austin, texas is a damn fine city for film. the innovative programming at the alamo drafthouse is always worth a look. the austin film society consistently puts on varied and worthwhile retrospectives (frederic march last month, the argentine renaissance this month). sxsw is just one of many festivals that bring filmmakers and cinephiles from around the globe to town. in just a couple of years fantastic fest has firmly established itself as one of the best genre festivals going. last, but definitely not least, my favorite, the paramount theatre and the wonderful summer classics series they do every year. if you want to go to the movies, come on down.
i think “the narrow margin” is quite underrated. i think it belongs on the noir mt. rushmore with “out of the past”, “double indemnity” and “the maltese falcon”.
i am sometimes frustrated by the connotation of the “genre” film designation in that it implies the film is somehow less legitemate or significant. why is it that the sterling examples of horror, sci-fi and the like get marginalized when drama and comedy can be split into just as many genres (drawing-room drama, family drama, etc.) that have no more/less merit than any other? why do you folks think some genres get the short shrift and some films, while obviously cinematic milestones, still are ghettoized by the genre designation?
maybe i wasn’t clear. the existence of the phrase “genre film” implies that there are some films that aren’t. those lumped in the genre film category are often unfairly looked upon as lesser films. casablanca could be a war film, a romance, an espionage thriller, etc. but isn’t considered a quote unquote genre film. while frankenstein, which touches upon all sorts of lofty themes with wit and pathos, is relegated to the genre ghetto. now, i am not comparing these two particular films to one another. just asking why the genre tag automatically equates to a lesser film.
actually, if you sign up for the borders rewards program you get ‘blanket coupons’ all the time. i just got a 40% off any dvd box set coupon in my email last week that made the proletariat trilogy a great deal more affordable. every week you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a coupon for 20-40% off any single item. plus, for every $150 you spend you earn $5 in borders bucks which work just like cash there. and no, i don’t work for borders, i just like their coupons.
hello everyone. i’m cole, 38 year-old bookseller and musician in beautiful austin, texas. i arrived here via the revamped criterion as well and am quite impressed with the site. glad to be here and looking forward to talking film (and anything else) with you folks.
plus, and i know your mileage may vary according to where you live, i find gold at garage sales. in the last couple of months i have picked up brazil, do the right thing, my man godfrey and silence of the lambs (and those are just the criterions) for an average of about $2-3 each. if you live in a major metro area or a smaller town with a lively arts scene it might be worth your while to get up early on saturdays.
in introducing people to cassavetes i always try to start them with ‘a constant forge’. it is so hard to watch that and not be completely swept up in, and charmed by, his humor, passion, wit, method and madness. i love the anecdote in it about how nearing the end of ‘killing’ he was trying to come up with some way not to kill the chinese bookie.
the fuller set is indeed excellent. i am a huge vincent price fan so ‘the baron of arizona’ (shot by james wong howe on the cheap!) was the draw for me but ‘steel helmet’ is the strongest entry in the set.
i have to vote for the scene in ‘a woman under the influence’ when mabel comes home from the hospital. the single best performance from an actress i have ever seen. all the subtle things you see flashing across gena rowlands’ face – fear, betrayal, love – i can’t even list them all because i’m not sure i have mined everything out of it. it floors me every time.
the sequence in “it’s a gift” that ends up with w.c. fields sleeping on the porch alternately harassed by his wife, the vegetable man, an insurance salesman, the upstairs neighbors and baby leroy is priceless.
i just went to see “let the right one in” yesterday and was very pleased. good film. it handled the alienation and awkwardness of growing up with a grace and sensitivity you find in very few films. the kid who plays oskar is great. he seems sweet, inquisitive, honest. it’s worth a trip to the theater because the big screen imparts a sense of cold that might go missing on your television. all that and the horror elements are quite clever.
i always liked him in “the pope of greenwich village”. andre summed it up pretty well. compelling guy, interesting to watch. i definitely place him ahead of willis and delon. there’s a charisma there, sure, but there is a fair amount of instinct and talent as well. of all the contemporary actors i “miss”, he tops the list.
i don’t know if he’s been mentioned yet but i love willy vlautin’s novels. if you like raymond carver and john steinbeck you should pick up willy vlautin.
i saw “the shining” on the lawn of the stanley hotel in colorado. there was a couple dressed up as the two little girls standing in the hallway moving amongst the crowd asking if you would come play with them. it was a blast. and the huge crowd was amazingly attentive for the entirety of the film. it was part of the alamo drafthouse rolling roadshow program, never a disappointment. my girlfriend saw “the warriors” at coney island as part of the same series. for that event, if you so chose, you could participate in a pre-movie scavenger hunt where your “gang” had to make its way through new york to get to the screening.
i love “gregory’s girl”. i was at my grandmother’s house after school one afternoon watching her cable (back when cable was a novelty) and this came on the movie channel. i was immediately enthralled. i was probably 12 or 13 and it quickly became one of my favorites. my favorite thing about the experience was actually going to school the next day and coincidentally bringing it up with my friends and a guy who i would never have imagined would have given it the time of day had seen it also and loved it as well. i grew up in a very small town – graduating class of 52 kids – and thought i was pretty much the only one like me there. i learned a lot about not underestimating folks with that example. plus i had someone to talk film with in junior high. so i owe that movie a debt of gratitude and affection.
watching the directors mixes in too much of their personal theology for me. while i appreciate what they were (the podcast has been discontinued but you can still get the episodes) trying to do, it comes off too much like a discussion that occurs when you stick around after bible study once you discover the youth pastor has actually seen pulp fiction (crazy, i know!). and while i admire their honesty about learning on the job i don’t think the people i would turn to for theory and analysis would have to learn about terrence malick thanks to listener suggestions. i would want them to already know that (and a load of other similar examples) before feeling authoritative enough to start a film podcast. not ready for prime time.
shotzi, if you like “dancing outlaw” you should try “okie noodling”.
i don’t know how obscure it is, but i always recommend “safe men” to those looking for something that has slipped between the cracks. it stars sam rockwell, steve zahn, paul giamatti and michael lerner. it’s no top 10 entry or anything but it’s sweet, funny and often overlooked.
Directors that consistently make terrible films over 3 years ago
whit stillman. can’t stand his self-pitying garbage. boring. the antithesis of bunuel. oh! the indignities of privilege! give me a break.
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The Best Movie Cities over 3 years ago
austin, texas is a damn fine city for film. the innovative programming at the alamo drafthouse is always worth a look. the austin film society consistently puts on varied and worthwhile retrospectives (frederic march last month, the argentine renaissance this month). sxsw is just one of many festivals that bring filmmakers and cinephiles from around the globe to town. in just a couple of years fantastic fest has firmly established itself as one of the best genre festivals going. last, but definitely not least, my favorite, the paramount theatre and the wonderful summer classics series they do every year. if you want to go to the movies, come on down.
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CLASSIC FILM NOIR over 3 years ago
i think “the narrow margin” is quite underrated. i think it belongs on the noir mt. rushmore with “out of the past”, “double indemnity” and “the maltese falcon”.
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aren't all films "genre" films? over 3 years ago
i am sometimes frustrated by the connotation of the “genre” film designation in that it implies the film is somehow less legitemate or significant. why is it that the sterling examples of horror, sci-fi and the like get marginalized when drama and comedy can be split into just as many genres (drawing-room drama, family drama, etc.) that have no more/less merit than any other? why do you folks think some genres get the short shrift and some films, while obviously cinematic milestones, still are ghettoized by the genre designation?
Go to Comment
aren't all films "genre" films? over 3 years ago
maybe i wasn’t clear. the existence of the phrase “genre film” implies that there are some films that aren’t. those lumped in the genre film category are often unfairly looked upon as lesser films. casablanca could be a war film, a romance, an espionage thriller, etc. but isn’t considered a quote unquote genre film. while frankenstein, which touches upon all sorts of lofty themes with wit and pathos, is relegated to the genre ghetto. now, i am not comparing these two particular films to one another. just asking why the genre tag automatically equates to a lesser film.
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WHAT MODERN...AMERICAN...HORROR FILMS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE CRITERION COLLECTION? over 3 years ago
i would have to have to include maniac and henry: portrait of a serial killer in the discussion.
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Criterion too pricey for you? over 3 years ago
actually, if you sign up for the borders rewards program you get ‘blanket coupons’ all the time. i just got a 40% off any dvd box set coupon in my email last week that made the proletariat trilogy a great deal more affordable. every week you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a coupon for 20-40% off any single item. plus, for every $150 you spend you earn $5 in borders bucks which work just like cash there. and no, i don’t work for borders, i just like their coupons.
Go to Comment
New to The Auteurs? You Belong Here over 3 years ago
hello everyone. i’m cole, 38 year-old bookseller and musician in beautiful austin, texas. i arrived here via the revamped criterion as well and am quite impressed with the site. glad to be here and looking forward to talking film (and anything else) with you folks.
Go to Comment
Criterion too pricey for you? over 3 years ago
plus, and i know your mileage may vary according to where you live, i find gold at garage sales. in the last couple of months i have picked up brazil, do the right thing, my man godfrey and silence of the lambs (and those are just the criterions) for an average of about $2-3 each. if you live in a major metro area or a smaller town with a lively arts scene it might be worth your while to get up early on saturdays.
Go to Comment
Killing of a Chinese Bookie over 3 years ago
in introducing people to cassavetes i always try to start them with ‘a constant forge’. it is so hard to watch that and not be completely swept up in, and charmed by, his humor, passion, wit, method and madness. i love the anecdote in it about how nearing the end of ‘killing’ he was trying to come up with some way not to kill the chinese bookie.
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WHICH DIRECTORS...NOT...CURRENTLY REPRESENTED IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION DO YOU WANT TO SEE INCLUDED? over 3 years ago
james whale, perhaps? most especially frankenstein, bride, and/or waterloo bridge.
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Eclipse over 3 years ago
the fuller set is indeed excellent. i am a huge vincent price fan so ‘the baron of arizona’ (shot by james wong howe on the cheap!) was the draw for me but ‘steel helmet’ is the strongest entry in the set.
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WHICH DIRECTORS...NOT...CURRENTLY REPRESENTED IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION DO YOU WANT TO SEE INCLUDED? over 3 years ago
brian, kino completely kicks criterion’s ass in the silent films department. have you tried them?
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DVD'S YOU MUST OWN over 3 years ago
the legacy editions of the universal monster classics are must haves – packed to the gills with commentary, all the subsequent sequels and then some.
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BEST SEQUENCE OR SCENE FROM ANY FILM(CAN BE AN OPENING OR ANYTHING ELSE) over 3 years ago
i have to vote for the scene in ‘a woman under the influence’ when mabel comes home from the hospital. the single best performance from an actress i have ever seen. all the subtle things you see flashing across gena rowlands’ face – fear, betrayal, love – i can’t even list them all because i’m not sure i have mined everything out of it. it floors me every time.
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HAMMER FILMS for Criterion over 3 years ago
i second the “captain kronos” mention. i also would like to see “the horror of dracula” and the hammer version of “the mummy”.
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Famous Caucasian Men -- How Many Can You Name? over 3 years ago
where to start? what rates higher? amount of caucasian-ness, manliness or celebrity?
i believe hugh beaumont might be the perfect storm.
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BEST SEQUENCE OR SCENE FROM ANY FILM(CAN BE AN OPENING OR ANYTHING ELSE) over 3 years ago
the sequence in “it’s a gift” that ends up with w.c. fields sleeping on the porch alternately harassed by his wife, the vegetable man, an insurance salesman, the upstairs neighbors and baby leroy is priceless.
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now playing in a theatre near you over 3 years ago
i just went to see “let the right one in” yesterday and was very pleased. good film. it handled the alienation and awkwardness of growing up with a grace and sensitivity you find in very few films. the kid who plays oskar is great. he seems sweet, inquisitive, honest. it’s worth a trip to the theater because the big screen imparts a sense of cold that might go missing on your television. all that and the horror elements are quite clever.
Go to Comment
BEST SEQUENCE OR SCENE FROM ANY FILM(CAN BE AN OPENING OR ANYTHING ELSE) over 3 years ago
I also love jimmy Stewart’s speech at the end of “rope”.
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Heist Films over 3 years ago
i have a soft spot for “grand slam”.
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Film Podcasts? over 3 years ago
out of the past is a fairly decent noir-oriented podcast.
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Mickey Rourke over 3 years ago
i always liked him in “the pope of greenwich village”. andre summed it up pretty well. compelling guy, interesting to watch. i definitely place him ahead of willis and delon. there’s a charisma there, sure, but there is a fair amount of instinct and talent as well. of all the contemporary actors i “miss”, he tops the list.
Go to Comment
Who do you read? over 3 years ago
i don’t know if he’s been mentioned yet but i love willy vlautin’s novels. if you like raymond carver and john steinbeck you should pick up willy vlautin.
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What is your most memorable film going experience? (Only one per post please!) over 3 years ago
i saw “the shining” on the lawn of the stanley hotel in colorado. there was a couple dressed up as the two little girls standing in the hallway moving amongst the crowd asking if you would come play with them. it was a blast. and the huge crowd was amazingly attentive for the entirety of the film. it was part of the alamo drafthouse rolling roadshow program, never a disappointment. my girlfriend saw “the warriors” at coney island as part of the same series. for that event, if you so chose, you could participate in a pre-movie scavenger hunt where your “gang” had to make its way through new york to get to the screening.
Go to Comment
Anybody here heard of Bill Forsyth? over 3 years ago
i love “gregory’s girl”. i was at my grandmother’s house after school one afternoon watching her cable (back when cable was a novelty) and this came on the movie channel. i was immediately enthralled. i was probably 12 or 13 and it quickly became one of my favorites. my favorite thing about the experience was actually going to school the next day and coincidentally bringing it up with my friends and a guy who i would never have imagined would have given it the time of day had seen it also and loved it as well. i grew up in a very small town – graduating class of 52 kids – and thought i was pretty much the only one like me there. i learned a lot about not underestimating folks with that example. plus i had someone to talk film with in junior high. so i owe that movie a debt of gratitude and affection.
Go to Comment
Film Podcasts? over 3 years ago
watching the directors mixes in too much of their personal theology for me. while i appreciate what they were (the podcast has been discontinued but you can still get the episodes) trying to do, it comes off too much like a discussion that occurs when you stick around after bible study once you discover the youth pastor has actually seen pulp fiction (crazy, i know!). and while i admire their honesty about learning on the job i don’t think the people i would turn to for theory and analysis would have to learn about terrence malick thanks to listener suggestions. i would want them to already know that (and a load of other similar examples) before feeling authoritative enough to start a film podcast. not ready for prime time.
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Best title over 3 years ago
don’t forget that immortal classic “sorority babes in the slimeball bowl-o-rama”.
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John Ford over 3 years ago
i know it is not exactly on topic, but raymond massey and “abe lincoln in illinois” kicks ford and fonda’s take in the ass. and i love ford.
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Obscure recommendations over 3 years ago
shotzi, if you like “dancing outlaw” you should try “okie noodling”.
i don’t know how obscure it is, but i always recommend “safe men” to those looking for something that has slipped between the cracks. it stars sam rockwell, steve zahn, paul giamatti and michael lerner. it’s no top 10 entry or anything but it’s sweet, funny and often overlooked.
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