tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post8636752107530693639..comments2024-01-21T11:18:54.087-05:00Comments on Lost in the Movies: Remembering the Movies: Sep. 17 - 23Joel Bockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-7811980121887768332010-09-21T18:39:07.842-04:002010-09-21T18:39:07.842-04:00Anon, thanks for the appreciation! Casino is fun b...Anon, thanks for the appreciation! Casino is fun but not really in the same class as Goodfellas. Actually I don't think Scorsese's made anything as strong since 1990, though he's made interesting films.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-89653618624771058112010-09-21T14:35:47.686-04:002010-09-21T14:35:47.686-04:00Only seen Goodfellas from this line-up, which is s...Only seen Goodfellas from this line-up, which is still a fantastically entertaining triumph of style. I really should get off my arse and watch Casino which I've owned for ages.<br />Fantastic new feature, BTW!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-41211994082296770132010-09-21T08:53:43.864-04:002010-09-21T08:53:43.864-04:00Thanks, Joe - nice to see you've caught so man...Thanks, Joe - nice to see you've caught so many! Particularly the Babe one. It would be interesting to watch in conjunction with the John Goodman film - one closer to the facts, the other way off...but with the real man standing in. I wondered what the Kurosawa story was. I saw he was credited (or rather "un"-credited) as one of the writers on IMDb. I know this was a tough period in his life...<br /><br />And thanks for bringing up Animaniacs. Now THAT's a blast from the past (I remember the Woodstock episode where they played Abbot & Costello with "The Who" and "The Band").Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-83811452893880900282010-09-21T00:31:40.954-04:002010-09-21T00:31:40.954-04:00Another interesting set of movies. Here are my ex...Another interesting set of movies. Here are my experiences:<br /><br />1. Bamboozled. I haven't seen it, but I'd like to. <br /><br />2. Goodfellas. Saw it. Pesci was great. The movie was way too violent. My daughter always brings up the Animaniacs segment Goodfeathers, which was inspired by the movie. The Joe Pesci pigeon was great. <br /><br />3. Ordinary People. I read the novel in school. I saw the movie when it came out. It's one of those movies that I liked, but I had no desire to see again, until someone brought it up recently. Now I might like to see it again. The performances were wonderful. I liked the comment that if they remade it with Sandra Bullock, it would win the Oscar again. <br /><br />4. Tora! Tora! Tora! Not nearly as bad as the recent Pearl Harbor movie, but not very good, either. Someone could make a really good movie about this movie's production, especially while Kurosawa was working on the Japanese part. He got canned after some time and replaced by someone else. <br /><br />5. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. I haven't seen it, but I'll look for it. <br /><br />6. Bunker Hill Bunny. Yosemite Sam in his Hessian costume -- wonderful. <br /><br />7. The Westerner. Judge Roy Bean was a terrible person, but he makes a great film character. See John Huston's Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. Gary Cooper was good, as always. <br /><br />8. The Gorilla Mystery. I've seen it in a Disney collection. I agree -- that's a great gorilla. <br /><br />9. Headin' Home. I saw this on the Kino baseball set. Babe was a bit of a stiff as an actor but bits of personality came through. The whole Reel Baseball set is worth a visit. <br /><br />10. The Oath and the Man. I haven't seen this one, but most of the Griffith Biographs are worth watching. I'll check the dailies and the complete movie.Joe Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14165780971886135575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-25303682164843487292010-09-19T20:59:31.054-04:002010-09-19T20:59:31.054-04:00MovieMan -
When I saw Ordinary People in the 80s,...MovieMan -<br /><br />When I saw <i>Ordinary People</i> in the 80s, I was very touched. The performances are great, but it's just not a movie I own or revisit now. It is sort of that kind of film that is a formulaic Best Picture. It has an emotional story and great acting and Mary Tyler Moore, but in the long run it's kind of forgettable. If it were made today, Sandra Bullock would play Moore's part and it would win Best Picture again.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-81700198175368255342010-09-19T10:25:55.718-04:002010-09-19T10:25:55.718-04:00Funny how this things work. A couple days after wr...Funny how this things work. A couple days after writing about The Dark at the Top of the Stairs - a dated film at first glance, but one that those who've seen seem to love - I open up the Boston Globe and find this:<br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/2ebjmh9<br /><br />Apparently, Inge, whose gone out of fashion, may be on the verge of a comeback. Worth reading for those who've seen the film, are familiar with the playwright, or (like me) don't fall into either category. (I've seen the film version of Picnic, but no other performances of adaptations of Inge's work, not even Bus Stop or Splendor in the Grass.)Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-9507836455388373382010-09-19T09:19:38.801-04:002010-09-19T09:19:38.801-04:00Judy, as I said to Hokahey, I'd like to watch ...Judy, as I said to Hokahey, I'd like to watch the films I haven't seen and return here to share my thoughts. Maybe I should rewatch the films I haven't seen in a while too: Ordinary People it's been about 7 years.<br /><br />I remember not quite liking the ending of Goodfellas years ago, because it didn't have the same grand sweep or giddy excitement of the rest of the film. Which is kind of stupid - that's kind of the whole point isn't it? His downfall is masterfully composed. I wouldn't necessarily say this is Scorsese's best movie - Raging Bull is his most perfect, Taxi Driver is my favorite - but it is THE Scorsese movie, his most archetypal, and the one he will probably be best and most widely remembered for.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-87435622392238524082010-09-19T05:14:23.249-04:002010-09-19T05:14:23.249-04:00I remember seeing 'Ordinary People' on rel...I remember seeing 'Ordinary People' on release but am pretty sure that wasn't 1980 in the UK - unfortunately the imdb doesn't list a release date, but I think it was '81 here. I don't think I was very impressed at the time - I seem to remember thinking there were too many emotional scenes and that it became repetitive - but I may be misremembering my own reaction in light of comments I've read over the years since then. I haven't ever seen it again.<br /><br />I'm a big fan of Goodfellas, which I think is one of Scorsese's best - I especially like the whole sequence where Liotta's character gets "high on his own supply" and the whole movie speeds up to show the vicious circle of addiction. Also agree with Sam that Pesci is blood-curdling - that "Do you think I'm funny?" scene is an all-time great. For me the film does have moral power, as it makes the glamour of the gangster lifestyle so seductive, and then shows the ugliness beneath that surface.<br /><br />Also enjoyed hearing about all the earlier films you listed here - 'The Westerner' sounds like a must!Judyhttp://movieclassics.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-65646287489614541932010-09-18T21:29:26.338-04:002010-09-18T21:29:26.338-04:00It's hard for even me to believe some of the n...It's hard for even me to believe some of the numbers. That the 60s are now a half-century old in particular...<br /><br />Great to hear another recommendation on The Westerner. Like most of those here, it's one I need to see.<br /><br />I'm thinking about setting up a whole Netflix queue devoted to the films presented here. And then maybe if I get enough of a head start going I can actually watch the films in question and include my thoughts in the write-up.<br /><br />Out of curiosity, what were your thoughts on Ordinary People in '80?Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-75207109172551598102010-09-18T20:27:05.514-04:002010-09-18T20:27:05.514-04:00This is an impressive idea for a post, MovieMan. T...This is an impressive idea for a post, MovieMan. <i>The Westerner</i> - 70 years ago. That's ancient history! I saw that a number of times on TV when I was a boy and I loved it - always loved any Gary Cooper Western. I love the sentimental portrayal of the relationship between Coop's character and Brennan's Judge Roy Bean. <br /><br />And <i>Ordinary People</i> was 30 years ago! That's making me feel old; I remember when I saw that when it came out. If that film were made today, I guess it would be Sandra Bullock in the role of the mother and she'd get another Best Actress Oscar.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-42052036948249013092010-09-18T18:55:43.889-04:002010-09-18T18:55:43.889-04:00Sam, I don't remember if I've heard you pr...Sam, I don't remember if I've heard you praise Ordinary People before or if I just know your taste well by now, but I'm not surprised to hear you say that! It's been years since I saw the movie but I remember being very involved in the story and enjoying the performances. Donald Sutherland in particular struck me because at the time I hadn't seen him in any "gentle" roles and was kind of surprised he could pull it off! (Since then, I think I've caught more of his less hard-edged roles but that devilish grin makes them hard to imagine at first, ha ha...). He just seemed like the dad everyone would want to have in that movie, even if the character has trouble connecting with the son. Then again, maybe it's just bcs he's paired up with MTM's ice queen and anyone would look warm and kind by comparison!<br /><br />With another recommendation for Dark at the Top of the Stairs my interest in it keeps growing. Besides, I've always loved Marty but I don't think I've seen anything else by Delbert Mann.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-50655497109645331822010-09-18T18:51:44.430-04:002010-09-18T18:51:44.430-04:00Stephen, I haven't seen it but that sounds lik...Stephen, I haven't seen it but that sounds like a great idea for a film - I'm kind of surprised nobody's thought of it before (kind of a psychological play-by-play rather than a physical one). But that's always how it seems with great ideas, isn't it?Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-36986507877246975202010-09-18T11:51:07.464-04:002010-09-18T11:51:07.464-04:00Well, I found GOOD FELLAS exceedingly entertaining...Well, I found GOOD FELLAS exceedingly entertaining, and even though Pesci was blood-curdling it was as vibrant and well-acted a film Scorsese ever made with some stunning set pieces and unforgettable dialogue.<br /><br />What a diverse collection here on this thread I must say. And finally somebody who isn't busy trashing ORDINARY PEOPLE from every angle. It is indeed a well-acted and deeply felt film (especially the shattering conclusion) and beautifully adapted from Judith Guest's superb novel.<br /><br />I fondly remember Mann's THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS (excellent capsule) and agree that Lee's BAMBOOZLED is a brilliant satire.<br /><br />I'm very impressed with the fabric of this project!Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-38691185489411130172010-09-18T07:58:27.761-04:002010-09-18T07:58:27.761-04:00MovieMan,
Have you seen "Zidane : A 21st Cen...MovieMan,<br /><br />Have you seen "Zidane : A 21st Century Portrait"? It follows Zidane (a former football player) for the length of a game and has voice-over describing his mindset / the atmosphere etc.<br /><br />Do you know of any similar Documentary films about sportsmen?Stephenhttp://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-58163862380260221792010-09-17T19:36:02.828-04:002010-09-17T19:36:02.828-04:00Btw, Ruth was also in Pride of the Yankees 20 year...Btw, Ruth was also in Pride of the Yankees 20 years later - and as I recall did a decent job (but maybe that's because I was a kid when I saw it and was just all-around impressed he was in it all. He probably had 2 lines, ha ha...)Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-50588220935797323502010-09-17T19:35:06.982-04:002010-09-17T19:35:06.982-04:00lol, Stephen...you don't disappoint.
It's...lol, Stephen...you don't disappoint.<br /><br />It's fun to pay tribute to my favorites (Goodfellas, guilty as charged) but probably even more fun to discover random movies like the Babe one...or Mickey vs. the Gorrilla which is now a favorite cartoon of mine!<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed this round.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610074516299275060.post-54679194796601152882010-09-17T10:06:48.179-04:002010-09-17T10:06:48.179-04:00MovieMan,
I didn't find GOODFELLAS entertaini...MovieMan,<br /><br />I didn't find GOODFELLAS entertaining or irresistible. There's nothing redeeming to it. Boring flashy camerawork, hateful characters, predictable macho sensitivity / annoyance / violence cycle. Awful characters can be compelling but Pesci is just a turn-off.<br /><br />It just feels like the film wants you to think it's actually cool, which beggars belief really. It's so uncharismatic.<br /><br />No sympathy, no depth, no interest. Horrible. Pretty much interchangeable too with RAGING BULL and CASINO. Scorsese never makes me care one jot and never carries me with his story.<br /><br />I don't feel any moral power here, only glamorisation of violence with further violence as a mirage of justice.<br /><br />Sorry for the rant. The film brings it out in me. <br /><br />Babe Ruth in a film? I'm amazed. I hope you shed light on more films like this.<br />A great startStephenhttp://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com