Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club discussion
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Les Vampires (1916-1918). This is a trilogy of which I have seen short videos of some scenes but it appears that it is available in full. I may tackle it this winter.
Mod
Filmed live on the rooftops of Paris, under the eyes of German watchdogs.
Much of it is 'clunky' and 'primitive' by the standards of modern thrillers. But it is a clinic and expose of cinema's earliest ground-breakers.
The rewards are cerebral, for those who can stand it. And who is to say what style of depiction is better?
By this I mean, we live today in an era where exotic, private lifestyle/personalities like 'Irma Vep' are near-extinguished. At least in this one case, [Paris in the 19-teens], faithfulness was observed and recorded.
I would agree, from seeing parts of this serial, that it is primitive but it has a type of beauty that intrigues me.
You will get a kick out of this, Feliks. I have a new cat who is coal black and has the most beautiful eyes. I named her.................Irma Vepp!!
Mod
At the recommendation of two of our members, I am adding to my watch list the 1952 Argentinian film, Never Open That Door.
Selected viewing of TCM Summer Under the Stars in August. Some I have seen many times; others leave me cold.
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Dan Duryea, William Bendix, & Ella Raines in a musical comedy a' la "My Man Godfrey".
Gadzooks!
This is my "wishlist" on RYM, which, to be sure, I would like to own hard copies, but it's really more my "to watch" list: https://rateyourmusic.com/film_collec...
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Great so far. Screenplay by Carl Foreman, produced by Stanley Kramer, dir. by Mark Robson. Wonderful footage of 1940s streets and cars and wardrobe.
Always enjoy seeing Arthur Kennedy. He wasn't a matinee idol like Kirk, but perennially so solid and reliable.
I have to admit that I haven't seen that film either and probably won't watch it. But I think Douglas was nominated for an Oscar for his role if that means anything.I certainly agree about Arthur Kennedy. He had a great career and was good in any part he played.
I remember him in two roles especially: Murder, She Said (1961) with Margaret Rutherford in which he is a devious doctor, and as Jackson Bentley, the hypocritical newspaper reporter in Lawrence of Arabia. In the latter he was supposed to be modeled on Lowell Thomas.
Mod
Can't recall it clearly but I think he was a major hypocrite in 'Some Came Running'. Philandering husband?
One early role where he thrives as a romantic lead: 'Bright Victory' playing a visually-impaired war veteran opposite caring nurse Peggy Dow. A genuine feel-good flick.
As a tough guy: 'Day of the Evil Gun' opposite Glenn Ford. Spooky/weird/unique western.
He was sympathetic when he wanted a hero (Lawrence on the train.) But his reaction to the massacre of the Turks showed his naivete about war. He wanted to take cleaned-up pictures, not tell the grim truth.
Mod
Meanwhile, when he comes upon the scene of the slaughter, he excoriates Lawrence for his sham posture of civilized English values like 'mercy'.
Then later, he reviles Sinclair for using Lawrence as a cat's paw.
All in all, I think he acquits himself okay compared to the other characters. What was daring was introducing him at all --he's not an insignificant character, but Bolt doesn't bring him into the tale until maybe 2/3 into the story. Hardly any writer risks that.
Sinclair? Could you mean Dryden? The two of them did have a go-round.
Mod
I always find flatscreens --even more unappealing than the smallness of the tiny screen --making almost any viewing, unattractive. Prefer a curved tube!
But this past summer --with the heat wave keeping me indoors [and also running out of film boards to jaw on] --I have gone back to re-sample scenes from my top fave flicks.
They all prove sturdy enough --all this time later --but what was surprising to me, were the ones I had the most yen for:
~Cool Hand Luke
~The Sting
~The Thomas Crowne Affair
~Black Sunday
~From Russia With Love
~Ben-Hur
~In the Heat of the Night
~The Manchurian Candidate
~Hard Times
~The Magnificent Seven
~The Good, the Bad, & The Ugly
~March or Die
~Lilies of the Field
~A Man Called Noon
~Hombre
~The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
~Shane
~Stalag 17
~Twelve O'Clock High
~The Maltese Falcon
Meanwhile, films from my 'TBD' list above --I've somehow made it through successfully too (consuming them in little bites of 10 mins each):
'On the Night of the Fire' (Ralph Richardson)
'Champion'
'White Tie & Tails'
'Rawhide'
They've all been decent. Next up:
'Corridor of Mirrors'
'High and Low'
'Eyes Without a Face'
Oh and the trick which allows me to overcome my loathing for Youtube is a browser extension which kills all the ads. Thank goodness for small favors...
Mod
Yes, that's the name I was trying for. Tried and missed.
But anyway yeah I feel Kennedy's character was written more an indictment of "what" he was --a cheap huckster --like many others in his profession at the time.
Whereas the man himself, whom Kennedy portrayed --that basic American character --seemed to understand fairness vs unfairness at various other points in the story.
If he did not exhibit this trait then I too would label him a "hypocrite through-and-through".
But he convinced me that he was 'discerning' enough. Unfortunately he simply wound up rather like the rest of the figures "who are just with Lawrence until they get what they want, then they leave"
His, Sharif's, and Quayle's character all seemed to want Lawrence to emerge safely out of the whole affair. The rest of the men didn't care enough about this.
Mod
One of the most acclaimed of all avante-garde movies. Not sure how far I'll get.
This same technique ('photography sequences') is used in Chris Marker's La Jetee which stunned me. But I wonder if lightning can strike twice. Not completely certain I want it to strike twice.
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There used to be a group on Facebook and on Twitter called #TCMParty that would do that.
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Shipboard mystery with con-men and gunsels featuring Edmund Lowe & young Myrna Loy.
Cameraman: James Wong Howe.
Reputed as an early 'talkie' which hums and throbs along like a more advanced studio thriller from many decades later.
Supposedly one of the great 'ocean liner' adventures.
https://youtu.be/AAGSWBmLn3Q
Mod
It's admirable how some stars get a chance to play characters that reflect their personality. Peck, Bogie, Tracy ...were never embarrassed except in very rare cases.
Maybe this was the cunning of the studio system. Female stars didn't seem to always do as well --recall Bette's famous tantrums.
Anyway, I've always shied away from 'Bravo' because I felt the role wasn't right for Holden. Seems like the part could've been had by anyone. I shall see for myself. It is a John Sturges flick after all.
I have never seen it and will be interested in your opinion. I'm not particularly a fan of westerns but have certainly liked a few and I like Holden.
Mod
I've never subscribed to anything on YouTube and I never will. Who are these strangers and why do they want my credit card?
It's hard enough to 'get immersed' in a movie --with the fast pace of life these days -- without such n-o-n-s-e-n-s-e.
Anyway, I'm adding these instead: two Brit thrillers with very storied reputations.
'Cash on Demand' - Pete Cushing. Said to be one of the great bank heist flicks.
Sean Connery in 'Time Lock'. That's the one where the boy is trapped in the bank vault.
Mod
I'm sorry to turn this thread into a Feliks playlist, I admit...
Transatlantic looks WAY up my alley. I will have to seek it out sometime.
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Feliks, me too. Aldrich + Hammer films.
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But this yarn is brisk and boasts very intriguing subject matter. Bomb disposal.
Critcisms:
~The opening and closing moments are heavy-handed with a 'nameless narrator' giving us an intro and outro.
~The romantic sub-plot is too hurried --so swift it's hardly credible.
Praise:
~I'm rewarded by seeing a flick for once with Palance in the lead. He's really given full measure of his skills here. A meaty assignment.
~Have never really been a fan of Jeff Chandler --something about him makes my teeth grind --but I can't deny he is also highly capable.
~Aldrich: if I hadn't known beforehand I probably might've guessed his hand on the helm of this movie. Something about Aldrich films is always tell-tale.
~Like the way he cuts from one scene to the next --surgical, methodical. Never sentimental, never lingering, always matter-of-fact and abrupt. As soon as the actor's last line is uttered, he jets away.
~Interesting performance by Martine Carol as the love interest. I've never seen this actress before that I recall. Handles herself well.
~An obscure cast-member caught my eye. Couldn' identify ...tip of my tongue ...then I realized. He is in Sidney Lumet's 'Network'. One of my top ten fave flicks. He portrays the distinguished-looking UBS network president. It's a beautiful thing to see him perform at a much younger age.
Overall: a short, crisp, fast-paced, nail-biter with good camerawork, convincing locales, and no major mistakes made by anyone. Win-win
Mod
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dam...
I'm adding it to my list but I doubt I'll ever get to it.
It's a hell of a film. Haven't watched it in a few years but it's a hard hitting film, might be relevant today.
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I'm quite keen to see this. Been putting it off.
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"Es geschah am Tag" (It Happened in Broad Daylight)
but its nought to be had
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Halfway through the 1955 'Ladykillers' --because of the trio of three of my favorite Brits. Guinness, Sellers, and Lom. It's reputed as one of the greatest comedies of all time. But I'm not liking it at all. Not liking it even one little bit. I've felt guilty for a long time, never having viewed this movie. No reason for chagrin.
'Last Chants for a Slow Dance' --a milestone work of avante-garde filmmaking --turns out to be a ver-r-r-r-r-r-y disturbing American odyssey comparable to 'Taxi Driver'. Woah. In some ways it might even be better. I can tell its gonna stick in my head a while. The lead character is creepier and more manic even than Jack Nicholson at Jack Nicholson's worst. I've met guys exactly like this scumbag in real life. Yuck.
'War Hunt' -- low-budget production revolving around a rogue US soldier who goes "over the hill" when the Korean war draws to a close. Tidy little yeoman performance by Bob Redford. Earnest and sincere. Not bad. Interesting faces in the support cast.
Mod
Lom was actually from Prague, and was of both Aristocratic and Jewish background. He left in the late 30’s to escape the Nazis. But yes, he’s British in the sense that many of his films were British.
Mod
Lom even appeared as a Muslim in one movie, and was a psychiatrist in 'Seventh Veil'. A versatile performer!
Yes. And the psychiatrist was much older than he really was. On the flip side, he looked a bit younger than he was when he died.
Both Lom and Sellers were in my favorite comedy, A Shot in the Dark.
Mod
Sellers was a young and energetic Clousseau in that one; later in the series he generously ratchets down his Gallic histrionics in scenes with Lom for the sake of better chemistry. Although it wasn't charity --Lom was fully capable of stealing scenes away from Sellers --which is not at all easy to do. But he did so --I'm glad they were good friends which prevented bruised egos. They are hilarious together.
Anyway I'm pleased Lom had such a varied and long career; I always look for him in ANY cast list if it's a Brit-Flick. Not a very tall man (at least that is my understanding) but he could do whatever any role demanded.
I particularly admire the tight, fine, control he held over his facial features. The tiniest tics, twitches, blinks; the most microscopic frowns seemed fully under his precise command.
Its hard to define where he fits in Brit-cinema. He wasn't of the stodgy generation of C. Aubrey Smith but he wasn't of the generation of Richard Burton either. He's not an Olivier, but he seems plastic enough to adapt to any assignment.
Lom was particularly good in Night and the City (1950). He was the head of the "mob" in London, and was hunting down two-bit crook, Richard Widmark. It was directed by Jules Dassin and is, in my opinion, an excellent film, even though Gene Tierney as the girlfriend of Widmark is totally wasted.
Mod
Feliks, yes. Also, if you watch, like, the first three (Sellers) Clouseau films, you can see the development. He hardly overdoes the accent in The Pink Panther,* then he does it a little more in A Shot in the Dark, then it’s more full blown in the 70’s films. *Some people seem to think A Shot in the Dark was first, but The Pink Panther actually was. They WERE released closely together. Edwards knew he had something with Sellers as Clouseau in The Pink Panther, and decided to include him in A Shot in the Dark. The Pink Panther hadn’t even been released yet, I believe. Clouseau wasn’t originally the detective. It was based on a Broadway play, translated from a French play. William Shatner played the detective in it, Walter Matthau played the equivalent of the George Sanders character, and Julie Harris played the equivalent of the Elke Sommer character. It DOES seem at times as if A Shot in the Dark was first, considering the ending of The Pink Panther.
"TBD" stands for 'to be determined'. It refers to films you are planning to ingest.
Also useful for "currently-in progress'" titles since some movies are lengthy/installments.
It's a companion discussion to "WDYWL". The former 'watershed' for recent-films-seen, ["Whadja Watch Lately?" (aka 'WDYWL)] has been archived.
Feliks D.