AFI 100 Years Series Discussion & Challenges, vol. 2 (1 Viewer)

[Adam_S]

Klondike Annie - :star::star:1/2
Stars list - Mae West
OARVHS
07/23/2005

The first part of this film is a big drag. Mae West escapes from a gig in San Francisco to make it to Nome, Alaska and the Gold Rush. She also kills the Chinaman who has her contract (in self defense) before she heads out, so she's a wanted woman. The first third of the film when it's just Mae on the boat with the captain panting after her. Then the titular Annie comes aboard, a reformer also headed to Nome. Annie dies on board and to avoid being arrested Mae takes on her identity. In the meantime Mae's become something of a reformer. Surprisingly this plot development makes the rest of the film work better. Decent overall script and a good performance by West makes this pretty watchable and enjoyable after the first act.

Adam

 

[Adam_S]

Scarface (1983) - :star::star::star:1/2
Quotes list - "Say 'hello' to my leetle friend!"
OARDVD
07/24/2005

I think he's a fucking peasant

And of course that's why the person who calls Tony a peasant, and the person he was talking to both die, because they underestimate Tony, they're still caught in the medieval conception, unable to realize that although the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer all the time there's never been another country in history where that was actually fluid for people to advance in class. In a sense this is the great American Horatio Alger story, it just happens to be about drugs. Pacino is wonderful to watch, but overall the entire film feels very overblown. In fact the big music video sequence when Tony makes his move is just pathetic and kind of entirely inappropriate to the rest of the film. Overall I prefer the original. Good flick though, lots of great lines and iconic moments, but overblown.

 

[Adam_S]

Heidi - :star::star::star:
Stars list - Shirley Temple
OARVHS
07/24/2005

Heidi is an orphaned girl whose cruel aunt drops her off at her estranged hermit of a grandfather. She promptly unhermits him and wins the heart of their village. Then the cruel aunt appears on her birthday to kidnap her to the be the companion (slave) of a rich sickly girl in Frankfurter. Heidi wins the girl's friendship and the enmity of the Frauline caretaker and it all comes together in a big exciting climax.

This is one of the best Temple films I've seen, the story and performances are very compelling, on the other hand the villainous women are very one-note and relatively unmotivated and just annoying because they're just plot vehicles compared to the other characters.

 

[Adam_S]

Hands Across the Table - :star::star:
Stars List - Carole Lombard
OARVHS
07/24/2005

Pretty standard rom-com with Lombard and Fred McMurray. They're both Gold Diggers, he's old money ruined in the crash and she's a manicurist. Only trouble is that he's engaged to the daughter of the 'Pineapple king' and she has a crippled, wealthy former pilot falling for her.

Naturally they fall for each other on an innocuous date and he passes out drunk before he can make his train that will let him make his boat to Bermuda. He ends up staying there (innocuously) for the rest of the picture and then realizes he has to drop his fiancee and get a job and marry this poor girl.

 

[Adam_S]

Bombshell - :star::star::star:
Stars list - Jean Harlow
OARVHS
07/24/2005

Jean Harlow essentially plays herself in this story of a Hollywood starlet who has the baggage of a syncophant familiy and must battle her press agent at every turn. It's relentless, funny and damned well done. Harlow is outstanding throughout.

 

[Adam_S]

Top Gun - :star::star::star:1/2
Quotes List "I feel the need, the need for speed."
OARDVD
07/24/2005

Top Gun is one of those movies I've sort of seen before but never sat down and watched all the way through. It's very well made with good performances, however the characters and script are pretty thin, good effort is made, but Maverick's actions are often unmotivated or just melodramatic lacking focus.

The soundtrack is so damn good though. Danger Zone, Take My Breath Away, You've lost that lovin feeling, Great Balls of Fire. Some great stuff there, Take my Breath Away is still, considering the last dances I went to, the slow dance song of choice twenty years later, shame it's not on the Songs list. Cheesy, yes, effective--well just watch this flick with your girl.

Adam

 

[Adam_S]

Knute Rockne, All American - :star::star:
Quotes list - "Win one for the Gipper."
TCM
07/27/2005

Fast paced bio pic about Knute Rockne from Lloyd Bacon. There's a 'blink and you'll miss it' performance by Ronald Reagan as George Gipp, but this is Edward O'Brien's film. I had a hard time believing him as a Swede though... The film itself is actually a bit dull, the vintage football matieral is interesting, it often seems (from a quality jump) that a good amount of stock footage was incorporated, if true that is excellent.

I'd say the most entertaining part of this film was the opening title crawl, "Notre Dame's gratuituous help."

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

The funny thing - of the new AFI films in the Quotes list, there were three films listed that have never been released on VHS or DVD in NZ that I would have had to tried to acquire from overseas - Beyond the Forest, Knute Rockne All American, and The Naughty Nineties.

The next month, TCM very kindly showed the first two of those films. I've now watched Forest and have Rockne taped and ready to watch. Now I just need to wait for them to show Naughty Nineties.

And speaking of Abbott and Costello movies:

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Other than my irritation at the inaccuracy of the title (they never meet Frankenstein), it's a pretty good film. I loved the fact that they had the original Dracula (Lugosi) and Wolfman (Chaney), even if they had to use a new actor for the Monster. I tend to feel that the film would have been completely dfferent had it not had the original stars. As it was, the film really felt like a genuine Universal monster film - even though the plot, with Dracula trying to resurrect the monster, seemed a little silly. The great thing was that the monster scenes were played completely straight. Dracula, the Monster, and the Wolfman, were never trying for the laughs. They were always serious. The comedy grew out of the reactions of Abbott and Costello to the otherwise serious situation. And it worked well. It was a lot of fun and most enjoyable.

 

[Michael Elliott]

This is certainly the key to the film. There are some Universal fans who bash this movie because they feel the monsters are being made fun of but I find this to be a silly statement for several reasons. The biggest reason is that the monsters here are a lot more violent than in any of the previous films. The Wolf Man does a lot more damage than before, the death of a certain doctor is probably the most graphic in any of the films and finally, the film really tries to scare the viewer. I think the key in the scares is, for A&C fans, we love the duo so there's a reason we don't want to see them hurt by the monsters. At the same time, as you said, fans of the monsters should love this because they are at their prime. There was a lot of controversy at the time of release because parents weren't happy that their kids came out crying after a "family" A&C film. While there are plenty of laughs here there's no doubt this film scared the crap out of people back in the day and I still think it holds more suspense of any of the Universal films. Another critic of this film was Lon Chaney, Jr. who said A&C ruined monster films but he was clearly drunk at the time. :frowning:

Glenn Strange who plays the monster also did so in HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF DRACULA. Jack Pierce, the man who made all these monsters, originally wanted Karloff's monster to look like Strange did in these three films. In a way, from the make up point of view, this is how the monster is suppose to look. Of course, it would have been great had Karloff agreed to do the movie. Stranger is the fact that Lugosi wasn't the first choice to play Dracula. I think the film benefits greatly from him who, IMO, is better here than he was in DRACULA (1931).

There have been hundreds of horror/comedies but this here is certainly the best.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Sons of the Desert

Laurel and Hardy are members of the California branch of the Sons of the Desert lodge, and intend to go to the lodge conference. However, when their wives object, Hardy is forced to pretend to be ill and in need of an ocean voyage in order to get away from the wife and get to the conference.

It was an interesting experience watching Laurel and Hardy. I used to love them as a kid, but haven't watched any of their material in 10 or 15 years. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I expected.

The film has three very definite stages to the film, and it was only the last part where I really felt the film came together. The first part, with the two trying to plan to attend the conference, had some wonderful little sequences - Stan being locked out, or Oliver's supremely unconvincing efforts to play sick. But there were as many bits that didn't work as did work, and I was astonished at the way the two mugged for the camera. Quite off-putting. But still, some good stuff.

The middle section, with the two attending the conference, was pretty dire. Pretty much laugh-free, it is fortunately pretty short. The worst part - a potentially amusing part where Oliver ends up talking to his wife on the phone without realising it, ended up going nowhere and played no part in the film.

But the third part of the film redeemed all of its faults. A great extended sequence has the two returning home, only to discover that they need to hide their return for 24 hours, unaware that their wives have discovered their deception. It's a delightful part of the film, impossible to describe without spoiling it, but an absolute must-see. It is on sequences like this that L&H have built their reputation, and after an unimpressive first two-thirds, the two completely justified their position as comedy greats.

The film is in the Laughs list, and also the Quotes list, for Hardy's line, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!". The interesting thing for me was that I remembered that it was Laurel who would always mess things up, but it was Hardy that would suffer the consequences - hence the fanmous line. What was interesting in the context of the film was that it was all Hardy's fault - it was Hardy that forced Laurel to go to the conference, who decided to go with the fake cruise story, who at every point made the decision that would lead them inevitably to that nice mess. So the line's not just about the mess teir in, it's about diverting blame away from the person responsible. Which I found interesting.

And, incidentally, the disc I watched also had a colour version. I glanced at it for 30 seconds out of curiosity, and had to turn it off. Worst colourisation effort ever. Words cannot describe how ghastly it was. he thought that people would prefer to watch that over a nice clean B&W print fills me with dread.

 

[Adam_S]

A Star is Born - :star::star::star:
Passions list
Songs list, "The Man that Got Away
Stars list, "Judy Garland"

This is probably James Mason's best performance, certainly the best one I've seen from him, Judy Garland is excellent, but the really juicy role is Mason's. "The Man that Got Away" is hands down easily the best song/number in the whole film and the extensive number at the end is remarkable for its scope and ability to be moderately tedious. Garland is utterly one hell of a damn fine singer, and even if the songs are not up to those of the best musicals, a few (like the one on the list) are outstanding.

As a 'passionate' movie I would say it would be much more effective if Clark Gable were playing Mason's role.

Adam

 

[Adam_S]

Inherit the Wind - :star::star::star::star:
Stars list - Spencer Tracy
Stars list - Gene Kelly
08/11/2005
OARDVD

Mr. Brady, it is the duty of a newspaper to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Remember the wisdom of Solomon in the book of Proverbs. "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind."

Damn, just as fine a film as you can get, it's all talking heads but utterly riveting to watch, much kudos to Stanley Kramer, Ernest Lazlo and the incredible cast for pulling that fine and difficult trick off. Talky with zingy lines and repartee and just perfect. Outstanding film and damn MGM for their stupendously stupid policy of non-anamorphic 1.66:1 films, otherwise I'd buy this in a heartbeat--instead I think I'll look for a book on the Scopes-Monkey trial.

Adam

 

[Adam_S]

Nashville - :star:1/2
Songs list - I'm Easy
08/14/2005
OARDVD

Still not crazy about Altman, my favorite of his films is still Gosford Park. This film is okay, but it's one of those sixties/seventies films that just don't hold up as well because they're so specific to the zeitgeist of the moment. I also didn't like the snide sense towards Nashville I felt the film adopted from the first scenes. I'm Easy was probably the best part of the film, though some of the other songs were quite good as well. The british lady was funny too because she was so hopeless. but the rest of the movie is more of a 'man. that was so, man, like man it was just coo-ool man. man.' type--which doesn't necessarily make for really effective filmmaking (to me) but a lot of critics love it. On the other hand I love having a story or something interesting to watch rather than a bunch of moderately interconnected people jabbering on and signifying nothing (to me).

Magnolia did a much better job at this sort of filmmaking in my opinion--because there was a story, characters, arc, and honesty in it--too bad Nashville lacks all four.

 

[Adam_S]

Rio Bravo - :star::star::star:1/2
Stars list - John Wayne
08/14/2005
OARDVD

This finishes off John Wayne on the stars list for me. It also leaves me with only 150 films left in the remaining lists.

An outstanding cast and excellent direction make this for a top notch Western. If there's one fault it's that there is a girl because there's always a girl and her presence slows down and distracts from the main interest of the story, the shootin marshallin and the fightin etc

John Wayne is great as the sheriff of a town who has arrested the no-good brother of a corrupt and powerful rancher, and must hold the town until the cavalry can arrive to hang the muderer. Dean Martin is the deputy/drunk/deputy who has dried up just in time to help his buddy the sheriff and because deputy again. Throw in a 'kid' with a fast gun and Ward Bond as the imprisoned villain with Walter Brennen as his jailor and you've got yourself in for a heckuva ride with a lot of great interplay and entertainment.

Excellent, I look forward to seeing it again.

 

[Adam_S]

Apollo 13 - :star::star::star::star:
Quotes list - "Houston, we have a problem."
OARDVD
08/15/2005

Damn fantastic film from Ron Howard, probably his best. I've watched this once before, back when it first came out on video, but I felt I didn't remember it much, that I'd missed something, particularly at the beginning. But I hadn't missed anything, I'd just missed the generational experience of the moon landing which left me without some of the resonance that opening scene holds. The crew is all outstanding and Ed Harris knocked me on my ass again and again with his mindbendingly good performance. There's a scene at the end where he ties his tie in about four seconds and turns and says, "Actually I think this will be our finest hour," beautiful work. Also loved the scenes where the astronauts are at all sorts of 'impossible' angles to the screen and its never disorienting. Great use of wide angle lenses too, especially on the big crane down from above to below as they enter into radio dead time. Just incredible how they made this and that it works so well, some of the coordination in the longer scenes is outstanding considering they had about a forty second window per take. Marvelous film, and I loved Horner's soundtrack, to think he composed that and the even better Braveheart and the excellent Casper all in the same year...

I'd still give the oscar to Braveheart (which would be in my top five for the nineties), but this is one hell of a damned fine film

Adam

 

[Adam_S]

Shane - :star::star::star:
revisit
Movies list
Heroes list
Quotes list, "Shane! Come Back, Shane!"
35mm (terrible print)
08/22/2005

This is a good, if clunky, western. Alan Ladd is good, Brandon DeWilde is an annoying poor actor and the background is one of the biggest stars of the movie. Jack Palance makes the most out of his small part and without his performance I think the film might almost fall apart. I feel the supporting cast is very good, but there's really little to distinguish Joey's parents from the other settlers they're banded together with. The only icon to hold onto is Shane, and as stereotypical as it is, I was kinda wishing for some John Ford stock company characterization to the rest of the background class. Actually I think my problem is that while Joey's parents are interesting, everything of depth just kinda blurs together in the face of the extremely iconographic and one note characters Shane, Wilson and Joey. In that way the film feels uneven but it is also a pretty interesting effect, memorializing the film's place as a swan song 'serious' B western cum A list.

 

[Adam_S]

Singin in the Rain revisit

just had to brag I just saw this for the third time in 35mm.

SO DAMN GOOD!

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Animal House

I wasn't terribly impressed with the film. It has a pretty high reputation that I honestly did not feel was deserved. A hugely influential fraternity comedy, I was expecting quite a few laughs, and it never delivered. The odd smile occasionally, but not often.

I had several real problems. Firstly, there were two many damned characters, to the point where several that seemed pretty interchangable - I couldn't remember which one was going out with Karen Allen, for instance. My other main problem with with the film was that it just felt like a collection of setpieces. A lot of individual scenes trying to be funny, and failing, but without any through-line to allow the film any direction. It may have been delibe - it certainly reflected the directionless way some of the guys were pursuing their education - but I just though it was bad filmmaking.

I will say, however, that I was impressed with John Belushi. There is just something about him that really does hold the screen in a way I don't remember ever seeing anyone else hold the screen. Between this and The Blues Brothers, I realise just what an incredible talent he was, and what a terrible loss he was to the world.

 

[glen_esq]

Bright Eyes (Butler, 1934) :star: :star:

AFI 100 songs - "On the Good Ship Lollipop"

Orphaned Shirley Temple is caught up in a tug of war over who gets to adopt her. A rich old curmudgeon, and her Godfather, a poor pilot.

Temple is quite cute, and quite a performer at age 5. I enjoyed Charles Sellon's performance as the wheelchair bound, old rich guy who wants to adopt her. His cranky character was a lot of fun.

There isn't enough to make this much of a movie, and another little girl in the movie, a rich spoiled brat, is really annoying.

The song itself has Shirley singing to a chorus of a dozen pilots. Hard not to sing along, a catchy, cute song.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

The Paleface

Jane Russell stars as Calamity Jane, offered a pardon for her crimes if she will help with an investigation to catch the people selling weapons to the Indians. She ends up having to marry Bob Hope, as an incompetent dentist who ends up believing himself to be a true hero.

In the world on comedy westerns, this really was nothing special. Six hours after watching it, I barely remember a thing about it. Pretty dull and unenjoyable. The film is listed in the Songs list for "Buttons and Bows", a song which seemed decent to me, but nothing spectacular. The most interesting part of the song was the fact that Bob Hope's accordian playing seemed pretty unconvincing to me. I really don't see how this film got listed.