Track the Films You Watch (2008) - Page 23

george kaplan · 03-02-2008, 11:04 AM

Se7en

My only qualm about this otherwise excellent film is the somewhat weak ending. In the movie we get this big buildup to the finale, but nothing that happens is at all surprising, and it's really kind of anti-climatic.

Spoiler:

I think a different ending could have elevated this film to perfection, but as it is, it's a really good film, with a pretty ho-hum ending.

The 39 Steps

My son's Hitchcock education continues with this, Hitch's first real masterpiece (he'd made some great ones earlier, but this was the first of many to hit a plateau)

Michael Elliott · 03-02-2008, 11:43 AM

03/01/08

From Grapevine's D.W. Griffith: The Actor set

Rescued from an Eagles Nest (1908)

J. Searle Dawley

An eagle swoops down and kidnaps a young girl taking her to its nest so her family must try and rescue her. This is a pretty good short, although I'd be lying if I said the special effects were good. I wouldn't call them good but they are interesting. The eagle is obviously fake and at times you can see that it is on strings but the scenes of it swooping down and taking the child are very well done. The rescue is also very well photographed by director Edwin S. Porter. This short certainly isn't anything spectacular but it is entertaining enough. D.W. Griffith plays the girl's father and Henry B. Walthall plays one of the men in the woods. This is the earliest surviving work featuring Griffith.

Her First Adventure (1908)

Wallace McCutcheon

When her parents turn their heads, a young girl sneaks out of her house and ends up with some gypsies who try and kidnap her. There's some historic interest behind this short as it was the first time Biograph put their trademark into one of their films. At the time various companies were making movies and putting the name Biograph on them to sell so the real Biograph decided to start putting their logo on their films. Not on the actual prints but inside the movie itself. The entire film has the gypsies pulling around a piano and you can see the logo on the side of the piano. As for the film, it's an okay movie but the entire running time has the parents and cops chasing after the kid. D.W. Griffith plays the girl's father but you really can't tell anything about his acting since the only thing he's doing is running around. He does seem to be in shape though. Robert Harron is one of the extras but I couldn't spot him. G.W. Bitzer did the cinematography.

Caught by Wireless (1908)

Wallace McCutcheon

A man returns home to find a rent collector harassing his wife so the husband beats the man to a pulp. Later the collector returns with two policemen (one played by D.W. Griffith) so the husband runs away and soon realizes that he'll have to leave the country. This here is a rather boring short as the story really doesn't have too much going for it. I think you could have squeezed a good movie out of it but the direction is rather weak and doesn't bring any of the scenes to life. A lot of the movie features scenes of the wife sitting at home hoping her husband can return and that's about it. It would have been nice had the director done more to create suspense but that never happens. Griffith, the actor, appears very briefly but you can't help but think he could have done more with the story as a director.

At the French Ball (1908)

Wallace McCutcheon

A husband (D.W. Griffith) and wife (Linda Arvidson) attend a costume party but neither know who the other is. At the party, the husband begins flirting with a woman not knowing it is wife. The two agree to meet later but the husband starts to feel guilty so he sends his friend to go meet the woman not knowing that the woman has also sent her friend, a black maid, to meet the man. The story here certainly isn't original even by 1908 standards but I found that a lot of the comedy still worked quite well. The final gags has the husband's friend flirting with a black woman, which comes off politically incorrect today but it still made me laugh. From the books I've read, several said that Griffith was a pretty good actor when on the stage and I thought his performance here was quite good. It should also be noted that the woman playing his wife here was Griffith's real life wife until 1936. It should also be noted that a lot of his financial troubles in life were due to her not granting him a divorce. Robert Harron is one of the extras.

At the Crossroads of Life (1908)

Wallace McCutcheon, Jr.

A stage actress (Linda Arvidson), who ran away from home against the wishes of her father, desperately wants to get that father's approval after she's a success but he still refuses to talk to her. The story of this film is credited to D.W. Griffith, who also has a small role in the film, but the direction here is so bad that it's hard to make out what's going on. Apparently Griffith was unhappy in how the film turned out and this might be one of the biggest reasons why he agreed to become a director. Arvidson gives a good performance in the film as does Charles Inslee in his small role. Robert Harron and Griffith both have small roles as well. Once again, you really can't help but think the film would have turned out better with someone like Griffith directing.

Black Viper, The (1908)

D.W. Griffith & Wallace McCutcheon, Jr.

A man dressed in black attacks a woman as she is leaving church and beats her down onto the ground. Another man comes up to save the day but later the man in black, with the help of a couple friends, kidnaps the man and plan on killing him but the police follow to save the day. This is an early short that features Griffith as a director and it also has him playing a small role as one of the rescuers. His direction is very good throughout making for some nice scenes including one where the bad guys are climbing up the side of a mountain and throwing stones down at the police. The violence is pretty good as well and this all leads to the finale, which has two men fighting on top of a home, which is also on fire. Mack Sennett also has a small role as one of the rescuers.

PatW · 03-02-2008, 02:55 PM

Green Dolphin Street (1947)

Interesting enough melodrama about two sisters in love with the same man. Marianne Patourel (Lana Turner) is attracted to William Ozanne (Richard Hart) and feels that by joining the royal navy, he will become more acceptable to her father. Marguerite Patourel (Donna Reed) is also in love with William and he with her. When William sets into port in China he is drugged and robbed and fails to report back to his ship. Deemed a deserter he flees to New Zealand to make a life for himself in the lumber business. While drunk, William pens a letter to Mr. Patourel requesting the hand of his daughter in marriage. Unfortunately he writes down the name of the wrong sister and when she arrives in New Zealand he goes through with the marriage dispite loving the other one.

If this sounds a bit overwrought, it is and even more so. The story was interesting enough to keep me watching plus the desire to find out how it all turned out. The acting was good especially from the veteran performers Edmund Gwenn and Gladys Cooper as the girls parents. The visual effects were pretty good, especially the flood scene in New Zealand. There are some very memorable scenes in this movie, one being Marguerite's climb up inside the mountain to the convent above. Another great scene was Mrs. Patourel's bedside confession to her husband and daughter Marguerite. This was a worthwhile movie if a bit overlong and predicable

Brian.L · 03-02-2008, 04:35 PM

February Recap

Movies seen: 23 (First timers: 22)
Average rating = 2.57/5
Median rating = 2.5/5

I erased this entry accidentally in July.

I'll repost the ratings w/o comments because I'm too old to remember anything this far back.

ALL RATINGS OUT OF

(FIVE) STARS

First time viewings in bold.

2/01- Blowup (1966)

2/02- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

2/03- The Brave One (2007)

2/04- Seraphim Falls (2007)

2/06- I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)

2/08- 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 Luni, 3 Saptamani si 2 Zile) (2008)

2/08- Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

2/09- Manhunter (1986)

2/10- Cloverfield (2008)

2/10- The Dark Crystal (1982)

2/11- Into the Wild (2007)

2/12- The Forgotten (2004)

2/13- 30 Days of Night (2007)

2/14- Murder! (1930)

2/19- Cashback (2007)

2/19- The Simpsons Movie (2007)

2/20- The Kingdom (2007)

2/21- Gothika (2003)

2/23- Gone Baby Gone (2007)

2/25- Margot at the Wedding (2007)

2/26- You Kill Me (2007)

2/26- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

2/27- Descent (2007)

Favorites (first timers): 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 Luni, 3 Saptamani si 2 Zile), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Into the Wild, Cloverfield

george kaplan · 03-02-2008, 05:02 PM

The World of Apu

My thoughts are posted in the S&S list.

Adam_S · 03-02-2008, 05:09 PM

se7en ending:

Spoiler:

PatW · 03-03-2008, 02:49 AM

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

I do not seem to get tired watching this one. A sumptious adaptation of my favourite Jane Austen novel. Keira Knightley is wonderful in the role of Lizzie. Lizzie is my favourite Jane Austin character, at once strong and fiesty with a sharp biting tongue for those she feels wronged herself and her family. She is very much a modern woman and seems out of place in this world. Matthew Macfayden is adequate in the part of Mr. Darcy.
I don't get some of the criticism laid at his feet. Of course, there's the inevitable comparison to Colin Firth but he stands his own. Beautifully photographed and edited. The sets and locations in and around England were just breath-taking. I thought Sense and Sensibility was great but this one outshines it. Joe Wright is the director who brought this beloved novel to life on the big screen and he does a admirable job especially finding out that this was his first feature. You can't do justice to a detailed novel in a two hour movie. This movie tries and does suceed.

42nd Street Freak · 03-03-2008, 05:24 AM

"Take your Seats, Please" (1936)

Before Mel Brooks tackled Yevgeni Petrov's famous play "The Twelve Chairs" this George Formby vehicle did a wonderful job at crafting the play (about a fortune hidden a group of identical chairs) to its star's needs.

The delightful Formby's 5th film (4th starring role) sees him in a rare ensemble set-up where, as well as the ever-present love interest (here it's variety star Florence Desmond), he has an achingly cute child (Binkie Stuart), a crafty conman (Gus McNaughton) and the great Alistair Sim as a twitchy, scheming lawyer, to work the humour with.

Featuring the famous musical ditty "When I'm Cleaning Windows" but little else of note as far as the songs go it's left to the manic comedy and acting to truly delight and there the film hits the mark every time.
Some very funny set-ups, but two stand out.
An hysterical bedroom farce sequence involving a jealous husband coming home to find his bemused Wife with Sim on the bed, George under the bed and McNaughton in the cupboard (as they all try to get their hands on one of the chairs) is a gem.

And a magician's act where three of the chairs are the props on stage and George has to try and slice open and search the chairs (filled with hidden animals in preparation for some of the magic tricks) without anybody catching on, is expertly crafted comedic chaos.

A great cast, some fine humour and a solid plot help to make this one of Formby's most enjoyable films.

"Turned out Nice Again" (1941)

At a dark period in World War II, British comedy came into it's own in many ways.
With a spirit, that died years ago sadly, the British people fought hard and risked all with great pride for what was right while still managing to keep a smile on their Blitz shocked faces and making sure that famous stiff upper lip was present and correct.

As such perhaps only Britain could have released a musical comedy film about rival underwear firms as London burned.

Delightfully English, delightfully funny and filled with some great Formby songs with a saucy edge (given the plot line Formby's then infamously risqué songs were well and truly at home) this is a joy to watch but has perhaps dated more than most of the films from that period simply due to the now bizarre 'social graces' and 'class issues' that become a big part of the film's plot.

Fr example, when George's independent Wife, Lydia (a nice turn by Peggy Bryan) has her hair dyed blonde the fallout is massive!
"What will the neighbours say" screeches George's mother (one of THE most horrible mother/mother-in-law characters ever seen on screen, expertly played by Elliott Mason).
"What will the church choir say" replies George!

The mother also makes many swipes about George and Lydia living above their station and not knowing their place and George himself is all bowing and scraping and "yes sir, whatever you say sir" to anyone higher up the class ladder than he is.

Thankfully the comedy, songs and acting is strong enough to overcome these now archaic aspects and in fact with the large numbers of women flouncing around in their underwear, the saucy songs and much talk of "panties" and a sub-plot involving a new yarn that makes underwear see-through pushes the sexual aspect of the plot to what must have been cheekily enjoyable levels for 1941.
As do a few verbal jokes involving George, like where he can't find some knickers for a customer and announces "I just had my hand on a pair a minute a go" as well as various remarks about "taking things down and having a better look".

Look out for a likable Edward Chapman (later to be famous and less likable as 'Mr Grimsdale' in the Norman Wisdom films) as George's pigeon breeding Uncle and a young (though I don't think he ever was!) Wilfred Hyde-White as a removal man.

Another Formby gem.