WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Chit-chat, current events
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Garbomaniac
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Garbomaniac »

Fernando, I haven't seen The Siver Chalice in a very long time, but I can never forget the sets, either. The ones for Jack Palance were out of this world, very angular. But, you're right. It didn't hold any other fascination for me. That is probably why I haven't seen it again.

Last week, I took some time out to watch TCM. I saw the documentary on 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year, and then I kept right on and watched The Women, for the umpteenth time, and rounded off the evening with Ninotchka. I had a very relaxing, wonderful evening. So much fun to see old friends!!!
feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

Hi Garbomaniac,

The amazing sets reminded me of German Expressionism, Art Deco, the impressive sets in Borzage's Liliom et al. Truly awesome. Stylistically the film is very interesting.

I have just finished watching an engaging romantic comedy starring Marlene Dietrich and Fred MacMurray titled "The Lady is Willing" and directed by Mitchell Leisen. A delight from start to finish, with both leads in top shape and having a perfect rapport. Marlene plays a warm character, a sort of dizzy actress who falls under the spell of cute baby, whom she wants to adopt. MacMurray is the pediatrist who comes to examine the baby and falls in love with alluring Marlene. Sophisticated, charming, elegant, well acted, playful, lots of fun. Aline MacMahon plays Marlene's friend and she's superb as usual. Any film that benefits from Miss MacMahon's presence earns another star from me! :D
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Garbomaniac
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Garbomaniac »

Wow! You just watched The Lady is Willing. That is one of my favorite films. I thought the pairing of Dietrich and MacMurray was perfect, too. They seemed suited to each other, and it all had a "real" quality to it. Love Dietrich's jealous tantrum. Of course, the whole thing could have been easily avoided on Fred's part, but then there wouldn't be a movie!

Aline MacMahon was great in it. She really got the best part!

Thought you might enjoy these two pics. You will know right away why I found these and saved them to my pictures!

Image

Image
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Lovely pictures, Marlene knew how to pose.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

Thanks for posting those pictures Garbomaniac!

Marlene's hat plays an interesting part in the plot :wink:
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Garbomaniac
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by Garbomaniac »

Yes, Alison, she did know how to pose. And, you are welcome, Fernando. I knew you would appreciate them.
feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

The other day I watched Nicolas Cage's "Knowing" (2008) and although the film has a love and hate reaction to it at us.imdb.com I must say I loved it, notwithstanding its flaws and the blending of so many things together in one feature. But, I'm partial to this kind of eschatological stuff and if you throw in aliens, angels, religion and disasters, you have my guilty pleasures all in one. I was truly mesmerized by the film, so enthralled that I did not care about its flaws.
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movieman1957
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by movieman1957 »

I saw Samuel Fuller's "The Steel Helmet." Pretty good, tight Korean War film. Lead by the "I know that face" Gene Evans (in his debut) and coupled with a largely unfamiliar cast, it follows a makeshift group of soldiers holding down a Buddhist temple against the North Koreans. Matter of fact bluntness over loss of fellow soldiers marks a departure from the usual reactions in film.

Not a great deal of action until the climax and saddled with some too obvious "outdoor" sets it is nonetheless a top notch film. Rare enough that I had never heard of it it is one to check out when you get the chance. I think it is on DVD.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
klondike

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by klondike »

I rented & watched Knowing as well this week, Fernando, and am in agreement with those observations, and was quite impressed (in spite of my cynical self) by the slow, quiet, confident manner in which this film envelopes your heart, while slowly flirting your mind into a gradual, respectful acceptance of the plot's awe-inspiring climax.
In theme & texture & tone, this movie reminded me at several different junctures of Shyamalan's Signs, another film that is deceptively quiet in its power, and addresses many of the same topics & issues, including such small but poignant ones as the loneliness of widowed fathers caring for young children. For that reason, I chose not to recommend this one to my son-in-law Douglas.
feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

Klondike, you have written down so well what I felt too! You've put it perfectly!
by the slow, quiet, confident manner in which this film envelopes your heart, while slowly flirting your mind into a gradual, respectful acceptance of the plot's awe-inspiring climax.
And yes, there is a big connection with "Signs" which came to my mind repeteadly while seeing this thought-provoking movie.
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mrsl
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by mrsl »

Knowing is one that I hope comes to cable quickly because I've wanted to see it since I saw the first ad for it. I like Nicholas Cage in some things but not everything he does especially when he plays a fool like in Moonstruck and Raising Arizona. His action movie like Con Air are good and I think these films about national treasures are a kick. I really liked him in Next last year, that one kept me going for quite a while.

Actually, I got hooked on Elephant Walk yesterday. I didn't watch it last time it was on, but I remembered Liz' beautiful dresses from when I was a kid, and I sat down with it to revisit. Liz was okay, but both Dana Andrews and Peter Finch seemed uncomfortable. I wonder if that is because of the age difference between them and Liz. Finch was 20 yrs. older and Dana was 25 yrs older. They probably felt like they were babysitting. Anyway, the story of the wife being brought to the South American plantation which was eventually to be demolished by something, in this case elephants, was also being done by The Naked Jungle with C. Heston and E. Parker with red ants. I was only nine at the time, and I wonder if this was some kind of fad like disaster movies or monster movies were. The reason I wonder is that both Elephant Walk and The Naked Jungle were both done in 1954 at Paramount studio at the same time, how weird is that? Jungle was actually a much better movie simply for the acting experiences. Finch as the thoughtless husband seemed kind of like he was playing himself (I don't know, just seemed like it), and Dana just didn't have that sexy appeal he had in Laura. I also wanted to stomp on that native housekeeper myself with his attempt at slyness. When he stood in front of the stampeding elephants with his arms up yelling STOP, I laughed until I fell off my chair. Liz was strictly window dressing, not really having any part at all except to attract Dana and give a little sex to the movie. Odd how there was no hanky-panky between Eleanor and anyone in the jungle movie, yet it held up pretty well.

After all of this, I watched my copy of Casablanca and my world was right again.

Anne
Anne


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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

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feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

I also enjoyed Next Anne.

I agree with you in relation with Naked Jungle and Elephant Walk; I have both on DVD and I have seen them at least twice each and also wondered about the 1954, Paramount, "disaster" connection between both. And I also agree in that Naked Jungle is the better film, especially because of the chemistry between Eleanor Parker and Charlton Heston and the high sexual tension between both characters.

Did you realize that Abraham Sofaer, who played Appuhamy -the native housekeeper- in Elephant Walk was featured as Incacha, the native brazilian, in Naked Jungle? In my country Naked Jungle was titled "Cuando ruge la Marabunta" (When the Marabunta Roars).

In terms of physical beauty, Eleanor Parker and Liz Taylor in these two films are among the sexiest females of any '50s film. They look ravishing, alluring, hot, beautifully dressed and made up. They are bewitching.
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ChiO
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by ChiO »

Chris wrote:
I saw Samuel Fuller's "The Steel Helmet." Pretty good, tight Korean War film. Lead by the "I know that face" Gene Evans (in his debut) and coupled with a largely unfamiliar cast, it follows a makeshift group of soldiers holding down a Buddhist temple against the North Koreans. Matter of fact bluntness over loss of fellow soldiers marks a departure from the usual reactions in film.

Not a great deal of action until the climax and saddled with some too obvious "outdoor" sets it is nonetheless a top notch film. Rare enough that I had never heard of it it is one to check out when you get the chance. I think it is on DVD.
THE STEEL HELMET (part of the Eclipse set of Fuller's first three movies) is my favorite battlefield movie, followed closely by FIXED BAYONETS (and VERBOTEN! and CHINA GATE aren't far behind that). THE BIG RED ONE and MERRILL'S MARAUDERS aren't bad either.

I watched a film today wherein I learned what happened to THE STEEL HELMET's Sgt. Zack -- he moved to Detroit, changed his name to Walter Kowalski and starred in GRAN TORINO. Uncanny.

P.S. Fuller was not "saddled with some too obvious 'outdoor' sets". He made brilliant use of what was available. Would it have been a "more realistic" movie if filmed in outdoor Korea? Not one iota. Besides, the standard for "too obvious 'outdoor' sets" was set a year later in FIXED BAYONETS...and that's when it really hit me that experiencing a cinematic reality has nothing to do with having a "realistic" set.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
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movieman1957
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by movieman1957 »

I sit corrected.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
feaito

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Post by feaito »

I watched a deeply disturbing Belgian film from 2007 titled "Ben X" about an autist young lad who's been victim of constant bullying from his classmates. Powerful, harrowing, excellently performed by the leading character. It should be viewed by all teenage kids, to realize the horrible effects that bullying can cause on a young adolescent and that tolerance and accepting "others different than me" is pivotal in our lives.
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