Thread for Arthur Penn
Well, I don’t agree that those films mentioned are equally as good as _Bonnie and Clyde _ – a towering achievement – but Night Moves comes pretty damned close.
I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Penn briefly on the phone a few years ago. I was inviting him to attend a ceremony in his honor in Denton, Texas, where much of Bonnie and Clyde was filmed. It was to be the 40th anniversary of the film.
As it turns out, he wasn’t able to attend the event but in the course of conversation, I mentioned how much I admired Night Moves . He replied, “Now that was a good film.”
I know I’m in the minority but I also love Mickey One, if only for its attempt to make an avant-garde movie within the Hollywood system.
I love Mickey One, too.
Bonnie and Clyde is one of my favorite movies ever. RIP Arthur Penn
Night Moves is great. it’s one of those films that always gets lost in discussions. Everyone is so great in this film. I’ve probably watched it at least twice a year for the past five years. The setting is perfect for the time and Gene Hackman proves again why he is capable of great physical acting. The ending is terrific.
I would disagree on one small point about Night Moves. He says that “Everyone is so great in this film.”
I’d make one exception: Melanie Griffith. There’s a line of dialogue she says at one point, something like “Why doesn’t anyone care about what I really need?!” I invariably yell out, “Yeah, acting lessons!”
Griffith & Don Johnson (her boyfriend from age 14) on the set of Night Moves
Holy shit! I just realized that Arthur died yesterday, I had no clue! Fuuuuuuuuck!
I’ve only seen Bonnie & Clyde but absolutely loved it (it was the first movie I bought on blu-ray, honestly). I love the style, humor, everything about the film. I guess I need to see more of his movies!
I am REALLY sad about this one…a truly great director
Bonnie & Clyde
Alice’s Restaurant
Night Moves
The Left Handed Gun
Dead of Winter
Little Big Man
Mickey One
The Miracle Worker
I have to see Mickey One. I like the idea of it and everything I’ve read about it makes me think I’d like it. I think his 80s films deserve a second glance – Targets, Dead of Winter, and Penn and Teller Get Killed are all better than their reputations suggest.
My favorite film of his is still Little Big Man.
And to the immortal line from Night Moves – “I saw a Rohmer film once. It was like watching paint dry” – the sad irony (?) that Penn and Rohmer died the same year.
so many different kinds of wonderful film
he could go far in the DC (Night Moves would be saved for last)
sigh
did not realize he had passed this is terrible.
For Bonnie and Clyde alone, he will be a huge part of Hollywood’s history.
Little Big Man is a masterpiece and one of my favorite movies ever… What a triumph. It’s one of those films that you wish was a lot longer.
Will be missed…
When Four Friends was theatrically released in 1982, I was so impressed by the film that I saw it three times during a week-end. Strange that this movie is never mentioned when people are speaking of Arthur Penn.
^Frank
Consider my comment a bit of hyperbole. Sure, she’s weak, but I’m willing to forgive this.
Kihachirō Kawamoto, Christoph Schlingensief, Éric Rohmer amongst the many who died this year and now Arthur Penn.
What a pity, I love The Chase and Bonnie and Clyde and I’m a great admirer of his unpopular to critics work, The Miracle Worker. I have to get on the much beloved as I see Little Big Man and I remember seeing Night Moves once on TV but never gotten to finishing it.
“Kihachirō Kawamoto, Christoph Schlingensief, Éric Rohmer amongst the many who died this year and now Arthur Penn.”
And Chabrol too. It’s been a bad year for the death of filmmakers. Interesting that you’ll defend The Miracle Worker, Dimitris. I don’t remember disliking it. But I don’t remember enjoying it that much either. Felt a bit rote and by the books.
The Missouri Breaks is good fun.
I argue that he was one of those filmmakers who did not have a signature style. You could watch The Left-Handed Gun, Mickey One, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Night Moves and not know they were all made by the same director. I wish he had made more films. But he had his reasons.
“You could watch The Left-Handed Gun, Mickey One, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Night Moves and not know they were all made by the same director.”
One of them wasn’t. Alice is Scor-Say-Zee:)
Mickey One was really good I just watched it today for the first time it felt a bit different then his other films.
http://www.crackle.com/c/Mickey_One
(it’s online to watch free but with a few adds)
“‘Yes’ will come alive, even while destroying itself”
“The Missouri Breaks and Little Big Man are equally as good”
Maybe replace those with The Miracle Worker and Mickey One. But, nevertheless RIP.
LIttlel big Man is one of my favorite movies, And as I have said before, Bonnie and Clyde when it came out was a groundbreaking movie.
Why is Christoph Schlingensief being mentioned alongside Rohmer & Penn?
While I thought The 120 Days of Bottrop was amusing, his output hardly warrents inclusion here
To the point that Penn didn’t have an overarching signature style, that might be true. On the other hand, most of Penn’s films do have a thematic in common.
Mickey One is one of the best looking Black and White films I’ve seen. Its got a lot of style,its like a French New Wave movie made in Hollywood… Mickey One is without a doubt one of Warren Beatty’s best films and one I am sure he is proud of. I was so shocked to hear the news of Arthur Penn, for heis the one who ushered in The New Hollywood with his film Bonnie & Clyde. The movie he did with Arlo Guntrhire is fun, I dont remember the name of it…. Night Moves is a great movie as is Little Big Man. I cant say I have seen any of his 80s stuff, but now I will look for Four Friends. This man will be missed by film fans from all legions.
This Saturday on TCM @ 8pm New York time Bonnie And Clyde will be playing!
The Chase and Four Friends are very underrated films, Bonnie and Clyde and Night Moves all time classics. A great filmmaker. RIP.
“While I thought The 120 Days of Bottrop was amusing, his output hardly warrents inclusion here”
Words from a philistine who thinks “well-known directors” are the only ones who deserve to be mentioned.
No wonder these people scare me.
i was in a grocery store today and happened by a small movie section, everything for five bucks each. i came across some movie called “the missouri breaks”. wait a second… a western i haven’t heard of… starring jack nicholson AND marlon brando? how have i never heard of this? i checked to see who directed it… arthur penn? oh my… he died yesterday! i pretty much have to buy this now.
just got home, so haven’t seen it yet
Anybody remember his short from the Lumiere and Company experiment – quite interesting if I recall correctly – high contrast b&w of a white man drinking the sweat of a naked black woman – that may be only a portion of it but I think it’s accurate. interesting collection of shorts all around – seek it out.
@johnny – enjoy the missouri breaks – brando is in rare weirdo form.
Ari
No thread for Arthur Penn yet? Let’s have one.
Sure, he’ll be remembered for Bonnie and Clyde but Night Moves, The Missouri Breaks and Little Big Man are equally as good. His films in the 1980s are also underseen and quite good as well.
Great filmmaker. He’ll be missed.