Recently Watched Films

[leroysghost]

ditto.
i've been meaning to go back and watch Kurosawa again (it's been years and there are many i've yet to even see for the first time) but i, too, was underwhelmed by Rashoman at the time. Ikiru became my favorite film after i saw it, i wonder how it would hold up on second viewing.
this will always be one of my favorite scenes though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5XwTzG-f6A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondola_no_Uta
(for the curious, this was also sung en masse on Taku Unami's "Ichimannen Go . . .: Soundtrack" and was pretty much what started me exploring his music in depth.)

[surfer]

this will always be one of my favorite scenes though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5XwTzG-f6A

Really a nice touch to let the camera linger behind the swaying beads.

[leroysghost]

David Miller - Lonely are the Brave (1962)

Kirk Douglas has every right to be exceedingly proud of breaking the blacklist, but to say that Lonely are the Brave and Spartacus are his favorite films? Ick.

[Dan Warburton]

Douglas Sirk, A Time To Love And A Time To Die, 1958

Truly stunning, at every level. Rich and beautifully written screenplay, fine acting (Liselotte Pulver is a real discovery - even wooden old John Gavin is just right for the part), sensational decors - interiors and exteriors - and awesome camerawork. You can see why Fassbinder and Godard loved him. In fact, I can imagine RWF's Maria Braun as a kind of sequel to this.. but i won't spoil the plot for anyone who hasn't seen it. So go see it.

[leroysghost]

So go see it.

not in the US ! what a pain in the ass.

finally caught another film i've been trying to see for years at a museum showing today:

Nicholas Ray - Bigger Than Life (1956)

quite nice, lots of fun, everything that Rebel Without a Cause isn't, really. not perfect, but who wants that in a film anyway.

[leroysghost]

Neill Blomkamp - District 9 (2009)

film of the fucking year! if you haven't seen it yet, do it quickly while it's still in theaters.

[cheerios]

Hausu (Obayashi 1977)

After seeing the screencaps for this film, I just had to check it out. Freakin' awesome. Where has this film been all my life???

[eraritjaritjaka]

YES.
'Hausu' is one of my top 3 films of all time! can't recommend it enough.
if possible try 'School In the Crosshairs' from the same director.

[leroysghost]

Hausu (Obayashi 1977)

THE SHAMPOO COMMERCIAL FROM HELL

"do you want from this day on/to remain as my woman in my house?
let us in familiar surroundings/live together!!!!"
greatest power ballad lyrics ever.

[Dan Warburton]

Nicolas Roeg, Don't Look Now, 1973

Had to look, again. Love this film, despite the shitty sound on my WB DVD. Spectacular editing, of course. But how come Julie Christie got so skinny?

[Gaendaal]

Neill Blomkamp - District 9 (2009)

film of the fucking year! if you haven't seen it yet, do it quickly while it's still in theaters.

I thought it was OK, not outstanding. The setup was fascinating but, like a lot of sci-fi, it kind of tailed away near the end into people just shooting at each other. In some ways I think the short it's based on was more effective.

[Root Doctor]

[leroysghost]

Neill Blomkamp - District 9 (2009)

film of the fucking year! if you haven't seen it yet, do it quickly while it's still in theaters.

I thought it was OK, not outstanding. The setup was fascinating but, like a lot of sci-fi, it kind of tailed away near the end into people just shooting at each other. In some ways I think the short it's based on was more effective.

eh, the set up alone pretty paltry, it's just that the way everything in the film was done made it so much more then the sum of it's parts. the characters were affecting, the violence was inventive, and the different types of video/film used created a very visceral and coherent experience.

[surfer]

Nicolas Roeg, Don't Look Now, 1973

Had to look, again. Love this film, despite the shitty sound on my WB DVD. Spectacular editing, of course. But how come Julie Christie got so skinny?

Was not impressed by this movie, though its hard to remember why now. I saw it a few years ago. I think the Rosemary's Baby / Exorcist / Omen triumverate are much better 70s quasi-religious horror flicks than this one. All of them have their share of goofy effects.

[michael]

werckmeister harmonies

after about 3 or 4 false starts, finally finished it. i think im in love w/ the opening scene. rest of the movie was pretty good. id like to watch it on something that isnt my laptop though... the black & white cinematography seemed really compelling. very interesting use of light & shadow i think. but yeah, i need to see it again.

im interested in tarr now, but satantango seems like a pretty daunting task. esp. b/c he says it should be seen uninterrupted



dazed & confused

pretty good. never seen it before but i also feel like i have no need to watch it again. maybe its b/c i never saw it when i was younger. im sure if i watched it again i would find lots of nuances in the characters, but the plot (or lack thereof) wasnt super interesting

[leroysghost]

Nicolas Roeg, Don't Look Now, 1973

Had to look, again. Love this film, despite the shitty sound on my WB DVD. Spectacular editing, of course. But how come Julie Christie got so skinny?

Was not impressed by this movie, though its hard to remember why now. I saw it a few years ago. I think the Rosemary's Baby / Exorcist / Omen triumverate are much better 70s quasi-religious horror flicks than this one. All of them have their share of goofy effects.

i agree, to me it seemed like Roeg editing at it's most obvious. though in defense of Don't Look Now, i don't like Rosemary's Baby or Omen either (and i don't think i'd consider psychic abilities very religious).

[surfer]

i agree, to me it seemed like Roeg editing at it's most obvious. though in defense of Don't Look Now, i don't like Rosemary's Baby or Omen either (and i don't think i'd consider psychic abilities very religious).

OK, the plot is now coming back to me. They lose a child (riding his bike along the wall and drowns, right?) Then they're in Venice and Sutherland starts seeing the child in red on foggy canal bridges. I forget the rest. I thought there was some vague religious stuff in there.

I like The Omen because despite the heavy incense and velour drapes and syrupy music and cheesy synth washes, its got some iconic moments: the nanny hanging herself, Damien on the tricycle (which predates the Shining scene), the jackal bones in the grave, the decapitation (which still gives me the creeps), and its so much better than the remake. I thought Peck was quite good, suitably grave. The devil dog is kind of stupid. Good clean 70s fun.

Rosemary's Baby is the weakest of the three but still good performances all around, and the great ending of course. The nosy neighbors are great! Its rewatchable, except for the stupid "devil raping mia farrow" scene / effects.

Mostly I remember being bored while watching Don't Look Now.

[leroysghost]

yes, at least you can say that The Omen is fun, and the decapitation is very nice.
Don't Look Now and Rosemary's Baby are both rather boring, but they were probably much more exciting at the time.

[walto]

As we're back into ranking mode, I'd put them in this order:

Rosemary's Baby (Good, not great. Some funny scenes. Scary soundtrack as the baby is revealed.)
Don't Look Now (atmospheric, but nothing else much to say for it, I don't think.)
The Omen (which I really can't stand--partly because it's a Carmina Burana festival, partly because of all the religious bullshit.)

My favorite horror movie remains The Tenant.

[Buddy Glass]

Don't Look Now has some great sequences but it drags like crazy in the middle from what I recall. I'd much rather watch Bad Timing, Performance, or The Man Who Fell to Earth to get my Roeg fix.