WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[feaito]

Hope everything goes well for your mother Ali.

[feaito]

Yesterday I watched "The King's Speech" (2010), a very well done film which pays lot of attention to detail in terms of the historical characters portrayed in the film and the Time when it was made (1925 to 1939) -Producers of "The Tudors", "Spartacus" and other atrocities in historical terms please take note. Notwithstanding some historical inaccuracies or liberties taken by the script (from what I've read the King met Logue and solved his problem around 1927, not in 1934-1936...; Logue or the King never cursed in front of one another an Logue never could have called him "Bertie"; Churchill did not support Edward VIII's abdication and thus George VI's accesion to the throne; etc...as pointed out by Christopher Hitchens and others) the film succeeds, especially because of teh aforementioned characteristics and the excellent performances of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham-Carter. It did not affect me as "Black Swan" which is completely more intense and full of lunacy and mayhem, but then it's a completely different kind of film.

BTW, today I asked wife why she did not enjoy "Black Swan" yesterday and she told me -she practiced and had ballet training since she was girl until she turned 19, more or less- that she did not like that the film was centered and concentrated in negative characters and aspects of the World of Ballet and was not able to transmit the beauty of Ballet as an Art (in her opinion)...She found it too dark for her taste

[charliechaplinfan]

My mother is waiting to go into hospital to have a replacement hip operation. She's terrified and not sleeping, she has a morbid fear of hospitals.

I wish they had made The Tudors well, it's so annoying that it has been dumbed down and turned into a soap opera, I'm sure the story of Henry is enough to keep most people rivetted without the need for being so silly.

I'm glad that the King didn't swear to overcome his speech impediment. I thought he'd conquered his speech impediment years before his ascension to the throne, it was obviously something that stayed with him, a fear perhaps of stammering during an important speech, he kept Logue with him and rewarded him for personal services to the monarch. It's a feel good story even though they played with the truth a little. Winston Churchill wasn't an advocate of George VI, there's no doubt he came to admire him.

I really want to see Black Swan although I think we will end up renting it. There's more chance of a pig landing on the moon than my husband taking me to see it and I can't get there by myself at the moment.

[MikeBSG]

It seems to me that the people who like "Black Swan" are people who primarily like movies, and people who hate "Black Swan" are people who primarily like ballet. The "Swan" haters seem (to me) to go on about how "false" the movie is about ballet life.

[feaito]

I wish all the best to your Mother in her upcoming operation Alison and all the best for you and your family too (glad you have an accurate diagnose now )

What annoys me above all about the Tudors is the zero respect for atmosphere and trying to make believable the characters -who look and behave like XXIst Century models, as I've stated before. One only has to compare it with "Anne of a Thousand Days" (1969) or "Lady Jane" (1985), well set and acted period pictures.

And re-"The King`s Speech" to think and realize that George VI of the House of Windsor King of the UK of GB & NI was really Albert Frederick Arthur George of Hannover-Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and of Teck....no wonder his older brother's and the rest of the Royal Family's pro-German sentiments before the War in the 1930s.... It was in their blood, after all before George VI all his ancestors were married to German-Scandinavian Royal Princesses (Teck, Oldenburg, Brunswick, Celle et al).

It seems to me that the people who like "Black Swan" are people who primarily like movies, and people who hate "Black Swan" are people who primarily like ballet. The "Swan" haters seem (to me) to go on about how "false" the movie is about ballet life.

And Mike you nailed it, bravo! I think you are completely right. My wife though did not hate it, just was let down and did not like it.

[charliechaplinfan]

There was a brilliant program on the BBC last night about King George VI obviously prompted because of the success of The King's Speech, it touched only briefly on Lionel Logue, he treated him in 1927. The programme touched on his temper and nervous disposition, aspects of his character that were probably a result of his very formal upbringing and also abuse at the hands of his nurse. What was most touching about this programme is it described the realtionship between the two older brothers, very close, Bertie was incredibly loyal to his brother. He was one of his biggest admirers and supporters right up to the end, trying to convince the government what a fellow they were giving up and what a fellow they were getting. It was Edward VIII who used abdication as a threat, only to have his government use it against him. It highlighted that part of the strength of the film The King's Speech is the character of George VI, a little known prince content to do good work in the background, his devoted wife and the strength of his character that made such an impact on the nation he reigned 16 years.

Today I watched Executive Suite, an ensemble piece with Louis Calhern, Fredric March, Walter Pidgeon, William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, June Allyson, Dean Jagger and Nina Foch amongst others. It was directed by Robert Wise and concerns a boardroom struggle for power after the man in charge dies. Fredric March is excellent as the oily, Loran, Walter Pidgeon is noble, Louis Calhern a dirty dealer with a young mistress and William Holden the young executive with ideals about the quality of furniture the company manufactures. I enjoyed it far more than I thought it would.

Killer of Sheep was a different film for me directed by Charles Burnett. It's about Stan, his family, his neighbours and neighbourhood, he works in a slaughter house in the Watts area of Los Angeles. It's filmed on black and white stock, some of the set ups are filmed from behind people and there is an intimacy to some of scenes, particularly the internal scenes. Particularly striking for me are scenes filmed outside the home, the children playing on and with everything they can find. I felt the film was trying to capture a realism, so much so that I was apprehensive at the sight of the scenes in the slaughterhouse, worrying that a sheep might be dispatched on screen.

[JackFavell]

I was most horrified by that part about the nurse in The King's Speech, Alison. I had no idea that had happened. it was very shocking to me.

[charliechaplinfan]

I hope the programme gets shown in America Wendy, there were many fascinating aspectd about him, he was born on 14th Dec the anniversary of Albert, Queen Victoria's husbands death and also the anniversary of Princess Alice her daughter, it did not bode well with the old Queen but she grew to love him in time. The contrast in the two brothers was huge, very few people would have backed George VI against his brother who was immensley popular. I also think it says a lot about the British people at that time and the people in government, he might not have been the popular choice, a palid choice compared to his brother but the country got behind him, supported him and ultimately took him and his Queen to their hearts. My Grandma loved him, thought he was very noble. I just love history, told well.

[feaito]

I would love to se that BBC programme Ali and I think that George VI was one of th most likable British Monarchs of all-time; very down-to-earth, nice, unassuming and devoid of big airs.

[JackFavell]

I hope they show it here too - I love history, especially British history.

I have read a little about Edward VIII, no one seems to be right down the middle about him - some, especially the Americans thought he was a romantic hero, and then the more modern take is that he was an awful person, a Nazi sympathizer. I am guessing the truth lies somewhere in between, perhaps a deluded man. He is such a fascinating figure, with his sad eyes and those pictures you see of him wandering the world without a home....He definitely captures the imagination, which may have been the problem in the first place. I imagine it was not easy to be looked at from the time you were born, and to have the added bonus of good looks may have actually been a curse. George VI seems to me to be the king who most represented his people and the British spirit - quiet, unassuming, and brave, strong under pressure, resilient, able to withstand enormous strain....getting the job done in the end, never giving up.

[charliechaplinfan]

Ah, Wendy you make me so proud to be British.

Edward VIII has had many books and programmes made about him, I've seen quite a few from both points of view. I was more forgiving of him when I was younger, I thought that he married for love, gave up so much all for one woman, it all sounded so very romantic. Nowadays, the best I can say about him is he was foolhardy, meeting Hitler and having contact with some very undesirable people. I did learn a new interesting titbit in the BBC program, Edward VIII pleaded poverty and as such got a generous settlement from his brother and goverment, he'd actually salted money away for years from his estates and endowments. I can't remember the amount but it was a fortune for the time. So he stole from the British people in a time they could ill afford it.

I watched a drama some time ago about Wallis, she enjoyed the attention of being with Edward (she was also seeing another man at the time) she was a free spirit but after Edward abdicated for her and made that huge sacrifice she was trapped into marrying and remaining married to him. She's meant to have treated him appallingly. Wallis was probably the best thing to happen to the British monarchy. I wonder if Edward VIII could have led his country through the war with such affection.

I thought the casting of Guy Pearce as Edward VIII in The King's Speech and he was very good in it.

Today I watched Woman Times Seven a Vittorio De Sica film starring Shirley MaClaine in a series of vignettes with various famous actors. Some of the vignettes were good, some not so good. I didn't care for the Funeral Procession but I'm not keen on Peter Sellers, neither did I much like The Opera Night. Amatuer Night about a wife who finds her husband cheating on her to go out and join the oldest profession in the world as revenge and Two For One with Vittorio Gassman were amusing. As was The Suicides with Alan Arkin, Super Simone had good moments but the best was Snow which also starred Michael Caine and Anita Ekberg. A complete showcase for Shirley MaClaine who can look so attractive one minute and dowdy the next, not one of De Sica's best but worth a look.

[JackFavell]

I have always enjoyed Woman Times Seven, and also the goofy What a Way to Go! I like vignette movies, and agree that some are not as good as others.

As for Edward VIII, I had no idea that he had taken money and then claimed a settlement. Yikes....maybe I was wrong about him not being awful, I don't know anymore. I do think the British people lucked out when he abdicated. Wallis always gets a lot of the blame for their situation, I suppose she should carry half, but I can't help feeling sorry for both of them, being so publicly stuck with one another.

[charliechaplinfan]

Wallis Simpson is not what I'd have called attractive and I think this is where the rumours started about her being 'taught' in a brothel in China, perhaps I wasn't the only one who wondered what he saw in her.

I was dissappointed in What A Way To Go, especially the Paul Newman segment. My favorite segment is the Gene Kelly one, on second viewing I might think differently, it might just be an example of a film not being what I expected.

I watched Hell Is A City last night, directed by Val Guest starring Stanley Baker as Inspector Martineau and set in Manchester in 1959. On home territory with this one, it felt very fresh, although some of the policing methods were archiac. I liked the cinematography, the story, the setting, the only tiny criticism I had is that the villan had an American accent when he should have had a mancunian one like everyone else in the cast. it encourages me to watch more Val Guest movies.

[Rita Hayworth]

Kingme Recent Flims

On Television
I saw Tonight and Every Night and You Never Been Lovelier - Two Rita Hayworth's films on TCM
Dirty Dozen also on TCM
Saw Superman I - The 1st Christopher Reeve film as the Man of Steel for the 1st time in 10 years and still is a classic.

In Theaters
Coen's Bros remake of True Grit starring Jeff Bridges - I hope he's get an Oscar for best actor. He was incredible in this movie; you should read my post in the Western Section of this Web Site ... It is a must see Western Film for all fans like me.

Big Screen Adaption of the Green Hornet - It was good, bad, and ugly.
It was funny, fast pace, and I did not care the way Green Hornet treated Kato.

If Bruce Lee were alive today - He would protest it ... I wished I hadn't seen it ...

[Lzcutter]

I watched Cavalcade last night, a film that I have wanted to see for quite some time. It won the Best Picture Oscar back in 1933. Adapted from the stage play by Noel Coward, it is basically a filmed stage play. The first time they used the Pageant of history interlude to show passage of time I thought they were going back to the Crusades era. And using the same singing interlude for four years of the Great War forced me to put the film on mute until the last one was over. There were good performances (I especially liked Una O'Connor) but the film is basically about events happening that we were are only really told about and how the family reacts (very British, very stiff upper lip) to them rather than actually seeing the life-changing events. This makes it difficult to really feel empathy for the family who undergoes not only great personal heartache but social change as well. The director, Frank Lloyd, was president of the Academy the year this won Best Oscar according to Robert O.

I followed that up with A Modern Hero with Richard Barthelmess playing a acrobatic horse rider with a circus. He has a one-armed mother (she lost her arm in the tiger cage when she was younger) who tells fortunes. The film traces his rise to fame as he leaves the circus to better himself and all the women he woos and beds along the way. The first one, Jean Muir (looking a bit like Ann Harding), has his son out of wedlock and we see his efforts to befriend the boy and he spends his money lavishly on making sure the boy does not want for anything. It's an okay story and Barthelmess is very good playing a unlikeable character. Towards the end as he was walking down the street I wished he would he would run into Aline MacMahon (his co-star from Heroes for Sale) and go into the soup kitchen but, alas, he returned to his one-armed mother and she decided his future.