MoFo Nostromo's Picture Show Reflections

[Nostromo87]

will begin with one i watched over christmas. this was a first-time viewing. i've gotten so wrapped up the last few years in doing my best to familiarize myself with the classics, that i've slacked on some of the more recent ones

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/DDL-TWBB_zpsaf431b88.jpg

i like to think of myself as an oil man

There Will Be Blood
(Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness,
focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector
in the early days of the business

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469494/?ref_=nm_knf_t1

had to let this one soak in for a few days before posting about it. finally got around to seeing this Paul Thomas Anderson - Daniel Day-Lewis triumph. the viewing was long overdue, and due to that, much of what i say may have already been said and repeated a thousand times by those who have discussed and reviewed this film. for this i apologize in advance. i am admittedly way late to this party

Daniel Day-Lewis truly dominated this picture. Together with Paul Thomas Anderson's writing and direction, they both pretty much drink all our milkshakes. I was amazed at how Daniel Plainview's calm salesman manner of speaking almost sounded like oil filtering through his rig

There Will Be Blood stands plenty well enough on its own. That said, a lot of it oozed Kubrick to me. That shot of the bowling alley transported me instantly to something you'd see in the Shining or a Clockwork Orange

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/235641dID6qYO6_zpscb0a1635.jpg


on top of that, some of the broader themes also remind me of the Shining. Daniel Plainview is corrupted by the oil, Jack Torrance is corrupted by the Overlook Hotel. HW, Plainview's adopted son, is the lone source of hope and optimism in the film. He overcomes his limitations in hearing by learning sign language. HW manages to escape Daniel Plainview's murderous wrath to start his own oil rig in Mexico. & i believe HW learned a lot from watching Daniel's oil drilling over the years, despite his hearing disadvantages. also, i found the side story - with the little girl who grows up, stays faithful, and marries HW - to be incredibly and profoundly sweet... in an otherwise relentless tale of greed and destruction. Danny, Jack Torrance's little boy, also represents the source of hope and optimism in his ability to 'shine'.. seeing past, present and future events, and communicating telepathically with the cook. HW Plainview and Danny Torrance, the little boys, both the sources for optimism in otherwise bleak and relentlessly brutal narratives.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/there_will_be_blood_movie_poster_rolling_roadshow_2010_olly_mosscopy_zpsf139b0f5.jpg


another similarity i sensed. Before seeing the Shining, i of course knew about the 'Here's Johnny' scene. it's so iconic and plastered everywhere including the DVD/Blu-Ray case and the image of Jack through the door looms so large... that i was suprised once i finally saw the Shining that there were a whole bunch of moments i liked more than that scene

& before seeing There Will Be Blood, the 'I Drink Your Milkshake' looms so large... that i was surprised to find other moments in the movie i liked more. when Daniel Plainview reveals to Henry, his supposed brother,

'there are times when i look at people and i see nothing worth liking,'

i thought that was the most honest moment of the film for the character Daniel. He so wanted someone to open up to, that he believed this man was his brother with little proof. but the best moment in the film for me, was this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9k6Mf-FfXQ


on the surface, it looks like the character Daniel Plainview is just hamming it up so he can appease the landowner and run his oil pipeline through his land. yea, that was why Plainview reduced himself to confessing on his knees. sure he only went through with it to get what he wants. my take, though, is that the confession itself is genuine. ... i think there's a little more to Daniel Plainview. yes he becomes consumed with his greed ultimately, but somewhere inside i think he feels some connection with the boy HW, however warped it is. otherwise he would have just killed him like he did Henry (the not-brother) and Eli (the priest)

Conclusion: There Will Be Blood is how movies should be made these days. While it comes a tad short of the timeless all-time greats in my view, it's still really damn good. I think it's better than anything Nolan has done, and that's no insult. I also think it's better than anything Tarantino has done. Daniel Day-Lewis has been the best actor around dating back to 1989 and My Left Foot, another great film. And this is to me his best movie yet that I have seen. my one criticism is that Daniel Day-Lewis dominates the screen too much. He drinks all the other actor's milkshakes. And kind of lords over the whole picture, dwarfing everyone else into insignificance. But that doesn't stop it from being very good

rating_4+ (8.5/10)

http://media.giphy.com/media/SX6A66qSTPOeY/giphy.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vO92REraUo

soon, i'll be traveling back in time again for the next three movies here in my Reflections... three classic hits i will be watching for the first time. one from the 1930's, two from the 1950's

[cricket]

I was surprised how great I thought this was as I only watched it because of what other mofos had to say about it. Day-Lewis plays one of the most memorable characters I have ever seen, and I also thought Paul Dano was excellent. This is the film that made me realize that any PTA film is a must see.

[seanc]

Nice review. I love this movie as most do. I never thought of the comparisons to The Shining but I definitely see it now that you mention it. I am just glad that there were no twins or gushing blood that I am supposed to pretend are scary for some reason. DDL over shadows everyone in almost every movie he is in. I thought Dano was spot on for the part he was playing though. I say this not being a Dano fan in the least. Keep the reviews coming.

[JayDee]

Nice review nostromo. :up: I was also a big fan when I watched it a year or two ago. Will need to give it a rewatch at some point to see if I love it enough for inclusion on my top 100 list or not

[Nostromo87]

watched this for the first time last night


http://media.giphy.com/media/dAdaes0ly882A/giphy.gif

oh, i love funny exiting lines

Rear Window
(Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)

A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours
from his apartment window and becomes convinced
one of them has committed murder

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047396/?ref_=nv_sr_1

i'd like to imagine this film as a sampling of Hitchcock's best fantasies. anyone who knows anything about him knows, if there was ever a person who had 'a thing' for blondes, it was Hitchcock. to me, the true nucleus of this movie is Lisa Fremont

http://media.tumblr.com/fdf2badbb6a8de33dcd077c03af7354d/tumblr_inline_mf9401V16X1qd8bxp.gif


played radiantly by Grace Kelly. So at the beginning, on the surface, she's pretty much the perfect woman. and for LB Jeffries, the wheelchair-bound photographer (Jimmy Stewart), that's the problem

i can hear you now,
'Get out of my life, you wonderful woman. you're too good for me'

at the beginning, she is kind, she is attractive. and she wants to be seen as attractive - taken out to dinner, taken to balls, paraded, etc. And for all her prospects, she is in love with LB Jeffries. Lucky man. but for LB, this is not enough. LB Jeffries is not just lucky, he is wise




http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/jimmystewartrearwindow_zpsdf92f206.jpg

LB wants a woman who can share in his passions. and he's challenging her to be more than the trophy blonde. if Hitchcock had another fixation beyond blondes, it was murder. and solving them. My take: what this movie really is, is the fusing... of Alfred Hitchcock's two chief fascinations. the blonde who helps solve the murder mystery and enjoys it. challenging Lisa to be more achieves two things for LB Jeffries and the movie, on different layers. layer 1: it keeps her engaged/interested in him, with her many prospects vying for her attention

Lisa Fremont: 'i'd say she's doing a woman's hardest job: juggling wolves'

layer 2: it provides the template for Hitchcock to demonstrate his ideal woman

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/gracekellyRW_zps823966b7.jpg


Conclusion: the most delightful Hitchcock i've seen. i think it's great for everything above.. but furthermore, bc what is a more compelling film topic than what people do when they think they're not being watched? pondered it for a moment, and i'd imagine every person imagines their own life as its own grand film. so think of all the interesting pursuits people go through that we'll never know about. Rear Window, and a wheelchair-bound photographer named LB Jeffries provides the template and a playground for this concept of voyeurism. great movie

4.5 (9.0/10)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIFUobFHU90

[seanc]

I love Rear Window and have always considered it my favorite Hitchcock. I am in the middle of a few month long Hitchcock marathon right now and plan on watching Rear Window again. We will see if it gets dethroned. There are already a couple of his movies in the running and I am only five in.

[Lucas]

I know I'm in the minority but Rear Window is just a tedious film, and heavily overrated. Now Vertigo, thats a Hitchcock masterpiece.

[Cobpyth]

Pfff... That film is such a MASTERPIECE. I feel the urge to rewatch it right this instant after reading your review and seeing those pictures.

For me it's the number two Hitchcock film right after Vertigo. It used to be my absolute favorite of the director until a rewatch of Vertigo absolutely blew my mind.
Maybe I'll change my mind after seeing this one again for the third time.

Great review! :up:

[BlueLion]

A masterpiece and a very good film. Great reviews.

[Nostromo87]

another first-time viewing

minor recommendation for these reflections: scroll down to the bottom of the post and start the music and then commence reading


http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m07xylBneS1r94e9jo1_500.gif

you can see now?

City Lights
(Charles Chaplin, 1931)

the Tramp struggles to help a blind flower girl
he has fallen in love with

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021749/?ref_=nv_sr_1

i take for granted sometimes how exceptional a storyteller Chaplin/the tramp was. he is pretty much the original cartoon character. i'd wager the animators of mickey mouse, bugs bunny, donald duck, etc, etc, all took things from Chaplin. He knew exactly when to play up comic exaggeration, and when to play it small


http://media.giphy.com/media/AjG7KD7tnP5mw/giphy.gif

while watching City Lights, i forgot i was viewing a silent picture. i took pleasure in the perfectly-timed gags, the comedy, the clever finesse Chaplin displays as the producer, director, and star of the show. and it's not like he glorifies himself. he almost drowns, a flower pot falls and hits him in the head, he loses the boxing match, and he's pretty much an all-around goof. yet i can't help but admire the product

http://31.media.tumblr.com/d45699f32823610f28d0f4f1df534a59/tumblr_mw3zy3Aulk1snygfuo1_400.gif

Chaplin is unique in that even modern audiences know that he, the puppet and star of the show, is also the one pulling the strings. he owned his own production company, so he was never under any obligation to studios to have to change his vision. 'talkies' were the new thing in 1931 in Hollywood, and Chaplin mocks it at the beginning.. when the public officials introduce the monuments and squeaky gibberish comes out. love it

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/city-lights-1931_02_zps3c34727b.jpg


Conclusion: the final scene, to me, is the epitome of what Charlie is at his best... it's everything the tramp stands for. after the time he and the flower girl shared together while she was blind, she naturally assumes he is a rich man. at first when she doesn't recognize him, my first reflex was to call out to her. tell her the truth... but Charlie doesn't...

http://media.giphy.com/media/V2uy3DrhTUHiE/giphy.gif


4.5 (9.0/10)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE2oLDL-1aI

[cricket]

The first time I saw Rear Window was at the movies for one of those special showings. It was one of the best times I ever had going to the movies. Great film.

[JayDee]

I've still never actually watched a Charlie Chaplin film in full.

Got to say by the way that my favourite part of these reviews is all the little gifs, videos and pics you include, very much in the style of your top films lists

[Mmmm Donuts]

I've still never actually watched a Charlie Chaplin film in full.



http://media.tumblr.com/3557f7afcb9f8263d4b391c45c80d3ee/tumblr_inline_mw4wo1qiXM1rr9xk6.gif

How is that even possible? Please get on it. I recommend "The Great Dictator" for starters. The ending is a masterpiece.

[Cobpyth]

After giving it a lot of thought I concluded that City Lights is Chaplin's masterpiece, but Modern Times is almost just as good.
Watch that one if you haven't already! The physical comedy in Modern Times is even better than in City Lights, but the latter one has that rare charm and sweetness to it that only a handful of films can compare to.

Great review! :up:

[Nostromo87]

After giving it a lot of thought I concluded that City Lights is Chaplin's masterpiece, but Modern Times is almost just as good.
Watch that one if you haven't already! The physical comedy in Modern TImes is even better than in City Lights, but the latter one has that rare charm and sweetness to it that only a handful of films can compare to.

Great review! :up:

Modern Times is great too! the Chaplins i've seen so far are the Gold Rush, Modern Times, the Great Dictator, and now City Lights. All are good, if you're interested in my ratings, it'd go like this

City Lights rating_4 (8.0/10)
Modern Times rating_4 (8.0/10)
the Gold Rush 3.5+ (7.5/10)
the Great Dictator rating_3_5 (7.0/10)

my aim is to try and sample the best from a lot of great directors... so maybe one day i'll get around to watching the Kid, the Circus, and perhaps Monsieur Verdoux as well

[Cobpyth]

Modern Times is great too! the Chaplins i've seen so far are the Gold Rush, Modern Times, the Great Dictator, and now City Lights. All are good, if you're interested in my ratings, it'd go like this

City Lights 5 (10.0/10)
Modern Times 4.5 (9.0/10)
the Gold Rush 4+ (8.5/10)
the Great Dictator 4 (8.0/10)

my aim is to try and sample the best from a lot of great directors... so maybe one day i'll get around to watching the Kid, the Circus, and perhaps Monsieur Verdoux as well

All three are very good films, in my opinion.
I still have to see A Woman in Paris, Limelight, A King in New York and A Countess From Hong Kong from the feature films he directed. I pretty much agree with your ratings, but I would also give Modern Times a maximum score (5).

[rauldc14]

I've only seen City Lights and Modern Times. Can't say I really enjoyed either of them. I think I prefer Keaton.

[Camo]

City Lights and There Will Be Blood are masterpieces :up: . I agree with Lucas though, i'm personally not a big fan of Rear Window.

[JayDee]

How is that even possible? Please get on it. I recommend "The Great Dictator" for starters. The ending is a masterpiece.

Well it's not that I've never seen anything of him. I've seen clips and bits and pieces here and there, but never a film of his from start to finish. They've not appealed enough to really make me desperate to tackle them but I'll have a look someday. In fact the closest I've come to a full film is Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Another reason I've not seen any of his films in full is that I don't imagine they're ever actually on TV.

[Cobpyth]

I actually watched The Circus and The Dictator for the first time in highschool. One of my former teachers was a huge Chaplin fan and if we did a good job and worked fast enough during a whole month/two months, he showed us a complete Chaplin film from start to finish.

My father is also a huge fan, so we have his complete DVD box at home.

You should definitely check out some of his work, JayDee! His films are very accessible and in my opinion timeless!

[Miss Vicky]

Well it's not that I've never seen anything of him. I've seen clips and bits and pieces here and there, but never a film of his from start to finish. They've not appealed enough to really make me desperate to tackle them but I'll have a look someday. In fact the closest I've come to a full film is Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Another reason I've not seen any of his films in full is that I don't imagine they're ever actually on TV.

Eh, Chaplin's overrated. But if you want to check out his work, I recommend The Kid.

[Mmmm Donuts]

Eh, Chaplin's overrated.

http://i.imgur.com/mB1kVuw.gif

Anyways, I really enjoyed Rear Window myself. I actually found it quite suspenseful at times, which really impressed me. It's one of my first Hitchcock films, and I have plenty left to watch.

[Nostromo87]

Eh, Chaplin's overrated

http://media.giphy.com/media/n8SkNR77udWlG/giphy.gif

[Daniel M]

There Will Be Blood, City Lights and Rear Window are all great films. The first two have two of the best, most memorable endings I have seen albeit very different ones. Whilst I like Rear Window a lot, I think there's a lot of Hitch better than it, although I should probably give it a re watch :)

[Nostromo87]

going a slightly different direction than i'd planned. this one has been weighing on my mind recently

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/brando-apocalypse_zps31e59362.gif?t=1388516370

every man gets what he wants

Apocalypse Now
(Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)

During the U.S.-Viet Nam War,
Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia
to assassinate a renegade colonel
who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Most are familiar with the horror story that was the making of Apocalypse Now... Francis Ford Coppola almost lost his mind, Martin Sheen almost died from a heart attack while filming, Marlon Brando showed up to the set in the Philippines without reading the script or the book it was based upon, Heart of Darkness. It took 3 years before they finally finished the film

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/tumblr_ms40zzXbaL1qfhre5o1_400_zpsa9d8a99e.gif?t=1388519633


the synth score piece, composed by Francis' father Carmine Coppola, (which i've provided at the bottom of this post) ... combined with the imagery below, produces my favorite transition i've seen in the movies. this transition of course precedes one of the great uses of music in film, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. yet somehow i'm more impressed by this visual transition and the accompanying synth score moreso than the Wagner

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/orangelight_002_zps46a7c08e.jpg


it never feels like a war documentary or something. it is cinematic, pure cinematic, and i love that about it

You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours
when it was all over, i walked up. we didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body
the smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. smelled like ... victory


Conclusion: I do think the third act is a bit weaker than the first two... yet for me, the sheer audacity and scope of the movie overcomes that. people just don't go to these lengths to make a film. it's so ambitious and on the edge. it's not like it's shot on some backlot or in some studio... with the director and crew casually lounging around luxuriously in the air conditioning in a comfy chair with their cups of coffee, etc. they went into the jungle, into the wild. And afterwards Coppola scaled back his ambitions when it came to the scope of his movies... and it's pretty safe to say he never came close to anything in the ballpark of Apocalypse Now again... yet with this picture, he shed light on a compellingly ambitious visionary style of storytelling


4.5 9.0 / 10

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/apocalypsenow-picture_04_zpsd0d8b85e.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sjnwPSdr0

[seanc]

I agree with you about the third act but still tremendous. One of my ten or so favorites.

[Nostromo87]

I agree with you about the third act but still tremendous. One of my ten or so favorites.

thought about it for a moment, and man that generation of filmmakers in the 1970's and 1980's really kicked butt...

Kubrick with a Clockwork Orange, the Shining, & Full Metal Jacket
Coppola with the Godfather, Godfather II, the Conversation, & Apocalypse Now
Scorsese with Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, later GoodFellas, among others
Spielberg with Jaws, Close Encounters, the Indy flicks, ET, etc
Lucas for his involvement with Star Wars and Empire, regardless of what happened after
Ridley Scott with Alien and Blade Runner
Carpenter with Halloween and the Thing
Polanski with Chinatown
Forman with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

i'm sure i'm forgetting some, but dang... those guys are giants and cast long shadows... have to say... that generation of filmmakers kicks the current generation's big-fat-butt

[seanc]

Don't forget Altman. I love The Long Goodbye and Nashville. Lumet- Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon.

The 70's are tremendous and I still have tons to watch.

[Nostromo87]

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/232326NLFNX9sA_zpsf15a1157.gif~original

the funk of forty thousand years
& grizzly ghouls from every tomb
are closing in to seal your doom
and though you fight to stay alive
your body starts to shiver
for no mere mortal can resist
the evil of the

Thriller
(John Landis & Michael Jackson, 1983)

A night at the movies turns into a nightmare
when Michael and his date are attacked
by a hoard of bloody-thirsty zombies

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088263/

for some, this may be hashed out and tired via re-runs... but lucky for me, i pretty much never watched MTV growing up. in 1983, this was MTV's first world premiere music video, released on December 2nd. it is also the first and only music video to be selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. it is the most successful music video of all time, selling over 9 million copies

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/michael-jackson-werewolf-o_zpsad61d71e.gif?t=1390096582

the short was directed by John Landis, who of course nailed the whole werewolf thing with an American Werewolf in London (1981). at this time, commercial motion-picture directors did not direct music videos, but John Landis was intrigued. with Thriller, Landis saw an opportunity and hoped to bring back the theatrical short, "i saw it as a chance to resurrect a genre that had once been a Hollywood staple"

love the voiceover narration by Vincent Price as well, an icon of horror thanks to his work on films like House of Wax (1953), House on Haunted Hill (1959), House of Usher (1960), and Theater of Blood (1973), among others

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltu4c6eIqB1r22325o1_500.gif


Sometimes, when a film or song is made... you just unleash a person's talent. that's what this is, and pretty much every pop singer and music video since has tried to emulate it in some way

Rating: *Timeless* / 10
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

[cricket]

I remember watching the Thriller video when it first premiered and it was awesome. John Landis is actually one of my favorite directors with 4 films in my top 40; American Werewolf, Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Trading Places. He had another big hit with Coming to America but then kind of fell off the radar. Vic Morrow passed away in an accident on the set of one of his films, and he was kind of blackballed from Hollywood. It's kind of an interesting story.

[honeykid]

This was the film that got me interested in film. It has a special place in my heart. MTV wasn't in Europe then, but Channel 4 showed it, once, at midnight. I remember coming downstairs and recording it. I genuinely have no realistic idea of how many times I've seen it. :D And then, they released The Making Of Thriller and movies became serious.

[Nostromo87]

http://31.media.tumblr.com/ac501f2a99df14d45675a33339bcae7f/tumblr_mvfzb1Wa9O1sajg7no1_500.gif

what an excellent day for an exorcism
you would like that?
intensely

the Exorcist
(William Friedkin, 1973)

when a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity,
her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070047/?ref_=nv_sr_1

How does one write a review about such a notorious classic film and expect to bring anything new to the table? Well i suppose i don't expect to, so what you will get here is the interpretation and reflections of a viewer who is fresh off a first viewing. one who knew little about the movie going in aside from the hazy mythical cultural associations such as the vomiting demon-possessed girl, a convulsing bed, & head-spinning... what this review will also strive to provide is a viewpoint which brings no biases in the form of religious belief or lack of religious belief

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lc2ag4TGhg1qcop9yo1_500.gif

where to begin? first i must say, i chose to watch the Theatrical version first, so i haven't seen the spider walk yet. i like to start with the theatrical version on any film with an extended cut so i first see the movie as audiences did when it was released. on re-watches i may turn to the extended/director's cuts

can i say i enjoyed the movie the Exorcist? hmm, in the usual sense of the word, i wouldn't classify this film on those terms. honestly, and this is what went through my head as i watched, i'd liken this film to almost a kind of drug-induced experience. from the very beginning, despite an initial perhaps slow and deliberate pace, it draws you in, and makes you curious... so that you can't pull your eyes away, like a magnetism. as it unfolds, the movie taps into unexplored territory in the brain/psyche. could sense/feel it happening. weird stuff ensues that i wouldn't have imagined in a nightmare... such as a possessed little girl stabbing herself in the nether regions with a crucifix, etc


all that being said, i very much liked the character Father Damien Karras, played by Jason Miller. from the beginning you can tell, this is a guy who is worn out by his line of work as a jesuit psychiatrist. he's had enough of having to sort through people's deep-seated issues and wants out... which he tells his supervisor early on in the story, who talks him into sticking with it. little does he know the motherload of dilemmas lies ahead with regan

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/karras_02_zps0e32bb6a.jpg

whether this is necessary or not, i'll wrap spoilers here, as i wouldn't have wanted to accidentally read this part in passing before seeing the movie

the ending seems to be at least somewhat ambiguous. the way i interpret it, Father Karras handles his dilemma in the best way possible... coaxing the demon out of regan and into himself. then sacrifices himself by jumping out the window. while this mends the situation for the time being as far as saving regan... i'd say it doesn't eradicate demons/evil and it doesn't necessarily ensure that regan won't be possessed again in the future. not saying that with sequels in mind as i have no clue what happens in those & i don't intend to seek them out... it is simply my insight/understanding of the story

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9g22gHrO01qllwmfo1_500.gif


Conclusion: this is a movie that deserves its elevated notoriety among horror films, as well as with the powerful pieces of film-making overall. i'd say that even among the newer generation, who may be prone to sneer at the notion of a film maintaining its compelling quality 41 years later, it still packs its punch. the Exorcist, while using conventional symbols of good and evil such as priests, scripture, the devil, etc, to deliver its story, taps into the plausibility of spiritual forces on our world... as this is a movie based on a book by William Peter Blatty, centered around the real-life exorcism of Roland Doe, a victim of possession treated by the Catholic Church. i haven't read much at all into this aspect, but intend to. too bad i didn't see this one prior to making my top tales of terror countdown, as it would have cracked the top 5.

rating_5 10.0 / 10

fun with film history: this was an extremely successful movie financially in 1973. it made $441 million at the box office, despite a humble $10.5 million budget (generating 42x's its budget). it won two Oscars, one for best adapted screenplay (Blatty), one for best sound (Knudson, Newman), and was the first horror movie ever to be nominated for best picture. it lost to the Sting, a very different kind of movie i also liked

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcfk5ksMrd1qb9nsso1_r1_500.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04EShclPAa0

[honeykid]

I've said it many, many times, but this is still the best made horror film in history. Have I seen all the horror films ever made? No. Do I need to? No.

It's also a fantastic example of physical effects. Surely even the most pro-"CGI is amazing!" fanatic couldn't fail to see just how unreal The Exorcist would look if made today and, if the film looked unreal, then, IMO, it'd strip it of most (for me, read all) of its power. I feel it'd look funny or cartoonish. Certainly unreal and being able to believe in The Exorcist is what makes it what it is. I don't mean the religion. I don't believe in a God or a devil or possession or any of the spiritual/religious parts of the film. But you have to think it's happening in the world the film creates, IMO.

It's a superb piece of filmmaking, IMO, and, sadly, they really don't make 'em like that anymore.

[cricket]

Great review and I'm glad you loved it. Many have tried to copy The Exorcist, and none have come close.

[Nostromo87]

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/field-of-dreams_001_zps3b427daa.jpg

is this heaven?
no, it's Iowa

Field of Dreams
(Phil Alden Robinson, 1989)

an Iowa corn farmer, hearing voices, interprets them as a command
to build a baseball diamond in his fields;
he does, and the Chicago Black Sox come

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/?ref_=nv_sr_1

before i liked movies, before i liked girls.. i loved baseball.. starting at the age of maybe 4 or 5 years old, and it's the first thing i recall enjoying. i'd play in the backyard or in the street with my brothers and our neighbors. these were great times. from this time until the age of 12 or so, playing baseball for fun and in 'little league' was bigtime. maybe it sounds dumb, but where i grew up, it was. the coaches were super into it, even at that age. watching Field of Dreams brings me back to those times, and simply reminds me how much i enjoy the game of baseball

http://24.media.tumblr.com/5d030ddd46204662c20d69f431d0d7f6/tumblr_mjnrao13NR1qefb81o5_250.gif


i learned, some years back, that this movie's foundation was based upon Carl Jung psychology... centering around the concept of the collective unconscious- defined as the part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience and is common to all humankind. i was fascinated by this. i won't go too in depth on the subject here, though entire books have been written on it. some of you may know a lot about this sort of thing already. for those who don't, you may find it fascinating, as i did. it deals with symbols, images, and reflections common in all our collective dreamworlds... it's been said that Batman and symbols like that were derived from Jungian psychology. it's worth the time to look into if you're intrigued

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m06c8wVSg61qas7f1o1_250.gif


Conclusion: This is among the best baseball movies for me. along with Major League (1989), a more humorous take on the game, as well as the Natural (1984, with Robert Redford. perhaps a more cliché take, but i still like it). Field of Dreams is a movie that will always take me back to my roots, my childhood. and as goofy as it sounds, it's a movie that makes me happy while watching

4 8.0 / 10

http://31.media.tumblr.com/4591c07856f050d21d03916cde237f2a/tumblr_mjnrao13NR1qefb81o1_250.gif


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ay5GqJwHF8

[honeykid]

I love Field Of Dreams. It's one of those films you can join at any time and feel as if you've seen it from the start. You're into it right away and it creates a wonderful world for its characters and the audience. It's a warm hug of a film.

BTW, have you not seen Bull Durham or A League Of Their Own? Bull Durham is my favourite baseball film and I had it on my 80's list. I mention that only because there's no chance of it showing up in the top 10 and, therefore, it missed the list. :(

[Nostromo87]

BTW, have you not seen Bull Durham or A League Of Their Own? Bull Durham is my favourite baseball film and I had it on my 80's list. I mention that only because there's no chance of it showing up in the top 10 and, therefore, it missed the list. :(

i've seen both. and liked them. had a crush on Dottie Hinson, League of Their Own, when i was 8 years old or so

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/0e7ee476011d32789e9aec2fda6ee0b7_zps1e9be649.jpg

favorite quote coming to mind from Bull Durham - 'Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes.. it rains,' by Tim Robbins' character. his delivery cracks me up there

[seanc]

Field Of Dreams is my fave baseball movie. I concur with HK on Bull Durham and A League Of Their Own. I would add Eight Men Out and although most dont, I really like The Rookie as well.

On a similar note, have you guys seen the trailer for Million Dollar Arm. I love Hamm but it looks terrible. Im sure I will see it opening week.:D

[JayDee]

I absolutely adore Field of Dreams! :love: One of my true favourites of all time. And I'm also a big fan of Bull Durham and A League of Their Own.

[Nostromo87]

since this will get lost in the 250+ pages of the 80's countdown, & bc i spent some time in prepping it, re-posting here

in honor of the MoFo #1 film of the 80's! http://www.pennwagers.com/forums/images/smilies/first.gif which i didn't even contribute to bc i submitted my list too earlyhttp://www.pennwagers.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/lloyd-theshining_zps0e4abb0d.jpg

i, and others, have come to believe.. that your heart is not in this
that you haven't the belly for it

the Shining
(Stanley Kubrick, 1980)


it's not often i see a movie with a young kid in it, playing a prominent role, who actually manages to not be annoying... bc they are written well, casted well, & guided with the right amount of care, tact & skill by their director. the first movie that sticks out for me, where i genuinely actually like a young kid in a movie.. is Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly8hx92FtL1qiz3j8o1_500.gif


the second is Danny Lloyd in the Shining


http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/dannytorrance_02_zps9fb810b5.jpg


could ramble on about this film, and waste everyone's time... yet really it's simply this, each minute is crafted and packed with care and skill. script, pacing, lighting, music, overall execution... the 1st act sets everything up, and as it reaches its 2nd & 3rd acts, the Shining continuously tops itself, through the command of Stanley Kubrick and his cast of actors and crew. which is what anyone should strive for in whatever it is they do

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/kubrickampdanny_01_zps421d00fb.jpg


... Room 237, Jack & Lloyd in the bar, Delbert Grady 'you've always been the caretaker' ← (my personal favorite), All work & no play makes Jack a dull boy, http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/redrum_02_zps15cc8856.jpg%7Eoriginal, 'little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!' Danny chased in the snow by axe-wielding minotaur-in-the-maze Jack Torrance, frozen Jack at dawn, leading up to the final shot at the 1920s ball, 'Midnight, the Stars & You' by Henry Hall & the Gleneagles Hotel Band

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/kubrick-37copy_zps099e1746.jpg

Why don't you want to talk about it?
i'm not s'pposed to
Who said you ain't supposed to?
tony
Who's Tony?
tony is a little boy that lives in my mouth


http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/snowmobiletheshining_zpse2e53a1f.jpg

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/popcorn_100_diamond_zps7389e791.png


* certified 100% popcorn bags out of 100 *
my #1 movie, any decade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z81OENfZNkQ


http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/Overlook1921Ball_02_zps3f7b83db.jpg


Torrance-family portrait


http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/torrance_family_portrait_09_zps8700734b.jpg

[The Gunslinger45]

And to think if you had watched the movie before hand I I realized it was not a 70's movie, it would have had an even bigger lead.

[The Gunslinger45]

how high would you have put it on your 80s list

About 15 or so.

[Mmmm Donuts]

You gotta love the Shining. What an incredible movie. :up:

[Nostromo87]

About 15 or so.

so it won by 64 without our help... would've won by 100 had we gotten our act together (64+25+11)

[Nostromo87]

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/22194023N4phdHLz_zps6677b139.jpg

Whoever thinks about deserting will be cut into 198 pieces

Aguirre, Wrath of God
(Werner Herzog, 1972)
---

the story follows a Spanish caravan of 16th century conquistadors exploring the jungle rivers of South America in search of el Dorado, 'the City of Gold.' i found all the other characters to be a tad bland, but then there's bizarro Klaus Kinski.. in his goofy steel helmet sounding like a nazi mein führer transported to a south american jungle in 1561. after the expedition struggles over mountains, through mud, and various terrain challenges, the noble leader throws in the towel and elects a small band of men and women to go deeper into the jungle. Only two of these men have leadership capability, Ursua, more of a gentleman... and Lope del Aguirre, a ruthless and ambitious soldier. Pretty quickly it becomes clear whose willpower is driving the group onwards

my initial reaction when this movie ended was 'da fuq did i just watch?' it was more raw and a had more experimental vibe than i was expecting. however, i kept an open mind the entire viewing, and as i've contemplated the story over the last day... it began to grow on me quite a bit


Making the Movie: if we are going to give Francis Ford Coppola props for the difficulties of his Apocalypse Now shoot... Herzog deserves major props for the difficulties of filming this one. Apocalypse Now had a $31.5 Million budget and took 3 years to complete. Herzog filmed Aguirre on a $370,000 budget and shooting lasted 5 weeks. in Apocalypse Now, at least Coppola's actors were driving around on a motor-driven boat. Herzog's actors were riding through rapids in the jungles of Peru on little rafts made of wood. also read somewhere that Herzog filmed this movie with a stolen 35mm camera. it's been said Werner Herzog himself didn't know what dialogue was going to be said 10 minutes before shooting his scenes. Aguirre, Wrath of God and Apocalypse Now, both a descent down a river into madness. without Aguirre in 1972, there pretty much wouldn't have been an Apocalypse Now in 1979

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n617/frankog10/1398161816223_2_zps91d96939.jpg


Conclusion: so what is this movie really about? this did not come all at once while viewing... but only after contemplating this film over the past day. i believe Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski struck on something profound here... without bashing the viewer over the head with it. it's a story about delusions, lust for riches, fame, and power. Aguirre is pretty much batsh!t insane, he's sent off into the jungle with a small band of explorers by a Spanish nobleman, in the middle of a nowhere jungle, surrounded by savages... and yet he becomes consumed with finding the City of Gold, finding riches and power beyond imagination, and begins to dream of conquering Spain. they claim all the land they pass by on their little wooden rafts... and it'd be absurd, hell it is totally absurd, and yet this is exactly the kind of thing that happened back in the 1500's and 1600's with the Age of Exploration. expeditions set out to find insane destinations like 'the Fountain of Youth,' 'the City of Gold,' and who knows what else, claiming all the land they passed. when really it was just a bunch of wilderness and natives. but let's get to the point. if this were just a movie that said 'lust for riches, fame and power is destructive' it'd be a pretty flat story... and i don't believe it would be as thought-provoking a film as it is. i mean, we know these things.

i think there's more to it than just that. Aguirre's influence over the small expedition only became possible bc he was able to convince the muscle of the group to back him through promises of riches, fame and power, through finding the City of Gold. as batsh!t insane as he was, Kinski's character carries the entire film on his hunchback-limping shoulders. he is easily the only fascinating character in the story. he has a vision... and even tho he drives himself to insanity and destroys everyone in his expedition... who is the only man standing at the end? .........
Aguirre.
because as delusional as he is, that vision and absurd ambition gives him something to live for. while all the others didn't share the extent of his delusion, and they perished. i'd like to see what happens to him after the credits roll. he's planning his new empire on a drowning little wooden raft in the middle of the Amazon jungle surrounded by the corpses of his crew. surely you'd think his death comes shortly after, but who knows

oh, and on top of everything i found Kinski's character totally hysterical in a sort of dark & cynical way

rating_4+
8.5 / 10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMvG9W1HASs

[JayDee]

Watched Aguirre myself a while back and really struggled with it. Glad you enjoyed it though and nice review. :up:

[Nostromo87]

http://oi59.tinypic.com/sy5jxy.jpg

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
(Irvin Kershner, 1980)


most of us have seen this many times... although i watched this last night and somehow it seemed so fresh. if i taught a class on filmmaking i'd definitely have my students study this movie. maybe that's silly, i don't know what they teach in film school these days... maybe it's a lot of arthouse kinda stuff, maybe it's not. i'm not sure. but what i believe is this is a masterpiece of storytelling. this is the kind of movie i think people love to see. the first thing i noticed is the color palette. the opening act is white, taking place on Hoth. it's clean in a creative sense, brings an artistic touch, and creates a mood and atmosphere for the story. plus they totally set up the black-on-white contrast for when Lord Vader strolls into the rebel base

http://oi59.tinypic.com/oj2h35.jpg


one guy i want to mention before i say anything else is Ralph McQuarrie. i think his storyboards and concept art are amazing, and he is one of the major heroes of bringing the Star Wars original trilogy to life. his drawings are dynamic, cinematic, and yet not overly-complicated. i love his work and could post a ton of it, but for now i'll stick with this one. R.I.P. Ralph McQuarrie, Star Wars isn't the same without you

http://oi61.tinypic.com/50jh2p.jpg

bossman says: "Do it like this!" ↑

the other thing that happens right from the get-go is we jump right into character development and the growing relationships between Luke, Han, and Leia. the actors are at their best in this one, we love their characters, and i think Irvin Kershner's directing had a lot to do with that. as i watched, i got the sense that this movie really raised the bar for what a Star Wars movie could be. it has stellar artistry from a conceptual and directorial standpoint. it is also a character study of our three main heroes, and one that we love to revisit. the banter between Han Solo and Leia is always witty, humorous, and yet at the same time genuine. it's a really well-written love story bc it's not about the really romantic and serious stuff... it's more about the playful and fun side

http://oi58.tinypic.com/i2k23b.jpg


now i want to talk for a minute about Darth Vader's meditation chamber. i want one of these

http://oi61.tinypic.com/rhie0j.jpg


he has a screen inside that he appears to use primarily for communicating with his subordinates when they screw up

http://oi57.tinypic.com/21b3yg1.jpg


although i like to think Vader also has an extensive movie collection that he watches in his little egg / meditation chamber thing when the Empire has some down time. it'd be full of hundreds of strange, exotic intergalactic hits that we've never seen before. he'd sit in his little egg watching movies, he'd forget his Empire worries, he'd laugh too loud at the stupid jokes and wonder if anyone heard him, Imperial Officers would walk by and hear his strange cackles from inside his egg... the imperial officers would all whisper amongst themselves how strange their commander is. then Lord Vader would stride into the room and morph back to Dark Lord mode and be all intimidating. anyways, basically, Vader's meditation chamber is awesome and i want one

http://oi62.tinypic.com/1z3nn2d.jpg


Conclusion: started thinking about the upcoming Star Wars VII, and about what the original Star Wars films are at their core... and to me these stories are the melding of excellent artistic design, fun characters and dialogue, and a genuine love and understanding for good storytelling (and great John Williams music!). the bar was set high for what a Star Wars movie could be with the 1977 and 1980 films. i'm splitting hairs when comparing those against each other bc i love them both. in Empire Strikes Back, the connections between our main characters deepen, and through that the audience's connection to the story deepens. ultimately i give a slight edge to Star Wars '77... it's the only Star Wars movie that stands completely on its own, and when i watch it i can consider the vast potential and possibilities of where they could have taken the story from there.
still, i give Empire a rating_5 10.0 / 10

Thoughts on Star Wars movies: while it's true in a sense that 'these are just movies,'... i think a Star Wars movie can be a bit more, if they are handled with care by skilled storytellers and artists who believe in and love their work. a Star Wars movie can be the consummation of all the stories and mythologies people have loved for thousands of years... presented in a fresh way to new generations... i believe all of this because it happened with Empire and Star Wars '77. i don't know if the upcoming movies from Disney, JJ Abrams, and the original cast will rediscover the magic, but it will be fun to watch them try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxezTlYuZuk

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news/21930/topstory.jpg


http://oi58.tinypic.com/xkumwz.jpg