2nd Chance Hall of Fame

[rauldc14]

This Hall of Fame will be used for previous General Hall of Fame nominations (not winners) to have a second chance at being revisited by members and have another chance to win a Hall of Fame.

The only rule is, you cannot nominate something that you have previously nominated.

For those of us that have been in Hall of Fames before, it gives us a chance to revisit some great films. Newer members can join in too and see some of the films that have been previously nominated.

I'm looking for at least 8 to join. If I can't make that happen, well then, we will see.

Memento
https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/memento-remake.jpg?w=1000
Nominated by Edarsenal
Originally nominated by Teeter G in 2nd HOF

Le Trou
https://www.latimes.com/resizer/8L1Am6Yp0BnvHQZHy_jAnYFjkdA=/1400x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2ONODEMCUBALTER4QNWBYHXVOM.jpg
Nominated by Nathaniel
Originally nominated by Pussy Galore in 5th HOF

The Man From Earth
https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/10/the_man_from_earth-_holocene_still.jpg
Nominated by Jabs
Originally nominated by GbGoodies in 6th HOF

Ed Wood
https://dustyflix.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/edwood.png
Nominated by CosmicRunaway
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 4th HOF

Letter from an Unknown Woman
https://dwgyu36up6iuz.cloudfront.net/heru80fdn/image/upload/c_fill,d_placeholder_thenewyorker.png,fl_progressive,g_face,h_450,q_80,w_800/v1427128718/thenewyorker_movie-of-the-week-letter-from-an-unknown-woman.jpg
Nominated by Neiba
Originally nominated by Sane in 7th HOF

Raise the Red Lantern
https://i1.wp.com/www.vcinemashow.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Red-Lantern-2.jpg?fit=640%2C344
Nominated by Citizen Rules
Originally nominated by Christine in 6th HOF

Pierrot Le Fou
https://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/c865/SS.PierrotleFou.jpg
Nominated by MijaFrost
Originally nominated by Frightened Inmate in 6th HOF

Farewell my Concubine
https://assets.mubi.com/images/notebook/post_images/21392/images-w1400.jpg?1463549450
Nominated by ThursdayNext
Originally nominated by Godoggo in 1st HOF

After Hours
https://jojud265nia2bj9sy4ah9b61-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/afterhours-1600x900-c-default.jpg
Nominated by Rauldc
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 2nd HOF

Anatomy of a Murder
http://www.standbyformindcontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/film-anatomy-of-a-murder-still-2.png
Nominated by Siddon
Originally nominated by Seanc in 8th HOF

Reviews

CosmicRunaway LIST SENT
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1962753#post1962753)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963401#post1963401)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963887#post1963887)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965136#post1965136)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965360#post1965360)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966484#post1966484)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966813#post1966813)
The Man From Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968142#post1968142)
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968240#post1968240)
Farewell my Concubine (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1969970#post1969970)

Siddon LIST SENT
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963337#post1963337)
The Man from Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963378#post1963378)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968275#post1968275)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968277#post1968277)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968281#post1968281)
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968774#post1968774)
Farewell my Concubine (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1969937#post1969937)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1969964#post1969964)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1970493#post1970493)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1971204#post1971204)

ThursdayNext
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963420#post1963420)

Jabs
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963508#post1963508)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966144#post1966144)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968912#post1968912)

Edarsenal
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963511#post1963511)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964048#post1964048)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967298#post1967298)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1973156#post1973156)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1976602#post1976602)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1983405#post1983405)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1987941#post1987941)


MijaFrost
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963555#post1963555)
Farewell my Concubine (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968430#post1968430)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968430#post1968430)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968434#post1968434)
The Man from Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1973175#post1973175)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1973175#post1973175)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1973178#post1973178)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1973178#post1973178)

Nathaniel LIST SENT
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964259#post1964259)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967698#post1967698)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1976601#post1976601)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1978520#post1978520)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977700#post1977700)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1980862#post1980862)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1985377#post1985377)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1987468#post1987468)

CitizenRules LIST SENT
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964789#post1964789)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966246#post1966246)
Farewell my Concubine (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967123#post1967123)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967416#post1967416)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967881#post1967881)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968231#post1968231)
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968982#post1968982)
The Man from Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1969517#post1969517)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1971239#post1971239)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1971959#post1971959)


Rauldc14 LIST SENT
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965782#post1965782)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965846#post1965846)
Anatomy of a Murder (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1970783#post1970783)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1976322#post1976322)
The Man from Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1980111#post1980111)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1980284#post1980284)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1982539#post1982539)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1987653#post1987653)
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1989387#post1989387)

Neiba
Pierrot Le Fou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977156#post1977156)
Memento (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977156#post1977156)
The Man from Earth (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977156#post1977156)
After Hours (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977226#post1977226)
Ed Wood (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977363#post1977363)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1977883#post1977883)
Raise the Red Lantern (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1985371#post1985371)
Le Trou (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1988927#post1988927)

[cricket]

I'm probably not going to join this, but if I do, I'll probably nominate The Aviator.

[Citizen Rules]

I'm in! I think this will be fun:)

I've been looking forward to this ever since I was looking at the noms from the early Hofs and seen that there were some really choice movies choose way back in the day. Choosing will be fun as there's a lot of great films to choose from past Hofs:up:

[Nathaniel]

Aww no. I can't nom Day for Night again.

[Citizen Rules]

To see what films have been previously nominated in past Main General Hofs, check out the second post here:
Movie HALL of FAME Archives & Info (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1836289#post1836289)

[edarsenal]

I'll be in. Of course!

Haven't picked one out, but I think I may go with one from one of the very early ones. But we'll see.

[neiba]

A time is coming when I'll be free to watch as many films per day as I want. I might join this

[rauldc14]

I won't make it a real rule, but I was thinking anything after the 12th Hall of Fame is ineligible. Since the 13th HOF was 2 years ago.

[Siddon]

Does it have to be just the "general" Hall of Fames because my first choice was from a specialty Hall of Fame

[Citizen Rules]

By my count there's 160 movies that are eligible from the first 12 General HoFs. That's a lot of great movies that deserve a second chance.

[rauldc14]

Does it have to be just the "general" Hall of Fames because my first choice was from a specialty Hall of Fame

Just generals this go around, sorry.

[Citizen Rules]

Does it have to be just the "general" Hall of Fames because my first choice was from a specialty Hall of FameC'mon Siddon join:p, you can always choose that specialty Hof movie for the 18th HoF.

[Nathaniel]

I'll send my nomination through tomorrow.

Trying to decide between two films. One that did very well the first time it was nominated and the other not so much.

[rauldc14]

So far 4 confirmed members

Nathaniel
Citizen
Edarsenal-
Rauldc

Hopefully we can get a few more, but I'm cool with a little Mini Hall of Fame too.

[edarsenal]

I'll send my nomination through tomorrow.

Trying to decide between two films. One that did very well the first time it was nominated and the other not so much.

I was tempted to consider that route about how well a nomination did, but with a nearly completely different group of participants there could easily be a varied response to any given film.

[edarsenal]

made my decision and sent my nomination in.

[rauldc14]

I made mine as well. Look forward to this!

[rauldc14]

seanc how about taking a stroll down memory lane, it's a small one.

[seanc]

seanc how about taking a stroll down memory lane, it's a small one.

Sorry brother. I will eventually, but not this time.

[Jabs]

Can someone explain to me what does participation in this entail?

[Citizen Rules]

Can someone explain to me what does participation in this entail? If you join, you have to watch all the movies that get nominated. You get to nominate a movie and everyone who's joined watches your nomination.

And you have to write up your thoughts on the movie as you watch them, you can't nominate then just disappear, Hofs are about participation.

When the Hof is over you send in a voting list ranking all the nominations from your #1 choice on down to your least favorite of the movies in the HoF.

See the 1st Post for the specific details. Raul is the host so he sets the rules/guidelines.

[Citizen Rules]

So far 4 confirmed members

Nathaniel
Citizen
Edarsenal-
Rauldc

Hopefully we can get a few more, but I'm cool with a little Mini Hall of Fame too. I wonder if Thursday Next would like to join? She hasn't been in an Hof for awhile.

[rauldc14]

Hopefully I can convince CosmicRunaway to join too

[cricket]

I'm just interested to see which of my former nominations you all pick. Joe? Killer Joe?

[CosmicRunaway]

I fully intended to join since it was first mentioned in the other thread, and I thought I even knew what I wanted to nominate. But I don't really want to go with that film any more, and I can't seem to pick a replacement.

[Jabs]

Thanks for the explanation Citizen Rules. How long do these usually last?



If it's not too rushing then I will give it a go.

[CosmicRunaway]

How long do these usually last?
We typically get one week per film. So if 8 people join, the deadline will be set 8 weeks after the nominations are revealed.

[Jabs]

That's pretty good. Count me in. I will send my nomination a bit later, once I see what films are eligible for this.


Edit: Actually there was one film I really wanted to nominate irregardless of rules and I just saw it is eligible for this so I'm good.

[rauldc14]

I fully intended to join since it was first mentioned in the other thread, and I thought I even knew what I wanted to nominate. But I don't really want to go with that film any more, and I can't seem to pick a replacement.

Just pick a former one of mine, then you are good :)

[edarsenal]

That's pretty good. Count me in. I will send my nomination a bit later, once I see what films are eligible for this.


Edit: Actually there was one film I really wanted to nominate irregardless of rules and I just saw it is eligible for this so I'm good.

WELCOME to the Hall of Fame Jabs!!

[Citizen Rules]

Helpful tip, people should pick one of my past HoF noms:D At least you know someone loved them....me!

[rauldc14]

With Cosmic and Jabs that puts us up to 6. Maybe we can get two more yet! C'mon Thursday Next :)

[MijaFrost]

I'm in. Just need to chose a nom.

[edarsenal]

I'm in. Just need to chose a nom.

YAY!!

[Thursday Next]

I wonder if Thursday Next would like to join? She hasn't been in an Hof for awhile.

What counts as a while? The 1930s only just finished! I feel like I've been in halls of fame non-stop :p

I always intended to join this one, just didn't get round to signing up. Just need to narrow down my list of potential nominations.

[Jabs]

I'm sincerely hoping for films I've never seen before. Would be a shame to not be introduced to new stuff during something like this.

[Citizen Rules]

I sent in my nom:) I decided to limit myself to the General main Hofs 1-7, as I joined for the first time in the 8th Hof.

It might be fun to include what HoF our movies were from and who original nominated, well that's up to Raul:p

[rauldc14]

I'll take nominations through Saturday, then I'll do the reveal Sunday :)

[Siddon]

I'll take nominations through Saturday, then I'll do the reveal Sunday :)


I'm 50/50 on this one, If its not an issue I'd like to wait till after the reveal. Right now I'm in three Hall of Fames and doing the horror-thon so time is an issue. I also don't know if I see much from those Halls' that I would want to vote for let alone rewatch. However if the competition is small enough like the Russian Hall than I'll do it. How many subs do you have right now?

[rauldc14]

There's 8 noms already. And yeah if your heart isn't in it then no big deal.

[Thursday Next]

Is there a maximum time limit or is any previous film OK? The one I was thinking of nominating is quite long (2hrs 50) but I don't want it to be a chore for fellow HoF members so I can pick something else.

[rauldc14]

Is there a maximum time limit or is any previous film OK? The one I was thinking of nominating is quite long (2hrs 50) but I don't want it to be a chore for fellow HoF members so I can pick something else.

I see no reason on a time limit that is any different than the normal rules

[edarsenal]

Is there a maximum time limit or is any previous film OK? The one I was thinking of nominating is quite long (2hrs 50) but I don't want it to be a chore for fellow HoF members so I can pick something else.

I see no reason on a time limit that is any different than the normal rules

The Host as spoken! And a valid point made. If it's already been in a previous HoF it IS eligible.
For me it's not the length of a film it's whether or not I like it. An hour length film can be excruciating if I can't stand it. And while nearly 3 hour films can be quite the endurance test, if it's something I enjoy, it quite easily passes.

So, if you found something you love and wish to give it a "Second Chance" then you really should go with it. And thank you for the courtesy and remarking on your concern of it's running time.

[rauldc14]

We got 8 for this so it will be a nice little HOF. Looking forward to rewatching most of these. Admittedly skeptical of a few but will be fun still :)

[CosmicRunaway]

I'm probably going to finish the 17th HoF before I watch any of the nominations for this one. I only have 3 films left for that anyway, so I probably won't be too late starting this.

I just figured I'd give everyone a heads up in case I don't get anything watched during the first week.

[edarsenal]

I'm probably going to finish the 17th HoF before I watch any of the nominations for this one. I only have 3 films left for that anyway, so I probably won't be too late starting this.

I just figured I'd give everyone a heads up in case I don't get anything watched during the first week.

I'll be doing the same along with the B Movies, though I may knock one or two out depending on I bounce around.
But VERY curious to see what everyone choose.

[CosmicRunaway]

I'm looking forward to the reveal as well.

There were a handful of films I had on my shortlist to nominate, but I ultimately went with one that I only saw once, a number of years ago. I'd been planning to watch it sometime this month, and since it was eligible for this HoF, it just seemed like the right choice.

[rauldc14]

I'll get through a good two or three more for the 17th Hall of Fame and then I may bounce around between that and this.

[Citizen Rules]

We got 8 for this so it will be a nice little HOF. Looking forward to rewatching most of these. Admittedly skeptical of a few but will be fun still :)How many have you seen before? I bet a lot as you've done a number of main Hofs in the past.

I'm probably going to finish the 17th HoF before I watch any of the nominations for this one. I only have 3 films left for that anyway, so I probably won't be too late starting this.

I just figured I'd give everyone a heads up in case I don't get anything watched during the first week. Me too. I have 3 left for the 17th and I'm not looking forward to one of them:eek:... But I'll watch those first, before starting this HoF.

[Nathaniel]

This is where K-On! takes its rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

[Citizen Rules]

This is where K-On! takes its rightful place in the Hall of Fame. Ha:p that would be a miracle if it did. It came in last in the 6th HoF. It's not even a movie is it? Isn't it a TV series?

[Nathaniel]

This is where K-On! takes its rightful place in the Hall of Fame. Ha:p that would be a miracle if it did. It came in last in the 6th HoF. It's not even a movie is it? Isn't it a TV series?

Oh I know haha.

There was a film released after the TV series that someone nominated. It just looked so out of place when I was deciding on a nomination.

[Miss Vicky]

Ha:p that would be a miracle if it did. It came in last in the 6th HoF. It's not even a movie is it? Isn't it a TV series?

It's a movie. K-On! is also a TV series, but what was nominated was a movie. It's an annoying movie that was really hard to get through and I don't know WTH Guap was thinking when he nominated it, but it is a movie.

Also something tells me that the movie you're not looking forward to for the 17th HOF just might be my nomination.

[edarsenal]

I'll get through a good two or three more for the 17th Hall of Fame and then I may bounce around between that and this.

I'll be doing some SERIOUS bar hopping from HoF to HoF. Should be a lot of fun.

[CosmicRunaway]

I managed to finish the 17th HoF earlier than expected. I just need to finalize my list. So it looks like I won't be late starting this after all. :cool:

[Jabs]

Shouldn't the submissions be announced by now?

[rauldc14]

They should have but I slacked. Tomorrow night I promise.

[rauldc14]

Memento
https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/memento-remake.jpg?w=1000
Nominated by Edarsenal
Originally nominated by Teeter G in 2nd HOF

Le Trou
https://www.latimes.com/resizer/8L1Am6Yp0BnvHQZHy_jAnYFjkdA=/1400x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2ONODEMCUBALTER4QNWBYHXVOM.jpg
Nominated by Nathaniel
Originally nominated by Pussy Galore in 5th HOF

The Man From Earth
https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/10/the_man_from_earth-_holocene_still.jpg
Nominated by Jabs
Originally nominated by GbGoodies in 6th HOF

Ed Wood
https://dustyflix.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/edwood.png
Nominated by CosmicRunaway
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 4th HOF

Letter from an Unknown Woman
https://dwgyu36up6iuz.cloudfront.net/heru80fdn/image/upload/c_fill,d_placeholder_thenewyorker.png,fl_progressive,g_face,h_450,q_80,w_800/v1427128718/thenewyorker_movie-of-the-week-letter-from-an-unknown-woman.jpg
Nominated by Neiba
Originally nominated by Sane in 7th HOF

Raise the Red Lantern
https://i1.wp.com/www.vcinemashow.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Red-Lantern-2.jpg?fit=640%2C344
Nominated by Citizen Rules
Originally nominated by Christine in 6th HOF

Pierrot Le Fou
https://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/c865/SS.PierrotleFou.jpg
Nominated by MijaFrost
Originally nominated by Frightened Inmate in 6th HOF

Farewell my Concubine
https://assets.mubi.com/images/notebook/post_images/21392/images-w1400.jpg?1463549450
Nominated by ThursdayNext
Originally nominated by Godoggo in 1st HOF

After Hours
https://jojud265nia2bj9sy4ah9b61-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/afterhours-1600x900-c-default.jpg
Nominated by Rauldc
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 2nd HOF

[cricket]

A lot of great nominations with my favorite being Letter from an Unknown Woman.

I haven't seen Farewell My Concubine.

[rauldc14]

I have not seen Concubine either, as I was not a part of the first Hall of Fame (and the 12th)

I also have no recollection of seeing Pierrot Le Fou. I think I had to have it averaged in as I couldn't find a source the last time.

I am most looking forward to seeing Raise the Red Lantern and Letter from an Unknown Woman again.

I do NOT look forward to seeing The Man from Earth again, but I still will.

[edarsenal]

Memento Nominated by Edarsenal
Originally nominated by Teeter G in 2nd HOF My Introduction to Christopher Nolan and one that's been too long since my last rewatch, so. . .

Le Trou Nominated by Nathaniel
Originally nominated by Pussy Galore in 5th HOF Have not heard of this Swan Song (the Director died two weeks after completion) but the premise of 4 inmates ready to break out of prison when a fifth inmate is transferred in; definitely has my attention.

The Man From Earth Nominated by Jabs
Originally nominated by GbGoodies in 6th HOF Have not heard of this one but since gbgoodies originally nominated it, I'm game.

Ed Wood Nominated by CosmicRunaway
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 4th HOF This is f@ckin delightful since it's been so long since last I've seen this.

Letter from an Unknown Woman Nominated by Neiba
Originally nominated by Sane in 7th HOF I actually started watching this for 40s Countdown and never finished it and always wanted to, so, YAY

Raise the Red Lantern Nominated by Citizen Rules
Originally nominated by Christine in 6th HOF Been a few years, but from what I remember, quite beautiful visually.

Pierrot Le Fou Nominated by MijaFrost
Originally nominated by Frightened Inmate in 6th HOF Have not heard of this one, but looks intriguing.

Farewell my Concubine Nominated by ThursdayNext
Originally nominated by Godoggo in 1st HOF Quite a lovely film that I've always wanted to do a rewatch to. VERY cool!

After Hours Nominated by Rauldc
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 2nd HOF Now this should be interesting since when I actually saw this for the first time, even though it should have been something I thoroughly would enjoy, I did not, at all. And was curious to see what a rewatch would bring about.
The answer to this query shall be answered.


I am THOROUGHLY hyped! Definitely the makings for a great and intriguingly diverse HoF!!

[Citizen Rules]

Good choices everyone!
I'm thinking this will be a cool and laid back Hof. I'm looking forward to watching all these films:)

Memento - Edarsenal
Originally nominated by Teeter G in 2nd HOF
I've not seen Memento, I see it's a Nolan directed film so that will be interesting.

Le Trou - Nathaniel
Originally nominated by Pussy Galore in 5th HOF
Not seen it either, but interested as it's a French film from the 60s and I seem to respond well to them.

The Man From Earth - Jabs
Originally nominated by GBGoodies in 6th HOF
I've seen this, in fact I was the one who suggested this film to GBG. I liked it! But not sure how I'll feel on a second watch.

Ed Wood - CosmicRunaway
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 4th HOF
Cosmic stoled my nom! This was my nom but I was slow and Raul told me it was already taken. Which is cool because I've seen this once and really wanted to see it again.

Letter from an Unknown Woman - Neiba
Originally nominated by Sane in 7th HOF
I loved this film and I hope I still do on a second watch.

Raise the Red Lantern - Citizen Rules
Originally nominated by Christine in 6th HOF
I've not seen this before, but I'm thinking it's right up my alley.

Pierrot Le Fou - MijaFrost
Originally nominated by Frightened Inmate in 6th HOF
Another 60s French film, fine by me! not seen it.

Farewell my Concubine - ThursdayNext
Originally nominated by Godoggo in 1st HOF
I considered this one myself as a nom, I've not seen it but it looks good.

After Hours - Rauldc
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 2nd HOF
Not seen it, but it has Terri Garr, so:up:

[edarsenal]

Looks like we have all of the first seven HoFs covered with the only repeats being 3 out of the 6th HoF. The rest have one each.

[Citizen Rules]

Did anybody else try to nominate something that was already taken? Or was that just me that happened to?

[edarsenal]

Did anybody else try to nominate something that was already taken? Or was that just me that happened to?
I actually nominated mine right out the get-go, so I got lucky with that.
In fact, I think I've only had one time that I had to pick another nomination. For the life of me, I can't remember what, but I'm pretty sure it did happen.

I looked up my review for After Hours, and it's rather befitting that raul remarked at the time how my rating saddened him.

[cricket]

After Hours Nominated by Rauldc
Originally nominated by Cobpyth in 2nd HOF Now this should be interesting since when I actually saw this for the first time, even though it should have been something I thoroughly would enjoy, I did not, at all. And was curious to see what a rewatch would bring about.

The first time I saw it I didn't care for it, and then I loved it the second time. Only thing is the first time was at the movies when it was out, and the second time was about 3 years ago.

[cricket]

Raise the Red Lantern - Citizen Rules
Originally nominated by Christine in 6th HOF
I've not seen this before, but I'm thinking it's right up my alley.

You're going to like that a lot I think.

[cricket]

Both of you guys will like Le Trou.

[edarsenal]

The first time I saw it I didn't care for it, and then I loved it the second time. Only thing is the first time was at the movies when it was out, and the second time was about 3 years ago.
I'm hoping that will be the case.

Both of you guys will like Le Trou.
I have a strong feeling I will. Seeing that Pussy Galore originally nominated it, is a very good sign for me.

[MijaFrost]

I too am excited about Le Trou, which I haven't seen yet. I've been kind of fixated on the '60s in French cinema over the past few months.

I was also thinking of nominating Ed Wood! Good thing I chose something different. I only watched it once, quite a long time ago, but had really enjoyed it and later especially purchased the DVD through Amazon since I couldn't find it anywhere.

The Man from Earth I've seen at least twice before. Possibly three times. It's been years now, so I'm looking forward to another viewing.

It's also been years since my one-time watch of Memento. Sadly I no longer have that DVD, but another copy shouldn't be difficult to locate.

Letter from an Unknown Woman is one I've been telling myself lately that I should watch, so I'm glad to see it here.

Raise the Red Lantern is another I'd been meaning to view this year.

Also intrigued about Farewell My Concubine and After Hours, which have both been on my watchlist.

[CosmicRunaway]

Cosmic stoled my nom!
I was also thinking of nominating Ed Wood!
I was slow deciding on a nomination, and was going to include a back-up because I had a feeling that someone already nominated it. But I decided not to, and when Raul didn't come back and tell me to pick something else, I was pleasantly surprised haha.

We have a nice mix of films I'm familiar with, and ones I haven't seen before. :up:

Memento - I used to love this film but I haven't seen it in ages. Will be interesting to see if it holds up.

Le Trou - I don't think I've seen this, though I've certainly heard about it before.

The Man from Earth - I had to watch this for an Archaeology in Film class, though it was a little out of place. I think at the time our Professor couldn't find a better example of a Cro-Magnon character. I thought it was extremely boring, however that screenshot does not look familiar so perhaps this is not even the same film.

Ed Wood - Apparently I managed to snag a highly sought after nomination! I've only seen this once, and I saw it before I had even seen any of Wood's films. I'd already been planning to watch it sometime this month, so its eligibility was quite convenient.

Letter from an Unknown Woman - This looks familiar but I'm not sure if I've seen it before. I keep getting films from this era mixed up.

Raise the Red Lantern - Will be my first time watching this.

Pierrot Le Fou - I've seen at least part of this, but I don't think I've seen the entire thing. The fact that I'm not certain about that means it's definitely due for a rewatch haha.

Farewell my Concubine - Another first watch for me.

After Hours - I watched this for the Chain Challenge awhile ago. I'm hoping I enjoy it more on a second viewing.

[Jabs]

I have seen and loved Memento, After Hours and Ed Wood. Excited to check out the rest, two of which were already in my list.

[Siddon]

Okay..I'll play even though this is my fourth Hall of Fame this group of noms is particularly good, and I can post my first review tomorrow as I literally just watched one of them

[rauldc14]

I'm cool with Siddon still joining if everyone else is?

[Jabs]

Fine by me

[CosmicRunaway]

I'm cool with Siddon joining. :up:

[neiba]

Don't know if anybody said this already, but I think the photo from Man from Earth is wrong!

I've seen them all except for 3: After Hours, Ed Wood and Farewell my Concubine.

Gonna rewatch some, while a few are huge favourites which I watched more than once!

[neiba]

Memento - Edarsenal - probably the best from Nolan together with his last movie, Dunkirk. Watched it twice.

Le Trou - Nathaniel - Amazing film! Gonna love rewatching this one. I was going to nominate this one but it was already taken.

The Man From Earth - Jabs - Watched 3 times already. Love the premise and execution on this one.

Ed Wood - CosmicRunaway - new watch for me.

Letter from an Unknown Woman - Neiba - my own nom and one of the films I have closer to my heart and that I would never find if it wasn't for the HoFs.

Raise the Red Lantern - Citizen Rules - Such a beautiful film. Was thinking about nominating this one. Gonna love the rewatch.

Pierrot Le Fou - MijaFrost - Watched it for the 2nd time a couple of months ago on big screen. Best Godard by far and a personal favourite.

Farewell my Concubine - ThursdayNext - new watch for me.

After Hours - Rauldc - new watch for me

[edarsenal]

I'm cool with Siddon still joining if everyone else is?

hell, yeah!! That'll be great!



Also, for anyone searching, A Letter From an Unknown Woman has a few versions on youtube, so there should be a good chance for availability for all.

[Nathaniel]

It will be the weekend before I get a chance to watch one of these but props to everyone as these are great picks.

The only one I haven't seen is The Man from Earth.

I came pretty close to nominating Raise the Red Lantern. Back when Zhang Yimou was firing out great movie after great movie with Gong Li at her best. I'll probably start with that.

[Jabs]

I nominated The Man from Earth because it is an unusual film and that's why I love it so much. It certainly has its flaws, but it's one definitely worth checking out.


PS. My first choice was Incendies but it was picked the HoF that's running now so it wouldn't make sense to go with that even if it was eligible..

[CosmicRunaway]

PS. My first choice was Incendies but it was picked the HoF that's running now so it wouldn't make sense to go with that even if it was eligible..
I haven't seen you around very much (since I don't really leave this subforum), but I see you have excellent taste. :cool:

[Jabs]

Good choices everyone!
The Man From Earth - Jabs
Originally nominated by GBGoodies in 6th HOF
I've seen this, in fact I was the one who suggested this film to GBG. I liked it! But not sure how I'll feel on a second watch.



Not sure how much of it you remember, but I have found that with multiple viewings you discover a bit more depth in the interactions knowing how the film concludes.

[Citizen Rules]

Not sure how much of it you remember, but I have found that with multiple viewings you discover a bit more depth in the interactions knowing how the film concludes. I hope so:) I wrote a review on it here at MoFo. Below is an excerpt from that review. Spoiler free and mainly about the background of the writers.

The Man From Earth was written by the famous sci fi & Star Trek screen writer, Jerome Bixby. This is his last work. The film was made after his passing by his son Emerson Bixby who promised his father to be true to the story. Jerome Bixby also wrote the original Star Trek episode: Requiem for Methuselah, which has similarities to this film.

The Man From Earth is a small budget, indie film, shot on only one location, a remote cabin in the mountains. This is a dialogue rich, existential film about how people would treat a friend who claims that he's immortal. A thought provoking study of human strengths and fears. rating_4 @rauldc14 (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=60169) that's not my official review, so don't link it. I'm going to rewatch the movie and post my thoughts later.

[Jabs]

I have a full review on this on another site but I would rather not sway anyone just yet. I will post it here once everyone has watched it.

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49217

Ed Wood (1994)
Directed By: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker

Although it is biographic in nature, no knowledge about the real Ed Wood or his films is necessary to enjoy Burton's Ed Wood. It is not a documentary, and instead presents a romanticised version of events that is intentionally idealized in order to support its themes and to celebrate the spirit of filmmaking. It is an incredibly optimistic film with a typical Hollywood ending, which normally would have me rolling my eyes, but I found the story to be so compelling that it was impossible not to get swept along for the ride.

From the very start, the cinematography is amazing. I think that this is easily Burton's finest film, since you can see touches of his style, but it enhances the story without overwhelming the picture like it unfortunately does with some of his later works. Those opening credits which incorporate elements from some of Wood's feature films are incredibly well executed, and the music that plays really helps set the atmosphere. It's a great homage. The lighting throughout the film is excellent, as are the recreations of key scenes from Wood's films.

The casting in Ed Wood is practically perfect. Every performance, even the smaller ones are entertaining. Martin Landau was phenomenal as Bela Lugosi, and while I have no idea what Ed Wood really sounded like, Depp's interpretation is a great match for the tone and quirkiness of the film. I've become very bored of his habit for playing odd characters, but I still find him charming in this role. This is only my second time seeing this film, and I'm surprised it's taken this long to watch it again, because I really enjoyed it the first time, and appreciated it even more this time around.

[Thursday Next]

I've seen all of the nominated films. There's a mix of films I loved, hated and was fairly indifferent to, so it'll be interesting to see if I feel the same second time around :lol:

I picked Farewell My Concubine because it's great, obviously, but also because I think it's underseen and being from the first hall of fame I thought a lot of people might not have seen it or might have forgotten it.

[gbgoodies]

The Man From Earth
https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/10/the_man_from_earth-_holocene_still.jpg
Nominated by Jabs
Originally nominated by GbGoodies in 6th HOF

Don't know if anybody said this already, but I think the photo from Man from Earth is wrong!


I think that picture is from The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017), which is a sequel to The Man from Earth (2007).

[neiba]

The Man From Earth
https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/10/the_man_from_earth-_holocene_still.jpg
Nominated by Jabs
Originally nominated by GbGoodies in 6th HOF

Don't know if anybody said this already, but I think the photo from Man from Earth is wrong!


I think that picture is from The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017), which is a sequel to The Man from Earth (2007).

Uuuuh, I didn't know there was a sequel!!! Is it good?

[Jabs]

Horrible and filled with annoying teens.

[Citizen Rules]

Horrible and filled with annoying teens.Agreed! The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017) was so bad that I shut it off after the first 10 minutes. Clearly only made as a money grab.

[Siddon]

So @Rauldc am I in this or not?

[CosmicRunaway]

I watched Letter from an Unknown Woman earlier, but I'm not sure if I'll get anything written tonight. It's been a long day and I'm quite tired. I have some notes written down but I can't seem to form anything into sentences. Is 8:00 too early to go to bed on a Friday night? Asking for a friend. :shifty:

[cricket]

I watched Letter from an Unknown Woman earlier, but I'm not sure if I'll get anything written tonight. It's been a long day and I'm quite tired. I have some notes written down but I can't seem to form anything into sentences. Is 8:00 too early to go to bed on a Friday night? Asking for a friend. :shifty:

I used to try to stay up but now I just give in whenever I'm tired.

[rauldc14]

So @Rauldc am I in this or not?

Yes!

[Siddon]

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/97/6b/yr/2p/after-hours-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=af0ddbcc07



After Hours is Martin Scorsese's attempt at a sex comedy, if you though well that sounds weird it pretty much is. The basic premise of the film is a New York office drone decides to go out and hook up with a girl he met at a cafe. On his way to meet up with her his twenty dollar bill flies out of the window of a cab leaving him broke and stranded in New York.


Over the course of the evening he runs into a variety of weird situations with the strange people who live outside his yuppie world. For a film like this you have a series of episodes and naturally with that you end comparing them to each other. And the only issue I really had with the film is that at one point it becomes a bit too wacky. I think the film works at it's best when Hackett is dealing with sexual issues with women but when he branches out into the other aspects of nightlife society the film kinda ratchet's down. Cheech and Chong show up and they just feel incredibly out of place.

[Siddon]

https://dallasfilmnow.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/the-man-from-earth.jpg


The Man From Earth is the story of a man who invites seven people from his college for a farewell party. The man is leaving everyone he's known for the last ten years and wondering to some new place. He reveals himself to be a caveman who is immortal and that he must leave.


The Man from Earth feels like an episode Amazing Stories padded out to a feature length film role. The problem with a film like this is that it has both too many characters and also too few. Having seven people in a room question this one person from 10 million years ago felt very faked and staged whereas a group of three or four would have been slightly more believable. The other problem is that by having seven extra people you'd want to have sub plots and focus on how his story would affect those people, by doing this you get more into the human condition. Sadly this film just feels like a college lecture or worst a strange little propaganda film for some sort of religion.



I really wouldn't mind seeing this film get remade with a different director and setting because while the story feels important the execution was somewhat lacking for my taste.

[Jabs]

I will be starting today with Le Trou. Premise sounds both great and familiar. I am sure it's been mentioned at some point in the thread, but what is the time limit on this? Because since I completed the challenge (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=53627&highlight=challenge) for 2018 I need some motivation to watch more films so I joined two HoF and a Film Club.

[CosmicRunaway]

I am sure it's been mentioned at some point in the thread, but what is the time limit on this?
We get one week per nomination. It would have been 9 weeks from when Raul posted the reveal, however Siddon's nomination has yet to announced, so we should get around 10 weeks to complete the HoF.

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49257

Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
Directed By: Max Ophüls
Starring: Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Art Smith

Letter from an Unknown Woman is a bittersweet story about unrequited love, that deals with obsession and consequences. Despite the fact that the central figures are a stalker and a playboy, the characters are strangely endearing and their ill-fated romance is actually quite compelling. Many scenes take place at night, giving the film an almost noir tone at times, where the gloomy atmosphere is never noticed by the characters on screen, since they are too wrapped up in their own fantasies to see the reality of the situation at hand.

The cinematography is amazing. The structure has an incredible symmetry to it, with many shots being mirrored later in the film. The framing is the same for these scenes, but the context or perception has changed dramatically. The camera moves elegantly as it glides across rooms, and the sets and costumes are beautifully crafted. Lighting was handled extremely well, enhancing the mood of scenes without drawing too much attention to itself.

From certain angles early in the film, Fontaine did look a little old to be playing a teenager, though for the most part she looked passable, and before the reserved Lisa matures in the final act, her shyness did give her an incredibly youthful aura that helps sell her character. Louis Jourdan was very charming in his role as Stefan, and the two had great chemistry together. Supposedly the film diverges from its source material, particularly in Stefan's character arc, but from what I've read, I think I'd vastly prefer the cinematic version. The circumstances in the film seem more inherently tragic, and the ending was entirely appropriate. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and I'm glad it was nominated.

[rauldc14]

I will catch up on tagging the thread and adding Siddon's nomination to the first post.

Siddon has nominated Anatomy of a Murder as well.

[Thursday Next]

Letter From an Unknown Woman

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-1ShIicHu4q8A6Eg7U6S3tfRtbRzHNR0oovHQXpwENEHemkXK

I didn’t actually join the 7th hall of fame but I did watch this movie. My thoughts at the time:

I watched Letter From an Unknown Woman. It's certainly one of the saddest films I have ever seen, but very beautiful, I loved the setting and the train ride through all the fake countries. At first I thought Lisa was silly, but I sympathised with her more after she was abandoned by Stefan.

Second viewing impressions:

A dreamy, romantic, tragic film. Romantic not just in the sense of the love story, but in the atmosphere, the way it was filmed, the gorgeous Viennese setting, all mirrors and teacups and parasols.

Thought of logically it’s actually quite an awful story of an obsessed stalker girl and an uncaring man who can’t even remember her name. But it works within the world of cinema. I felt Lise’s overwhelming emotion. The urgent narration and the music together help. The music saturates the film, adding to the atmosphere, almost making you wonder whether it is the music as much as the man Lisa is in love with.

Both leads are charming in their respective roles.

The best part of the film is when they visit the fairground in the snow and ride the train (which is really static, the scenery mere painted images). A nice metaphor for their relationship, which is never as she hopes it will be.

[CosmicRunaway]

The best part of the film is when they visit the fairground in the snow and ride the train (which is really static, the scenery mere painted images).
I felt a little bad for (but also amused by) the old man operating the entire thing himself. He must have been exhausted by the end of their trip around the world.

Similarly, I also liked the orchestra ladies who were sneaking snacks while playing and conspired to run out the first opportunity they got haha.

[edarsenal]

Felt the same way about the old man with the static train and the women stating they were out of there after that song.

I won't go into more detail since I just saw this and will save it for my review, but I will be mirroring a lot of what Thursday said about it.

[Jabs]

https://i.imgur.com/fhjGeCF.jpg
Le Trou (1960)
First Watch: Yes
Director: Jacques Becker


I went into this hoping for a good film, based on the plot and IMDb rating. There are a lot of things I liked in this and right off the bat it was how the usual prison cliches were avoided. The inmates look like very decent people and so do most of the guards and of course the warden. It was refreshing to see this and piqued my interest early on.

The story itself is nothing groundbreaking and given that it was a French film you could probably see the bleak ending coming a mile away. The dynamic between the characters falls quite flat as most of them are not very fleshed out and melt into a blob of camaraderie with the exception of Gaspard who gets a lot more background information and for good reason. I think it is very clear that the event of breaking out is itself the protagonist which meant the run time that would normally be allocated to character development took a back seat. So lets take a look at some more intricate parts of the plan itself.

Some parts of the story seemed a little too convenient and unrealistic with the two most obvious ones being the noise level during the first attempts at digging the tunnel (while a bit later noise is a huge matter for consideration) as well as the creation of the passepartout which allows them access underground which is essentially just an unrefined hunk of metal (even though later on it is deemed necessary to manufacture a key). Perhaps two minor details, but they rubbed me the wrong way during the film as details like that are imperative in these situations. Another nonsensical decision was when Geo decided to stay afraid of what would happen to his mother when she found out he had escaped. In reality, Geo would be charged as an accessory and would have to spend a lot more years in prison. I would think that would be a chance worth taking.


https://i.imgur.com/sxzVEDv.png


On to the more important aspects which are responsible for how good a taste Le Trou leaves you with. The direction aids magnificently in telling the story and leaves traces of classic French cinema all through the run time.There is a lot of realism exhibited throughout the inmates' efforts via the use of grounded shots which are beautifully let to play out in their entirety. The shot in which they are breaking through the concrete floor lasts approximately 4 minutes during which you just see hands working. It was a very intelligent way of putting the viewer in the process of identifying with the characters' struggle and it is a technique used many times with various durations, but always with a closeup on the tools instead of the characters. Very few cuts are utilized during scenes like these -and only when necessary- which I found quite a unique approach to film making.

Another choice that made the experience more immersive was the decision to let the first expedition through the underground tunnels play uninterrupted from sequences taking place above ground. You follow the two characters in their exploratory journey and that helps the viewer focus on this alone. A special mention is required here towards the very short sequence during which the guard is feeding insects to the spider, which one could easily bypass as unimportant. I found it to be a very subtle allegory with the state playing the role of the spider, while the guards representing the authorities are throwing insects (or inmates) at its web. I am a sucker for multilayered story telling like this.

I found Le trou to be a very well made film in which technical brilliance overshadows the story. It was very enjoyable although not without flaws, and it takes a somewhat more experienced eye to fully appreciate it.

[edarsenal]

rauldc14



https://66.media.tumblr.com/1c243fc3f1a7bfbd3c688024193e53b4/tumblr_mzpcq1x0lD1qcgwn4o1_500.gif


Letter From an Unknown Woman

SPOILERS

Thursday gives a VERY apt and beautiful description of this film:
"A dreamy, romantic, tragic film. Romantic not just in the sense of the love story, but in the atmosphere, the way it was filmed, the gorgeous Viennese setting, all mirrors and teacups and parasols."

Which captures the essence of this Love Lost Story of a girl who falls for a pianist with an exceedingly "in the moment" outlook on life.
Where the moment is everything and while we only see glimpses of other said moments, there is a romantic magic in those shared with Lisa. But not enough for him to remember those moments the next time they meet. Only that there is something special and there is the most sincere wish to experience that moment again with this woman he believes he's only just met that somehow knows everything about him that very few truly do.
We see Lisa from the very first time she meets and falls in love with Stefan and all the times since as the years go by and their paths cross again and her heart breaks with each time he doesn't recognize her.

The story is also portrayed beautifully through the reading of a letter late into the night before Stefan is looking to skip out on a duel that he must go to before dawn. The opening lines "By the time you read this, I may be dead" capturing his attention much like each time he sees Lisa and something clicks.
The heartbreak and the beauty of this sad love story is the final discovery and full recognition of what he believed was lost and he'd searched for, that was already found. Without him knowing til it was too late.

This sublime film is captured in a sublime beauty of the cinematography that brings the dreamy beauty of both when they are together and those times when they are not.

I am so glad I've had the opportunity to finally finish this film.

[CosmicRunaway]

I fully intended to rewatch Memento this evening, but I decided to watch the first episode of The Haunting of Hill House, and then the next one, and another, and another...

On the plus side, I can probably finish the series off tomorrow, then it'll at least be out of the way haha.

[MijaFrost]

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

https://78.media.tumblr.com/c57f4908dfbf53ce7a766d4985ac2460/tumblr_p5hmdlVo951x5d34go4_250.gif

A beautifully filmed and unsettling tale of misogyny and despair.

The strict adherance to centuries old family traditions in China, even in the emergence of more modern societal mores in the 1920s (such as females going to university to further their education), meant that a woman's marriage with a wealthy man was a prison, devoid of much happiness, and filled only with pain and jealousy of his multiple other wives and mistresses.

As depicted in this film, a woman was so subjugated that she was barely allowed to have her own tastes and opinions, and certainly was never to find an outside lover, unless she had a desire for torture and death.
She was supposed to be quiet, cheerful, follow the rules, and wait patiently until her husband decided to call on her and spend the night, rather than with one of the other wives, and give him a son.
Of course, in this kind of setting it's easy to fall into competitiveness and vicious backstabbing amongst the other women.

This was a difficult watch because it was so upsetting knowing this reality has been true for countless women over time, and even continues today in certain cultures. It's now an international law as decreed by the United Nations that marriage is not to be unwillingly forced upon anyone; it should also be an international law that no one should be able to have "marriage arrangements" with more than one person at a time. This might save some young girls from having their lives destroyed by their parents selling them to rich older men.
(It should be stated, however, that in this film, it was the main character's independent choice to become a concubine, although her mother had been pressuring her to marry.)

[Citizen Rules]

MijaFrost I haven't ever seen Raise the Red Lantern (1991), so I will wait to read your review after I've seen the film:)

[MijaFrost]

MijaFrost I haven't ever seen Raise the Red Lantern (1991), so I will wait to read your review after I've seen the film:)

No worries, I often wait to read reviews as well.

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49297

Memento (2000)
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, Carrie-Anne Moss

With its complex narrative structure, Memento keeps the audience on the same page as its lead character, preventing viewers from having more information than Lenny does in any given scene. While it may initially be disorienting, the order of events quickly becomes more evident, since the colour sequences overlap slightly, allowing the puzzle pieces to more easily fall into place. Since many recent movies tend to over explain things, it's refreshing to revisit a film that is willing to put some faith in its audience.

Memento is actually the only Christopher Nolan film that I liked when it was new, and still enjoy today. I hadn't seen the film in maybe ten years or so, and the last time I watched it, I decided to check out the chronological edit. The film definitely loses most of its impact without the intertwining forward and reverse time sequences, since the dramatic reveal takes place halfway through the film when viewed this way. It's really just a novelty for fans of the original timeline who are curious to see how the story unfolds when it is divorced from Lenny's perspective.

The film doesn't work as well outside of his limited view, because that altered perception is what made Memento great. The performances certainly help sell the story as well, but the editing is what connects viewers to Lenny's state of mind, and allows the audience to actively participate in piecing together the mystery. I don't really have anything else to say about the film, since I tend to avoid spoilers in my write-ups, and even bringing up some of the film's central themes could ruin certain elements of the story. I did briefly consider reordering the paragraphs here, but I don't think my reviews are typically structured enough that a reversal would even be noticeable.

[Citizen Rules]

I just requested from my library most of the movies. Though they didn't have my own nom, but luckily Netflix did. I should be able to start soon, I promise! Right now I'm in 3 different HoFs and have quite the full plate.

[edarsenal]

rauldc14

(rather like this idea of mentioning the host from the 17th, so I think I'll keep doing this for others)


https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/14116733.jpg


Memento


OK, so what am I doing?

Oh, I'm chasing this guy.

No, he's chasing me.

I remember the first time seeing this at a small theater for Independent Films and being totally amazed by it.
A movie set in reverse.

With the opening of a Polaroid that is fading out in our leading character's hand we are placed, blindly, into Leonard Shelby's Condition.
You see, he cannot make new memories and he's tracking down the man who raped and killed his wife.
Armed with photographs and notes tattooed on his body, we go backward as he figures out where he is and what's going on. Where one scene starts with him trying to figure out what's going on and then bringing it back around as we discover for ourselves.
Which you would think is a VERY confusing concept, but Nolan does an incredible job of keeping us within the lead character's lack of memory without losing sight of all the puzzle pieces that get put together as the film continues.
Culminating in some excellent story telling reveals that, even on rewatches, (and when this first came out, there dozens of them for me. A lot of them were playing the film for others.) It still keeps the intrigue and enjoyment at full tilt for this film.

This has to be very short since saying anything more is simply revealing too much. So. . .

Those of you who haven't seen this, I hope you enjoy, those of you who have, I hope the rewatch is as equally enjoyable.

[rauldc14]

10 reviews already. You guys are damn good!

[gbgoodies]

Memento

I remember the first time seeing this at a small theater for Independent Films and being totally amazed by it.
A movie set in reverse.



I haven't watched it yet, but there's a version of the movie Memento in chronological order. It used to be on YouTube, but I don't know if it's still there. I think it's also on Vimeo and Archive.org if anyone wants to watch it, but DO NOT WATCH IT UNTIL AFTER YOU SEE THE THEATRICAL VERSION OF THE MOVIE!!!

[CosmicRunaway]

(rather like this idea of mentioning the host from the 17th, so I think I'll keep doing this for others)
Funnily enough, I almost tagged Miss Vicky in my Letter from an Unknown Woman review. I had it typed out and everything. :lol:

[edarsenal]

Funnily enough, I almost tagged Miss Vicky in my Letter from an Unknown Woman review. I had it typed out and everything. :lol:
I was good at doing it for a while and then started to slip up as well.

[Nathaniel]

Following edarsenal's lead - rauldc14

Pierrot le Fou (1965)

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I'm in a 60s mood.

I think this is where Godard's pondering is most successful due to how Belmondo's character is established as a lackadaisical idea focused cynic who feels totally out of place. I'm confident that Godard is projecting into Ferdinand aspects of his own character. Both in terms of strength and weakness. The weakness shining through in Anna Karina's Marianne (Not enough positives to throw in Karina's direction here. She is fantastic!). I think the film touches on an interesting topic and I liked the cuts to Ferdinand's diary writing to support the film's inner conflict. Nice use of art and popular culture too to push the film's momentum. Having seen the majority of Godard's 60s work before Pierrot le Fou I knew what to expect on first watch but it's avant-garde to say the least.

Especially when you combine the film's philosophy with creative quirks such as musical numbers, fourth wall breaking, a voiceover that's interrupted and morphs into a double voiceover where either voice could be unreliable and a plot that totally expels any thought of a seamless narrative. I found it to be compelling. The creativity is off the charts but stylistically there are things that I'm not as keen on nowadays. Eg. some of the improv dialogue that I used to like when I was a student doesn't hit me the same way now. I also think that Godard's sense of humour is atrocious to the point where I find his films more amusing when they're trying to be serious. I'm completely onboard with its stunning camerawork, score and visuals though. That entire sequence in Marianne's apartment is amazing.

Top three Godard.

[Citizen Rules]

Pierrot le Fou (1965)

Top three Godard.

Good to hear that you liked it that much! I might be able to watch that one tonight. I need to get crakin' on some of the noms. Wish me luck:p

[Citizen Rules]

Good to hear that you liked it that much! I might be able to watch that one tonight. I need to get crakin' on some of the noms. Wish me luck:p
[/center]Ahck, no luck. I went to watch Pierrot le Fou (1965) only to remember that I don't speak French:p I forgot to get subtitles. But I did watch another nom.

[Nathaniel]

Good to hear that you liked it that much! I might be able to watch that one tonight. I need to get crakin' on some of the noms. Wish me luck:p


I'm interested to see what people make of Pierrot le Fou. Not sure what the opinions are like here on Godard's films.

At least you've finished the 17th. It will probably be December before I finish either HoF.

Ahck, no luck. I went to watch Pierrot le Fou (1965) only to remember that I don't speak French:p I forgot to get subtitles. But I did watch another nom.

You learned how to speak French and decided to watch Le Trou instead?

:p

[CosmicRunaway]

It feels like it's been ages since I watched something for this HoF, but it's only really been a few days haha. I guess since I spent all my free time this week watching horror films (is it even Halloween if you don't?), that makes it seem like more time has passed or something.

I went to watch Pierrot le Fou (1965) only to remember that I don't speak French:p
Well at least you remembered that you don't speak French before watching the film, and not after!

[Citizen Rules]

https://i.imgur.com/pT7gGRQ.gif

After Hours
(Martin Scorsese, 1985)

Watched my first nom for this HoF and really liked it. I though it was clever and well made. The movie hooked me quickly and kept me interested throughout the entire film. That alone is a big plus!

Griffin Dunne was perfectly cast. He was both likable and interesting. I could relate to his character as the everyday guy just trying to make it through the night. He sure fit well into the quirky world of New York City after hours when a whole lot of crazy stuff befalls this poor guy! The only other movie I recall seeing him in is An American Werewolf in London and he was likable in that too. I'm not sure why he didn't have a bigger career.

All of the supporting cast was great, and this might be my favorite Rosanne Arquette movie. Can't say I've seen her in much though, Pulp Fiction mainly. I wish we could've seen more of her but then again there's a lot of other people in the film too.

My favorite was Terri Garr. It was so funny when they first showed her, because instantly I noticed the 60s fashion style. I remember watching Terri on Late Night with David Letterman, Letterman had a crush on her and she was a regular on his show. A good guest too and always fun to watch her. I remember she often would talk about being a young adult in the 1960s. Also she'd talk about being in the 1968 movie Head which starred The Monkeys. So I got her character! as soon as I seen her in that beehive hair do with that dress and go go boots. I mean damn she really looked like she belonged back in the 60s! Even funnier when back at her apartment she does her little dance and ask him if he likes The Monkeys? It just seemed like something Terri Garr would do.

[MijaFrost]

It took me a couple days, but I finished watching Farewell My Concubine tonight. Too tired right now, so I will write about it later.

[CosmicRunaway]

I just finished watching Raise the Red Lantern, and have no idea what I want to say about it. I have nothing written down either. That's not the fault of the film at all though - my mind's just gone blank. It was a really long day, and I think I was just being overly optimistic that I'd have the energy to get my review done tonight as well haha.

[Joel]

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/97/6b/yr/2p/after-hours-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=af0ddbcc07



After Hours is Martin Scorsese's attempt at a sex comedy

had with the film is that at one point it becomes a bit too wacky. I think the film works at it's best when Hackett is dealing with sexual issues with women but when he branches out into the other aspects of nightlife society the film kinda ratchet's down. Cheech and Chong show up and they just feel incredibly out of place.

Love the movie, but only once every 20 years. Agreed with your thoughts.

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49440

Raise the Red Lantern / 大红灯笼高高挂 (1991)
Directed By: Zhang Yimou
Starring: Gong Li, He Saifei, Kong Lin

Raise the Red Lantern is a hauntingly beautiful film about oppression, jealousy, and tradition. The film opens with a powerful scene that sets the tone for the events that follow, then moves slowly and deliberately towards its dramatic conclusion. The atmosphere is sombre and filled with tension, and the cinematography does an excellent job visualizing the joyless mood that permeates every corner of the expansive residence.

The courtyards feel cold even in the summer, with their stone walls appearing dull and colourless, except when illuminated by the red lanterns. These lanterns bathe the interior shots in a red glow, providing the only real warmth the mistresses will ever experience in their homes. Craving the pampered treatment that comes with the lanterns causes rivalries between the women, and not even the educated Songlian, who initially scoffs at the traditions, can escape their seductive allure.

The family customs and hierarchy force the mistresses into an archaic, dehumanizing system that stifles their freedom and rewards only obedient, passive behaviour. Any time Songlian tries to assert herself over the household traditions, she suffers for it. All of her actions have consequences, but it's the mental burden of punishments she has a hand in inflicting on others that do the most damage. They are all victims of unfair circumstances, and none of them are able to rise above it. It is a cruel story that criticizes historical injustices, while managing to tell a compelling, though disheartening tale.

[rauldc14]

The scene settings in Red Lantern seem great. I look forward to that rewatch and I'm hoping for a stronger appreciation of the film. Nice write up Cosmic!

[Citizen Rules]

I better watch Red Lantern soon, so I can read the reviews:)

[CosmicRunaway]

I look forward to that rewatch and I'm hoping for a stronger appreciation of the film.
I saw you had it pretty low on your list for the 6th HoF. Do you remember what didn't really work for you?

[edarsenal]

EXCELLENT write up, Cosmic. Really looking forward to a rewatch of this!

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49456

After Hours (1985)
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Teri Garr

For a film that's described as being a comedy, I didn't find much about it to be particularly funny. I'm usually a huge fan of black comedy, so I imagine it's just the subject matter that didn't really appeal to me. That said, when events really start to connect and Paul's situation starts to spiral out of control, it did become infinitely more entertaining.
Those were my initial thoughts on After Hours when I watched it for the Chain Challenge two years ago. I was hoping that I might appreciate the comedic elements of the film more on a second viewing, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I only laughed once, at a self-aware joke Paul makes about his situation, and didn't so much as crack a smile during the rest of the runtime. I still have no idea why the film's brand of humour just doesn't work for me, because it does seem like something I should like.

The more absurd aspects of the story that take place in the second half of the film were entertaining the first time I saw them, but since their shock value is removed when those scenes are rewatched, they just didn't have the same impact. The strange coincidences feel more predictable since they start to follow the same pattern, and my indifference towards the main character disconnected me from the tension generated by his increasingly dire plight to get home. Strangely, I really like Dunne in the role and thought his performance was outstanding, but his character's actions made him completely unsympathetic to me.

I still appreciated the film from a technical standpoint. It has a distinct style and gritty feel to it that works well with the late night, downtown setting. There are a lot of great camera movements and panning shots, as well as red herrings for the audience, such as close-ups of objects that make them appear important, when in reality they're inconsequential to the story. I honestly spent around three hours this morning reading reviews from various sources across the internet, trying to get a better understanding of the film and why it doesn't resonate with me. I genuinely want to like After Hours a lot more than I actually do, but it just doesn't seem to be my cup of tea.

[rauldc14]

Bummer.

[CosmicRunaway]

Bummer.
My only real problem with the film appears to be the script. While that is obviously a major issue, all of the performances are great, and I really enjoy the film's aesthetics and cinematography. It definitely gets bonus points for style alone.

If I have the time, I might try to squeeze in another viewing before the deadline. Maybe the third time will be the charm?

[CosmicRunaway]

This has nothing to do with the film at all, but while I was doing my research this morning, I stumbled across a number of instances of review plagiarism, particularly on imdb. Some people even stole entire paragraphs from well-known critics like Roger Ebert. It was equal parts amusing and depressing haha.

[edarsenal]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49456

After Hours (1985)
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Teri Garr


I still have no idea why the film's brand of humour just doesn't work for me, because it does seem like something I should like.

I genuinely want to like After Hours a lot more than I actually do.



That was my original review in the Last Movie Watched Thread in a nutshell and truly hoping that my revisit is not a repeat.

[CosmicRunaway]

That was my original review in the Last Movie Watched Thread in a nutshell and truly hoping that my revisit is not a repeat.
Hopefully you can get a lot more out of it this time. I think if I were to watch it again, I'd try to focus more on the visuals and performances, and try to care less about the actual dialogue and plot. Scorsese himself supposedly said that the film was an exercise in style, so that might be the right angle to approach the film from if the comedy didn't work the first time.

[Citizen Rules]

...Scorsese himself supposedly said that the film was an exercise in style... I've noticed that about his films, he often seems to be experimenting with his movies, The Aviator is one where I would have liked it better if he had not been so focused on style. He's made some of the biggest & best loved movies, but I think much of that has to do with his subject matter and not with his film making style. I'm not knocking him, I think he's talented, just saying.

[rauldc14]

After Hours

http://www.the80smovieclub.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/after-hours-2.jpg

I originally saw this for the first time when it was nominated by Cobpyth in the second Hall of Fame, but I seem to watch this every year or two now. I love pretty much every thing about the film. I think the best thing it has going for it is the film setting. It's just a fun world to watch Griffin Dunnes character go through all this nonsense. I got a really big chuckle out of the taxi cab scene this time for whatever reason, watching his money fly out the window. I can't imagine anybody else but Dunne in the lead role. Again, this film, like The Aviator, shows us that Scorcese is a pretty damn crafty guy. I loved the screenplay and the quirky characters that he was able to put on the screen. This is just a perfect late night watch movie. I also can't underestimate how cool it is that this film is basically Scorseses "Wizard of Oz". He even referenced it in the movie which was just pure awesomeness for me. It looks again like this film won't have a shot, which is a true shame, but I guess I do understand that Dark comedies have their own certain audience. A masterpiece pretty much for me though.

4.5+

[CosmicRunaway]

Warning: Possible Spoilers for After Hours.

I got a really big chuckle out of the taxi cab scene this time for whatever reason, watching his money fly out the window.
It's funny that I'm completely fine with the wacky and unrealistic things that happen later on, but for some reason I just can't suspend my disbelief for that cab ride.

The cabbie is driving like a maniac, and the windows are wide open, so why would anyone take the only money they have out of their pocket and place it in an open tray? Is that just a custom in US or New York taxis? I wouldn't even put coins in there, let alone paper notes. I guess it could symbolize how poorly thought out Paul's trip downtown actually was, but bad decisions like that tend to bother me in films.

I do like how the falling banknote was shot though. Stopping to watch the note slowly flutter to the ground contrasted well with the hectic driving. That image did actually amuse me this time, which was a positive change since the first time I saw the film I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes at that part haha.

[Citizen Rules]

It's funny that I'm completely fine with the wacky and unrealistic things that happen later on, but for some reason I just can't suspend my disbelief for that cab ride.... I liked After Hours, but I didn't like the way the cab ride was filmed. It was speeded up and looked like an old comic silent movie. Other than that I liked the way the film was shot...I just have a thing about speeding up a film to make a car ride or car chase look more exciting. It just doesn't work for me.

[CosmicRunaway]

I just have a thing about speeding up a film to make a car ride or car chase look more exciting. It just doesn't work for me.
I automatically play the Benny Hill theme in my mind whenever something is unrealistically sped up haha.

I actually didn't have that reaction to the cab in After Hours though. It has a zany energy, and since it's an obvious exaggeration of how people assume that taxi drivers are maniacs behind the wheel, it didn't really bother me. And like I said in my last post, the contrast between the cab ride and the money slowly falling was amusing.

[rauldc14]

Letter from an Unknown Woman

http://metrograph.com/uploads/films/LetterUnknownWoman_Piano-1466789638-726x388.jpg

Just my second watch here, but glad I gave it another chance. Joan Fontaines performance is certainly at the forefront here, it's too bad her chemistry couldn't be a bit better with the male lead but I don't really fault her for it, I'd say maybe it is the writing that made it feel a bit off. That's not to really say the writing to the film was bad either, I just think it took a route that made it hard for the romance to feel 100% sincere. I thought the film was pretty well directed too, and really the story itself was well told. I gave it an unfavorable rating the first time around but I really thought it was solid across the board this time. It's just real genuine film making in my opinion, not necessarily anything wowed me but a consistently good film that checks off most of the boxes for what you want in a film.

3.5 - a whole full star more than last time around.

[Citizen Rules]

Letter from an Unknown Woman

I gave it an unfavorable rating the first time around but I really thought it was solid across the board this time.

rating_3_5 - a whole full star more than last time around. Very cool that you were able to form a new opinion by a second watch. I've only seen it once (so far) I gave it a 4 I wonder if my opinion will change or not?

[CosmicRunaway]

I just finished watching Anatomy of a Murder. I'd seen part of it before on tv, but didn't get the chance to see the entire thing due to its runtime. I was thinking that I could alternate new watches with rewatches (I was counting this one as new since I hadn't seen all of it), but I only have 1 rewatch left, so I guess my math was way off on that haha.

[Jabs]

https://i.imgur.com/TdGAYzE.jpg
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
First Watch: No
Director: Otto Preminger


This was a film I first watched years ago, though I remembered very little about it. In fact I had confused the little I remembered with Witness for the Prosecution so it was like a new experience for me to revisit this. In this short review, I will focus more on the essence of the story than in technical details because I find it a more alluring subject in this case.

The first thing you notice in the film is its 160 minute run time. While in some films this can have detrimental effects, Anatomy of a Murder uses time expertly to introduce its characters and give them an intricate backstory and motivation. From the legal team, to the victims and even some of the secondary players acting as witnesses, we are given plenty of information to appreciate their stance on the case and understand where they are coming from. Their motives range from recovering from alcoholism, the desire to get back into practicing serious law, material gain, freedom and various other reasons belonging to a very diverse spectrum, which gives the story a unique color.

The story makes sure to always move within a gray area, without portraying its characters in a clear black or white, showing that sometimes the law is unclear as is life. Paul Biegler is the epitome of this. A well versed lawyer and former DA, who does not care whether his client committed the crime or not, but focuses solely on working on Manion's behalf. He is not above using artificial outbursts or tricks to sway the jury and in the end isn't concerned with anything but the trial's verdict. He is a man -as stated by himself early on- in love with law, and all he wants is to be in service of it. He values the letter of the law more than its spirit (or unwritten law if you will) and this flies in the face of a true protagonist. Yet you can't help but sympathize with his efforts because his character is laid out honestly throughout the film and he never seems to try to hide his wants and needs behind excuses.

An important aspect of the trial which differentiates Anatomy of a Murder from the vast majority of court room dramas is that the accused has admittedly committed the crime he is charged with. Much like in Primal Fear, the question becomes is he mentally unstable or not? Unlike Gregory Hoblit's masterpiece though, Anatomy of a Murder does not rely on some twist or uncertainty in regards to the defendant's mental state to present its story. From the very start Lt. Frederick Manion is a brass and violent character who doesn't even claim to have been in a temporary rage until it is hinted to him by his lawyer as the only possible defense. He was by all intents and purposes, clear on what he did at the time and in an ideal world he would have been found guilty. The world of Anatomy of a Murder is far from an ideal world though. Much like the real world, it follows the rule of law which can be exploited by many -even if sometimes these are good people with honest motives. Unlike Martin Vail in Primal Fear, Paul Biegler isn't tricked by his client in regards to his innocence. He finds the very concept of truth irrelevant in a court room. This is where Anatomy of a Murder's brilliance lies: it accurately depicts the real world while refusing to condemn either side. It shows you the truth and then points out how irrelevant the truth is in these situations. More importantly, it manages to do that using a mosaic of characters most of whom are arguably likable even after all is said and done.

[Citizen Rules]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49535&stc=1&d=1541695364
Letter from an Unknown Woman
(Max Ophüls, 1948)


*spoilers*
I had seen this only once before and was very impressed with it. I wondered if my opinion would change with a second viewing and it did somewhat. I'll write about that...but first here's what I previously wrote about it.

Letter from an Unknown Woman, Joan Fontaine is Lisa, a school age girl living in Vienna in 1900. Joan was 31 years old when making this film but looks and plays a school girl realistically. If you've never seen her in a film this is a good one to watch, she's a fine actress.


Louis Jordan plays Stefan the older, worldly man. A pianist who's music is renowned in Austria. He's a suave man whom women admire and Lisa loves from afar. Louis Jordan is suave on the screen too, he fits this role like a glove.

Letter from an Unknown Woman is a poignant, serious film about unrequited love. It can be very touching at times and yet somber.
I think women might like this film, but so would us guys.

rating_4

I watched this last night and while I still liked the film my view of Lisa and even Stefan changed. I had previously thought of Lisa as this sweet, enduring young woman who found the love of her life but could never win him. The movie felt like a testament to unrequited love.

This time around I viewed Lisa as a sadly pathetic creature, someone with no self respect and no will power. She literally waste her entire life with her obsession for a man she doesn't even know. Lisa is even willing to destroy her husband's and son's happiness just to chase her pipe dream. In some ways she's even more pathetic than Stefan. Stefan has a one night stand with her and then moves on. But he doesn't know she's pregnant and so forgets her. When he meets her at the opera and wants her, he doesn't know she's a married woman...So he didn't deserve to be called out in a duel to most likely die. That wreck of humanity is on Lisa's head.

I now see the film as a monument to the folly of dedicating one's self to overindulges. With Stefan it's women and booze, which causes him to throw away his brilliant music career. Stefan reminded me of Joaquin Phoenix's character in The Libertine.

Lisa's downfall is her own obsession with an unhealthy dream. I believe people like her do exist.

[edarsenal]

A very brilliantly written synopsis of Anatomy, Jabs!! Love your character analysis.
Like Cosmic, I've watched Anatomy yesterday as well. A first time view I've been meaning to see since the 50s Countdown.

Interesting concept, Citizen Rules regarding LFAUW. Seeing them as less tragic and more foolish/pathetic.
Such are the majority if us with crushes and it seems, for me, Letter takes it to a grander extreme. Like a good romantic tragedy should be. lol

[Jabs]

Thanks edarsenal. I hope I will get another review up this weekend.


I am holding on reading the other reviews until I watch the films myself, so I will comment on what you guys write when I am ready. ;)

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49550

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Directed By: Otto Preminger
Starring: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara

Anatomy of a Murder is a film that follows proper courtroom procedure, and instead of featuring a dramatic case with surprising reveals, its story is a refreshingly honest look at the US justice system as a whole. The legality of almost any action can be open to interpretation with the right justification, and swaying the jury is frequently prioritized over discovering and upholding the truth. I appreciated those realistic themes, and was a little surprised by the film's bold use of language that would've been practically scandalous at the time, such as mentioning rape and discussing women's undergarments.

Since we witness the case unfold through Biegler's perspective, there is a lot of ambiguity regarding what actually happened on the night of Quill's murder and the alleged sexual assault of Laura Manion. Both the prosecution and the defence are shown to occasionally behave in a morally grey manner, which cleverly avoids colouring one side as inherently more just than the other. This puts the audience in a similar position to the jury, where opinions have to be formed on what limited evidence was presented. While some viewers may be disappointed by the lack of closure at the end of the film, I think it's a great reflection on how, in reality, facts are not the only things that matter in a court of law.

Instead of cutting between different angles, the camera tends to organically move around the room. The longer takes suit the film's slower pace well, and while I am not personally a fan of jazz, the score and diegetic music never felt out of place. The opening credits did a great job getting me in the right mood for the film as well, and while the runtime was a little on the long side, it didn't feel like a chore to watch. The performances were solid across the board, and I wouldn't have objected to some more scenes with George C. Scott. I wasn't able to watch all of Anatomy of a Murder when it was on tv over a decade ago, but I'm glad I managed to make time for it now.

[edarsenal]

Thanks edarsenal. I hope I will get another review up this weekend.


I am holding on reading the other reviews until I watch the films myself, so I will comment on what you guys write when I am ready. ;)
that's always the safe route to go. Most folks will post SPOILERS but a lot of us will simply read after watching the movie.

[edarsenal]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49550

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Directed By: Otto Preminger
Starring: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara

The performances were solid across the board, and I wouldn't have objected to some more scenes with George C. Scott.
Yeah, me too. There was such a still waters going on with the character. He was dangerously calm and at ease that it almost put you at unease. I was thoroughly caught up in his character. Hell, all of them.

[CosmicRunaway]

Warning: Spoilers for Le Trou below.

Some parts of the story seemed a little too convenient and unrealistic with the two most obvious ones being the noise level during the first attempts at digging the tunnel (while a bit later noise is a huge matter for consideration) as well as the creation of the passepartout which allows them access underground which is essentially just an unrefined hunk of metal (even though later on it is deemed necessary to manufacture a key).
Since it was established that Roland had previously escaped from other prisons, I thought it was plausible that he'd be able to make a crude lockpick and later craft it into a more well-defined key. But I definitely agree with the level of noise created by their digging, especially in their cell. There would need to be some heavy construction outside to drown out those sounds haha.

[CosmicRunaway]

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Le Trou (1960)
Directed By: Jacques Becker
Starring: Marc Michel, Philippe Leroy, Jean Keraudy

Le Trou is an interesting and tense film that doesn't contain any music outside of the ending credits, just ambient sounds. It's absence is not missed, since the film is able to create atmosphere without relying on a dramatic soundtrack. Noises frequently take the place of a score, such as the rhythmic clanks of digging tools and the laboured grunting of the inmates as they work. Certain sounds, such as the running tap that can be heard in the background of a number of scenes, are also cleverly used to signal plot points before the film actively draws attention to them.

The actors definitely had their work cut out for them, since they are often seen digging the tunnels and filing bars themselves, with one continuous shot in particular clearly showcasing the effort and cooperation needed for them to succeed. The planning that went into the escape was very impressive, as was the ingenuity of the characters. Making the hourglass, cutting objects in a way that they could still stand in place when needed, and the sleeping inmate puppets were all great ideas to help avoid suspicion. Even outside of this escape plan, the prisoners as a whole have creative solutions to their problems, like the manner in which they pass packages between the cells.

As clever as those inventions are, the most remarkable aspect of the film is the portrayal of the prison system. The wardens and guards are not the cruel, sadistic men we almost always see in these types of films. The prison is still an oppressive, authoritative institution, but the men manning the gates are just doing their jobs, and don't harbour resentment towards the inmates. Because of this, the drama doesn't centre around conflicts between the guards and prisoners, which is quite refreshing. Instead, we get an engaging story that doesn't follow the expected conventions. Le Trou is definitely a unique film, and I enjoyed watching it very much.

[Jabs]

Warning: Spoilers for Le Trou below.
Since it was established that Roland had previously escaped from other prisons, I thought it was plausible that he'd be able to make a crude lockpick and later craft it into a more well-defined key.


He took a piece of metal and just shoved it in the keyhole and opened it. That is not how keyholes work. It is not how anything works. :p


I would maybe buy it if he at least refined it a little bit first but in my experience just shoving something in a hole and jiggling it never gives the result you are hoping for. Pun fully intended.

[CosmicRunaway]

It didn't bother me since the keys the guards were using didn't seem that advanced. I assume that someone who knew what he was doing could probably pick those locks quite easily.

The doors in an apartment I shared awhile ago could actually be opened using a butter knife. One of my room mates frequently locked their keys in their room, and it was never any trouble to break back in haha.

You'd think a prison would have better security than that, but I assume that given Roland's expertise, he could've gotten around the locks no matter how complicated they were, so having the solution look so simple seemed fitting somehow.

[Citizen Rules]

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Farewell My Concubine
(Kaige Chen, 1993)

I really liked the premise of the film: the telling of the lives of two Peking opera stars set agaisnt the dramatic changes that took place in China during the mid 20th century.

I liked how the film showed the two men much later in life and foreshadowed the idea that there was much friction between them...Then flashes back to the beginning, to tell their intertwined stories starting at early childhood in the opera training school. I liked the actors/characters, I liked the historical aspect, I even liked the soap opera style drama...

...but I found the film lacking in it's scene construction and pacing. Even though I was interested in the story lines of the two men and the woman, I struggled as it's a very slow paced movie. The scenes felt overly long without ever coming to much fruition. The individual scenes had this odd pacing that made me feel like I didn't get the emotional story that I should of. They didn't flow in the way they fit into the overall story, but felt like they were pieced together in a patchwork.

I got a feeling this was an ambitious film made by a director who hadn't quite perfected his craft. Or maybe the weird scene pacing could have been fixed in the editing room. Orson Welles once said movies weren't made on the set, they were made great in the editing room. I do like slow cinema but it took me two nights to get through the 3 hour movie which felt very long to me.

I can't say I enjoyed the opera scenes, just not my thing. Though this was made for a Chinese audience and not me, so I can't really complain about that. The opening 40 minutes was mostly in the orphanage where despite the amount of film time spent on it, all I really got was the head master liked to beat small children. Couldn't that message been done in 10 minutes? The film really felt like it needed to be re-edited.

I wasn't a fan of the score either, I don't mean the opera scenes, I mean the background instrument they used which sounded like a wind chime and was reused with the same note over and over.

The costumes and sets were colorful but yet I didn't get a sweeping epic sense from the cinematography. However I am glad I watched it.

[edarsenal]

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Anatomy of a Murder

A courtroom drama that actually stays clear of the more common tropes of this genre. The focus is on how things are seen through the law and the judicial system and the winning of a case. Not through what is, necessarily, morally right. No one is specifically The Bad Guy and there is no stand out Good Guy. There is the Defense, the Prosecution, the Judge, the Plaintiff, the evidence, and, to such a lesser degree than most courtroom dramas, there is the Jury.
A lot of times we see someone who has been arrested for a crime they did not commit. Not here. We have the guilty party. In full admittance of their guilt of premeditated murder. An open and shut case in theory. What we get is the wide spectrum of grays of, not only the people involved, but in the manipulation of the law. Or if that is too cynical a word. . . well, sh#t, there is no less cynical wording for finding the loophole and taking full advantage of it to win the freedom of an army lieutenant who shoots the bartender who, supposedly, has raped his wife.
And that is only a small bit of the gray spectrum that we are given to judge on our own terms.
Did the rape happen? Was it violent jealousy? In fact, these questions, or any other that are proposed, even answered and seem like red herrings to keep us guessing. Which you would think is a frustrating scenario, but it really is far from it. The ambiguity takes a second chair and it's the perception of law and the judicial court that presides and, in the end, decides.
With an incredibly solid cast that keeps every scene interesting. The pace of the film moves at a very enjoyable speed. Anatomy of Murder touches on a variety of human aspects that fleshes out the intricacies, and at times, the sleight of hand of the courtroom. The flaws of not only the plaintiff and his wife, but of those within the judicial system. Blended rather well with the occasional peeks at their strengths.

This films as a secondary meaning to the title of this HoF since it has become a second chance to see this film and I'm quite thankful for that.

[Citizen Rules]

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Memento (2000) *spoilers*

I guessed the outcome of the movie at the 4:56 mark, I did! I swear I actually checked the time, and the film had just started. I didn't know the particulars of the ending of course, but I did get the who-done-it part right.

I don't know how to review this, as I don't like bloody thriller crime movies, maybe it was well done but it's sure not for me.

Guy Pearce looked more like a leading man from a soap opera, than the part he was playing. I'd cast someone like Paul Dano, or Ryan Gosling instead. Both of them have this odd out of touch feeling about them.

After an hour I got real tired of the 'I won't remember you bit', it just seemed like the director was milking it instead of exploring it. And the whole mind trip thing that Nolan is known for, I could care less about that. I thought the reasoning at the end of the film for what happened with Guy Pearce felt somewhat inorganic to the rest of the story.

[CosmicRunaway]

I think Guy Pearce was just goofy in this and looked more to me like a leading man from a soap opera, really he was poorly cast. I'd cast someone like Paul Dano, or Ryan Gosling instead.
Dano and Gosling were definitely too young to play that role when the film was made, but I guess you mean that they are current actors who you would cast if the film were being made now. Supposedly there is actually a remake of Memento in the works, so you might get to see someone else try the part.

Warning: Potential Spoilers Below.

I've grown to like Pearce in Memento, but he did seem a bit odd when I first saw it. I don't think he works as a sympathetic character (which we're supposed to believe he is at the start), but when you know his real motives, that fake smile of Pearce's seems fitting. He's an ass who thinks he's smarter than he really is, but he's not fooling anyone.

He was definitely miscast in Prometheus though haha.

[rauldc14]

There is a chance Thursday Next will have to drop out. Perhaps suspend watching Farewell my Concubine but I want to give her every opportunity to finish.

I also haven't set a concrete deadline yet as it's still fluid.

[Citizen Rules]

Dano and Gosling were definitely too young to play that role when the film was made, but I guess you mean that they are current actors who you would cast if the film were being made now. I must have been thinking of time transportation for Dano and Gosling:p But yeah you're right, they were too young at the time.


Supposedly there is actually a remake of Memento in the works, so you might get to see someone else try the part.:p No I won't!:)

Warning: Potential Spoilers Below.

I've grown to like Pearce in Memento, but he did seem a bit odd when I first saw it. I don't think he works as a sympathetic character (which we're supposed to believe he is at the start), but when you know his real motives, that fake smile of Pearce's seems fitting. He's an ass who thinks he's smarter than he really is, but he's not fooling anyone. That's a very good point when one considers the outcome of the film.

[Citizen Rules]

There is a chance Thursday Next will have to drop out. Perhaps suspend watching Farewell my Concubine but I want to give her every opportunity to finish.

I also haven't set a concrete deadline yet as it's still fluid.That's a real bummer if Thursday has to drop out. Not because I already watched the movie, but because I enjoy having her in HoFs. If she needs a longer watch time than usual, I'm super OK with that:)

[edarsenal]

I'm the same with CR, if an extension is required, no problemo!


And sorry to put you through Memento, CR. :( I'm not surprised you figured it out, it is right there for all to see if you look hard enough. It's the whole going backward setup that I've always enjoyed.

Though I must say I am a bit bias with Pearce since the first movie I saw with him in LA Confidential and found the smugness of his "lost" character kind of an armor to wade into battle with his inability to create new memories. And considering he was an insurance liability investigator I had little expectations of him being a nice guy, period ;)

[rauldc14]

I kind of wanted this one to have a bit less pressure to begin with, with the holidays and all coming up, so we will see what she says :)

[Siddon]

Okay I'm done with the B Hall and now I'm going to try and finish this one this month.

[MijaFrost]

Sorry for being slow with submitting reviews, I'm still watching films and will be catching up on my writing soon.

[Nathaniel]

I just rewatched Letter from an Unknown Woman and will have some thoughts up later.

[MijaFrost]

I just rewatched Letter from an Unknown Woman and will have some thoughts up later.

I just watched that too. (For the first time.)

[Nathaniel]

Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)

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"When you climb up a mountain, what then?"

Most tend to point to camerawork when praising Max Ophüls and Letter from an Unknown Woman is an example of that with its excellent use of period setting. But, the dialogue sticks out to me in this film in a fascinating way. Every scene is well crafted. Meticulous would be a good way to describe it.

Ophüls pushes his usual romanticism to an extreme by having Lisa define her yearning for a relationship with the composer Stefan Brand. Fontaine and Jourdan lend strong performances in how their characters behave where I found myself connecting strongly with the melodrama. I loved the section in the snow leading to them building a rapport due to how well they interact together. That, and how these scenes are so beautifully framed.

Even with its heavy romanticism, its quite a cynical analysis of relationships or in this case relationships that are more dreamlike than real. The entire conversation on the ride is a neat nod to the idea that the peak can't get any higher than this, it's a downward slope from this point. There's a fairytale vibe during all of the interactions between Lisa and Stefan as if the relationship is in a fantasy world. Lisa's fantasy world. A real engagement is an illusory ideal.

[Nathaniel]

I can already tell that these are going to be tough to rank. Too many great films here. A few people should have nominated some garbage to make things easier :mad:

I just watched that too. (For the first time.)

Funny, the other day when you posted that you had just watched Incendies, I had just watched it as well.

Sixth sense going on.

[Citizen Rules]

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Ed Wood
(Tim Burton 1994)


I was going to choose this for my nom, but I was too slow:p Which is super OK with me as I still got to see it:) and of course I love it! But why do I love it?....

It's great fun! and that's enough for me! Johnny Depp, who I always liked as an actor is in great form here as Ed D. Wood Jr. I just love the light hearted and enthusiastic way Ed Wood goes about life, that's my life philosophy too...only without the angora:p And of course Ed Wood admires Orson Welles and so that's another connection.

You know Ed Wood Jr reminds me of Orson Welles in that both went for their dreams and did it their own way! Ed Wood might have been voted worst director but the guy had a lot of unique film ideas that were way ahead of there time.

Back when I first seen Ed Wood (1994), I then watched the DVD box set of Wood's movies, The Ed Wood Collection - A Salute to Incompetence, I hate that title but it was a great set with Ed's most inspired (or most inept films). The DVD box set has a total of 6 movies and a really cool documentary The Ed Wood Story...anyway this movie originally got me interested in Ed Wood's movies so that's another reason I love it.

Back to the film...Tim Burton does a wonderful job and I read this was the first time he didn't use Danny Elfman for the music score. Elfman is of course well respected but I loved the music score choice for Ed Wood and the use of the theremin to create some really cool sounds! And I loved that Tim Burton believed in his vision so much that he refused to shoot this in color, but instead switched studios so that he could do it his way. In watching the documentary about Ed Wood Jr, I learned that all of these people depicted in the film, were real. So the film is pretty close to the actual events of Ed's life.

I did feel like Bill Murray was showing off a bit and playing it like he was doing a comedy skit on Saturday Night Live. Criswell the psychic (Jeffery Jones) was one of my favorite secondary roles. He has one of the best lines in the movie when he lets Ed in on the secret of ballyhoo. Sarah Jessica Parker as the 'horse faced actress' Dolores Fuller was real good. God! they actually said that about the real actress. Martin Landau as the aged Bela Lugosi won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and it's easy to see why. Martin Landau's Lugosi really helps make Ed Wood special. And of course my favorite scene is in the bar when Ed meets Orson.

[CosmicRunaway]

I read this was the first time he didn't use Danny Elfman for the music score. Elfman is of course well respected but I loved the music score choice for Ed Wood and the use of the theremin to create some really cool sounds!
The music for the opening credits (which I absolutely love) did sound a little Elfman-like to me, so I was fully expecting his name to come up. When I saw "Music By Howard Shore" instead, I actually did a double take. Shore is one of my favourite composers, so it was a pleasant surprise, but when I think of Tim Burton I immediately think of Elfman and Depp as well, sort of like a package deal haha.

[CosmicRunaway]

I finally got around to rewatching Man from Earth. In the first few minutes it became abundantly clear why we covered it in my Archaeology in Film class haha.

I only have Pierrot le Fou and Farewell My Concubine left now, though if Thursday isn't able to continue with the HoF, then I only have one. I hope she is able to stay in, since I always look forward to reading her views on the films, but I hope she makes whatever choice is best for her. I'm not in danger of missing the deadline, so I'll probably watch her nomination even if she has to drop out. It looks really interesting.

[CosmicRunaway]

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The Man from Earth (2007)
Directed By: Richard Schenkman
Starring: David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, John Billingsley

The Man from Earth is an intellectual film that relies almost entirely on its dialogue to convey its story and thematic elements. With just a few minor changes, the script could easily work as a radio play. Since the single shooting location works well for the story's structure, a more artistic style of cinematography may have helped hide the film's obviously low production budget. Unfortunately, The Man from Earth is shot quite simply, which often makes it look like an amateur or student film. While that can be charming, it does feel a little bland at times.

Luckily the film's premise is quite interesting, and clearly a great deal of academic research went into writing the script. There are rapid-fire references to various aspects of anthropology and human history, as university professors with backgrounds in different disciplines discuss what they initially assume to be a theoretical situation. I was engrossed in their conversation in the beginning, however it did start to grow old pretty quickly. The shift into moral philosophy and organized religion was a refreshing change, but some of the later revelations were a little cringe inducing.

While some of the performances were really good, many of the actors were uneven or possibly just poorly directed. For a film that heavily depends on its characters and their interactions with each other, the weak links really dragged down the entire film. That was my biggest problem with The Man from Earth when I first saw it, and it remains a pretty major issue now. Overall I did enjoy the film more than when I first watched it, but I like the idea a lot more its actual execution.

[Citizen Rules]

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Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

If we ever do Cricket's idea of a Recommendation HoF or whatever it would be called, then Raise the Red Lantern is a Citizen type movie:p

I flat out loved 95% of the movie and I'll tell you why so you'll know what I look for when I select my own films: First off the film has a confined world set in the manor house of a rich noble man and all we see is life from this one narrow and focused angle...and that appeals to me. I don't often like films that start in one place then do a 180 turn and end up being completely different. I like to step into the world of the film and spend time there with the characters, so to speak.

And of course I love period piece or historical films and for some reason I like Chinese cinema too. I loved the way the film's cinematography felt confined and that's fitting as the young woman in the film is basically sequestered in her room in this manor estate. I liked the way the film felt controlled and claustrophobic, both the story and the camera work were synced to deliver that very effect, which then puts us into the mindset of this young woman who's lost her freedom when she marries and lives as a concubine.

The other thing I loved about this was that it was kind of like a Chinese soap opera with all the backstabbing and scheming of the four wives, I like that kind of human drama, cause it rings true. In a way soap opera type movies deliver on the human experience, which I like.

Oh, one more thing about this movie, I like stories about women. I don't mean that in a woo-hoo type of way:p Stories that focus on a female character often have more depth of humanity to them then a movie about a guy. I'm not big into action guy flicks.

So the one thing I didn't care for in this film was the ending...*SPOILERS Coming* I usually don't like it when a film has to end on a big note, so as to make some noise. I knew it was going to end with a hanging in the death room but I thought it would be the fourth mistress. But what really felt tacked on and Hollywoodish was the scene where she goes mad and ends up a maid. Sheez, that felt like an episode ending of the Twilight Zone.

I would have ended the film some years later with the fourth mistress getting older and forgotten by her husband, then we see another young beauty taking her place as the fifth mistress enters the household. Which they did do in part, but the madness into a maid bit was too much in my book. Still I really loved this movie and it held me spell bound, which I can't say many films do.

[CosmicRunaway]

Warning: Spoilers for Raise the Red Lantern below.

So the one thing I didn't care for in this film was the ending...*SPOILERS Coming* I usually don't like it when a film has to end on a big note, so as to make some noise. I knew it was going to end with a hanging in the death room but I thought it would be the fourth mistress.
I kind of liked how the film ended in a way that I wasn't exactly anticipating. You mentioned soap operas, and it felt to me like there was going to be a very soap opera-esque romance between the fourth mistress and the eldest son. There's a hint of something in their few scenes together, and I'm glad the film didn't go down that route at least.

[CosmicRunaway]

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Pierrot le Fou (1965)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina, Graziella Galvani

French New Wave cinema is often difficult for me to sit through. It's not a form of art that appeals to me in any way. The absence of rigid narrative structures, the odd editing, and documentary-like shooting techniques that are typical of New Wave films are fine on their own, but when combined together they create a style that just doesn't interest me. As such, I was putting off watching Pierrot le Fou until I was in exactly the right mood. I wanted to give it the best possible chance to exceed my low expectations.

While I was able to watch the entire film in one sitting, it unfortunately didn't change my mind about the New Wave movement. Instead, it exemplified exactly what I don't like about this type of film making. It doesn't help that I am not generally a fan of musical numbers either, so the lack of sound continuity between shots during the first song made it even harder to listen to than usual. There was strange sound mixing throughout the entire film as well, so I wonder now if the awkward cuts in that first song were actually intentional.

The performances of the main roles were quite good, but I didn't really understand the characters or their motivations, so I was wholly disinterested in their romance and misadventures. Some of the shots looked great, but I wasn't a fan of the aesthetics overall, since the frequent colour palette changes at the start of the film didn't sit well with me for some reason. I felt like a complete outsider watching something that was meant to be intriguing, but I lacked the ability to connect to it in any meaningful way. I understand that a lot of people are drawn to these kinds of films, but it's just not my cup of tea.

[Citizen Rules]

Warning: Spoilers for Raise the Red Lantern below.

I kind of liked how the film ended in a way that I wasn't exactly anticipating.

You mentioned soap operas, and it felt to me like there was going to be a very soap opera-esque romance between the fourth mistress and the eldest son. There's a hint of something in their few scenes together, and I'm glad the film didn't go down that route at least.

Oh that's right, I thought for sure that was going to happen too. I forget about that until just now.

BTW I just read your review I liked the way you described the courtyard:
The courtyards feel cold even in the summer, with their stone walls appearing dull and colourless, except when illuminated by the red lanterns. These lanterns bathe the interior shots in a red glow, providing the only real warmth the mistresses will ever experience in their homes. So true and those lanterns really were symbolic. Though I kept thinking, 'they're orange! not red!' ha

[CosmicRunaway]

BTW I just read your review I liked the way you described the courtyard.
Thanks!

So true and those lanterns really were symbolic. Though I kept thinking, 'they're orange! not red!' ha
I'm pretty sure that I actually said out loud (to no one since I was here alone) "That's not red" the first time I saw them too haha.

[Siddon]

http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ed-Wood024.jpg


Ed Wood is a great movie, it tells the story of a morally and culturally broke yet enthusiastic filmmaker in 1950's Hollywood. He has a collection of friends who each have their own stories and go on their own journeys. Burton excels at telling these side stories and giving them depth, humanity and comedy through different means.

I love all the subtextual things the feeling that if you follow each sub character you would have an entire other film and that this movie just captures this fragmented portion of the characters lives. You get all of these little glimpses of their other lives, one of the things I loved was how the first wife covered all of his idealism and they had that co-dependent relationship but when it failed he moved on to a different woman who demonstrated a different side of co-dependence. While we never find out what was wrong with her father we the audience can just use our imaginations as to what hell her life was before Ed and how Ed improved on it.

Visually I love the look and feel of the film, you have this great home made cheap quality of the film making on this backdrop of luscious period piece Los Angeles. Burton always gives you something cool to look at while he subtly breaks your heart with how these people gleefully use each other.

My only real quibble with the film is that for half of the movie it feels like it's a buddy picture with Bela Lugosi and then he passes away and we just move onto the final picture. The film has three endings and I felt like they picked the wrong one(I would have gone with Well's in the bar, but ah well)

[Siddon]

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When I saw this nomination I first thought this was A Letter to Three Wives and I was excited to revisit it...then I realized it was a different movie. I had watched Letter from an Unknown woman before and it certainly improves on second viewing. Max Ophuls has a quiet beauty to it you don't really pick up on all the fancy camera work the first time you watch because you are trying to track the characters movement, motivations, and introductions.

And while the film is well shot, well acted and well told this movie feels like it's in a constant state of missing something. It doesn't help that Joan Fontaine decides to play a teenager in her 30's, or that she isn't really either a great beauty or a flawed character actress so you don't get that sense of longing or obsession from the film or the sexual chemistry. I found Louise Jourdan to be very good and his story was that one that I found myself more engaged with. I do wonder how the film improved if Joan would have let an Elizabeth Taylor play the 16 year old version of her. I think the two could have had excellent collaborations through the 40's, 50's and 60's. Perhaps I'll nominate Jane Erye(1943) for one of these halls.

I do wonder if this is a film that is due for a remake that could do a better job with the sexual undertones that are somewhat undercut with Lisa's marriage and child. You get some of the cynicism I assume was in the novel but the sexuality is a bit too repressed for my take.

[Siddon]

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Memento was the first Christopher Nolan film I ever saw watching this after seeing the other nine major Nolan films one has to be struck at the restraint, beauty and fun that Nolan has moved on from.

The movie has a detective story framed with a quasi-science fiction setting with some great action set pieces...but what makes it great is once again it's restraint. We don't really get a sense of how long Leonard's been searching for his wife's rapist and killer.

The film is told in reverse order so you end up with all of these twists and turns and while they might not feel authentic and at points cheap the value in them is seeing how the characters grow and develop during the course of the film..though really it's through the course of conversations.

One of the aspects of the film that I particularly enjoy is how it's a small budget film yet you have a dozen or so different locations and each one takes on a specific character this is something I often find lacking in low budget indies.

[MijaFrost]

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

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The first 40 minutes throws us unrelentingly into a very harsh world, where young boys are "sold" to a master who uses torturous training methods to prepare them for the stage and opera. I couldn't help but feel enraged about how these children were treated. Once they become adults, it's clear that the damage has permanently altered their personalties. I found it sad how the gay one lived his life so fully immersed in the fictional roles of his operas. It was like he was too afraid to detach himself, view it as a profession, and develop his own interests outside the theatre. It's no surprise, however, that it became a pathological mindset and behavior learned through his beatings as a child.
I understood why he felt threatened by Gong Li's character. His pettiness wasn't pleasant to watch, but it felt realistic with that kind of backstory.

The length of the film was probably overlong, but I didn't really mind it. I liked seeing "snapshots" of the historical periods that were covered.

In all, it was a lavish and melancholic production that I'm glad I watched.

After Hours (1985)

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This one reminded me of some crazy, dreamlike nights I've had... nothing this wild, but it was still a trip.

I'm not sure how exactly I feel about the main character. I think he seems like a relatively decent, average guy. He's not inappropriately aggressive unless it's necessary, and he's not "weird" or off-putting. He seems like someone you could easily run into at a bar with whom you could have a brief conversation, before you discover you don't have much in common and turn your attention back to the sports game on the TV screens. Or, as a female, you might think he seems nice and give him your number, like the first woman did in the film.

He was a jerk to her, it's true, and if he was planning to leave anyway he should have left sooner. I don't blame him for just walking out because her behavior screamed "red flags."

For the rest of the movie, I sympathized with him and how much he wanted to get home, but he continued getting drawn in by unstable people. I've also experienced being stranded in a city in the middle of the night...

Good choice for the HOF. I'll probably want to re-watch it in a decade or so.

rauldc14

[MijaFrost]

Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)

49718

I am curious if the creators of Millennium Actress took any inspiration from this film. Maybe not, but they had similar plotlines... a young woman obsessed with a man she hardly knows, because she paints him in her mind as her perfect ideal.

I'm sure many of us have that ex to whom we compare everyone else we date, or maybe once in a while we look back upon a crush and say, "I wonder what could have been..." We might think of them as "the one who got away."

The thing is, in a mutual, long-term relationship, we see that all our preconceptions of the other person are stripped away. They aren't quite who we thought they were at the beginning - they are much more than that, and when we stay with them, all their intricacies and quirks are what we feel makes them lovable and unique (or, what drives us crazy and causes us to separate).

In this story, Lisa never sees what daily life would be like with this man, and she glosses over his glaring faults (like being a cheater and playboy). In this sense, she's an immature young woman who never grew up, because she thought the way she felt about this crush was what "love" felt like. She later views marriage as basically a necessary evil, but doesn't allow herself to form a more "grown-up" version of love with her husband because he just couldn't match that chemical rush she had felt over her first "love," as she had failed to realize that that brief romance was too superficial to be genuine.

Anyone can fall victim to thoughts that maybe "the grass is greener on the other side" when they're bored, unhappy, or perhaps not fully committed in a relationship, though. I appreciated that in this instance, it was a woman, and not a man, who considers abandoning their family for someone else. A female in this position might have been rather progressive for the 1940s, although of course the consequences were shown to be severe, so as to uphold "Hollywood values," and dissuade any potential "wandering wives." Heh. I doubt that would have happened if it HAD been a male protagonist.

rauldc14

[rauldc14]

I should be caught up on tagging all the reviews. If you see anything of yours I missed let me know!

Can't really make heads or tails of a true favorite here, which makes it pretty exciting for when the lists roll in.

[Siddon]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ByoeBQJIMAEeisK.jpg


I think this is one of those movies that hopefully will one day get a big screen re-release. Gorgeous, frustrating, and fun would be the three adjectives I would use to describe Pierrot le Fou it's really a two hour tease of sex and violence without ever giving us the gratification.


A Middleaged man stuck in a sense of ennui runs away with his murderous babysitter. That's roughly the plot, but really this is about Goddard's meditations on a variety of several subjects. You feel the run time after about an hour and I hated this on first watch when I was buzzing through Criterion films on Hulu but years later this was a decent revisit. I suspect each time I watch this film it will improve as different things grab me.


Now is this top Goddard...not for me but it's still pretty damn good. I think I would have enjoyed the film a bit better if it more restraint and the story was a little more cohesive. I thought Anna Karina was especially good in this so much so I now wonder if the Academy will ever go back and reward these New Wave acting greats while they are still alive.

[Jabs]

https://i.imgur.com/OCYns2Z.jpg
After Hours (1985)
First Watch: No
Director: Martin Scorsese


The first time I watched After Hours was during a Scorsese marathon years ago and I loved it enough to consider it as one of the top films the iconic director ever brought to life. Upon revisiting it though, I unfortunately observed that it lost much of its appeal to me. However, it still remains an undoubtedly interesting film, mainly because of the subtle nuances it had to similar films of the era.

After Hours seems to be a continuation of Scorsese's lifelong experimentation with cinematic styles, genres and approaches to film making. Though mostly remembered for his crime-centered work, throughout his career, the Italian-American director has always been fond of trying his hand in different themes like historical biography (Raging Bull, Kundun, The Aviator etc), music (New York New York, Vinyl as well as several documentaries) and spirituality (The Last Passion of Christ, Silence). After Hours does not resemble anything Scorsese has done before or after and seems to belong in a separate category along with The Age of Innocence. That alone, is reason enough to watch it.

There are many things that you can immediately notice while watching After Hours. It looks like something Scorsese decided to do after watching Woody Allen films non-stop, and taking into account their common love for New York City and their collaboration only 4 years later on the anthology New York Stories, it is not unreasonable to assume that this might have actually been the case. It has an almost identical structure to Woody Allen films, with different brushstrokes when it comes to presentation. One could say it is much darker, way less romantic, more cynical and deprived of any sexual notions particular to Allen's work. But the basic building blocks are there.

You are thrown into an adventure without a specific purpose or reason for existence, other than a series of comedic coincidences and you are by extension introduced to a tapestry of idiosyncratic and dysfunctional characters along the way. It is worth noting that no character in After Hours behaves in what would be considered a normal way. Even the protagonist has outbursts of anger and irrationality throughout the film, especially in his interactions with women. The entire film seems to play on the notion that normal people don't roam about after hours.

One of the strong points in the story, is the interconnection between the various short plots that are created throughout the run time, but given the nature of the film, it fails to capitalize on these situations in a comedic way. Most of the delivery is heavily reliant on dry humor which doesn't seem to work most of the time. The performances don't seem to help either, as a multitude of characters exhibits half a dozen psychological syndromes each, which often results in disjointed dialogue in every other scene. Having one character with that trait usually works, but having most of your cast do it is a bit tiring.

Overall, I would consider After Hours a mediocre film, but one that can be viewed as a very interesting cinematic endeavor to unite the styles of two famous directors. It can still be appreciated for what it was and at times even forgiven its flaws.

[Citizen Rules]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49787&stc=1&d=1542737690

Pierrot Le Fou (1965)

Visually I loved it, there was so many shooting scenes in the film that it must have cost a fortune to make. I mean the couple go everywhere! in France, and seeing all these different parts of France from the viewpoint of a crime ridden road trip was visually amazing...

BUT, I was utterly confused as to what was going on in the film, or more precisely how the director intended it to be interrupted. I must have stopped the film a half dozen times to ask my wife what she thought this was all about? I couldn't tell if the film was a: surrealistic interpretation of an inner conflict that Pierrot was having in his mind? Or was it all a dream sequence and he would wake up at the end of the film still taking a bath and smoking? Geez this guy smoked a lot!

Later in the film I seen some quick edit inter-cuts of words being written on a page, so I decided I was watching a visualization of the novel his wife had asked him about in the beginning of the film. You know like we were seeing his thoughts as a movie. But no, I don't think that was it either....SO I had an utter disconnect from the story narrative and all I did was stare at the background scenery and Anna Karina! I liked her.

Finally in the end when he wraps the silly looking dynamite around his head, I decide this was Godard's French version of the old Jerry Lewis movies.

[Citizen Rules]

@Jabs (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=100572) Well written review on After Hours. I liked the detail that you put into your review, very interesting read!

I think you might be right about Scorsese working in Woody Allen's style of film making with After Hours. It did remind me of something Woody Allen would do, but it's void of the neurotic, self-indulgent, sexual & intellectual musings that are the hallmark of Woody Allen films...so it's still Scorsese vision, sort of like Scorsese honors his friend Woody.

I like that you said that all the characters are strangely unnormal and that's by design. It did seem like after hours all the flakes come out. Either that or it was full moon.

[rauldc14]

I think that makes the film pretty nifty. Gives the film a funky vibe with funky characters. This is a film that feels like it's made to be watched in the late night hours too.

[Jabs]

Citizen Rules@ thank you. It had potential for sure and I think that if Woody Allen had at some point departed from his religiously followed doctrine and adapted some of Scorsese's traits in After Hours, a lot of his films would look much more fresh and overall watchable.



I am actually half way through his filmography, which I started along with my girlfriend 2 years ago, but we quickly grew tired of the constant theme repetition and it's been hard to watch anything of his nowadays.

[Citizen Rules]

@Citizen Rules (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=84637)@ thank you. It had potential for sure and I think that if Woody Allen had at some point departed from his religiously followed doctrine and adapted some of Scorsese's traits in After Hours, a lot of his films would look much more fresh and overall watchable.



I am actually half way through his filmography, which I started along with my girlfriend 2 years ago, but we quickly grew tired of the constant theme repetition and it's been hard to watch anything of his nowadays. Very cool that you're watching Woody's filmography. Are you doing that in chronological order? Or just picking the ones you want to watch next? That's what I'm doing, I'm slowly working my way through Woody Allen films. I haven't seen many of his early ones, but I will. I've found some that I really liked and some not so much. Have you seen many of his latest films?

[Jabs]

Unfortunately my girlfriend refers to anything released before 2000 as "an old movie". She is also not very fond of "old movies" so we have pretty much seen all of his newer stuff with a few selections from his earlier career when I insisted to no end. It's the small victories that count or at least that's what I say to myself.

A quick look at my IMDb profile tells me we have seen 25/49 of his films. Last one was almost 6 months ago though and I don't see us getting back to it any time soon.

As far as critique goes, he gets old very quickly. My favorite of his so far has been Midnight in Paris (Brody as Dali still makes me laugh). In general I have found the films in which he tends to incorporate a crime element much more tolerable than the rest.

[Citizen Rules]

I think some of Woody Allen's best work was in the 1980s. Midnight In Paris was a favorite of mine too. I hated Cafe Society, but I thought last year's Wonder Wheel was pretty good. Have you seen those two?

[Jabs]

I am the other way around. Hated Wonder Wheel, kind of liked Cafe Society.

[MijaFrost]

I forgot about Wonder Wheel. Should watch that soon.
I kinda liked Cafe Society as well, although it wasn't terribly memorable.

[Citizen Rules]

http://www.leisuremartini.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Man-from-Earth.jpg
The Man From Earth (2007)

So I watched this last night. I'm not as fond of the movie as I was when I first watched it some years ago. I do like the historical information on past religious ideas/myths and how they got incorporated into newer religions which people then take as the only truth. That resonated well with me. But I have to say the dialogue at times was lacking and some of the acting was bad especially by Peter Billingsley who played Harry the psychologist.

What won me over the 1st viewing all those years ago, was the DVD extras that told the backstory of the writer Jerome Bixby. This was the last script he wrote. He had been a sci fi writer and wrote some of the original Star Trek episodes. As he was dying his son Emerson Bixby promised him The Man From Earth would be made the way his father had originally written it. Emerson Bixby who's the executive producer was offered a lot of money by Hollywood types to make this into a big splashy sci-fi film. He refused so as to honor his father's original vision. That takes integrity! Sure the film isn't great and it was shot in one week on just one location with two basic video cameras. But the idea of the film is a neat concept and for that reason I do think it's a good film, but just rough around the edges.

[CosmicRunaway]

Due to its length, I thought I would have to break up Farewell My Concubine over two days, but I managed to watch the entire thing in one sitting. I'm not sure if I'll get anything written tonight though, since it's been a long day and my eyes are quite tired now.

With that, I've finished watching all of the nominations. I think I have a vague idea of how I'm going to rank the films, so I might not have to sit undecided on my list for so long this time haha.

[Citizen Rules]

...With that, I've finished watching all of the nominations. I think I have a vague idea of how I'm going to rank the films, so I might not have to sit undecided on my list for so long this time haha.Wow that was fast! I still have a couple more to go.

Have you ever tried ranking the films after you watch them? I've done that sometimes with a running voting list, then other times not. I can't say if it helped me or not either? Just curious if you did that?

[Citizen Rules]

rauldc14 is Thursday in or out? I don't know if that was ever confirmed?

[CosmicRunaway]

Have you ever tried ranking the films after you watch them? I've done that sometimes with a running voting list, then other times not. I can't say if it helped me or not either? Just curious if you did that?
I've never done that, no. I've always waited until I'd watched them all before I started comparing and ranking them.

Though I did technically start my list last week in case Farewell My Concubine got disqualified before I got around to watching it. I grouped together my top three, middle three, and bottom three films, but they're not necessarily in their final order. That's why I said I have a vague idea of how I'm ranking them; I just need to work out the details haha.

[Citizen Rules]

I've never done that, no. I've always waited until I'd watched them all before I started comparing and ranking them.

Though I did technically start my list last week in case Farewell My Concubine got disqualified before I got around to watching it. I grouped together my top three, middle three, and bottom three films, but they're not necessarily in their final order. That's why I said I have a vague idea of how I'm ranking them; I just need to work out the details haha. Mostly that's what I do too. I don't have any detailed ways of ranking them. I just move the movies around in order tell I like it...or get sick of reordering my list:p

[rauldc14]

rauldc14 is Thursday in or out? I don't know if that was ever confirmed?

Probably out at this point. I'd still like to give her every opportunity to finish though, but people should definitely hold off on watching her film.

[Citizen Rules]

Probably out at this point. I'd still like to give her every opportunity to finish though, but people should definitely hold off on watching her film. That's cool, I was just wondering.

[rauldc14]

I always usually make a running list. Just hard not to I guess.

[MijaFrost]

Just wanted to leave an update... Pierrot le Fou I had seen before nominating it, and The Man from Earth I watched recently, so I'll be writing those up when I have a chance.

I have the others on hand... Le Trou, Anatomy of a Murder, Memento, and Ed Wood. I usually choose a genre to watch based on the mood I'm in, so not sure what I'll see next.

[Siddon]

https://www.metmuseum.org/-/media/images/events/ongoing-programs/metlivearts/2017-18-event-images/programs_metlivearts_concubine.jpg


Sometimes when a filmmaker decides to make a litery adaptation they feel inspired and cut down to the meat and potatoes of the plot, characters, and essence of the story. In other cases we end up with Farewell My Concubine an ambitious through grossly uneven film.

The first act of the film covers the story of a prostitute who leaves her child with a theater troupe to get him out of that life. As the boy grows up in this tightly knit community we see the brutality of this life where beatings, and a cult like atmosphere are fostered. It's during this part of the film we get to know our central characters. However the next two hours of this film covers the characters as they grow up in China during the Japanese occupation and the cultural revolution. While the intention of the film is to cover a large collective of characters over a long stretch of time the problem is non of the older characters are as well-defined or well-performed as the young contemporaries.

Where the film should really excel is in the Opera performances however the films greatest fault is how these potentially compelling scenes are shot in such a flat dull and frankly cheap method that when the finale comes I had to rewind it and I thought to myself...well that's a let down. The film isn't entirely terrible, you have a collection of scenes that have a bit of a powerful impact, especially during the cultural revolution portions. Though sadly because the characters are so poorly drawn out you feel a sense of sterility at those scenes.

[Siddon]

https://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/6bbc/SS.RaisetheRedLantern.jpg

Raise the Red Lantern is a damn near perfect film, it tells the story of an educated woman who is sent to be the fourth wife (er third...mistress) of an elderly master in his palatial estate. The master having gotten tired of his latest mistress he is ready to move onto his next younger one.

One of the things that make this film so good is you would figure the master would hold a major position in the film, and while he does drive the plot he's always just in the background with his face obscured. We know who is he and what he does but the filmmaker shows a degree of restraint with him never pushing him into the monster level. What the film is really about is how the four wives interact with each other and play their games of manipulation and treachery for even the minor-est of conveniences.

And while the film has an epic quality to it, by keeping the story in the estate it slowly becomes more of a prison. You go from these lavish yet somewhat sparsely decorated rooms to a concrete courtyard where the Master decides which woman he'll bed for the night. Sex and violence is always in the background yet the director never gives us any gratification in those areas.

Another thing I enjoy about this film is how none of the mistresses are particularly sympathetic. Each one including the protagonist has good and bad sides that are demonstrated throughout the film. And finally I enjoy how every scene is shot with a degree of symmetry, the film goes out of it's way to project a sense of equity when the entire point of the story is the lack of equity for the women in the story.

[CosmicRunaway]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49849

Farewell My Concubine / 霸王別姬 (1993)
Directed By: Chen Kaige
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li

Farewell My Concubine follows the lives of two actors whose relationship is strained by personal conflicts while they are forced to suffer through an ever changing social and political climate. The film covers over 50 years of history, from the fall of the previous dynasty, through the Japanese occupation of China, to the subsequent Communist takeover and devastating Cultural Revolution. Due to its subject matter and critical depictions of the government, I wasn't surprised to discover that the film had been pulled from Chinese theatres and heavily censored. That's certainly a shame, but I'm glad the film remained intact for its international release.

The growing disparity between Dieyi and Xiaolu was handled extremely well. Although he is an excellent actor, Xiaolu doesn't truly understand the play or its nuances, simply accepting what happens because that is how it was written. He is also clearly willing to forego tradition, as long as it still benefits himself. However Dieyi's admiration for Xiaolu gives him a connection to his character that makes him feel like he's living the play, so he forms an attachment to it that he is reluctant to let go. In addition to the drama that their conflicting views generate, their turbulent history can be seen as a representation of how culture and politics fail to coexist, which is a major theme in the latter parts of the film.

It's unfortunate that the dubbing of Leslie Cheung's lines were so poorly handled, since his physical performance was completely stunning. His facial expressions in particular were quite captivating, and always managed to hold my attention. The actor who recorded the dialogue did a good job, but the poor lip syncing was often distracting. Trying to avoid looking at Cheung's mouth did at least give me time to appreciate the gorgeous theatre costumes. I do think the main actors remained too youthful looking for how much time had passed throughout the film, though that's a minor complaint.

While I was engaged from beginning to end, I think Farewell My Concubine could have benefited from spending a more even amount of time in each social period, or at least not glossing over certain elements, like the opium addiction. It's strange to think that some things felt rushed in a film that has an almost 3 hour long runtime, but since other parts seemed to go on for longer than necessary, a few changes in focus could've fixed that. This was definitely an interesting watch that I think would benefit from a second viewing, but despite thoroughly enjoying the film, I'm not sure if I'd want to sit through it again any time soon.

[CosmicRunaway]

I do like slow cinema but it took me two nights to get through the 3 hour movie which felt very long to me.
I didn't find Farewell My Concubine to be too slow, but when the film was over it had felt like an entire day had passed. My room mate even remarked that it felt like the film had been on forever, and he only saw flashes of it while walking past my room haha.

The individual scenes had this odd pacing that made me feel like I didn't get the emotional story that I should of. They didn't flow in the way they fit into the overall story, but felt like they were pieced together in a patchwork.
I definitely agree that the placement of some scenes (and the edits between them) didn't feel particularly natural. That's something I remember noticing at the time, but completely forgot about until now for some reason.

I might have had it written in my notes, but I deleted half of them when I saw how long my write-up was getting in comparison to what I wrote about the other films haha.

[CosmicRunaway]

I just sent my list. I've never decided on a final ranking this quickly before!

Maybe for the next Hall of Fame I will try starting my list at the beginning, and updating it with each nomination I see. My usual method worked fine this time, but it was definitely an exception haha.

[Siddon]

http://php88.free.fr/bdff/film/2004/0006/08/Le%20trou%20Jacques%20Becker%201960%20%20(2).jpg


French jail (I don't think it's supposed to be prison) comes into play in this French New Wave classic from Jacques Baker, Le Trou. Not much can be written about Le Trou because the film has a unique position in that it's about two hours long, it's very thorough taking you through the escape point by point. Some might think that it makes the film seem long but I thought the film just flew by, and this was a re-watch for me.

Baker lets you get to know the characters and he is constantly building suspense throughout the film and this helps it tremendously. Also what I enjoyed about it was the dichotomy between the inmates and the prisoners, typically in a prison escape film the guards are portrayed negatively or cruelty but in this film they are just drones. Having a prison film with the melodrama or exploitation impressed me greatly because it allowed for a rise in tension with the inmates. Everything that happens in this film is earned rather than presented.

This was a great nomination and one of the big reasons I agreed to do this fourth film Hall of Fame. Good pick @Nathaniel (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=100931)

[CosmicRunaway]

(I don't think it's supposed to be prison)
While I think the French only have one word for both jail and prison, the correctional facility in the film is certainly a prison, at least by Canadian standards. Jails here tend to be run by local police, and are never used for long term sentences which many of the inmates in Le Trou are facing. Though in most English speaking countries, a lot of people use the two words interchangeably anyway.

[Siddon]

Well the whole plot point was that they need to escape before they are given "hard labor" so I'm not sure if this is "jail" and like Papillon is what "prison" is supposed to be but this seems to be point of the time period.

[CosmicRunaway]

I do not remember any mention of hard labour as a sentence, just that some of them had a minimum of 10 years to serve. I could've missed it though, especially if it was just brought up once.

The film is based on a true story involving La Santé Prison, which English Wikipedia does list as a prison and not a jail, if that makes any difference.

[rauldc14]

Anatomy of a Murder

https://filmforum.org/do-not-enter-or-modify-or-erase/client-uploads/hank_and_jim/_1000w/ANATOMY-OF-A-MURDER2050.jpg

A classic movie that really checks off all the boxes on what a good movie is. First and foremost for me is the performance of James Stewart. I don't think the film would be close to as great as it is if he wasn't involved. It really is a convincing performance which keeps the viewer attached to what is going on in the film. The supporting cast is pretty impressive too, my favorite being George C. Scotts performance. If I'm not wrong, I believe he was also equally as good in the courtroom drama 12 Angry Men. Technically the film is real good too, lots of great camera shots, the film looks very crisp on the criterion and I liked the use of the jazz in the score. The story is told really well with strong direction from Otto Preminger. Overall, it's the second best movie of it's kind for me. Really cool to revisit it as I'd forgotten about all the details.

4+

[gbgoodies]

Anatomy of a Murder

https://filmforum.org/do-not-enter-or-modify-or-erase/client-uploads/hank_and_jim/_1000w/ANATOMY-OF-A-MURDER2050.jpg

A classic movie that really checks off all the boxes on what a good movie is. First and foremost for me is the performance of James Stewart. I don't think the film would be close to as great as it is if he wasn't involved. It really is a convincing performance which keeps the viewer attached to what is going on in the film. The supporting cast is pretty impressive too, my favorite being George C. Scotts performance. If I'm not wrong, I believe he was also equally as good in the courtroom drama 12 Angry Men. Technically the film is real good too, lots of great camera shots, the film looks very crisp on the criterion and I liked the use of the jazz in the score. The story is told really well with strong direction from Otto Preminger. Overall, it's the second best movie of it's kind for me. Really cool to revisit it as I'd forgotten about all the details.

4+


FYI, George C. Scott wasn't in the 1957 movie 12 Angry Men, but he was in the 1997 TV movie.

[mark f]

He means Lee J. Cobb.

[Siddon]

George C Scott debuted in Anatomy of a Murder and went on to perform in 12 Angry Men (1997)..which was stacked BTW, (Lemmon, Gandofini, Vance, Davis, Mueller-Stahl, Cronyn, Olmos)


https://telemachusunedited.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/screen-shot-2011-04-14-at-1-46-38-am.png

Anatomy of a Murder is one of those films where you can easily get lost in the terrific lead performance of Jimmy Stewart you miss out of the incredible ensemble work. I'm just going to list my top things I love about this movie other than the best work of Stewart's career.

10. Ben Gazzara, who might be the weakest link of all the main actors. The entire film is about the gray moralities and you would think that the defendant would be at the forefront but really he's just a small part of the whole story.

09. Muff the dog, Otto was such a little sneak naming that charismatic animal "Muff".

07. Sam Leavitt's Cinematography, Leavitt takes a small court room and shoots it in a timeless fashion. This film feels like it could have come out or been told at any point in the last 100 years of film and Leavitt and Preminger deserve a lot of credit for it.

06. Duke Ellington's cameo and score, you've got this seedy Jazz element running through the film and the characters.

05. Murray Hamilton who went on to be the mayor in Jaws is just spectacular as the bartender and lead prosecution witness. He walks a fine line between slime and charm and what could have been a nothing role carries the second act.

04. George C Scott I don't know if this was his best performance but it was pretty damn awesome. Mixing pathos with humor and playing a foil to Stewart Scott matches Stewart step for step and we he asks the wrong question and gets the wrong answer it's his body language that demonstrates the end of the case not the jury's finding.

03. Joseph Welch's Judge Weaver...bored putupon and sometimes hilarious, Welch get's to referee Scott and Stewarts banter and he does an excellent job.

02. Wendell Maye's Screenplay which makes 3 hours feel like 15 minutes, the film manages to go through most of the criminal justice process not just the trial and do so with zip, charm and great character work.

01. Lee Remick, the performance and character feel both revolutionary yet also authentic. We never know what really happened, however her scenes (first one with Stewart, second one with Scott) are likely the best parts in a great film. Laura is the one at the end of the film that leaves you with the most difficult questions. Did she set both men up? Was she the victim of rape? Is she a battered wife or a manipulative seductress bouncing from man to man. We never know and that's part of what makes this film so damn thrilling.

[Siddon]

Sent my list in, this was by far the best Hall of Fame quality wise I've participated in I think my star ratings are




5
5
5
4.5
4.5
4
4
3.5
2.5
2.5

[Citizen Rules]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49930&stc=1&d=1543506015

Le Trou (1960)


So we had an example of French New Wave Cinema with Pierrot Le Fou, and here we have utter cinematic realism with Le Trou, a fine example of French Realism.

If there's one thing I learned from my time at MoFo is that many movie watchers value realism and gauges a films ability to be realistic as a yard stick. How many times have we heard people saying, 'Oh, that wasn't very realistic'. Of course realism isn't the only flavor of movie self expression but it's a style that rings true to most people. So yeah this seem really real and I dug it! ha...get it?

At 2 hours 11 minutes, time flew! I was hooked from the get go and fascinated to see the inventions that these men came up with to escape. Loved the 'broken mirror' periscope for looking out their peep hole for approaching guards. And the half-hour glass that was made out of two bottles and a handful of pinched sand was pretty cool too.

I was surprised the film didn't venture into high drama and conflict between the five cooped up men. Even though I usually like lots of personal drama in a film, this time around I was glad that the film was purely focused on the details of escaping. Le Trou puts the viewer into a tiny prison cell (where everyone is so polite!) and lets us participate in the audacious escape.

I enjoyed this one!

[Jabs]

I have fallen way behind with this because I have been busy. I will try to make up for it next week with Raise the Red Lantern. I hope the deadline isn't approaching soon.

[Siddon]

I have fallen way behind with this because I have been busy. I will try to make up for it next week with Raise the Red Lantern. I hope the deadline isn't approaching soon.


You really aren't that far behind


Cosmic 10/10 (Ed Wood)
Siddon 10/10 (Anatomy) X
Citizen 9/10 (Raise)
Mija 4/10 (Peirrot)
Raul 3/10 (After Hours) X
Ed 3/10 (Memento)
Jabs 3/10
Nathanial 2/10 (Le Trou) X
Thursday 1/10 (Concubine)
Neiba 0/10 (Letter)

[rauldc14]

Technically I haven't set a concrete deadline yet, so we have quite awhile. I've been toying with late January early February.

Can somebody help with links for Pierrot Le Fou and Raise the Red Lantern?

[Citizen Rules]

Technically I haven't set a concrete deadline yet, so we have quite awhile. I've been toying with late January early February.

Can somebody help with links for Pierrot Le Fou and Raise the Red Lantern?
I'll PM you.

[Citizen Rules]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=49995&stc=1&d=1543769473

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

I watched this last night and that was my second time watching it. I'd originally seen it in the 8th HoF. I haven't went back and read my old review of it (but I will after I'm done writing this).

So last night I watched Anatomy of a Murder again. I was very impressed with the way Otto Preminger handled the film. I know a lot of people love or hate a movie solely based on it's story content. Story matters to me too, but there's other elements that equally impress me.

What impressed me with Anatomy of a Murder was the relaxed pacing of the film, with scenes that took the time to include many little extras. Those extra little gestures and moments made me feel like I was there watching the events as they happened. Right at the start when James Stewart arrives home, the film takes it's time setting up the kind of man that Stewart's lawyer is. It does this by following him around his house as he completes simply little task like cleaning the fish he caught and putting them away in his fridge. The fridge is stacked full of fish! That take your time approach to film making is something I love. And it continues all the way through the trial, which then made the trial seem very real too. Anatomy of a Murder is one of few courtroom movies that I think is superb. Maybe one day I'll nominate the other one.

I loved the title credits by the graphic design artist Saul Bass. It's easy to recognize his work in 50s-60s films. They have this certain style that captures the era. Loved the jazz score too by the great Duke Ellington. And what's cooler than casting the Duke as Pie Eyed and giving him a scene with Jimmy Stewart! The frosting on the cake is that Stewart's country loving lawyer also loves jazz!

James Stewart is the man! One of my all time favorite actors and he's excellent here. Walter O'Connell the older booze hound lawyer was good too. Along with Eve Arden they both help to lighten the mood so that the film doesn't get to heavy and down trodden. That's important so that when we get to the lengthy trial our pallets aren't already over taxed. Sort of like having a cracker in between wine sampling.

This time around I did like Lee Remick, she's an enigma. Is she a trashy woman who falsely accused a man of rape to keep from being beat to a pulp by her brooding husband? Or is she just an innocent flirt who's wanting to have some harmless fun? You decide...And that's what I love about this film, it never force feeds an answer to you. Anatomy of a Murder can be interpreted different ways, and that's the difference between art and a commercial.

I still didn't like the Judge in the first couple minutes, he just seemed a bit flat in his acting, but then something clicked and I got it! The Judge like Eva Arden (the secretary) is meant to lighten the mood so that the battling lawyers look all the more fervently bombastic. The Judge is the calm between the two storms....I loved the way the lawyers did their jobs in this movie, with their fast talking, jury tainting methods couples with oodles of showmanship...and armed with reference materials from past trial precedents so as to kick the oppositions ass, ha!

James Stewart was so smooth in this, he's perfectly cast...and so was George C. Scott who was very intimidating. Loved the scenes where he's grilling Lee Remick and is smack dab in her face...Very intense and effective cinematography.

Loved the way the movie wrapped things up in the last scene...And that's exactly how the real murder case, that this movie was based on ended too.

[Citizen Rules]

As if my last post wasn't long enough;) Here's what I originally wrote in the 8th Hof about Anatomy of a Murder.

Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959)


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Otto Preminger knows how to make a movie! Who else could make a 2 hour 40 minute movie about a murder investigation with a long trial and yet make it interesting? Without using over dramatization, Preminger tells a straight forward story as he takes a frank look at the inner workings of the judicial system.

Preminger masterully controlled the story keeping it focused. Many other directors would have thrown in a car chase or a gun battle or two. Another director would have been tempted to create a romantic sub plot around Lee Remrick and James Stewart. But this is a tight film, it has focus, it knows what it wants to be and it delivers.

Preminger's cinematography is polished. The camera glides effortlessly. I loved how the film opens with a Duke Ellington jazz score that tells us James Stewart's character marches to a different drummer. The score tells us he's a bit roguish but likable. Equally impressive was how the score changed when we get to the trial portion of the film, then it was all business. Preminger has all the elements of film making in harmonization.

James Stewart is always amazing. What's amazing here is he plays his character more subdued than he usually does. He's not as quirky, not as colorful...and that matches the feel of the movie. Same goes for George C Scott, amazing always. Here he's powerful but not uber powerful as he often is. He's metered, also matching the style of the film. Artur O'Connelly and Eve Arden were good choices to lighten the film some.

http://www.filmnoirblonde.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anatomy-4.jpg

Lee Remrick was OK but didn't quite fit the role. Oh sure she's all dolled up and looks the part, but she didn't have the personality of a man crazy, party girl floozy.

I liked Ben Gazzara's performance he seemed capable of committing a violent act of passion. On a side note why does Ben Gazzara have a crazy cigarette holder? Was that prop a red hearing?

Anatomy of a Murder is rich in detail and nuances. I found the realistic study of how defense and prosecuting attorneys operate in a court of law fascinating.

[edarsenal]

Makes for quite the full review. With the first focusing on the "reaction" of how all the actors came across while the original delves deeper into the technical aspects.

[Citizen Rules]

Makes for quite the full review. With the first focusing on the "reaction" of how all the actors came across while the original delves deeper into the technical aspects.I never did find out why Ben Gazzara has that crazy cigarette holder in the film?

[edarsenal]

I never did find out why Ben Gazzara has that crazy cigarette holder in the film?

That did seem like an odd thing for his character to have.

[CosmicRunaway]

I found it odd that he was still allowed to have it when he was in jail.

The types of people you usually see with fancy or ornate cigarette holders in films tend to be rather arrogant, so maybe it's just meant to be a reflection of his character?

[Siddon]

I still didn't like the Judge in the first couple minutes, he just seemed a bit flat in his acting, but then something clicked and I got it! The Judge like Eva Arden (the secretary) is meant to lighten the mood so that the battling lawyers look all the more fervently bombastic. The Judge is the calm between the two storms....I loved the way the lawyers did their jobs in this movie, with their fast talking, jury tainting methods couples with oodles of showmanship...and armed with reference materials from past trial precedents so as to kick the oppositions ass, ha!






I loved the judge, the way I see him is he's in his 70's he's seen the Stewarts and Scott lawyers for 10-20 years and he's just over it. One of the things that I think Anatomy of a Murder does so well is it creates this world where these characters aren't just defined by the role they play in the case.

[edarsenal]

I loved the judge, the way I see him is he's in his 70's he's seen the Stewarts and Scott lawyers for 10-20 years and he's just over it. One of the things that I think Anatomy of a Murder does so well is it creates this world where these characters aren't just defined by the role they play in the case.

True.
Also, remember this is a rural town in Michigan's Upper Penisula so he wouldn't, necessarily be as cynical as say a city judge may be. He fit in with the location of the proceedings.

[Citizen Rules]

The Judge was a real life lawyer and Otto Preminger had a law degree from Vienna where he was born. His father had been the Attorney General to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So law practice was an integral part of Otto's mindset. That's why Anatomy of a Murder is one of the best trial movies ever made.

The beauty of the film is that Preminger went to great lengths to make the trial and movie seem so real, while avoiding all the usual cliches.

Did you guys know this was filmed entirely on location in the same Michigan town where the actual murder had occurred? There's no studio shots in the movie, not one and that was a rarity. And the house that the lawyer (James Stewart) lives in, is the same house the real lawyer who defended the accused murderer lived in. Same with the courtroom, that's a real courtroom and if you visit the town you can see both it and the lawyer's house. The Judge was a real lawyer like I said and historically quite prominent which is a big part of why he was hired to do the role:

"This is the attorney who represented the Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings. In those hearings, McCarthy attacked Fred Fisher, who was a member of Welch's law firm. The attack provoked Welch's famous response "...Have you no sense of decency, sir..". and which spelled the end of McCarthy."


Otto Preminger hated the Production Censor Code and was the person most responsible for breaking it with his 1953 movie 'The Moon is Blue'. The Production Code refused to pass the movie unless some words were cut and told Preminger without approval the film would never get shown. There was so much news press over the film that the limited number of theaters that did show the film turned in a huge profit which proved to film makers that the approval of the Production Code was NOT needed. That's all thanks to Otto Preminger.


He was drawn to the novel Anatomy of a Murder as he knew he could further push the envelope and get in banned words like sperm, rape, etc... and further piss off the Production Code. At the time the movie was controversial and James Stewart's own father took out a full page newspaper ad urging people not to see the movie as it was 'obscene'.

If you guys get a chance to see this on the 2 disc Criterion DVD set there's an excellent documentary on Otto Preminger and the making of Anatomy of a Murder.

[Citizen Rules]

I'm done...great bunch of films! Thanks all.
rauldc14 did you get my voting list that I PMed? I didn't hear back from you.

[rauldc14]

I got it thanks. I'm behind again.

[edarsenal]

rauldc14


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Le Trou aka The Hole

Without realizing it, I've done two of Nathaniel's nominations in a row. Both french, and both I rather enjoyed seeing.
For this one, the director, Becker, an assistant to Renoir during the 30's does a splendid job of creating tension and a more realistic visitation into the penal system by using a story based on a true incident. Along with having three of the actual prisoners from the attempted escape as technical assistance and having one, Roland, playing himself in the film as well.

While prison films are almost a genre upon itself, Becker ignores the usual tropes of cruel guards or volatile prisoners and we find a closed camaraderie accompanied by some truly inventive means to dig their way out. I was continually impressed by the way they created tools and props to hide what they were doing. As well as delving into the manual labor necessary to get through cement and rock to an escape route.

All of this culminating into the attempt and the betrayal which, adding an additional of stunned surprise when it ends moments later.
An excellent ending to quite an excellent film!

[MijaFrost]

The Man from Earth (2007)

https://pics.filmaffinity.com/The_Man_from_Earth-157853379-large.jpg

This was my third viewing, I believe. The first time I saw this, I fell in love with the 7th Symphony, 2nd Movement of Beethoven which featured in the soundtrack. (Shortly after that, I had watched The Fall from Tarsem Singh, and it was in that too!)

The one thing this movie seems to be known for is "the guy that said he's Jesus." Now, over ten years since it came out, I can refer to it as such and people who are more casual moviegoers than me know what I'm talking about. I guess it gathered something of a cult following.

It's definitely not perfect and the dialogue and reactions of the other professors were sometimes cringeworthy, and it had the style of a low-budget p*rno without the actual sex.

However, it is certainly thought-provoking, and I appreciated its ambiguity - like the people in the room, we never know if the man is lying or not. The ending seems to suggest that he wasn't, but it just creates more questions. That might be a cop-out showing lack of imagination on the part of the writers...

People have also taken this film too seriously and think it's "blasphemous" or whatever. To them, I would say, "Relax. It's fictional. If you let a movie shake your beliefs so much, it's not the movie that's the problem."

(Full disclosure, I'm not religious so this sort of indignant outrage goes over my head anyway.)

Memento (2000)

http://www.hdnetmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/Memento_Blog1.jpg

The first time I saw this I wasn't thrilled about it, but I liked it more years later on my second viewing, the other day. My takeaway is that it's about more than a man with anterograde amnesia who's seeking vengeance. It's about the fragility of the human mind, and how we can spin our memories in a way that suits us, in our journey to survive. The reality is that we all forget more than we're aware, and everyone involved in a situation usually remembers it at least slightly differently than you did. That's why it's difficult to charge people for crimes where there is no visible evidence, but only the victim's recollections.

It's an unsettling thought, so it must be even more frightening when you can't form new memories and your life basically feels like a dream that you forget every ten minutes or so, and you are forced to rely on those around you, who will take advantage of you at every opportunity - but it also gives you the chance to reinvent yourself, because you won't remember what you did before.

rauldc14

[MijaFrost]

Le Trou (1960)

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I'm going to be honest: there just wasn't enough tension here for me to really get into it. A Man Escaped was the same way for me. I love French films, but French films about prisoners breaking out? Not exactly my style, it appears.

I did appreciate the detail, because it made you feel like you were there, and I certainly was rooting for the men. The ending was obviously a let down.

I mean, it was good on a technical level and I'm glad I saw it, but I can't see myself going for a re-watch unless it's for another HOF or the like some years in the future.

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

https://pics.imcdb.org/0is174/combddr0.2829.jpg

This caught my attention more. I've always liked law and even considered becoming a lawyer at one point.

It's good how we as the audience don't know any more than the "murderer's" legal representative himself (Jimmy Stewart), so we are just as surprised as he is when new facts are brought to light in the courtroom, and his antics, while over-the-top, seem more comedic that way.

I'll probably want to re-watch this someday. I don't want to repeat what the other HOF members have written, so I'll just say that this was a pretty decent watch for me for which I'd give a high rating (8/10).

rauldc14

[MijaFrost]

Is neiba still around? They haven't posted any reviews yet.

[Siddon]

Is @neiba (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=85193) still around? They haven't posted any reviews yet.


Neiba is working through the 17th Hall of Fame I suppose this will be the next one to tackle.

[neiba]

I'm still in, Just finishing the 17th and I'll dive into this one! I only have 2 new watches and a couple of rewatches to make. Many of these I've seen very recently.

[rauldc14]

Finally caught up on the front page again. Sorry for slacking on this, been quite busy

I could still use help with links to films I haven't seen. Links with subtitles that is if anyone can help me out.

[Nathaniel]

Jumping back into Second Chance tomorrow.

http://66.media.tumblr.com/415b322876d26fdf6c377cc67575aee9/tumblr_o22tz2Ar8C1rfd7lko1_500.gif

[rauldc14]

Sorry for being a lame host lately. I will be jumping into Raise the Red Lantern for my second watch of it tomorrow.

By the way, once you get past a second watch in general of a movie, do you ever remember how many times you've seen it after that. It'd be like me saying "This is my 64th watch of Shawshank Redemption". I guess would have been cooler if I tracked my movie watching earlier than 3 years ago.

[CosmicRunaway]

I'd probably remember watching something 3 times, but 4 or more definitely makes things harder to track for me.

[rauldc14]

I'd probably remember watching something 3 times, but 4 or more definitely makes things harder to track for me.

I guess 3 isn't too bad to remember, I would agree

[rauldc14]

Raise the Red Lantern

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Second watch for me on this. I enjoyed it more this time. Really liked the color palette, specifically the use of red, it's a very beautifully shot film. It's got a really nice and catchy score too. Didn't mind the story either. I still remain not a huge fan of the ending though and I do wish I could care more for the main character but I thought Gong Li did a good job.

I wish I loved it though, if that makes sense. I kind of wish that more had happened as certain parts do drag on. But I think it is a very solid film. Not sure why I disliked it the first go around.
I'd like to repeat myself saying that the cinematography is definitely the film highlight and many aspiring filmmakers can learn a thing or two from how that film was made visually.
3+

[rauldc14]

Also, I don't think we will see Thursday for awhile, so it probably makes sense to officially eliminate Farewell my Concubine from actual HOF participation. I'll still try to give it a go.