I just hate to admit it, but....

Chit-chat, current events
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

movieman1957 wrote:JohnM:

The only things of Lean's or Kubrick's I can watch are pretty much the early suff. I enjoy "Brief Encounter" and I really like "Bridge On The River Kwai" from Lean. I really like "Paths of Glory" and Spartacus" is fine. Beyond that they always reminded me of a Mahler symphony in that it needed to be bigger and longer than anything else. Not that there weren't fine qualities in parts but does it really take that long to tell it.
Your Mahler analogy is so apt.

As I always tell my fellow concert-goers, with Mahler, you have to endure 50 minutes of kvetching to hear 10 minutes of gorgeous music. Same with the directors in question - some of their work can take your breath away, and a large portion of it is so ponderous you find yourself sinking down in your seat from the sheer, dull weight of it.
melwalton
Posts: 503
Joined: October 14th, 2007, 5:58 pm

general

Post by melwalton »

Hi, John

I only ever enjoyed Katharine Hepburn in one film, Stage Door. ....... One with Fred MacMurray ( I think it was ' Alice Adams') was a good one.

I believe you could fill a book with what is wrong with the film version of My Fair Lady. ..............
But what beautiful music! Bill Shirley singing 'On the Street Where You Live'. the tunes to 'Rain in Spain' and 'I could have danced all night'.

Despite what the propaganda of That's Entertainment told us, MGM did not produce the greatest film musicals. ....
Far from it, I judge strictly by the songs and would rate the studios thus: Paramount...Warners...Fox,,,Rko,,,MGM

IMO, Vera-Ellen was a better all-around dancer than Fred, Gene, Ann or Eleanor! ....
How about Jessie? or the Nicholas Brothers?
,,,cheers,...mel
jdb1

Re: general

Post by jdb1 »

melwalton wrote: IMO, Vera-Ellen was a better all-around dancer than Fred, Gene, Ann or Eleanor! ....
How about Jessie? or the Nicholas Brothers?
,,,cheers,...mel
Mel, you get another "Ugh" from me for Vera-Ellen. Sure she was an athletic dancer who some might think cute (but not me), but she was basically a one-trick pony with little of the screen presence or artistry of the others you mentioned. Plus, she had calf muscles like a weight lifter. Who wants to look at that? Put some pants on, girl!

As you may have gathered, I'm not a big fan of that kind of "cute," and can do without Doris Day, Jane Powell and their ilk as well. To me, such women take their cuteness far over into what looks more like desperation and aggression. Like me. Like me. Like me!
melwalton
Posts: 503
Joined: October 14th, 2007, 5:58 pm

dancing

Post by melwalton »

Hi, Bkln. ... We 've a misunderstanding, here. I didn't say that about Vera - Ellen. I was replying to John, who posted that. I realize I didn't do that correctly, I've still got a lot to learn about this business of posting. I repeated what John said and then commented on it.
For the record, I don't think VE was a great dancer, not like those others. I think Jessie ( Matthews ) and Fayard and Harold Nicholas were great dancers. I think Vera was cuter than any of them....mel
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