The Personal Recommendation Hall of Fame II

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Women will be your undoing, Pépé


This is the kinda Western I like, where everyone and everything is rough, dirty and violent. An aspect of the film that I found really interesting was the way it handles justice and bounty hunters. In the westerns I've seen, the bounty hunters are always depicted as the good guys; Upholders of the law. In this film, they're depicted as the bad guys. The murders committed by the bounty hunters are often unprovoked or in the presence of their family members. I guess, in this way, the film promotes the idea of lawlessness more than most westerns (considering the heroes are outlaws instead of bounty hunters).

It's almost pointless at this point to acknowledge the score, Morricone score's are always wonderful. The absence of music is also used well because the constant wind from the snowstorms adds to the film's atmosphere. The snow makes for a really lonely and interesting setting. Jean Louis Trintignant is a great screen presence because of how he manages to emote our silent protagonist. Kinski is good as the villain too.

WARNING: spoilers below
I know the film had quite a dark tone throughout, but I still wasn't expecting that ending. Quite the gutpunch.


Thanks to whoever picked this, definitely worthy of a rewatch.
When I saw that you enjoyed spaghetti westerns and saw you haven't seen this I KNEW it'll be one for you to enjoy. Glad to hear it.
WARNING: "I know what you mean -" spoilers below
about the gut punch of an ending. The first time I saw this I sat slack-jawed for quite a while afterward. Talk about an anti-western ending!! Which, along with everything else this films offers up, really sets it into the higher echelon of it's genre.
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The trick is not minding
Letter From an Unknown Woman


Stefan Brand had it all. A lauded career as a pianist and legions of fans. One of which was a shy, barefoot girl who lived next door who became obsessed with him. He hardly noticed her, as she was beneath his notice at the time. Little did he know how important she would become to his life.
The film begins with him receiving a letter from an unknown woman. It begins mysteriously with “By the time you receive this I will have died.” Right away the movie hooks you. Who is Thai mysterious woman? How did she fit into his life and what caused her death?
We get answers to these, and more, but they aren’t the point. We watch as Lisa, played with skillfully by Joan Fontaine, slowly becomes obsessed with Brand. She becomes immersed in his world. She takes dancing lesson, etiquette classes and learns all about the great pianists to better appreciate his music. It isn’t until year later, that he first really notices her upon their second meeting. He doesn’t remember here.
A romance follows. He leaves her, while she is unknowingly pregnant, and their lives go on. Until one faithful night where they meet again. Of course he doesn’t remember her.
The romance drags a little but the movie managers to get back on track when they meet for the third time. By this point her life has improved as she has married a man of stature and his career has gone downhill.
It’s sad watching Lisa totally in love with him, while he could care less. He’s caught up up in his own selfishness. He never really sees her for what she could be but rather what represents. She’s nothing more then a conquest to him.

I’m sure I’m missing out on down other details to this film. My mind is jumbled from having watched it, where I’m still processing it. But it’s a really good film, that hit me in the feels as I watched this woman grow, and sadly risked throwing it all away because of a love that isn’t reciprocated from his end. I felt for them both. I’m still trying to process my thoughts as I typed this.
It’s a good film. One I suspect will improve upon a rewatch. That’s a testament to how much I enjoyed Fontaine in this.
Solid pick.



Just a thought if we can wrap this up soon. How do people feel about Personal Recommendation HoF III: the Foreign Language edition?

Assuming that will be the next countdown



The trick is not minding
Just a thought if we can wrap this up soon. How do people feel about Personal Recommendation HoF III: the Foreign Language edition?

Assuming that will be the next countdown
I like that idea.





I always like when a film has a unique plot idea, so this film was a treat. The biggest thing that stands out to me is the characters: Our main character Sidney starts out as a loud, carefree man with a 'kill or be killed' attitude to life. He seems to only adopt this surface in front of specific people however, as every scene in which he is talking with the villain J.J. he acts weak and is almost sympathetic. In comparison, J.J. is a towering, threatening force that will manipulate anyone and anything in order to get his own way. Every scene where these two characters interacted was tense and engaging.

All the comments people make about the film's script are true; the way characters argue and express their emotions is so interesting. One thing that bothers me about old movies is the constant use of a loud, melodramatic soundtrack, so I was very pleased with this film's jazzy soundtrack that's only used in the most intense moments or scene transitions. Since it's a noir, it uses light and shadows very well to enhance the dark atmosphere of these characters. I guess if I had one bad thing to say about the film, it's that the story takes a bit too long to get going.

Big thanks to whoever recommended this, one of my favourites from this HOF so far.





I always like when a film has a unique plot idea, so this film was a treat. The biggest thing that stands out to me is the characters: Our main character Sidney starts out as a loud, carefree man with a 'kill or be killed' attitude to life. He seems to only adopt this surface in front of specific people however, as every scene in which he is talking with the villain J.J. he acts weak and is almost sympathetic. In comparison, J.J. is a towering, threatening force that will manipulate anyone and anything in order to get his own way. Every scene where these two characters interacted was tense and engaging.

All the comments people make about the film's script are true; the way characters argue and express their emotions is so interesting. One thing that bothers me about old movies is the constant use of a loud, melodramatic soundtrack, so I was very pleased with this film's jazzy soundtrack that's only used in the most intense moments or scene transitions. Since it's a noir, it uses light and shadows very well to enhance the dark atmosphere of these characters. I guess if I had one bad thing to say about the film, it's that the story takes a bit too long to get going.

Big thanks to whoever recommended this, one of my favourites from this HOF so far.
Glad to see there's another fan. It's in my Top 10!



The trick is not minding
The Innocents


I’ve spent the last few days letting this percolate in my head as I wrestled with what I just witnessed. I was astounded by it. Confused. Lost. Much like The Governess and the children. I felt their confusion.

I still can’t figure out the meaning. Or what happened. I’m left trying to piece together what happened. I’m sure someone can explain it better. But the story, as complex as it seemed, wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed. Clayton’s use of shadows, mist, eerie sounds, and closeups of Kerrs frightened face was effective at setting the mood.

And the kids. So creepy. It is t easy to get such an effective performance from children, partially Martin Stephens as Miles. He oozes creepiness.

I mean, this is a great movie. It’s easy to see it’s influence on future films. It’s unsettling. Especially it’s ending. But I still have to wonder. What’s it all about?

Thank you whoever picked it. Home run.



The Innocents won the 17th HoF, it was Siddon's nom. Such a great movie! It's been remade at least a couple different times and each version has a different take and feel about what is or isn't going on.



The trick is not minding
The Innocents won the 17th HoF, it was Siddon's nom. Such a great movie! It's been remade at least a couple different times and each version has a different take and feel about what is or isn't going on.
I’m still confused by the ending. But that’s perhaps a testament to how well it was made.



Registered User
When I saw that you enjoyed spaghetti westerns and saw you haven't seen this I KNEW it'll be one for you to enjoy. Glad to hear it.
WARNING: "I know what you mean -" spoilers below
about the gut punch of an ending. The first time I saw this I sat slack-jawed for quite a while afterward. Talk about an anti-western ending!! Which, along with everything else this films offers up, really sets it into the higher echelon of it's genre.
One of my favorites! Spaghettis are the lifeblood of all Westerns, IMO.
Klaus Kinski and Lee Van Cleef had a scene here which I will never forget. Actors doing 5 star work!




Registered User
Pan's Labyrinth

Here's one I saw for the 3rd time (so far) last night. Extraordinary acting, the horrors of war, good and evil, innocence of children, bravery, cowardice and sacrifice...
Special effects and fantasy setting are not only creative and unique, but blend well into the psyche of a distraught child's mind, and her ability to cope.

I'm a certified, crazed celluloidphile, and my list of likes are too long to recall, but this is one is right up there with my favorite movies which doesn't really have a hard and fast category.




Just a thought if we can wrap this up soon. How do people feel about Personal Recommendation HoF III: the Foreign Language edition?

Assuming that will be the next countdown
????