What's on your Daily Viewing List? (3 Viewers)

[Robin9]

The Man Who Understood Women (FMC) 1959. Written and directed by Nunnally Johnson. Starring Leslie Caron and Henry Fonda. An attempt at a Shavian or Wilde comedy of manners set in (by accident) in the world of filmmaking. Filled with bons mots and rueful observations on human nature, marital love and fidelity; and the acceptance of forgiveness and yes, understanding. Not a remastered print but shown in the good taste of its original AR and decent, unfaded color. I think I detected directional sound.

I've always wanted to see this film but never have. I thought it had disappeared so I'm pleased it's still being shown.

 

[bujaki]

I've always wanted to see this film but never have. I thought it had disappeared so I'm pleased it's still being shown.

I'd been waiting years to see it as well, particularly in 'Scope, since I'd refused to watch it P&S. I happened upon it by accident and recorded it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be 'Scope and in decent color! It's worth watching at least once, and the National Board of Review listed it as one of the 10 Best of '59.

 

[bujaki]

Women Make Film (TCM app) Episode 7 of the weekly series directed by Mark Cousins.
Stop-Loss (TCM app) 2008. Kimberly Peirce's story of Iraq war veterans returning home and finding out after their tour that they have been "requested" by the president to re-enlist for another tour. No politics. Whether it's accurate or not, I don't know. I know nothing about the military or combat strategy. Powerfully acted.

 

[Kaskade1309]

From:

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[Kaskade1309]

 

[Kaskade1309]

Broadcast TV Version of:

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Absolutely atrocious picture quality, as you can see from the above clip; this was definitely a VHS copy that was ported over for Scream's Blu-ray, as it was not only full screen but in REALLY rough condition, with colored distorted "pause bars" (where someone obviously paused the recording during commercial breaks) and other VHS-esque characteristics. Nice that Scream included this on the second disc of extras, but it is definitely a curiosity and not the way to properly view this masterpiece. It also includes stuffy mono audio and a plethora of removed vulgarity and gore (two elements that really make this film an experience, IMO).

There's also a very strange -- and unnecessary -- narration voiceover that introduces the characters in the beginning; don't know what that was about....

 

[bujaki]

Orange Blossoms (Stream) A presentation of Victor Herbert's musical by the Victor Herbert Players, a troupe of players based in NYC whose mission is to present the works of Herbert in mufti, one piano, no scenery. Good voices and acting.

 

[Thomas T]

 

[Matt Hough]

Much to my disappointment, I could not find my VHS recording of the 1930 Good News. It was not in the box that my database indicated it was in, so the search will have to go on for it. [sigh]

Instead, I watched/streamed It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in 4K which I redeemed when I was given the 4K Charlie Brown set for Christmas a year or two ago. Still funny, colorful, and very reminiscent of my childhood when we wouldn't miss these specials whenever they were aired.

 

[Robert Crawford]

So far this week I watched "Dear Heart" (1964) which was a favorite movie on my mother that we watched a couple of times back in the day when it played on channel seven/ABC's afternoon movie in NYC. TBH, I liked the song more so than the movie. I also watched this week six other films that I wrote about in my thread.

 

[Matt Hough]

I had that very same sheet music. In fact, when I was in high school, I strung together a medley of Henry Mancini songs to play on the piano for a talent contest: "Moon River," "Dear Heart," and "The Sweetheart Tree."

 

[Kaskade1309]

From:

 

[Kaskade1309]

 

[Dave Moritz]

October 23rd, 2020 Friday

Revisited
The Mandalorian: The Curse S1 E3
4K Digital
Dolby 5.1 upmixed to Auro 7.1

Season 2 begins October 30th

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl
4K Digital via Disney+/4K Apple TV
Dolby 5.1 upmixed to Auro 7.1

 

[Matt Hough]

In trying to find my VHS homemade recording of the 1930 Good News (which was not in the box that my database said it was in), I stumbled across an AMC special called Marlene Dietrich: Shadow and Light which was an excellent hour-long documentary on her work and life with interviews with her daughter and grandson and other talking heads (some connected to her life and some analyzing it). Really enjoyed seeing it again. Does anyone know if this has turned up as an extra on any Dietrich DVD/Blu-ray or is this a documentary that has been lost to time?

 

[bujaki]

Blind Adventure (TCM app) 1933. Schoedsack's minor opus squeezed between Kong and his Son, stars the same leading man, Robert Armstrong, as a Yank lost in a London pea soup. There he meets a corpse who is not dead, a family who is not really a family, a spy who is really a...and most amusing, Roland Young playing a cockney thief. And it's he who manages to help our lead players to safety. Ralph Bellamy adds to our viewing pleasure.
The Killers (Criterion Channel) 1956. A student film co-directed and scripted by Andrey Tarkovsky. Runs 19 minutes, in B&W, no budget (which helps), and yes, it is practically a word-for-word visualization of Hemingway's story. The sense of dread is palpable in the diner scene. The role of Sam the cook has been quite foreshortened (an actor in blackface). The interaction between George, the owner, and the killers is chilly. The latter scene between Nick Adams and Swede is bleak and nihilistic. The conclusion is Hemingway's own. A superior film.
The Little Prince (Criterion Channel) 1974. Stanley Donen's musical version (Lerner & Loewe's final collaboration) of Saint-Exupery's classic book. Richard Kiley acts and sings well; Donna McKechnie dances a seductive Rose; Bob Fosse choreographs himself as a slippery and lethal snake. The film is quite beautiful to look at and most touching.
The Wayward Cloud (Criterion Channel) 2005. Ming-Ling Tsai directs this challenging film about love in a time of draught in Taiwan. A man and woman in an apartment building who have known one another for some time make awkward attempts to connect, flirt, etc. She's a museum guide; he, unbeknownst to her, has drifted into the world of porn filmmaking. Watermelons are used in very erotic ways. Very erotic ways. The climax (literally) is shocking and moving, and it's the one time the characters really connect. Not for the faint of heart. Did I forget to mention that the film has great Hollywood-style musical numbers?

 

[bujaki]

Vinkensport or The Finch Opera (Marquee TV) Houston's Grand Opera virtual 2020 production of a one-act opera first performed in 2010. Music: David Little; Libretto: Royce Vavrek. Amusing, satirical, poignant. A competition of finch owners waiting to see which bird will produce the sweetest tweets most often. This is a true sport dating to medieval times.
Blood on the Moon (WA BD) 1948. Laconic Bob Mitchum in a fine western directed by jack-of-all-trades Robert Wise (and good at all of them), and photographed in a B&W that must have looked abominable in old TV prints. This Archive remastering restores all the fine gradations of Nick Musuraca's noirish lighting. Intelligent, adult fare.
The Reluctant Debutante (WA BD) 1958. From Wise to Minnelli; from a B&W noir western to a 'Scope Metrocolor London Debutante Season. Kay Kendall and Rex Harrison are examples of perfect comic timing and Angela Lansbury offers bitchy support. Minnelli's camerawork never flags during those interminable balls that test Harrison's stamina, and the art direction is impeccable. The Harrison flat is to die for! Another encoding that is a must for lovers of high comedy.

 

[DFurr]

Back to 3D tonight. One of the BEST "filmed in 3D" titles I've seen.
DRIVE ANGRY....35MM 3D DTS

 

[Jake Lipson]

Tonight:



I am not 4K equipped right now, so I'm just using the new Blu-rays. Tonight was the first film. I watched the old Blu-rays over the summer, so saw them fairly recently. I thought they looked pretty good then. But I think this looks better. I'm only using a 40-inch TV, so the increase in detail would probably mean something more to people with larger screens. But it did seem overall sharper to me, at least based on my recollection of the previous disc. It is a very pleasing transfer and I'm glad I upgraded from the 2010 discs.

As for the film itself, what's left to say? It's brilliant. Even though I watched it very recently on the old disc, and even though I know it extremely well, I never get tired of watching it again. It just works. Some of the new extras are quite good, too.

I expect to continue with Part II probably tomorrow. I love the sequels as well, so typically watch them in close succession to each other for the complete experience.

 

[bujaki]

The Killers (TCM) 1964. Shown in the theatrical AR of 1.85, which is not available in the Criterion BD, this is a restoration by the Film Foundation and it looks fantastic (except for the process shots). Angie Dickinson's entrance in a yellow form-fitting dress is eye-popping! Is she a yellow jacket with a deadly sting? Lee Marvin has no time to waste, and Clu Gulager, so young and handsome, is very cool and witty and deadly. Has only a whiff of a relationship to Hemingway's story.
Our Modern Maidens (TCM app) 1929. When did I last see this film? A lifetime ago? I don't even remember whether it had the music and sound effects track. MGM used discs, which means that the film image was full aperture, not 1.19, and this print was shown at the correct AR. Alcohol and wild parties lead to...marriage. Entertaining concoction with sets to die for. Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Doug Fairbanks, Jr., and Rod La Roque.
Macao (TCM) 1952. One for My Baby, the Sinatra standard, first sung by Russell. Who remembered? Nice rendition, though. I'm sure that those shots of the waterfront with nets and more nets and fog, so reminiscent of 1928's The Docks of New York, are the handiwork of Sternberg. Yes, the banter is witty, the chemistry between the leads is palpable, and poor Bendix is fine. The homme fatal is Brad Dexter if you want to go noir.
The Werewolf (TCM) 1956. Not a supernatural beast, not cursed, not affected by a full moon, not killed by a silver bullet. This werewolf is a science-fiction animal, created in a lab by a pair of doctors who inject a hapless man with a serum that turns him into a werewolf. He drifts into a small town and things go bad when he is angered. Well shot in B&W and credibly acted. It wears its cheap badge with honor.
Flesh and Fury (TCM) 1952. Tony Curtis showing he could act playing a deaf mute boxing wonder. I must have seen this as a child because I had a thing for Mona Freeman and for Tony Curtis (he was always playing some kind of Arabian prince). Jan Sterling plays the bitch (natch!) and Wally Ford is solid as the manager. It's a good movie in the early Curtis filmography. The print was lacking contrast.