Track the Films You Watch (2005) - Page 15

Jim_K · 03-07-2005, 08:07 AM

Only in the "uncut" version is it what's considered Politically Incorrect, which was the one issued on Laserdisc (the VHS tape was CUT). And frankly, I hope Warner (who owns this film now) one day releases it properly to DVD; those who don't like it don't have to watch it (as they say).

I've seen both versions & the Asian racial stereotypes are pretty clear on even the “cut” version so yes I would say both are politically incorrect in today’s climate. Anyone hypersensitive to this would be offended. As for me I take into account the era these films were made so I very much agree with you that when/if Warner releases this on DVD it should be the “un-cut” version as I’m against censorship in any form or fashion.

SteveGon · 03-07-2005, 08:18 AM

The Mark of Zorro (1920)

Viewed 3/5/2005 (first viewing)

Silent take on the legend of Zorro with Douglas Fairbanks as a particularly devilish avenger of the downtrodden. Lots and lots of swashbuckling and some great stunts.

out of

Incident at Loch Ness (2004)

Viewed 3/6/2005 (first viewing)

Comic "documentary" on the making of the Werner Herzog "film" The Enigma of Loch Ness. Starts off in serious fashion as a frank look behind the scenes of a movie production; then it veers off into monster movie territory becoming about as real as Herzog's ostensible subject matter. Compelling throughout as Herzog is always fascinating.

"She didn't look like a sonar operator."

out of

Joe Karlosi · 03-07-2005, 09:16 AM

Quote:

I've seen both versions & the Asian racial stereotypes are pretty clear on even the “cut” version so yes I would say both are politically incorrect in today’s climate. Anyone hypersensitive to this would be offended.

There are stereotypes everywhere, even today -- tall people, short people, fat people (Shallow Hal), White Chicks, Italian(the Sopranos), etc...

I know this is sort of veering off topic a bit, and I understand that you don't promote censorship, but whenever the "PC" thing is mentioned, I can't resist. Special treatment according to whatever is or is not "in season" at the moment drives me batty!

Bob Turnbull · 03-07-2005, 12:50 PM

Mean Creek - Thanks to all who recommended this film. It wasn't even on my radar screen until Robert Harris' post about it and all the good reviews in this thread. Great acting by a fine young cast and very good mood and tension throughout.

Wild Bunch - Sam Peckinpah's take on the violent West. The film is bookended by a couple of amazingly well done and bloody shootouts, but I have to admit I found myself less than engaged for much of the film in between. There were still some good scenes, but I suppose I just didn't really get involved in the characters that much. There seemed to be plenty of character building scenes, but I didn't find they accomplished it that well for me. There's still enough to make for a good film, but I guess I was expecting more.

Written On The Wind - The melodrama is oozing through every gorgeous beautifully coloured frame of this Douglas Sirk film. A few years ago I would've avoided this like the plague considering the melodrama tag that's been attached to it. But I found myself enjoying the story and plot along with the great cinematography. OK, Dorothy Malone was a bit over the top for my liking, but once you accept that it becomes part of the fun. Looking forward to All That Heaven Allows (I've seen both Far From Heaven and Ali: Fear Eats The Soul, so I'm already psyched for it).

Big Deal On Madonna Street - A spoof of the 50's style crime drama, this Italian film was more pleasant diversion as opposed to laugh out loud funny. The plot moves along at a good pace though, so the story alone keeps you entertained.

Alive - Whereas Ryuhei Kitamura's Versus was a blast from start to finish (Zombie samurais? That's got to be good!), this was an up and down affair that probably won't leave that much of an impression on me. The story focuses on condemned convicts being kept alive after surviving their executions in order to be part of a larger experiment. I still enjoyed it on a par with Kitamura's other single setting film Aragami, but it just doesn't have the energy and fun of either Versus or Azumi (both wider in scope).

Phone - Yep, another in the long line of Asian horror films. This one's Korean and though it's very similar to Ringu, I still enjoyed it a great deal. It turns into a mystery/thriller at some point, but still retains that great sense of atmosphere (though they went for a few cheap scares as well).

A Snake Of June - Gorgeous blue-tinged monochrome art film from Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto. Water and moisture are all over the place in this film signifying the rebirth of sexual desires long repressed. There's also some strangely surrealistic scenes that come out of nowhere. It's not an easy film to stay with and not for everyone, but it just pulled me along with it.

The Virgin Suicides - Sophia Coppola's first feature film owes a great deal to the French band Air for its very moody underlying score. I didn't enjoy this as much as Lost In Translation, but it was still a very effective portrayal of teenage loneliness and the need to experience life.

Joe Karlosi · 03-07-2005, 02:02 PM

The Letter (1940)

William Wyler directs with a flourish in this involving story of a woman (Bette Davis) who kills a man and then tries to get away with it while a revealing letter threatens to expose her. Good film with a nice performance by James Stephenson as Davis' lawyer and the dependable Gale Sondergaard as the wife of the victim.

The Dark Eyes of London (1939)

One of Bela Lugosi's better films, this British feature is more commonly known as THE HUMAN MONSTER. In it, Lugosi signs men up for life insurance and then drowns them so he can collect on the policies. This features some shocking sequences for its time that still disturb today, and is recommended to all fans of Bela.

Windows (1980)

Terrible yet rare film that I saw in the theatre in '80 and which seems to have been lost, except for a French VHS. Talia Shire gives a lousy performance, seemingly still in her "Adrian from ROCKY" mode, as a woman in NYC who gets raped at knifepoint by a goon in her apartment and is forced to moan into a tape recorder. Her psychotic neighbor Elizabeth Ashley is a lesbian in love with Shire who hired the rapist to do the crime so she could play the tape over and over to her heart's content, and will stop at nothing to make Shire love her. Acting is awful, the movie is boring, but first-time cinematographer-turned-director Gordon Willis has an eye for photography. With many unintentional laughs during the embarrassing climax, this is simply the type of movie filmmakers don't seem to be allowed to make anymore. A humiliating experience for all concerned, I'd imagine. So bad it has to be seen to be believed. I got a copy of this through the magic of the Internet.

Hitch (2005)

I've never liked Will Smith much, but all that may have changed with this film. He's well cast as the title character, a "date doctor" who tries to help clueless nerds find the loves of their lives. A bit overlong, but charming enough with some humorous moments.

Brook K · 03-07-2005, 04:35 PM

Send back Incident quick, it's a "Long Wait" for me!

Michael Elliott · 03-07-2005, 09:59 PM

03/04/05

Toolbox Murders (2004)

Remake of the 1970’s cult classic has director Tobe Hooper trying to recapture his golden days but failing due to a horrible script that borrows loosely from the original but doesn’t improve anything. There’s plenty of gore to go around but the main character is way too annoying. I was really hoping Hooper would get his act together but sadly we’ll have to wait for his next film.

03/05/05

Way Out West (1937)

Laurel and Hardy travel out west to deliver a gold deed to their partner’s daughter but misfortune happens when they give it to the wrong person. This is a good, if not great feature that probably would have worked better as a short. The madhouse ending and Laurel being tickled are the two big highlights. Hardy’s singing is another but I could have lived without the other two musical numbers.

Block-Heads (1938)

Laurel is in a foxhole for twenty years because no one told him WW1 was over. When he finally finds out, Hardy invites him over for dinner. This is the best L&H film I’ve seen so far and I’d also call it one of the funniest ever made. The best moment is when Hardy wants to carry Laurel everywhere because he thinks his pal lost a leg in the war. Other highlights include a fight scene plus various antics the two go through while trying to climb 13 flights of stairs.

Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)

Prequel that’s all over the place. The attempt is nice and the story works better than I expected but Harlin’s direction is all over the place and it’s clear the guy can’t tell a story to save his life. The first hour is deadly slow and boring but at the hour mark I really started to enjoy the film until the final exorcism where it fell apart again. The stylish, MTV look of the film took away any chance for suspense and the CGI effects were really bad. The effects in the original film hold up a lot better than this. If this prequel did one thing it made me appreciate the original a lot more.

03/06/05

Strip Game, The (2004)

Method Man produced, directed and stars in this documentary about strippers. Half the film is pure T&A but the director does try to add a personal side to these strippers, which is very interesting and the one thing the film needed more of.

High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)

Decent telling of the rise and fall of card legend Stu Ungar who won three World Series of Poker tournaments but died at the age of 45. The film gives a lot of detail but the director is too concerned on wanting to try and be Scorsese that the film comes off very unoriginal and too clichéd for its own good.

Peeping Tom (1960)

Disturbing and nail biting tale of a twisted filmmaker (Carl Boehm) who films himself killing women so that he can capture the fear on their faces. This has the rep of being the British Psycho, which is really unfair in my opinion. If I had to compare the two films then I’d say Hitchcock’s is better on all levels but this one here is very intense, disturbing and the ending packs a real punch even today. Boehm is excellent in his role.

A Very British Psycho (1997)

A good look at the film Peeping Tom goes through the production and eventually controversy surrounding the film. The comparisons to Hitchcock’s film are very interesting but the documentary would have been better with a longer running time. Made for British TV.

03/07/05

I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)

Robert Zemeckis’s first film about six teens and their actions on the day The Beatles appear on Ed Sullivan. This was a mildly entertaining film but I never could get into it all the way. The film moves a bit too slowly but my biggest problem was that it really wasn’t as fun as it should have been.

Big Clock, The (1948)

Very good noir about a crime magazine editor (Ray Milland) who is framed for murder by his boss (Charles Laughton) who actually committed the crime. I actually prefer the remake No Way Out but this is still a fine little drama due in large part to Laughton’s terrific performance. The added bit of comedy also helps matters.

Tender and Perverse Emmanuelle (1973)

Jess Franco film about the investigation into the death of Emmanuelle (Alice Arno). While I think this was better than the American versions, the film overall is way too slow and boring. Franco, known for sleaze, actually focuses on the mystery aspect and there isn’t too much sexuality, although there’s a very steamy sex scene between Arno and Lina Romay. The fiml does contain a wonderful score by Daniel White and Romay, in her second film with Franco, shows that wonderful beauty and presence that would dominate future films.

Sinfornia Erotica (1979)

Disturbing and extremely well-made Jess Franco film about a woman (Lina Romay) returning home from an insane asylum only to discover her husband is now living with a man. The two men eventually find a nun (Susan Hemmingway) who’s been raped and the three come up with a plot to kill the wife for her money. This is one of Franco’s “art” films that manages to be quite beautiful in a poetic sense and ranks among one of his better films. The performances are all very good, especially Romay who once again gets to show off her sexual fits. Not nearly as explicit as I was expecting but still very good.

Jim_K · 03-08-2005, 07:09 AM

First time viewings in Red
Out of

Titanic (1953) (6/10)
Clifton Webb & Barbara Stanwyck star in this melodramatic account of the famous disaster.

They Made Me A Criminal (1939) (5/10)
John Garfield is a fugitive/boxer that’s wanted for murder as he takes it on the lam, hiding out on a ranch with the Dead End kids in Hicksville, AZ.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984) (4/10)
I caught parts of this on cable many times back in the 80’s, but I never lasted more than a few minutes before flipping the channel. What I could venture from the plot is thrill seeker/surgeon/Rock Star Buckaroo Banzai invents a machine that goes through solid objects which stirs up trouble with aliens from another dimension all the while a wigged out John Lithgow as a mad scientist joins in the mayhem. It certainly has a lot of energy but this one didn’t do it for me.