let's go to the movies

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

Wow--I will not miss "The Two of Us", will look for it. (At first I thought of "Two for the Road"--and I said "Huh?") "Small Change"--yes! How about "The Gods Must be Crazy II" for great children scenes?

I wish we could refresh our memories by seeing NOW the discussed/mentioned films--it's been a while since I've seen many already talked about here.

Deste if you're out there, please explain about refusing to see Hitchcock movies from the 60's. "The Birds" "Marnie" are the 2 I know.
I have HUGE problem with portrayals of fear and pain--can't watch, and miss many many films/scenes because of it. Unable to appreciate stuff like "Kill Bill".

Bottom line, entertainment of course. "Animal House" "Arsenic and Old Lace" Maybe we should do this alphabetically!

Rainey · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject:

Man! If you guys ever find a copy of The Two of Us I'd kill for it. It was supposed to be in circulation according to some film critic but I've never found it and I had some savvy people looking for me.

I thought that at the time Schindler's List had sensitized people to the atrocities of the holocaust in a horrific (if horrifically true) way, an English version re-make of The Two of Us could have reached a different audience in a different but equally compelling way.

Here's a link to a review of it: http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=51449 Apparently, it was shown in NYC but I can't see the date of the review 'cause I'm not a subscriber to the NYTimes site.

Here's another view of it from 2005: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050825/REVIEWS/50822005/1023 I'm so glad to see it's being seen and appreciated again. Maybe I'll even get to see it again. This film really touched me and has stayed in my heart for almost 40 years.
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God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

Deste · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Location: Far, far away

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

Rainey I have NY Times online, the date of that review was Feb. 20, 1968. Don't worry we will find it.

Deste · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Location: Far, far away

Here's the IMB web site, the best resource I know. I've linked it with search results for the movie in question: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063771/.

If you check down the left hand side, you'll see that the words "DVD details" are in grey, indicating it is not available in this format.

As most of you know, I am sure, http://www.criterionco.com/asp/, this is the company whose reissues of so-called classic and/or foreign films are superior. I like their web sites feature essays, etc., too.

Rainey · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:25 pm Post subject:

Interesting (to me) aside, I was listening to a fragment of an NPR story on orangutans. They mentioned that the native translation for orangutan is "man of the jungle" and speculated that that could have been what Anthony Burgess was thinking in coming up with the title "Clockwork Orang e".

Made sense to me as it was never explained in either the book or the film in any way I identified.
_________________
God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

Deste--"Clockwork Orange" is a perfect example--exhilarating because it's sooo good, but you're afraid and unhappy while watching. Is it because we are female? My Rich has no trouble watching torture scenes, yet escorts bugs out our front door rather than smacking them!

Rainey · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:37 pm Post subject:

sweetbabyjames · Joined: 05 May 2006 Posts: 357

I can't stand it either. Don't even say the "t" word in my house! My husband will sometimes start to describe some horror from the news and I start to cry. No, no, none of that please! I suffer for days. There are some movie scenes that terribly stick with me for years.

But regarding nice, non-violent French films, I saw Je Vous Trouve Très Beau about a week ago in Boston. It's a newish film about a widower who basically buys a bride from Hungary. To everyone's surprise, she awakens his soul. It's one of those stories you wish would keep going.

Deste · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Location: Far, far away

Yes, definitely, being a woman is a factor. However, it's an example of being inconsistent. I can visciously attack the sexism of a movie that sets up Julia Roberts as the poor victim of a stalker, or as a loveable hooker ("Oh, come on, 'Pretty Woman' is a comedy, get over it!," said one female friend when that movie came out), yet I have no problem watching (most) PBS Mystery series (PDJames-based? Can't do) or watching Film Noir. Men get murdered onscreen all the time. Only when the real implications of the act you're watching get spelled out am I repulsed. Well, it's time for a vegetarian lunch, but I do eat meat from animals someone else has killed and butchered.

Sarape · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:46 pm Post subject:

I'm a pretty serious movie fan and do love the Hollywood classics.

I've seen most of the Tracey Hepburn movies and share your concerns.

I once loved Carry Grant. Not I think James Mason and Edward G. Robinson are much better actors.

I prefer Hitchcock, Welles, John Ford, and many of the British films from the 1930s with Oliveir.
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' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

Deste · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 307 Location: Far, far away

Sarape: It's good to see you back!

I logged back in one more time to say Cary Grant is hands down, my absolute favorite!!! Here's an essay on him I really admire: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/grant_c.html.

Rainey · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 7:42 pm Post subject:

Deste- Thanks for that article. I haven't finished it yet. I find reading from the monitor tough (and the white on black doesn't help much). I'll have to print it out to be able to do a long read. Still, it was nice to be reminded of what a force of nature Cary Grant was!

I didn't realize that he was a highly intelligent man. Or that there were sooooo many movies. But I was enjoying the ones I've seen again from reading about them. I forgot his films with Irene Dunn. I thought they were just sensational together. Her a little breathless; him a little behind the curve.

What I found endearing about him was that he never seemed to take himself too seriously even though it was clear to all of us that he was the most interesting man in the room. And his comic timing, well, will there ever be another?

I loved the early films but in Father Goose there he was looking perfectly craggy and every endearing, ditzy comic take was as right on the mark as when he was at the height of his vigor, charm and looks.

I think Pauline got it right that apart from being a guy you'd kill to be in bed with, he's a man you're sure you'd like to just know. Interesting article. Thanks again for sharing it.
_________________
God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

Barbara · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:22 pm Post subject:

sweetbabyjames · Joined: 05 May 2006 Posts: 357

Oh my goodness, I never knew. Barbara, is it cold there now? It's hard to imagine you're in winter!