24th Hall of Fame

Well, I saw In a Glass Cage and that was... interesting


Review coming soon, maybe later today.

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could someone please send me a link for La Dolce Vita w/ English subtitles, please and THANK YOU

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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes

~Mr Minio

I’ll have my review of Vampyr up later today.

Sure thing.

THANK YOU!!!
pretty excited about watching this--

Interested in your thoughts. For me, it’s right there with La Strada as his best so far.
Keep in mind I haven’t seen 8 1/2 or Amarcord yet.

La Dolce probably next week for me. Then The Secret in Their Eyes to wrap it all up.

With the deadline set at April 20, this is my tentative schedule to which I will not subject...

March, Week 1: In a Glass Cage *check*
March, Week 2: The Whisperers
March, Week 3: The Secret in Their Eyes
March, Week 4: Vampyr
March/April, Week 5/1: La Dolce Vita, Hard Times
April, Week 2: The Day of the Jackal
April, Week 3: Barry Lyndon, The Sea Inside
April, Week 4: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Like I said before, I'm leaving Barry Lyndon and Beasts of the Southern Wild for last cause I've seen them, even if it was a while ago. But if I find myself in a tight spot, I can always ditch them. Vampyr, I've seen as well, but since it fits my challenge for this month, I might check it out in the backend. I also put The Sea Inside towards the end, in case MovieGal drops out. The other 5, I can toss and swap around as wanted.

I just finished and quite enjoyed my very first Fellini film and considered it ideal for popping my cinematic cherry. I am curious to see more, now.

Should, hopefully, have a review up this weekend.

Vampyr


This is a film with such style it makes you rewind to make sure your eyes didn’t play any tricks on you. Dreyers use of shadows and a foreboding sense of doom is prevalent, even if the story is pretty straightforward. I had read an earlier review where the claim was made that the plot made no sense. It’s actually the most simplest of all plots.
A stranger happens upon a family who’s daughter is being tormented by a Vampire. What follows is a dreamlike battle for her soul Pretty simple, right?
It’s meant to be, of course. It’s really all about the style.
I was constantly amazed at the shadows as they ran around freely, some playing a game almost with the star. Both sinister and playful. Doors open of their own accord, and it’s easy to see how much this has influenced future horror films.
I wasn’t crazy about some of the acting, particularly the older sister, and Allan Gray. Gray was at least effective. And some of the characters seemed to not really offer much else then to either be menacing (the vampires minions) or frightened (the family).
I was also confused by the ending, where the main star has a dreamlike vision. But those are minor quibbles. It was a very fine film, and one I aim to watch again sometime.

One question about the film, spoiler-tagged just in case...

I think, in the private conversation, Angelo may have hinted he had known Klaus background. I can’t quite remember though.

That discussion between Klaus and Angelo isn't shown, for the most part, but Angelo says "After what I've told you, you should take me" which probably means he revealed him knowing Klaus's background (and possibly that he's intrigued by it). It's hard to imagine any other "what" he could have told.

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Ugh... had been working on a review for In a Glass Cage for a couple of hours and a bad click pretty much vanished it into oblivion. Not that any of you were waiting for it, but... don't wait for it for now.

I’m waiting for it......

That's always a soul crushing feeling. Sorry to hear that.

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IMDb
Letterboxd

Yeah, my impression is that Angelo has blackmailed Klaus into hiring him, though we don't know the extent of what Angelo revealed in their first conversations.

Well ..... we're waiting!

Been there. Done that. It sucks. But sometimes ya gotta feed the Literary Gods by losing one to the cosmos, and sometimes, ya lose something because a better version is enroute. At least that's what I tell myself and a lot of times it actually does.

Meanwhile. . .

La Dolce Vita aka The Good Life

Poetess at Steiner's Party: [Le tre grandi evasioni -- fume, bere, letto.] The three great escapes -- smoking, drinking, bed.

Ahh, so this is Fellini. . . molto bello
I remember as a young adult seeing the occasional parody of starlets and emotionally dead older gents demanding both the attention of, and to be left alone by scurrying hives of photographers.
Dismissing, what I figured as European Arthouse and way above my meager intellect to comprehend and thereby, appreciate.
Some thirty odd years later, having experienced such similar escapades and those bored, aloof individuals dreading and yet insisting on attending every single soiree so that they may spew contempt on those who celebrated life, love and living in the moment.

Fellini brilliantly takes us along to witness without judgement (leaving that to us, the viewers) one of these individuals who is dead inside. Incapable of true celebration. Forever seeking pleasure and fulfillment. Or more specifically, the Pursuit of it. A dog chasing a car. After car. After car.
Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) claims to seek out something that he, himself has no idea what. Not that he would bother if he did. Being far too intent in The Chase itself. An empty vessel that demands to be filled, but instantly casts it to the ground so that he may search out some other fluid to fill his, once more, empty glass.
My favorite was Maddalena (Anouk Aimée)

who is of a similar ilk, though with a more worldly wisdom. Acknowledging the pain that seems to always accompany her momentary pleasures as meager debts to be paid.

What I found intriguing is that that Fellini never ever ends the party. It continues from one to the next. Intermixed with tragedy that seems almost trivial as the next party is happened upon. Till even years later, an older, still unfulfilled Marcello, continues to Chase and Release. The only arc of his character is that he is a little more callous in his demands for personal entertainment.
Perhaps, in the end, it is the continual pageant of the parties themselves, the immortality of the La Dolce Vita that is the true focus and everyone else is merely pretty dressing.

Having a taste, I do desire to explore more Fellini in the future.