Expanding Horizons (1 Viewer)

[Rob Tomlin]

So, in other words, Brian.......I was right!
Seriously though, I really do think that your experience with Lawrence is somewhat typical...even with my own experience.

I like to think of the ending as poignant.

Absolutely. Using the term "anti-climatic" was probably the wrong word. Lawrence didn't ride off into the sunset...instead he rode off in a Jeep, staring blankly through a dirty windshield. The only sign of life he gives while riding off in the Jeep is when he sees some Arabs riding on Camels.
Looking at Lawrence through the dirty windshield makes it difficult to truly see him....like the character Lawrence himself. Did we really get to know him?

 

[JohnRice]

Oops. I guess I read the title of this thread wrong. I didn't realize it was the LOA thread.


:p)

 

[SteveGon]

I've always been a big Peter O'Toole fan, but his performance in this was truly his best.

Well, if you liked O'Toole's performance in LOA, you'll have to check out The Ruling Class and The Stunt Man.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’ve not seen Stunt Man, but I second Steve’s observation on O’Toole in The Ruling Class. True, he gets to chew up the scenery, but it is a bravura performance.

 

[Jan H]

While we're talking O'Toole, I'd like to chime in in agreement with SteveGon about the Ruling Class and The Stunt Man. I know Rob won't like this but I think LOA is only the 5th best performance Peter O'Toole has given. I'd take The Stunt Man, The Ruling Class, My Favorite Year and The Lion Winter ahead of it in terms of pure acting chops. LOA is the best film of the bunch, but I'd argue that has less to do with O'Toole and more to do with David Lean.

 

[Brook K]

Steve, I'm thrilled you thought so highly of The Last Laugh. It's the film that turned me on to Murnau as a great director and not just the director of Nosferatu. He never allows his powerful visuals and expressionist style to overwhelm the characters and emotions of his stories.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend his Faust and Josef Von Sternberg's The Blue Angel which also features Emil Jannings in a somewhat similar role.

 

[SteveGon]

I recently picked up both Faust and The Blue Angel. The former was very good. I still need to screen TBA. I'll post here after I get a chance to screen it.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

While we're talking O'Toole, I'd like to chime in in agreement with SteveGon about the Ruling Class and The Stunt Man. I know Rob won't like this but I think LOA is only the 5th best performance Peter O'Toole has given. I'd take The Stunt Man, The Ruling Class, My Favorite Year and The Lion Winter ahead of it in terms of pure acting chops. LOA is the best film of the bunch, but I'd argue that has less to do with O'Toole and more to do with David Lean.

I have not seen The Stunt Man, but I certainly disagree with the others. Frankly, I don't think the other performances even come close to what he did in Lawrence.

As far as Lawrence being the best movie of the bunch because of Lean more so than O' Toole, I completely agree!

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Jan, I'm glad you mentioned My Favorite Year. It is one of my favorite movies that gets almost no attention around here. And I agree that it was a wonderful performance by Peter.

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Touch of Evil (1958)
directed by Orson Welles
Well I started this thread off with Welles masterpiece, Citizen Kane. I was impressed with the movie, but a bit disappointed overall. I'm happy to say this wasn't the case with Touch of Evil. Now, I'm not familiar with the controversy between Welles and Universal regarding this picture, but I must say I loved the version I saw. I skimmed through the memo (on the special features) from Welles to Universal regarding their edit, and his comments. I must say I'm glad they were used to create the new version.
The movie opens with a beautiful long shot that is one of the greatest scenes I've ever seen. Simply wonderful. I was captivated from there, and the movie just never let up. Great performances from everyone.
Aside from the opening seen, I have a special place in my heart for the scene between Grandi and Quinlan where Quinlan realizes he has just taken a drink after confessing he doesn't drink. Actually, the movie is full of great scenes. Another wonderful find. I'm on a roll.
:star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Smoke Signals
I saw this neat little film in film class. I liked it quite a bit, and from reading the background information concerning the film, I applaud the filmmaker's decision not to turn the film into an overly long "talking heads" movie.
Basically, the film is about a Native American who recently discovers his father (who ran out on him and his mother) has just passed away. He and his best friend Thomas go on a road trip to recover the ashes of his dead father.
You could call it a road trip movie. You could call it a coming-of-age movie. But I think that the monikers do it no justice whatsoever as there's a certain charm attached to the film. There is a successful combination of flashbacks and flashfowards to create a story that slowly reveals itself one bit at a time. It's also quite funny. It's a nice diversion from all the blazing guns and explosions I seemingly occupy myself with most of the time. If you get the chance, rent it. You won't regret it. Oh yeah, the film title has a lot to do one of the themes in the film.
Movie Score: B+
Film Score: B
Overall Score: B

 

[SteveGon]

Another wonderful find. I'm on a roll.

Glad ya liked it!
Dome: glad you enjoyed Smoke Signals. It's a good little movie.
The Party (1968)
Hilarious comedy directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers as Hrundi V. Bakshi, an accident-prone Indian actor.
After wreaking havoc on a film set, Hrundi is fired and told he will never act in Hollywood again. Later, he is accidentally invited to a party thrown by the film's producer. Hrundi's klutzy antics, aided in no small part by a drunken waiter and a wayward elephant, send the ritzy affair spiraling into chaos!
:star: :star: :star: 1/2
Can't wait for that Sellers boxed set!

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Thanks Dome. I have added Smoke Signals to my Netflix Queue.
Looks like Roger Ebert liked this quite a bit too!

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Treasure Planet (2002)
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
I'll admit a few things right from the beginning. One, I've never read Treasure Island. Two, although the movie didn't look too bad, I mainly went for the kids. That being said, I really enjoyed the movie.
The movie opens with the set-up, and it's right off into one of several impressive animated scenes. I thought the animation was above average, and the story to be totally engrossing. The voice talents of Emma Thompson as Captain Amelia and David Hyde Pierce as Doctor Doppler were outstanding.
I'm sure this title would have ended up in my collection whether I liked the movie or not, but the purchase will now be for more than my children.
:star: :star: :star:

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Cinema Paradiso

- story
- ending
- character development
- the score

- ended too soon
Movie Score: A
Film Score: A
Overall Score: A
When you think of emotionally powerful films, certain films come to mind, such as E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial or The Shawshank Redemption. I would gladly count Cinema Paradiso as one of them.
CP tells the story of one person's love affair with the movies, beginning with his childhood in a small Italian village (Palermo, Sicily?). From his friendship with the local projectionist, to his first love, and onto his adult years as a director, we see the maturation of a human being before our very eyes, his love of the movies paralleling our own.
Remember that Morricone guy from The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly? Him and his son are together composing one of the most moving scores I've heard in quite a while. It perfectly compliments the bittersweet tone of film.
And there's a neat little deal that involves the power of editing in film. Which is why I give a to the ending. Once you see the ending, you'll understand, and it is such a beautiful ending.
I've heard that there's a new edition of the film coming out on DVD. If you folks get the chance, it sure as hell is worth a blind purchase. I know I'll be upgrading.

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Dome, from what I read, it seems like you saw the shortened version. The new, director's cut edition might erase the problem of it ending too soon. Definitly check it out, it gives the third act an entire weight that is missing in the shorter release.

 

[SteveGon]

Well, I've watched a smorgasbord of movies this week:
It All Starts Today (1999)
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier. Philippe Torreton stars as a teacher who can't help but become involved in the lives of his young students. Living in an area beset with unemployment and bureaucratic apathy, fighting for the welfare of his charges proves to be a daunting task...
This would make a nice double-bill with Truffaut's Small Change.
:star: :star: :star:
What Time Is It There? (2001)
Directed by Tsai Ming-Liang. Slowly paced, but ultimately affecting, What Time Is It There tells the story of Hsiao Kang, a young man who sells watches on the streets of Taipei. Shortly after the death of his father, he meets Shiang-chyi, a pretty girl on her way to Paris. She persuades Hsiao to sell her his watch - one that will allow her to keep the time in both Paris and Taipei. Once she is gone, Hsiao is haunted by his memories of her. Could their brief meeting have led to something? Will he ever see her again? Will his mother ever stop waiting for the return of her husband's ghost? Meanwhile, Shiang-chyi is very homesick...
:star: :star: :star:
Street of No Return (1989)
Directed by Samuel Fuller - his last film. Keith Carradine stars as a pop star fallen on hard times. You see, he fell in love with the girlfriend of an ill-tempered gangster and had his throat cut for his sins. He survived the slashing but has become addicted to the bottle and lives on the streets. Then, one day, he spots an opportunity for revenge...
This film maintains your interest, but it does have a few weak points: being a multi-national production with actors speaking in different languages, there is some obvious dubbing that is slightly distracting. Also, it may just be me, but I found the score to be wholly inappropriate. Still, SONR is worth a look as it's the last effort from a talented director who deserved better.
:star: :star: 1/2
The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
Directed by Abbas Kiarostami. A Tehran filmmaker and his crew travel to a remote village in the mountains of Iran, hoping to record the funeral ceremony of an ailing old woman. Unfortunately, she refuses to give up the ghost...
The main drawing point of TWWCU is the fine cinematography and location shooting. The plot is rather thin - the filmmaker spends much of his time ambling around town, waiting for the old woman to die. Oh yeah, he talks on his cell phone quite a bit. It's all rather stately-paced and reminded me of Tarkovsky. If you know who he is, you'll know what to expect with this film. Catch it in the right frame of mind and you'll be enthralled, otherwise give it a wide berth.
:star: :star: :star:
I was in the right frame of mind.
A Zed & Two Noughts (1985)
A film by Peter Greenaway. If you know who he is, well, you know what you're in for.
Twin zoologists lose their wives in a freak car accident. They become obsessed with decay and the meaning of life. They hang out with the lone survivor of the wreck: a woman who lost a leg in the accident and now wants the other one cut off. Then it gets weird.
Love him or hate him, you've got to admit that Greenaway has a unique cinematic vision.
:star: :star: 1/2
I may upgrade that rating after a second viewing.
Brute Force (1947)
Directed by Jules Dassin. Burt Lancaster plays tough-as-nails convict Joe Collins. Anxious to see his dying wife (she refuses to undergo a life-saving operation unless he's by her side!), he schemes to escape. If that isn't enough of a reason, how about the overcrowded conditions he and the other prisoners are forced to live under? But can he outwit Munsey (Hume Cronyn), the cruel and unctuous head guard? Yep, that's genteel Hume Cronyn playing a villain!
I'm :b to admit that I hadn't seen this one before.
A top-notch film noir with a great cast. Check it out!
:star: :star: :star: 1/2

 

[JohnRice]

Like you said, it is a small village, definitely not Palermo or Sicily. I know the name of the village is in the movie, but I forget what it is. You said it, though. That is absolutely one of my favorite endings of all time. It is so simple and is set up wonderfully by the rest of the movie. It always surprises me how much I like it. I'm anxious to get the Director's cut, when it finaly comes out.


I have to admit, I want to see A Zed and Two Naughts. I think I have only seen two Greenaway films, and that guy is way out there. Too bad more of his stuff isn't available on DVD. I expect I'll have to wait for my next round of Netflix to see this one. Actually this reminds me, I think I'll check out Ginger Snaps too. Any film that can freak out Kissinger must be seen.

 

[SteveGon]

I think I have only seen two Greenaway films, and that guy is way out there.

You got that right! I've seen The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Drowning By Numbers, and The Belly of an Architect. Strange films all, but...interesting. Well, I could have done without seeing Brian Dennehy sans clothing...

As for Ginger Snaps, the U.S. release is pan and scan. Don't know where you could rent the widescreen Canadian release which is what I have.

 

[JohnRice]

As far as Greenaway, I have seen Cook and Prospero's Books after which, I had to say, "WTF was that?" I guess I didn't realize he did Drowning by Numbers which I haven't seen. I thought it was on DVD, but I don't see it listed. The Blockbuster down the street has Ginger Snaps, so I'll probably just rent the US release, and if I like it I can order a copy from Canada.