Dome Vongvises

I liked Bringing Up Baby quite a bit, and the film convinced that Katherine Hepburn was a beauty at one point.

Coincidently, I couldn't believe it when my parents told me that Elizabeth Taylor was one too. I was probably eight when I said, "That woman that hangs around Michael Jackson used to be beatiful? But she's so fat!"

Growing up, I came to learn the phrase "a person's heyday".

Adam_S

Cabinent of Dr. Caligari - ½

This film has some of the most amazing production design ever. There's so much that is delicious and amazing to just drink in this film. The visuals are wonderful, and the irises are especially intriguing. It's fascinating the more silent cinema I see the more different styles there are of portraying title cards, editing technique and more. Very well done film, I love the sophisticated psychology of the entire thing, though I was a bit distracted in the last five minutes and am just a little confused about the end, but not enough to detract from my experience.

I think this film would benefit a rewatching a great deal.

seeing the Painted backgrounds (like of the town) film got me thinking that I'd love to see a Pixar or other animated film using that kind of style and a German Expressionistic style and storyline. ohh wait, that'd kinda be Nightmare before christmas wouldn't it.



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I've sorted the Sand S list by release date and had hoped to start going through the ones I"ve not seen chronologicially. But the cinema library doesn't have Les Vampires (1915), so I went with Caligari because it was shorter than Intolerance and sounded more interesting than Broken Blossoms (which will probably be one of my next selections)

Adam

top 20 films
2008 film list
My DVDs; S&S List 62...212 AFI lists: - DONE!

Jim_K

John Ford


The Searchers
Ford’s masterpiece is a work of art. The story is deceptively simple yet the there are many hidden contexts lying underneath.


My Darling Clementine
Ford’s telling of the famous OK Corral incident is pure fantasy but that’s fine. This film has an almost dreamlike quality that’s unlike any other western I’ve seen.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
Ford’s last great film is a bittersweet farewell to the Western genre.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
The second of Ford’s Cavalry Trilogy is the best. This is one of John Wayne’s finest performances.

Stagecoach
Ford’s Grand Hotel on wheels isn’t really that great of a film. Though it is an important film for propelling the western genre from out of B film status.

The Grapes of Wrath
Ford’s magnum opus of the Great Depression. I really need to see this again as it’s been a long time.

The Collection (Blu-Ray High Definition/DVD)

Pre-orders - BLU-RAY: Akira, The Dark Knight, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Death Proof, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, JFK, La Femme Nikita, Planet of the Apes (Evolution Collection), Planet Terror, The Third Man, WALL E DVD: Budd Boetticher Collection

Dome Vongvises

RE: spoiler

She is? Where did I miss that?

Jim_K

Dome,

In the opening scene the longing look of Martha Edwards as she first realizes Ethan approaching. The many long silent tender glances at each other throughout Ethan's visit. The final exchange between the two before Ethan rides out with the posse (more of an silent exchange between lovers than a man & his sister-in law). Then there's the return to the burning homestead where Ethan framed in the doorway finds Martha's body (implied) his knees buckle & he crouches in despair.

These are all overt touches that imply a connection between the two & that something happened in the past between Ethan & his brothers wife. Add this to the special attention Ethan provides to Debbie & the fact that Debbie (brown hair) looks nothing like her brother & sister (reddish/blonde hair).

The Collection (Blu-Ray High Definition/DVD)

Pre-orders - BLU-RAY: Akira, The Dark Knight, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Death Proof, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, JFK, La Femme Nikita, Planet of the Apes (Evolution Collection), Planet Terror, The Third Man, WALL E DVD: Budd Boetticher Collection

Adam_S

I myself loved Bringing up Baby, and I can't wait for a couple weeks when I get to see it on film! there's an exuberance and pace to the film that is just fantastic and I immediately fell in love with.

I agree with most of your Ford assessments, except that I'd be giving four stars to all of them but My Darling Clementine and She Wore a yellow Ribbon, which I haven't seen. Stagecoach especially amazed me. There's a lot going on in that film that is easy to miss because the story is presented so straightforward. But it's exactly the effortless manner Ford presents the complexities of the tale that make it so astonishing. I posted more on the first page of this thread on Stagecoach.

Adam

top 20 films
2008 film list
My DVDs; S&S List 62...212 AFI lists: - DONE!

Jim_K

Someday I'll revisit Stagecoach, so it's possible I might change my opinion of it.



Sergio Leone

Once Upon a Time in the West
On the surface this may look like just a revenge story but underneath is an epic tale of the coming of the railroads & the changing west. Henry Fonda plays against type as one of the nastiest western villains ever to grace the silver screen.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The crowning achievement of the Leone/Eastwood loosely based Dollars Trilogy. From the sardonic wit of the larger than life characters, Leone’s masterful framing & the unforgettable score by the legendary Ennio Morricone this is a Western for the ages.

Once Upon a Time in America
Leone’s gangster opus is a tale of friendship & betrayal. A fitting swansong for a great director who I wish would have made more films.

The Collection (Blu-Ray High Definition/DVD)

Pre-orders - BLU-RAY: Akira, The Dark Knight, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Death Proof, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, JFK, La Femme Nikita, Planet of the Apes (Evolution Collection), Planet Terror, The Third Man, WALL E DVD: Budd Boetticher Collection

glen_esq

Hello to everyone . Thi has let me join the discussion on this thread, thought I'd introduce myself.

My name is Glen, live in Western Canada and have been pursuing films from the 2002 S&S list since it was published in August, 2002.

Was stalled out at 287 of the two-vote films from the list, joining this discussion will hopefully spur me to watch another 20 or so. For the remaining films, pretty much means purchasing them if I want to see them. Wished I'd have found this site earlier, would have had fun discussing the films as I watched them.

Just finished watching:

La Jetee (Marker, 1962)

Interesting piece of science fiction about one man's oddessy through world war III, and society's attempts to time travel to the past and future. Marker doesn't tie everything up in a nice package, leaving the ending ambiguous, and the the viewer with various possibilities as to what happened, paradoxes to ponder.

Liked the use of music and sound to give the allusion of motion in a movie using only still photography. Also liked the fact it was created as a short film (29 min), a full length feature of still photography I think would have tried my patience.

I knew the film was the inspiration for Twelve Monkees, but the dvd extras mention the possibility that The Terminator may owe some of its inspiration to this film as well, which seems a reasonable assertion to me.

Jim Rankin

Welcome to the group Glen! Don't worry about not being able to comment on films - you can still jump in and give your impressions, for instance Godard and Tarkovsky were recent hot topics. Pretty impressive the list of films you have seen, glad to know this little challenge will push you to see more! See Ya and welcome! Jim Rankin

Jim_K

Carol Reed


The Third Man
Reed’s Noir masterpiece is a dark & strange journey through post WWII Vienna. Orson Welles hams it up as the charming villain & the Zither score is a unique touch.

Odd Man Out