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I really liked Johnny Guitar too, but I don't recall any lesbian themes. So I might have to watch it again someday.
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I really liked Johnny Guitar too, but I don't recall any lesbian themes. So I might have to watch it again someday.
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As I said they weren’t quite themes, probably just me reading homoerotic subtext into every movie I watch
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As I said they weren’t quite themes, probably just me reading homoerotic subtext into every movie I watch
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The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
I want to thank whoever chose this for me. I've been wanting to see it for the longest time, so glad I finally did. I wish I could say I loved it, but I mostly found it blasé. It was an interesting premise, but the lead actor has zero personality and I couldn't discern why it became so evil? I mean I know he made a bargain to keep forever young while his portrait would age, but it was never clear to me why he became such a scallywag? I think it might have been better if George Sanders was cast as Dorian Gray and allowed to be more flamboyant like he usually is in his other movies. But here even Sanders was bland. Maybe the movie went over my head? Though I'm pretty sure I seen the same story on the Twilight Zone, the episode with the people who wear hideous mask that represent their true inner self. If someone wants to explain this movie, please do! I'd love to know what it and Oscar Wilde was trying to say?
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Les Miserables (1935)
I knew nothing about this going in and assumed it was a musical, which it is not. It's probably one of the last movies I hadn't seen from the lists that I would have chosen to watch, and it was yet another enormous surprise for me in this HoF.
This is a major new favorite for me that touched me on a whole different level. There was a thread a while back, something like movies that make you want to be a better person. This is that movie to me, and in fact I identified with the main character. Being a better person is something I often talk about, not necessarily here, and it's an important part of my life. Like the main character, my early self was not exactly bad, but I had a lot of troubles and was more a burden to society than an asset. Also like the main character, I still have weakness, sometimes having to fight through emotions like rage or selfishness, but I'm aware of it and do what I can to overcome it.
Besides having great meaning, this movie is an entertaining cat and mouse thriller. The visuals and the subtle musical score are perfect. The characters have depth and the performances are beyond great. Fredric March is perfect as the lead who strives to do what's right even when it's not easy. Charles Laughton matches him as his pursuer and I didn't know whether to hate him or have sympathy for him. Cedrick Hardwicke (top left) absolutely blew me away in his few minutes on screen.
I thought everything about this movie was incredible and I can't understand why this isn't a beloved classic on the level of It's a Wonderful Life. I watched it twice, and if I had seen it before, it would have gotten another 25 points on the 30's countdown. Are other Les Miserables movies the same story? Should I be watching any of those? Who nominated this for me and why? A big thank you to you!
I knew nothing about this going in and assumed it was a musical, which it is not. It's probably one of the last movies I hadn't seen from the lists that I would have chosen to watch, and it was yet another enormous surprise for me in this HoF.
This is a major new favorite for me that touched me on a whole different level. There was a thread a while back, something like movies that make you want to be a better person. This is that movie to me, and in fact I identified with the main character. Being a better person is something I often talk about, not necessarily here, and it's an important part of my life. Like the main character, my early self was not exactly bad, but I had a lot of troubles and was more a burden to society than an asset. Also like the main character, I still have weakness, sometimes having to fight through emotions like rage or selfishness, but I'm aware of it and do what I can to overcome it.
Besides having great meaning, this movie is an entertaining cat and mouse thriller. The visuals and the subtle musical score are perfect. The characters have depth and the performances are beyond great. Fredric March is perfect as the lead who strives to do what's right even when it's not easy. Charles Laughton matches him as his pursuer and I didn't know whether to hate him or have sympathy for him. Cedrick Hardwicke (top left) absolutely blew me away in his few minutes on screen.
I thought everything about this movie was incredible and I can't understand why this isn't a beloved classic on the level of It's a Wonderful Life. I watched it twice, and if I had seen it before, it would have gotten another 25 points on the 30's countdown. Are other Les Miserables movies the same story? Should I be watching any of those? Who nominated this for me and why? A big thank you to you!
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Good movie that I'm surprised you didn't see for the 40's countdown.
Just seen you loved Les Miserables, I've not seen that one before but am impressed with your review and rating! So that's another must see film for me.
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The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
I want to thank whoever chose this for me. I've been wanting to see it for the longest time, so glad I finally did. I wish I could say I loved it, but I mostly found it blasé. It was an interesting premise, but the lead actor has zero personality and I couldn't discern why it became so evil? I mean I know he made a bargain to keep forever young while his portrait would age, but it was never clear to me why he became such a scallywag? I think it might have been better if George Sanders was cast as Dorian Gray and allowed to be more flamboyant like he usually is in his other movies. But here even Sanders was bland. Maybe the movie went over my head? Though I'm pretty sure I seen the same story on the Twilight Zone, the episode with the people who wear hideous mask that represent their true inner self. If someone wants to explain this movie, please do! I'd love to know what it and Oscar Wilde was trying to say?
I had remembered you remarking in the 40s Countdown how much you wanted to see it.
I'm not entirely sure I can explain Dorian Gray, but I do know that this version, heavily toned down by the Hays Code is, what I would imagine how the Victorian period would have preferred the novel to be since it was criticized as vulgar and obscene by their standards.
I do remember hearing, beyond the more popular remarks of expressing his own sexual beliefs, which was unlawful at that time; that the character himself was Oscar's critique of the ongoing vanity of appearance above substance. That art is to express beauty only. The only exception was to educate. Such an example was the stories of Charles Dickens.
Dorian, coming to realization of his immortality and this emptiness within that cannot be filled regardless of the amount of drink, drug, sex nor violence he experimented with, becomes a kin to an addict. His fix spiraling worse and worse along with his indifference; doing what ever to whom ever without responsibility, restraint, or remorse for whatever or whomever he hurts, shames or destroys. An extremely common practice by so many so-called honorable, cultured patrons of society and Oscar threw aside the curtain to reveal the more baser actions of these hypocrite righteous.
The painting was the well that accepted all that callous indifference to the attractive vessels Dorian gorged upon before casting them aside. It was the mirror, revealing the evil creature that Dorian truly was beneath his beautiful demeanor and appearance.
A mirror to the society around him that beneath their veneer, they are, in fact, vile creatures.
Hiding their sins behind their pretty, materialistic selves.
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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
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
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Les Miserables (1935)
I knew nothing about this going in and assumed it was a musical, which it is not. It's probably one of the last movies I hadn't seen from the lists that I would have chosen to watch, and it was yet another enormous surprise for me in this HoF.
This is a major new favorite for me that touched me on a whole different level. There was a thread a while back, something like movies that make you want to be a better person. This is that movie to me, and in fact I identified with the main character. Being a better person is something I often talk about, not necessarily here, and it's an important part of my life. Like the main character, my early self was not exactly bad, but I had a lot of troubles and was more a burden to society than an asset. Also like the main character, I still have weakness, sometimes having to fight through emotions like rage or selfishness, but I'm aware of it and do what I can to overcome it.
Besides having great meaning, this movie is an entertaining cat and mouse thriller. The visuals and the subtle musical score are perfect. The characters have depth and the performances are beyond great. Fredric March is perfect as the lead who strives to do what's right even when it's not easy. Charles Laughton matches him as his pursuer and I didn't know whether to hate him or have sympathy for him. Cedrick Hardwicke (top left) absolutely blew me away in his few minutes on screen.
I thought everything about this movie was incredible and I can't understand why this isn't a beloved classic on the level of It's a Wonderful Life. I watched it twice, and if I had seen it before, it would have gotten another 25 points on the 30's countdown. Are other Les Miserables movies the same story? Should I be watching any of those? Who nominated this for me and why? A big thank you to you!
I knew nothing about this going in and assumed it was a musical, which it is not. It's probably one of the last movies I hadn't seen from the lists that I would have chosen to watch, and it was yet another enormous surprise for me in this HoF.
This is a major new favorite for me that touched me on a whole different level. There was a thread a while back, something like movies that make you want to be a better person. This is that movie to me, and in fact I identified with the main character. Being a better person is something I often talk about, not necessarily here, and it's an important part of my life. Like the main character, my early self was not exactly bad, but I had a lot of troubles and was more a burden to society than an asset. Also like the main character, I still have weakness, sometimes having to fight through emotions like rage or selfishness, but I'm aware of it and do what I can to overcome it.
Besides having great meaning, this movie is an entertaining cat and mouse thriller. The visuals and the subtle musical score are perfect. The characters have depth and the performances are beyond great. Fredric March is perfect as the lead who strives to do what's right even when it's not easy. Charles Laughton matches him as his pursuer and I didn't know whether to hate him or have sympathy for him. Cedrick Hardwicke (top left) absolutely blew me away in his few minutes on screen.
I thought everything about this movie was incredible and I can't understand why this isn't a beloved classic on the level of It's a Wonderful Life. I watched it twice, and if I had seen it before, it would have gotten another 25 points on the 30's countdown. Are other Les Miserables movies the same story? Should I be watching any of those? Who nominated this for me and why? A big thank you to you!
It was a serious gamble picking this, but your choice in the first 30's HoF, The Scarlet Empress kept bouncing around my noggin along with that inner voice telling me, "this is the one".
I knew both the story as well as the actors portrayls would be to your liking as well as how it was shot. Much of it reminding me of your winning nom from the 30s HoF.
I had a good feeling you'd enjoy it, I had NO idea you'd have been as enamored as I was when I watched it during the 30's Countdown. And, like you, it definitely would have scored incredibly high on my voting list as well.
A particular image I used, which was an amazing scene, along with those you used was this
BTW, f@ckin LOVE what you said about watching a film that inspires "being a better person". I'm a fellow traveler of that particular road along with my own bumpy, rough beginnings as well. So, BRAVO sir, bravo!
I've seen a couple of elongated versions of Les Miserables, my previous favorite was from 1998 with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush. Also, NOT a musical. These later versions expand on and draw out the years that occur in the novel by Victor Hugo, who, is quite the poetic, passionate figure himself from what I had skimmed over in a cursory research after watching this film.
It's hard to say if these extended, more in depth versions would do you or, having experienced the very "guts" of the story done with exemplary actors, may be The ideal version of them all.
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Ed have you read Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray? or seen in other versions of it? I see on IMDB they're in production for a new version of the story. Lots of other version have been made to, including two silent films.
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I didn't watch nearly as many 40s movies for that countdown as I have westerns lately.
Just seen you loved Les Miserables, I've not seen that one before but am impressed with your review and rating! So that's another must see film for me.
Just seen you loved Les Miserables, I've not seen that one before but am impressed with your review and rating! So that's another must see film for me.
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Ed have you read Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray? or seen in other versions of it? I see on IMDB they're in production for a new version of the story. Lots of other version have been made to, including two silent films.
And I've seen a couple of them, none of which stuck out as much as this one. The ones I've seen focused more on him be a seducer with a dark secret only. More titillating than exposure. Which, if you consider it, just seems to build upon the hypocrisy that Wilde was attempting to reveal.
Even though it was more of a fan fiction, the depiction of Dorian Gray in the Penny Dreadful series was rather exceptional, He had both the "appearance" and the "substance" along with delving into the emptiness of his life of vanity and indulgence.
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have not read it though truly should.
And I've seen a couple of them, none of which stuck out as much as this one. The ones I've seen focused more on him be a seducer with a dark secret only. More titillating than exposure. Which, if you consider it, just seems to build upon the hypocrisy that Wilde was attempting to reveal.
Even though it was more of a fan fiction, the depiction of Dorian Gray in the Penny Dreadful series was rather exceptional, He had both the "appearance" and the "substance" along with delving into the emptiness of his life of vanity and indulgence.
And I've seen a couple of them, none of which stuck out as much as this one. The ones I've seen focused more on him be a seducer with a dark secret only. More titillating than exposure. Which, if you consider it, just seems to build upon the hypocrisy that Wilde was attempting to reveal.
Even though it was more of a fan fiction, the depiction of Dorian Gray in the Penny Dreadful series was rather exceptional, He had both the "appearance" and the "substance" along with delving into the emptiness of his life of vanity and indulgence.
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I haven't read any classic literature in many decades. Not that I ever read much of it anyway. Though it does look like an intriguing read. I wonder if Dorian Gray in the novel was like Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights?
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A Town Called Panic
Madcap. Nonsensical. With misadventures that venture from their tiny town to an underwater world, chasing down thieving creatures, to a frozen land with trouble making scientist and their gigantic polar penguins with catapult hands/wings while dealing with a mountain of bricks.
I actually had to watch this a second time since the first time around I kept wondering, "WTF is going on, now," though it was in a good way. The second time, having some idea of the, truly, off the wall story structure, I didn't make the silly mistake of trying to comprehend and simply sat back and enjoyed the far reaching misadventures of Cowboy, Indian and Horse. aka Coboy, Indien et Cheval.
Miss Vicky definitely ventured into my enjoyment of the foolhardy and the outrageous when it came to this attempt to find the "perfect" birthday gift for Cheval, and Coboy's and Indien's slacker attempts that caused only more trouble.
The insanity of it reminded me of a Marx Brothers film where the story was simply a means and location to set the craziness to ensue.
All done in stop-motion animation with, my guess would be, toy figures from the creators' childhood.
It seems I am unable to decipher and express, in any proper form, this witty little offbeat film with simplistic structure that ignores reality and dances playfully about in a child-like imagination. Except by simply stating:
That was fun and rather pleasantly weird.
Thank you, @Miss Vicky
and now, for a snack
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I'm glad you liked it, @edarsenal
I picked all of my nominations from the animation list and when I got to you I thought "Ed seems to like everything, so I'm going to give him something completely insane just to see how he reacts."
Also strange is that the people that made this movie also made Ernest & Celestine.
I picked all of my nominations from the animation list and when I got to you I thought "Ed seems to like everything, so I'm going to give him something completely insane just to see how he reacts."
Also strange is that the people that made this movie also made Ernest & Celestine.
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I'm glad you liked it, @edarsenal
I picked all of my nominations from the animation list and when I got to you I thought "Ed seems to like everything, so I'm going to give him something completely insane just to see how he reacts."
Also strange is that the people that made this movie also made Ernest & Celestine.
I picked all of my nominations from the animation list and when I got to you I thought "Ed seems to like everything, so I'm going to give him something completely insane just to see how he reacts."
Also strange is that the people that made this movie also made Ernest & Celestine.
Had no idea they did Ernest & Celestine (loved that!) though now that you mention it, they do have a similar child-like wonder sans the extreme outlandishness for E&C which is more heartfelt.
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