First off, Richard Pryor released a few concert films; or at least, people trying to make money off his talent did. This review is only concerning the very first film, and it's called exactly this title. This will always be my "go-to" film when I need to just laugh and feel a bit better about life. I've talked to many people of many ages, and they all have their fave stand-up comics, but I find it hard to believe that a truthful person could watch this film and not tell me that Pryor is the funniest, most-honest person on the face of the Earth here. If you deny that, then tell me somebody who can remotely perform so many human and animal characters on stage. The man pours his entire soul out in this wonderful movie, and I feel privileged to relive it two or three times a year with my friends and family. R.I.P.
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10. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Mike Nichols, 1966)
Elizabeth Taylor (Martha) and Richard Burton (George) give two of the greatest performances in screen history in Mike Nichols' brilliant film debut. I consider Edward Albee's awesome play to be the culmination of everything Tennessee Willaims accomplished. Williams trailblazed the eccentric, yet totally-honest characters which are present in this amazing film, which is also of a higher-cinematic quality than all of its forebears. The younger couple, played by Sandy Dennis and George Segal, get trapped in the older couple's web soon enough and find it difficult not to try to add to the situation while trying to extricate themselves.
This film pushed the envelope for frankness and language in American films, and thus was semi-responsible for the MPAA. Yet, the MPAA is better than the Hays Code, so it shouldn't be attacked for that. Most of my films, at the higher echelon of my list, are pretty damn unique, and they either created a new world for films to be made in or, at least, appreciated. Even when that's not true, they are so far away from what's considered normal films nowadays, that they should all get your attention.
Most of the film is shot on one set, but once again, what somebody might consider uncinematic is turned into a major asset by Nichols and his cast. Many of the greatest surprises in the film involve the camera moving away, if only for a few seconds, and when it returns, it completely blows your mind. The brutal honesty of two couples' relationships has rarely been brought out into the open before or since. In that way, when the film almost turns fantastic at the end, it actually deepens the tragedy and significance of everything which has come before. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Probably every normal, loving human being should be, but that still means that no one can afford to miss all of this film's truths and humor.
Elizabeth Taylor (Martha) and Richard Burton (George) give two of the greatest performances in screen history in Mike Nichols' brilliant film debut. I consider Edward Albee's awesome play to be the culmination of everything Tennessee Willaims accomplished. Williams trailblazed the eccentric, yet totally-honest characters which are present in this amazing film, which is also of a higher-cinematic quality than all of its forebears. The younger couple, played by Sandy Dennis and George Segal, get trapped in the older couple's web soon enough and find it difficult not to try to add to the situation while trying to extricate themselves.
This film pushed the envelope for frankness and language in American films, and thus was semi-responsible for the MPAA. Yet, the MPAA is better than the Hays Code, so it shouldn't be attacked for that. Most of my films, at the higher echelon of my list, are pretty damn unique, and they either created a new world for films to be made in or, at least, appreciated. Even when that's not true, they are so far away from what's considered normal films nowadays, that they should all get your attention.
Most of the film is shot on one set, but once again, what somebody might consider uncinematic is turned into a major asset by Nichols and his cast. Many of the greatest surprises in the film involve the camera moving away, if only for a few seconds, and when it returns, it completely blows your mind. The brutal honesty of two couples' relationships has rarely been brought out into the open before or since. In that way, when the film almost turns fantastic at the end, it actually deepens the tragedy and significance of everything which has come before. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Probably every normal, loving human being should be, but that still means that no one can afford to miss all of this film's truths and humor.
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Last edited by mark f; 02-03-08 at 03:24 AM.
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10. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Mike Nichols,
This is the first list that i have seen every movie............. so far
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This is the first list that i have seen every movie............. so far
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i love the list.. i wish and hope to see those someday..bump for you mr.mark f...this a great list..
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Mark - the fact that you like The Incredibles so much makes me wonder - ever thought of reading Watchmen? Incredibles is pretty much the family movie version of that.
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I've got Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on deck as soon as I get back to attacking the lists now I think I may have to do that a little sooner.
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9. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
Dr. Strangelove was made at the height of the Cold War, and it turned the ultra-seriousness of something like Fail-Safe into a black comedy. Even so, I know a few people, who while watching this hilarious film, want me to "point out the funny parts". The thing about this film is that, even if you don't get a single joke, it's so damned suspenseful, and occasionally, realistic, that you would have to think it's almost a documentary. The characters' names should be a dead giveaway that you're dealing with a comedy, but I guess some people don't have a sense of humor, or maybe it's limited to fart jokes. The characters' roll call: Dr. Strangelove, Buck Turgidson, Jack D. Ripper, King Kong, Bat Guano, Premier Kissoff, Lothar Zogg, etc.
True, Dr. Strangelove is full of humor, jokes and utter ridiculousness; even enough to rival a Monty Python film, but some people can't get through Kubrick's realism to see the humor. This film contains some truly great action/suspense scenes. The Army has to attack Burpleson Air Force Base to try to stop General Ripper, and that scene is almost like watching documentary Viet Nam war footage. The realism gets to you. Even better, when the Soviet missile hones in on Major Kong's bomber, trying to blow it out of the sky, the scene is played out in real time and is nail-bitingly suspenseful. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the only film which can compare to this dark comedy crossed with extreme suspense is The Manchurian Candidate.
Ultimately, this film leaves one thinking about the end of the world. It could very well happen in the blink of an eye, caused by a madman, even if he's NOT an American. This should give everyone pause to consider Dr. Strangelove as a clarion call (yes, even to this day) because it really doesn't take that much for the check and double check system to collapse. It won't go down as hilariously as it does here (if it does), but it will go down just as easily, or perhaps even easier if nobody even understands what this film is about or why it's so flippin' awesome.
Some know, but others don't. Peter Sellers is in all three photos.
Dr. Strangelove was made at the height of the Cold War, and it turned the ultra-seriousness of something like Fail-Safe into a black comedy. Even so, I know a few people, who while watching this hilarious film, want me to "point out the funny parts". The thing about this film is that, even if you don't get a single joke, it's so damned suspenseful, and occasionally, realistic, that you would have to think it's almost a documentary. The characters' names should be a dead giveaway that you're dealing with a comedy, but I guess some people don't have a sense of humor, or maybe it's limited to fart jokes. The characters' roll call: Dr. Strangelove, Buck Turgidson, Jack D. Ripper, King Kong, Bat Guano, Premier Kissoff, Lothar Zogg, etc.
True, Dr. Strangelove is full of humor, jokes and utter ridiculousness; even enough to rival a Monty Python film, but some people can't get through Kubrick's realism to see the humor. This film contains some truly great action/suspense scenes. The Army has to attack Burpleson Air Force Base to try to stop General Ripper, and that scene is almost like watching documentary Viet Nam war footage. The realism gets to you. Even better, when the Soviet missile hones in on Major Kong's bomber, trying to blow it out of the sky, the scene is played out in real time and is nail-bitingly suspenseful. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the only film which can compare to this dark comedy crossed with extreme suspense is The Manchurian Candidate.
Ultimately, this film leaves one thinking about the end of the world. It could very well happen in the blink of an eye, caused by a madman, even if he's NOT an American. This should give everyone pause to consider Dr. Strangelove as a clarion call (yes, even to this day) because it really doesn't take that much for the check and double check system to collapse. It won't go down as hilariously as it does here (if it does), but it will go down just as easily, or perhaps even easier if nobody even understands what this film is about or why it's so flippin' awesome.
Some know, but others don't. Peter Sellers is in all three photos.
Last edited by mark f; 04-21-10 at 02:39 AM.
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Originally Posted by mark f
Even so, I know a few people, who while watching this hilarious film, want me to "point out the funny parts".
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i'm gona go out on a limb here and predict that the next movies in the list will be
1. Jaws 2. Elmer Gantry 3. Midnight Cowboy 4. Star Wars 5. Little Big Man 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark 7. Cabaret 8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
1. Jaws 2. Elmer Gantry 3. Midnight Cowboy 4. Star Wars 5. Little Big Man 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark 7. Cabaret 8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
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i'm gona go out on a limb here and predict that the next movies in the list will be
1. Jaws 2. Elmer Gantry 3. Midnight Cowboy 4. Star Wars 5. Little Big Man 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark 7. Cabaret 8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
1. Jaws 2. Elmer Gantry 3. Midnight Cowboy 4. Star Wars 5. Little Big Man 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark 7. Cabaret 8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
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I think this article summed up the humour of Dr. Strangelove quite well in one sentence...
That's been my experience of Strangelove. I get the jokes and understand that this is how the humour of the film is supposed to be, but I always thought it would be a stretch to call Dr. Strangelove a "comedy".
Originally Posted by Michael J. Nelson on Cracked.com
Like most snob comedies, it is also distressingly short on real laughs and long on those blow a little air through the nose and nod the head knowingly laughs that aren't really all that fun.
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Soooooo, and your point is!
Oh, and I like this list, mark!
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His point is, as it always is, "Pay attention to meeeeeeeee..."
Oh, and I like this list, mark!
Oh, and I like this list, mark!
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Don't you mean - nice prediction meatwad ?
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10. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Mike Nichols, 1966)
Edit:
TALES, not TAILS
Thanks Emir, for making me look like a fool!
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New jumble is two words: balesdaewrd
Previous jumble goes to, Mrs. Darcy! (gdknmoifoaneevh - Kingdom of Heaven)
The individual words are jumbled then the spaces are removed. PM the answer to me. First one with the answer wins.
Last edited by PimpDaShizzle V2.0; 01-12-08 at 08:00 PM.
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I'll see if I can see Who Needs Sleep and Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf. Haskell Wexler is interesting. You might be interested in the Wexler directed film, Medium Cool, Pimp. I don't think it's amazing but it has an interesting story about news cameramen and a large part of the movie was shot during and in the Chaos of the 1968 DNC in Chicago.
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Nope. I meant what I said and said what I meant. Now let's let Mark finish up his list and enjoy.
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