams of being a detective. Had heard of it, but never seen it. Brilliant, although I'm surprised it doesn't have more of a reputation. Never seems to get mentioned when critics talk about the great films of the 70's.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
The Andromeda Strain
Good 70s paranoia, sci-fi flick. I hadn't seen it in years but I still enjoy it.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Was late for Rocky again and Babel wasn't showing, so only choice some kids cartoon or Epic Movie. Coming from home of the Scary Movie Writers thought give it a go.
God this movie was crap and even at less than 1 hr 10 mins still way too long. The worst 70 mins of my entire life. Def one for the teen and US audiences - as in there was a lot of crass juvenile humour (which is usually ok) - but it wasn't even bloody funny at that - and frequent american TV, pop and cultural references that will be lost on non US audiences (unless u watch cable).
I normally enjoy the spoof genre but they have really put the nail in the coffin with this one.
Sigh. . .the US audiences weren't exactly bowled over, either. Have a look at the reviews on RottenTomatoes--it got a rating of 2%. OK, the movie opened at #1 a couple of weeks ago, but winter is usually a very dire season for movies--studios tend to unload their crap after Christmas--and it's been sinking at the box office ever since. Our tastes aren't that abysmal!
I'm interested to find out, though, that it was only an hour and 10 minutes. On RT the film's length is given as one hour, 33 minutes. I wonder if the really gross stuff was torn out for the Brits, or if the film was cut up before RT could record the correct run time.
'Arthur and the Minimoy's,' or 'Arthur and the Invisibles,' depending on what they've decided to call it this week. I used to love Luc Besson. 'The Last Battle,' 'Subway,' 'The Big Blue,' 'Nikita' and 'Leon,' were all stylish, smart and fun. Nothing he's done since then has matched them, but this is unwatchable. It's meant for kids, but I can't imagine any child being happy to have to sit through this. Monsieur Besson, please make another thriller some time soon.
The Warner Bros collection is a nice set with a remarkable documentary on the man. For one thing, I never knew he had written for pulps like Weird Tales before he became an assistant to David O. Selzink. Something I should have been aware of, considering how much I already enjoy reading and studying the shorts of that period. And that slowly building and pulling back shot of the wounded Confederate soldiers, which finally rests on a torn and shredded Stars And Bars, directly before intermission in Gone With The Wind was written by VL.
Three of the RKO films contained in this set I already had more then a passing knowledge of. From late night Turner Classic Movie recordings ages ago. These three, (Isle Of The Dead, 1944, The Body Snatcher, 1945, and Bedlam, 1946) I skipped over and went directly to one of them I'd never seen before...
Cat People (1944)
I was familiar with the remake starring Natasha Kinski and Malcolm McDowell, which contained a scene with a wounded Black Panther under a bed that attacks and murders a prostitute. This scene stayed with me for a long time, those claws you see...
But the original exceeds on every possible level imaginable, from the sights and sounds you thought you saw and heard, (but were never quite sure of), to the exceptional job by the extremely lovely actress, Simone Simon. Cat People is a psychological thriller with horror elements that infuses and satisfies your viewing mind from beginning to end.
the original exceeds on every possible level imaginable, from the sights and sounds you thought you saw and heard, (but were never quite sure of), to the exceptional job by the extremely lovely actress, Simone Simon. Cat People is a psychological thriller with horror elements that infuses and satisfies your viewing mind from beginning to end.
I can only hope the sequel is as good..
It is Alex. 'Curse of the Cat People' is wonderful. Differs in tone from the original though. I've been looking for this on DVD for a while
It is Alex. 'Curse of the Cat People' is wonderful. Differs in tone from the original though. I've been looking for this on DVD for a while
Thanks, John. The collection has been available here for about 2 years. Knew it was going to be cheaper buying them individually so definitely glad I waited. All the B titles enforced on VL by the studio chiefs are here, (The Leopard Man, 7th Victim, I Walked With A Zombie, and a never released gem called The Ghost Ship)
Great artistic visions all of them, but today, I took a break from Gothic Noir and started the weirdest Bond spoof of all time ...
For Your Height Only
The late Philipines actor, Weng Weng, (who also happens to be 3 feet tall), plays the role of "Double 00". Watch Weng fly a jet pack, wear X-ray specs to check out the secretaries, run beneath henchmen's legs adminstering kicks to their crotch, while fighting the evil forces of "Mr. Giant".
It's all backed by a pseudo Bond theme which dangerously crosses the line of copyright infringement. The entire movie is quite amazing and jaw dropping hilarious. Highly recommend it!
Clint Eastwood directed WWII movie telling the story of the servicemen who raised the flag over Iwo Jima. An image that is one of the most published pictures of the war. The story behind the picture and the servicemen who were involved is a compelling one and Eastwood does a good job telling it. The battle scenes are realistic and gruesome, Eastwood pulls no punches. The film received a couple Oscar sound nominations, which are deserved for the realistic battle scenes. EAstwood bounces back and forth from the battle itself and from the "Buy War Bonds" promotional tour the men were involved in after the story and picture were released. This makes for a sometimes confusing story line as we try to sort out the characters. That is a small complaint though as I really enjoyed the movie.
Comments
and also
'Children of Men,' with Clive Owen.
Both outstanding. Neither have been nominated for many awards which strikes me as a shame. Especially when self-important tosh like 'Babel,' seems to be up for everything.
Loved it. This film has something for everyone. It's very funny, gory and with plenty of action.
It has a cast to die for ... just about everyone from British comedy and some fabulous British character actors all gloriously hamming it up.
Pegg and Wright have mixed up a few genres but this is definitely based on the American police action buddy movies. If you've enjoyed 'Point Break', 'Bad Boys' and 'Lethal Weapon', you'll get this. It also has a touch of 'The Wicker Man.' Its pretty eclectic but, IMO , it works.
Pegg is great, Nick Frost steals the show and Timothy Dalton looks like it is the most fun he has had in years.
If you enjoyed Shaun Of The Dead, you will enjoy this. For once it is a British film that delivers and I hope it is a huge sucess.
{[]
Children of Men...
Not cheery, but quite gripping. None of the climate change that's predicted - 2027 or thereabouts is very grey according to this. Owen is great, but could not have been Bond really. Michael Caine puts in a very good, pleasing performance, quite natural.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Vue cinemas were having a preview evening.
It was pretty good really. It was 9 days before its release so security was quite tight, searching bags and phones etc for recording equipment and some guy wearing his night vision specs all the way through. We also got free pop corn, coke and a goody bag containing a signed poster and a DVD of Shaun of The Dead. Not a bad night out.
This is an early 80s period drama based around the nine-day queen. When King Henry VIII died there were succession problems... his son Edward was young and weak and died aged 15 after being king for a short while, the other contendor was Elizabeth, who did get her shot at the title, but at the time was seen as suspect being the daughter of the beheaded, dodgy Ann Boleyn.
Lady Jane is in some ways the precursor to Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett (a sequel to that is being filmed). It stars Helena Bonham Carter as the reluctant queen, with Cary Elwes as her arranged marriage - he loafs around like Stewart Copeland in The Police! Good stuff actually, directed by Trevor Nunn, with Patrick Stewart as Northumberland, who has foolhardy ambitions for his son. It's all set against the religous factions of the time, protestant v popery, and who do you back, prot Lady Jane or popish Mary (later known as Bloody Mary thanks to her penchant for a stiff drink..)
However, it's a bit lacking as the arranged bride and groom didn't really fall in love, so all that part of it seems invented and contrived for emotional manipulative purposes...
It also lacks that x-factor of Elizabeth with Blachett, which we sort of knew wasn't that true to life, but seemed a bit more fun and vital, a bit more stylish, it had the va-va-voom that Lady Jane lacks.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Funny you should mention that, JD, since I just saw FRAMED starring Timothy Dalton last night on an old video of mine.
Even playing the bad guy, Dalton exudes a Bond-esque quality. I don't know if you've seen it or not but it's a good film.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I remember watching it when it first aired in the early 90's. Haven't seen it for a while, but I remember liking it. Horrorzone channel is showing the 90's version of 'Tales from the Crypt,' and Dalton's episode was on not long ago. He played a charming villian in that too. He's pretty good at them, but you're right he does always have that Bond quality to him.
this evening 10.30 pm to 1 am. Didn't mind the length, filmed beautifully. Interesting story, although had parallels with the last film I saw, Apocalypto. In Apocalypto a group ramapaged villages to get people to work for them ie building temples, offering sacrifices and killed the rest of their families. In BD a group rampaged villages to get workers to dig diamonds for them, and killed their families. Both Films had one man's search for his family.
Anyone else think that Blood Diamond was 'Apocalyto in Africa'.
I saw this film last night with my twin brother, and it was an enjoyable romp. Definately not a chick flick! A Las Vegas gangster film, with a great cast, including Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jeremy Piven, Australian actors Martin Henderson and Joel Edgerton, and a surprisingly good Alicia Keys.
This film is also a "spot the cameo" film, and I saw Matthew Fox from Party Of Five, and Nastor Carbonell from the old TV sitcom Suddenly Susan.
On the way home, my brother said this film has done quite well in the US and has earned a cult following, likened to Pulp Fiction. I don't know if it was as good as Pulp Fiction though, it's soundtrack was nowhere near as good as PF. But with great performances by the entire cast, an interesting story, plenty of action, and Jeremy Piven as a magician, I can see why people love this film!
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
Just saw an adavance preview screening (for free -that part counts). Opened as a standard British comedy with familiar faces then just turned into another genre - kinda gore fest. i'd give it a 6.5-7 /10 and i think it will do well , considering the 'Shaun' fans.
Watching this film also reminded me how I have missed Timothy Dalton as Bond since. It is 20 years since he first played 007, and today he was aged gracefully and would have bettered Connery in DAF and Moore in AVATK had he played a maturer Bond today. He had good timing and wonderful sense of Black Humour.
Best Line , Dalton as Skinner:
'My my, here come the Fuzz'.
I remember as a family my dad thought it would be a good idea to rent this film when it came out on dvd. Slowly but surely my brother and sister were told they had to leave, then me mum and finally I felt a little uncomfortable sitting there watching it. Saw it last night by myself.
Somehow, though I know it's a classic, I feel I should enjoy this film more. I don't know, maybe Liza Minelli's Sally Bowles just seems a bit to brazen, her vulnerability not really convincing. Oddly, the highlight for me is the Hitler youth song Tomorrow Belongs To Me, which is a strangely chilling scene where all the agrarian Germans join in forcefully.
Also, Walt Disney's Peter Pan. This really has to be the funniest Disney film, Captain Hook cracks me up. He reminds me of Richard E Grant's Withnail, going from swaggering arrogance and disdain to pure cowardliness. Like Bond films, the Disney movies are only as good as the villain imo, note Cruella da Vil in 101 Dalmations and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I enjoyed this movie about a young Jude Law being a reckless, angst ridden teen who hates his life and uses crime as an adrenaline rush to get over the pain. Sure, the dialogue is repetitive. "We're too old for this... we need to move on... why don't you grow up..." and the story never really builds up (Jude Law never really comes across as a hero to anyone, although he tells us that he has been) and he doesn't really seem any good at what he is supposedly the best at (the one time they go "shopping" they steal a kettle and a t-shirt) but Jude Law gives a compelling performance, and the world is intriguingly gritty. The story, though flawed, is compelling, and the ending shows that you can't get away from responsibility. Despite its glaring flaws, I really ejoyed this film.
Venus
Saw it with my sister, she loved it I hated it. I really didn't go for Peter O'Toole's creepy behaviour around the young chav. Both characters seemed quite unlikeable. All a bit trite in the writing too, with O'Toole mouthing off well-known Shakespearian passages all a bit cliche.
Didn't really like Leslie Phillips performance either, he seemed to be doing comedy when he was fretting over his niece's daughter, you didn't really believe he was a real neurotic.
O'Toole had one great bit near the beginning when he just looks at the camera almost breaking the fourth wall, like he's frozen or something, then snaps into gear. Otherwise, he's just O'Toole really, not that much of a stretch I'd have thought. Redgrave was great, didn't recognise her. And the girl, who is in fact posh I believe, is a good actress, it's more of a stretch for her to play chav.
Got to say, no real directorial flourishes from Michell either, so not sad he dropped out of Bond 22.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Not my kind of movie normally, but a friend gave it to Bride Of Barbel for her birthday. Streep is awesome, OTT in the good way, and clearly enjoying playing the bitch boss from hell. Hathaway, ostensibly the heroine, is simply blown off the screen.
Good 70s paranoia, sci-fi flick. I hadn't seen it in years but I still enjoy it.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Was late for Rocky again and Babel wasn't showing, so only choice some kids cartoon or Epic Movie. Coming from home of the Scary Movie Writers thought give it a go.
God this movie was crap and even at less than 1 hr 10 mins still way too long. The worst 70 mins of my entire life. Def one for the teen and US audiences - as in there was a lot of crass juvenile humour (which is usually ok) - but it wasn't even bloody funny at that - and frequent american TV, pop and cultural references that will be lost on non US audiences (unless u watch cable).
I normally enjoy the spoof genre but they have really put the nail in the coffin with this one.
Really really f!@#$%^&;g dire.
avoid avoid avoid
Sigh. . .the US audiences weren't exactly bowled over, either. Have a look at the reviews on RottenTomatoes--it got a rating of 2%. OK, the movie opened at #1 a couple of weeks ago, but winter is usually a very dire season for movies--studios tend to unload their crap after Christmas--and it's been sinking at the box office ever since. Our tastes aren't that abysmal!
I'm interested to find out, though, that it was only an hour and 10 minutes. On RT the film's length is given as one hour, 33 minutes. I wonder if the really gross stuff was torn out for the Brits, or if the film was cut up before RT could record the correct run time.
The Warner Bros collection is a nice set with a remarkable documentary on the man. For one thing, I never knew he had written for pulps like Weird Tales before he became an assistant to David O. Selzink. Something I should have been aware of, considering how much I already enjoy reading and studying the shorts of that period. And that slowly building and pulling back shot of the wounded Confederate soldiers, which finally rests on a torn and shredded Stars And Bars, directly before intermission in Gone With The Wind was written by VL.
Three of the RKO films contained in this set I already had more then a passing knowledge of. From late night Turner Classic Movie recordings ages ago. These three, (Isle Of The Dead, 1944, The Body Snatcher, 1945, and Bedlam, 1946) I skipped over and went directly to one of them I'd never seen before...
Cat People (1944)
I was familiar with the remake starring Natasha Kinski and Malcolm McDowell, which contained a scene with a wounded Black Panther under a bed that attacks and murders a prostitute. This scene stayed with me for a long time, those claws you see...
But the original exceeds on every possible level imaginable, from the sights and sounds you thought you saw and heard, (but were never quite sure of), to the exceptional job by the extremely lovely actress, Simone Simon. Cat People is a psychological thriller with horror elements that infuses and satisfies your viewing mind from beginning to end.
I can only hope the sequel is as good..
It is Alex.
Great artistic visions all of them, but today, I took a break from Gothic Noir and started the weirdest Bond spoof of all time ...
For Your Height Only
The late Philipines actor, Weng Weng, (who also happens to be 3 feet tall), plays the role of "Double 00". Watch Weng fly a jet pack, wear X-ray specs to check out the secretaries, run beneath henchmen's legs adminstering kicks to their crotch, while fighting the evil forces of "Mr. Giant".
It's all backed by a pseudo Bond theme which dangerously crosses the line of copyright infringement. The entire movie is quite amazing and jaw dropping hilarious. Highly recommend it!
Clint Eastwood directed WWII movie telling the story of the servicemen who raised the flag over Iwo Jima. An image that is one of the most published pictures of the war. The story behind the picture and the servicemen who were involved is a compelling one and Eastwood does a good job telling it. The battle scenes are realistic and gruesome, Eastwood pulls no punches. The film received a couple Oscar sound nominations, which are deserved for the realistic battle scenes. EAstwood bounces back and forth from the battle itself and from the "Buy War Bonds" promotional tour the men were involved in after the story and picture were released. This makes for a sometimes confusing story line as we try to sort out the characters. That is a small complaint though as I really enjoyed the movie.