What about Otto Preminger’s LAURA? His only masterpiece, surely? Although ANATOMY OF A MURDER was very good. Wouldn’t consider him a great talent though.Aldrich is probably more respected but nobody expected him to direct a film like KISS ME DEADLY – a cinephile’s dream.
Yes, he was superb in SECRET HONOR. I only saw the film once, in 1985 I think (clucking bell! 24 years ago and I still remember some of his scenes vividly…)
John Barry’s WALKABOUT (the “Back the Nature” track is the only piece of musical score that I find more haunting than Morricone’s main theme for ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA). I don’t think Ry Cooder has been mentioned yet, so I’ll say that both PARIS, TEXAS and SOUTHERN COMFORT are excellent. Korngold’s THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is also a favourite. Two great underrated Goldsmith scores are POLTERGEIST and TOTAL RECALL. As is the incredible Fiedel work on TERMINATOR 2 (go back and listen to it again if you don’t believe me). Oh yes: JULES ET JIM has a great theme. A more recent score – one that I thought really elevated the film – was LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Philip Glass excelled himself with MISHIMA. Best ever? Hmm. VERTIGO.
Barry Lyndon (just now) – 10/10
The Shining (last night) – 10/10
Let the Right One In – 8.5/10
Slumdog Millionaire – 6.5/10
Wanted – 4/10
The Deer Hunter – 10/10
Magic moments meander through celluloid history,
From Melies and Griffith to the “Blair Witch” Mystery.
Marilyn feels the breeze in “The Seven Year Itch”,
Cary Grant comes a cropper – a technical Hitch.
“I’ll be back!” warned Big Arnie, and we knew it was true,
Moira Shearer dances to her death in The Archer’s “Red Shoes”.
A thrown bone becomes spacecraft in "2001"’s seemless match-cut,
Mr Orange lies down bleeding, shot in the gut.
Al and Bobby buy coffee and have a nice chat,
Lugosi and Karloff ham it up in “The Black Cat”.
James Cameron sinks ships and becomes “King of the World”,
King Kong’s heart stops beating, killed by guns and a girl.
Guitar versus banjo – Voight and Reynolds look on,
Newman shoots Redford – it’s “The Sting”, it’s a con.
The credits take time in “Once Upon a Time in the West”,
Stan and Ollie wonder who it was created yet another fine mess.
“Ride of the Valkryies” – it must be “Apocalypse Now”,
Sharon Stone crosses her legs – the reaction is “wow!”.
Brynner meets McQueen, and five more join the group,
The Marx Brothers prove immortal, their best is “Duck Soup”.
Ethan Edwards stands alone, cinema’s greatest loner,
Drew Barrymore’s "Scream"ing – some loony’s trying to phone her.
While Travis stands taunting in front of the mirror,
Sissy Spacek, as “Carrie”, is striking ultimate terror.
From the bowels of his mansion Kane whispers “Rosebud”,
And “Shane” rides off into the sunset, this time for good.
Freddy and Jason sharpen their hatchets,
McMurphy, the wacko, squares up to Nurse Ratched.
“By gad, sir, you’re a character” – the Fat Man to Sam Spade,
Chrissie Watkins, in “Jaws”, picks the wrong time to bathe.
Jack wants the waitress to hold onto the chicken,
The Big One goes off, ridden by yee-hawing Slim Pickens.
“Is it safe?” enquires Laurence, of Dustin’s “Marathon Man”,
Kathy Bates certainly isn’t, as James Caan’s Number One Fan.
Would you be willin’ to accept Mel’s Scottish burr,
Or go head-to-head in a chariot with Heston’s “Ben Hur”?
Slow motion gunfights define “The Wild Bunch”,
Hannibal, the gourmet, has an old friend for lunch.
Margo Channing advises “it’s gonna be a bumpy night,”
“The Quiet Man” and Red Danaher have one helluva fight.
Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb – two of the “12 Angry Men”,
“Dirty Harry” does it his way, again and again.
“Ghost” gets creative with a pottery wheel,
Miss Kubelik, for a finish, shouts “shut up and deal!”
Brad Pitt asks his partner what’s in the box,
“Goldfinger”, with Oddjob, plans on robbing Fort Knox.
Indy cracks his whip in some faraway land,
“Lawrence of Arabia” stirs it up in acres of sand.
Lemmon and Curtis dress up in “Some Like It Hot”,
Chief Brody, on the Orca, attempts to master that knot.
Woody blows his butt off in “The Thin Red Line”,
The bourgeoisie, discreetly charming, find it impossible to dine.
“Pinocchio” gets swallowed by Monstro the whale,
John Houseman, in “The Fog”, spins his wild tale.
Harry Lime talks profoundly on Borgias and clocks,
Louise Brooks shines ethereal in “Pandora’s Box”.
Forrest Gump keeps on running, when not fishing for shrimp,
In the basement Brucie listens to “bring out the gimp”.
Gershwin and Allen record "Manhattan"’s great beauty,
The accused in “Judgment at Nuremberg” were just doing their duty.
All moments to savour from the cinema’s best,
From an art form adept at putting life to the test.
And as we move forward, feeling Time’s angry whip,
Let me offer this word, this melancholic tip:
Gone are the days when Bogie was king;
When Cagney strutted his stuff, doing his thing.
James Stewart reached “The Far Country”, but it’s not of this earth,
Gone too Bob Hope and other purveyors of mirth.
Now we have Tom Cruise, Angelina, Leonardo and Mel,
We’ve got “Star Wars” and “Watchmen” and new tales to tell.
All totally different, and yet – simply put – just the same,
The heroes keep coming in this endless cinema game.
But I won’t trade my “Genevieve” for your new “Coupe de Ville”,
I’ll keep “Dr No” – you stick with “Licence to Kill”.
In my mind’s eye two giants come to a place,
The Duke and Clint Eastwood meet face-to-face;
Cagney and Pesci eye each other and frown,
Not a sound can be heard in this film noirish town.
It’s Old versus New in a fight to the death,
Walter Brennan counts down, the duo get set.
“Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’,” says Clint with a snigger,
“That’ll be the day,” growls Big John and fingers the trigger.
Two titanic icons take aim and then fire,
The birds in the trees become a discordant choir.
The contest is over, a man has bitten the dust,
The townspeople stare, some of them cuss.
The victor strides forth, the crowd clears a path,
(Who would provoke this man and his wrath?)
One man steps forth and the silence is broken,
He offers the winner a white horse as a token.
The gesture is gracious, the townspeople approve,
But then a young voice pipes up when the man starts to move.
A sun-bleached child moves into the path of the beast,
Hearts miss a beat – suspense is increased.
“What if the other was faster with a gun?”
“That’ll be the day,” the man smiles, and rides off towards the sun.
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell " – Susanna Clarke; “Against the Day” – Pynchon. A lot of talk about McCarthy – anyone read “The Border Trilogy”? I actually preferred the middle part, “The Crossing”, to “All the Pretty Horses”. Read “Blood Meridian” a few months ago – blew me away. Good to see one of my faves – “A Canticle for Leibowitz” – getting a mention. When I – finally! – get through with the Pynchon, I plan to delve into some Updike (only ever read one of his novels, and not the Rabbit ones).
Definitely second that about Katrin Cartlidge – brilliant performer (even in the okay CAREER GIRLS she was superb and heartbreaking). Wish Cary Grant was still around too. And Paul Newman, of course (“Hell, I’ve got vision; the rest of the world wears bifocals.”)
Jude Law is a bad actor – he always looks smarmy and egocentric. Nicole Kidman can act – her scenes in EWS are examples of powerful acting. She’s also great in TO DIE FOR. Of course, if you have a personal dislike for an actor – as I have for Jude Law, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg – then nothing will convince you he or she is capable of giving a good performance.
Shawshank: an alright film that people who can’t read cinema think is one of the best.
Good Will Hunting: Because Robin Williams is in it.
Schindler’s List: Because Jaws is a much better film (as is Close Encounters).
Beauty and the Beast (Disney version): pales in comparison to Pinocchio and Dumbo.
“Chinatown is a terrible film”…I can’t think of any way you could defend that statement and not sound like you have no idea what you are talking about.
1. Richard Burton in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
2. Cary Grant in HIS GIRL FRIDAY
3. Robert De Niro in THE KING OF COMEDY
4. Piper Laurie in THE HUSTLER
5. David Thewlis in NAKED
6. Al Pacino in DOG DAY AFTERNOON
7. Judy Garland in A STAR IS BORN
8. Sandy Dennis in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
9. Rod Steiger in IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
10. Cary Grant in BRINGING UP BABY
Masterpieces By Mediocre Directors about 3 years ago
What about Otto Preminger’s LAURA? His only masterpiece, surely? Although ANATOMY OF A MURDER was very good. Wouldn’t consider him a great talent though.Aldrich is probably more respected but nobody expected him to direct a film like KISS ME DEADLY – a cinephile’s dream.
Go to Comment
Philip Baker Hall about 3 years ago
Yes, he was superb in SECRET HONOR. I only saw the film once, in 1985 I think (clucking bell! 24 years ago and I still remember some of his scenes vividly…)
Go to Comment
Favorite Novel of Yours which is dying to made into Film about 3 years ago
William Gay’s “Twilight”; Walter M. Miller’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz”; Flann O’Brien’s “The Third Policeman”; Alan Moore’s “Top Ten”.
Go to Comment
Recent Acquisitions. about 3 years ago
Got dvds of DAYS OF HEAVEN, BADLANDS and POLERGEIST today, all for 10 euro.
Go to Comment
Favorite score? about 3 years ago
John Barry’s WALKABOUT (the “Back the Nature” track is the only piece of musical score that I find more haunting than Morricone’s main theme for ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA). I don’t think Ry Cooder has been mentioned yet, so I’ll say that both PARIS, TEXAS and SOUTHERN COMFORT are excellent. Korngold’s THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is also a favourite. Two great underrated Goldsmith scores are POLTERGEIST and TOTAL RECALL. As is the incredible Fiedel work on TERMINATOR 2 (go back and listen to it again if you don’t believe me). Oh yes: JULES ET JIM has a great theme. A more recent score – one that I thought really elevated the film – was LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Philip Glass excelled himself with MISHIMA. Best ever? Hmm. VERTIGO.
Go to Comment
Last movie you saw and rate it about 3 years ago
Barry Lyndon (just now) – 10/10
The Shining (last night) – 10/10
Let the Right One In – 8.5/10
Slumdog Millionaire – 6.5/10
Wanted – 4/10
The Deer Hunter – 10/10
Go to Comment
Horror Films for The Criterion Collection about 3 years ago
Day of the Dead – Romero’s masterpiece
Go to Comment
Write a poem about 3 years ago
MAGIC MOMENTS
Magic moments meander through celluloid history,
From Melies and Griffith to the “Blair Witch” Mystery.
Marilyn feels the breeze in “The Seven Year Itch”,
Cary Grant comes a cropper – a technical Hitch.
“I’ll be back!” warned Big Arnie, and we knew it was true,
Moira Shearer dances to her death in The Archer’s “Red Shoes”.
A thrown bone becomes spacecraft in "2001"’s seemless match-cut,
Mr Orange lies down bleeding, shot in the gut.
Al and Bobby buy coffee and have a nice chat,
Lugosi and Karloff ham it up in “The Black Cat”.
James Cameron sinks ships and becomes “King of the World”,
King Kong’s heart stops beating, killed by guns and a girl.
Guitar versus banjo – Voight and Reynolds look on,
Newman shoots Redford – it’s “The Sting”, it’s a con.
The credits take time in “Once Upon a Time in the West”,
Stan and Ollie wonder who it was created yet another fine mess.
“Ride of the Valkryies” – it must be “Apocalypse Now”,
Sharon Stone crosses her legs – the reaction is “wow!”.
Brynner meets McQueen, and five more join the group,
The Marx Brothers prove immortal, their best is “Duck Soup”.
Ethan Edwards stands alone, cinema’s greatest loner,
Drew Barrymore’s "Scream"ing – some loony’s trying to phone her.
While Travis stands taunting in front of the mirror,
Sissy Spacek, as “Carrie”, is striking ultimate terror.
From the bowels of his mansion Kane whispers “Rosebud”,
And “Shane” rides off into the sunset, this time for good.
Freddy and Jason sharpen their hatchets,
McMurphy, the wacko, squares up to Nurse Ratched.
“By gad, sir, you’re a character” – the Fat Man to Sam Spade,
Chrissie Watkins, in “Jaws”, picks the wrong time to bathe.
Jack wants the waitress to hold onto the chicken,
The Big One goes off, ridden by yee-hawing Slim Pickens.
“Is it safe?” enquires Laurence, of Dustin’s “Marathon Man”,
Kathy Bates certainly isn’t, as James Caan’s Number One Fan.
Would you be willin’ to accept Mel’s Scottish burr,
Or go head-to-head in a chariot with Heston’s “Ben Hur”?
Slow motion gunfights define “The Wild Bunch”,
Hannibal, the gourmet, has an old friend for lunch.
Margo Channing advises “it’s gonna be a bumpy night,”
“The Quiet Man” and Red Danaher have one helluva fight.
Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb – two of the “12 Angry Men”,
“Dirty Harry” does it his way, again and again.
“Ghost” gets creative with a pottery wheel,
Miss Kubelik, for a finish, shouts “shut up and deal!”
Brad Pitt asks his partner what’s in the box,
“Goldfinger”, with Oddjob, plans on robbing Fort Knox.
Indy cracks his whip in some faraway land,
“Lawrence of Arabia” stirs it up in acres of sand.
Lemmon and Curtis dress up in “Some Like It Hot”,
Chief Brody, on the Orca, attempts to master that knot.
Woody blows his butt off in “The Thin Red Line”,
The bourgeoisie, discreetly charming, find it impossible to dine.
“Pinocchio” gets swallowed by Monstro the whale,
John Houseman, in “The Fog”, spins his wild tale.
Harry Lime talks profoundly on Borgias and clocks,
Louise Brooks shines ethereal in “Pandora’s Box”.
Forrest Gump keeps on running, when not fishing for shrimp,
In the basement Brucie listens to “bring out the gimp”.
Gershwin and Allen record "Manhattan"’s great beauty,
The accused in “Judgment at Nuremberg” were just doing their duty.
All moments to savour from the cinema’s best,
From an art form adept at putting life to the test.
And as we move forward, feeling Time’s angry whip,
Let me offer this word, this melancholic tip:
Gone are the days when Bogie was king;
When Cagney strutted his stuff, doing his thing.
James Stewart reached “The Far Country”, but it’s not of this earth,
Gone too Bob Hope and other purveyors of mirth.
Now we have Tom Cruise, Angelina, Leonardo and Mel,
We’ve got “Star Wars” and “Watchmen” and new tales to tell.
All totally different, and yet – simply put – just the same,
The heroes keep coming in this endless cinema game.
But I won’t trade my “Genevieve” for your new “Coupe de Ville”,
I’ll keep “Dr No” – you stick with “Licence to Kill”.
In my mind’s eye two giants come to a place,
The Duke and Clint Eastwood meet face-to-face;
Cagney and Pesci eye each other and frown,
Not a sound can be heard in this film noirish town.
It’s Old versus New in a fight to the death,
Walter Brennan counts down, the duo get set.
“Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’,” says Clint with a snigger,
“That’ll be the day,” growls Big John and fingers the trigger.
Two titanic icons take aim and then fire,
The birds in the trees become a discordant choir.
The contest is over, a man has bitten the dust,
The townspeople stare, some of them cuss.
The victor strides forth, the crowd clears a path,
(Who would provoke this man and his wrath?)
One man steps forth and the silence is broken,
He offers the winner a white horse as a token.
The gesture is gracious, the townspeople approve,
But then a young voice pipes up when the man starts to move.
A sun-bleached child moves into the path of the beast,
Hearts miss a beat – suspense is increased.
“What if the other was faster with a gun?”
“That’ll be the day,” the man smiles, and rides off towards the sun.
Go to Comment
BEST 10 MOVIES OF ALL TIME about 3 years ago
Yes, a few people have…I’ve always felt there was nothing special about it.
Go to Comment
HOMAGES about 3 years ago
The opening sequence of STARDUST MEMORIES is a homage to Fellini, I think. The entire film is a kind of 81/2.
Go to Comment
How many movies did you watch in a row? about 3 years ago
For Robert De Niro’s 60th birthday – about 5 years ago – me and a few friends watched 10 of his films back-to-back, in this order:
MEAN STREETS
MIDNIGHT RUN
CAPE FEAR
THE KING OF COMEDY
JACKNIFE
HEAT
RAGING BULL
GOODFELLAS
TAXI DRIVER
THE DEER HUNTER
Go to Comment
Where are you from? about 3 years ago
I’m in Limerick, Ireland.
Go to Comment
Memorable/Favorite Film Deaths about 3 years ago
Robert Shaw in “Jaws”?
Go to Comment
WHO IS / WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FILM ACTRESS EVER? about 3 years ago
Nobody mentioned Diane Lane…and how about Valeria Golino? Although, I think Jacqueline Bisset was the most beautiful woman ever on screen.
Go to Comment
best on screen male chemistry about 3 years ago
The “Three Men in a Boat” that is the second half of “Jaws”.
Go to Comment
Books about 3 years ago
“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell " – Susanna Clarke; “Against the Day” – Pynchon. A lot of talk about McCarthy – anyone read “The Border Trilogy”? I actually preferred the middle part, “The Crossing”, to “All the Pretty Horses”. Read “Blood Meridian” a few months ago – blew me away. Good to see one of my faves – “A Canticle for Leibowitz” – getting a mention. When I – finally! – get through with the Pynchon, I plan to delve into some Updike (only ever read one of his novels, and not the Rabbit ones).
Go to Comment
The Auteurs "Sight & Sound" Poll about 3 years ago
I’m too late, no doubt, but howsever -
2001
The Magnificent Ambersons
Dekalog
Seven Samurai
Barry Lyndon
Psycho
Citizen Kane
The Thin Red Line
Pinocchio
Vertigo
Go to Comment
Dekalog about 3 years ago
Love Dekalog – probably in my Top 5. The first 2 are my faves, despite the greater fame of 5 and 6. The first just blew me away.
Go to Comment
The BEST Critics In The Business Right Now? about 3 years ago
Philip Strick, Kim Newman, David Thomson, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Tom Milne
Go to Comment
Actors who've passed, and you miss the most... about 3 years ago
Definitely second that about Katrin Cartlidge – brilliant performer (even in the okay CAREER GIRLS she was superb and heartbreaking). Wish Cary Grant was still around too. And Paul Newman, of course (“Hell, I’ve got vision; the rest of the world wears bifocals.”)
Go to Comment
The Most beautiful scores in cinema about 3 years ago
How about Pino Donaggio? His score for DON’T LOOK NOW was great, as was his work on De Palma’s BLOW OUT.
Go to Comment
most overrated oscar performances or robberies about 3 years ago
didn’t the greatest show on earth win over singin in the rain?
Go to Comment
Which famous actors don't have the presence or charisma to carry a film? about 3 years ago
Jude Law is a bad actor – he always looks smarmy and egocentric. Nicole Kidman can act – her scenes in EWS are examples of powerful acting. She’s also great in TO DIE FOR. Of course, if you have a personal dislike for an actor – as I have for Jude Law, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg – then nothing will convince you he or she is capable of giving a good performance.
Go to Comment
Movies you hated that everyone else loves about 3 years ago
Shawshank: an alright film that people who can’t read cinema think is one of the best.
Good Will Hunting: Because Robin Williams is in it.
Schindler’s List: Because Jaws is a much better film (as is Close Encounters).
Beauty and the Beast (Disney version): pales in comparison to Pinocchio and Dumbo.
Go to Comment
ESSENTIAL JACK NICHOLSON about 3 years ago
“Chinatown is a terrible film”…I can’t think of any way you could defend that statement and not sound like you have no idea what you are talking about.
Go to Comment
Favorite Films For Shakespeare's Birthday(s) about 3 years ago
Kozintsev’s KING LEAR.
Go to Comment
what actors do you consider creepy? about 3 years ago
Nobody outcreeps Tom Noonan. Come on people: just look at him in MANHUNTER and THE PLEDGE. Nobody, – but NOBODY – is creepier.
Go to Comment
Movies you hated that everyone else loves about 3 years ago
which CRASH?
Go to Comment
Top performances of all time. about 3 years ago
1. Richard Burton in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
2. Cary Grant in HIS GIRL FRIDAY
3. Robert De Niro in THE KING OF COMEDY
4. Piper Laurie in THE HUSTLER
5. David Thewlis in NAKED
6. Al Pacino in DOG DAY AFTERNOON
7. Judy Garland in A STAR IS BORN
8. Sandy Dennis in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
9. Rod Steiger in IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
10. Cary Grant in BRINGING UP BABY
Go to Comment
A great director is hard to find about 3 years ago
The director of BLOODY SUNDAY, the BOURNE sequels, and UNITED 93.
Go to Comment