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07-30-22
Stroszek



My second time watching it and I have to say it was a little step down this time. I did not find it as funny as I had remembered. It's still a very fine film that doesn't give me anything to complain about, it just didn't stand out for me like before. While it lost a lot of it's humor, I think it gained some power. Part of that could be due to learning a little more about the cast and Herzog since back then. This movie makes it appear that everyone is either a victim or a victimizer, obviously not true, but it may seem that way if you are one or the other. For our 3 main characters, it doesn't seem like anything would change no matter where they went. Stroszek is a sympathetic person and character, yet he has a certain charisma that makes him likable and watchable. I'm trying to think of these folks are lost souls or just on the unfortunate side. Is there even a difference? The last few minutes are unusual but strong. A very good film.




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07-30-22

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Thank goodness this was shot in glorious black & white! I can't image how diminished this would've been if shot in color like that publicity photo. At least we now know the scariest thing in the movie was Carolyn Jones' unworldly hair dye job...though that yellow cardigan is pretty hideous too!

Yes, I enjoyed Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I think it's a 1950s sci fi classic. Here are the best aspects of the film:

1. The script. This is a tight script, not a bunch of plot holes and quite riveting as we the viewer discover just what the hell is going on in a small Californian town. The story unfolds without the usual lulls or filler-scenes. Each scene moves the story ahead and adds to the growing mystery. We learn what we need to know about the pods when we hear that the seeds came from space and germinated in a farmer's field. We learn the mechanics of how the pods reproduce humans and even absorb their minds...but we don't learn what happens to the humans themselves? And that is brilliant as it allows us to wonder to the horrors that might await the sleeping citizens.

2. The location shooting. A lot of these 1950s B budget movies were shot using only a few locations to save money...and they hardly ever ventured outside of the studio grounds. Here we see location after location, which gives the film a feeling of reality and depth..and the plight of the lead characters are given a feeling of movement throughout the city and surrounding areas. That then makes the threat of the pods more realistic. The city and the buildings look real, probably because they are. Loved the long staircase up the hillside and the long cave tunnel...and the end scene on the busy highway is pure genius.

3. The special effects. The pods and the pod people that came out of them look pretty damn creepy especially for the 1950s. Love the oozing slime and bubbles....and how gross was it when Kevin McCarthy sticks a pitch fork in a pod person and we hear this soft 'thud' as the pitch fork pierces the chest area!

4. Casting. Kevin McCarthy and the rest of the cast look like they could've come from a small California town and that too adds to the believability...and Dana Wynter, wow, very stunning and a fine actress too.

Enjoyed this one.


Last edited by Citizen Rules; 07-31-22 at 09:03 PM.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by Citizen Rules
1. The script. This is a tight script, not a bunch of plot holes and quite riveting as we the viewer discover just what the hell is going on in a small Californian town. The story unfolds without the usual lulls or filler-scenes. Each scene moves the story ahead and adds to the growing mystery. We learn what we need to know about the pods when we hear the seeds came from space and germinated in a farmer's field. We learn the mechanics of how the pods reproduce humans and even absorb their minds...but we don't learn what happens to the humans themselves? And that is brilliant as it allows us to wonder to the horrors that might await the sleeping citizens.
Yeah, but it still would've been better if it had been less talky, if you ask me...



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feral housewife
07-31-22

Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton, 1964)

About a year and a half ago I watched all the Bond movies. I had a distaste for this one at the time, especially compared to the wonderful From Russia with Love that precedes it and the actually fun Thunderball that came immediately after. I thought maybe watching it isolated from the "more to my taste" entries that surrounded it would help its case perhaps but I unfortunately enjoyed it even less this time around. Just about all the Bond films run a bit long for what they are but I think its really felt in this one particularly. A lot of scenes that feel much longer than necessary, whether its excessive exposition or bits running too long before they hit the punchline. I guess most people find that stuff engaging, and more power to you, but a lot of this just makes it drag for me. This film really needs a shot in the arm, there's just no energy even during the action and fight scenes. I know people love that Oddjob fight but its certainly not exciting. I think its shooting for tense but it doesn't really pull it off, at least I didn't feel it. It might be the weakest of this era visually as well, though probably not by a huge margin. Its also maybe the slimiest one of the bunch, most notably the bit where Bond just like rapes a girl into being one of the good guys?? which even if it wasn't vile would still be dumb and when he drops the line "I must have appealed to her maternal instincts" I want to vomit. This one doesn't really work for me on any level and I just don't get why this is the one.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54

Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton, 1964)

About a year and a half ago I watched all the Bond movies. I had a distaste for this one at the time, especially compared to the wonderful From Russia with Love that precedes it and the actually fun Thunderball that came immediately after. I thought maybe watching it isolated from the "more to my taste" entries that surrounded it would help its case perhaps but I unfortunately enjoyed it even less this time around. Just about all the Bond films run a bit long for what they are but I think its really felt in this one particularly. A lot of scenes that feel much longer than necessary, whether its excessive exposition or bits running too long before they hit the punchline. I guess most people find that stuff engaging, and more power to you, but a lot of this just makes it drag for me. This film really needs a shot in the arm, there's just no energy even during the action and fight scenes. I know people love that Oddjob fight but its certainly not exciting. I think its shooting for tense but it doesn't really pull it off, at least I didn't feel it. It might be the weakest of this era visually as well, though probably not by a huge margin. Its also maybe the slimiest one of the bunch, most notably the bit where Bond just like rapes a girl into being one of the good guys?? which even if it wasn't vile would still be dumb and when he drops the line "I must have appealed to her maternal instincts" I want to vomit. This one doesn't really work for me on any level and I just don't get why this is the one.
Since she was knowingly participating in a plot to kill thousands, including Bond, would you have been ok with him just shooting her to death and escaping?



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
Since she was knowingly participating in a plot to kill thousands, including Bond, would you have been ok with him just shooting her to death and escaping?
why are these the only two options? the film simply could have not had the plot require a rape to occur to save the day.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
why are these the only two options? the film simply could have not had the plot require a rape to occur to save the day.
They're the only 2 options I'm giving because 1 happens all the time in movies and nobody has an issue, so I'm wondering which you'd choose. Forcing a kiss is wrong but not rape either.



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
They're the only 2 options I'm giving because 1 happens all the time in movies and nobody has an issue, so I'm wondering which you'd choose. Forcing a kiss is wrong but not rape either.
i don't give a shit what you think is or isn't rape i'm allowed to feel grossed out by a gross scene.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
i don't give a shit what you think is or isn't rape i'm allowed to feel grossed out by a gross scene.
Well it's not what I think, it's an observation of the definition, but that doesn't answer the question.



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
Well it's not what I think, it's an observation of the definition, but that doesn't answer the question.
and your question is?? an irrelevant hypothetical that's just you wanting to cry whataboutism? peace and love but i'm not terribly interested in engaging with that.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
and your question is?? an irrelevant hypothetical that's just you wanting to cry whataboutism? peace and love but i'm not terribly interested in engaging with that.
I'm just wondering why you're the slightest bit concerned with what happens to a character who's involved in a plot to kill thousands, and specifically what one of the intended victims does to her. I find it strange that people have an issue with what he does, but completely ignore what she's doing. At that point in the movie, who cares what happens to her because she's terrible. The plot is not irrelevant, it matters.



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
I'm just wondering why you're the slightest bit concerned with what happens to a character who's involved in a plot to kill thousands, and specifically what one of the intended victims does to her. I find it strange that people have an issue with what he does, but completely ignore what she's doing. At that point in the movie, who cares what happens to her because she's terrible. The plot is not irrelevant, it matters.
i just think its icky to have Bond, a character that many young men look to as a role model (though i'd still personally be bothered by this if it was any generic hero character) being rewarded for operating in gross consent grey areas. again, i think this is gross, it made me feel gross, i don't care that others may not feel that way, that's fine.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
i just think its icky to have Bond, a character that many young men look to as a role model (though i'd still personally be bothered by this if it was any generic hero character) being rewarded for operating in gross consent grey areas. again, i think this is gross, it made me feel gross, i don't care that others may not feel that way, that's fine.
If it were today, and a character (hero) just made a habit out of doing this and it wasn't directly related to saving thousands of lives, I get it. I think it's impossible to ignore the plot point in Goldfinger, and also these were different times. People weren't socially awkward and meeting people on the Internet, they were finding out if others were interested by really finding out. Different behaviors were more accepted, not that I agree with it, but Bond knew that she was into him despite what she may have said and how she initially resisted. That gift was part of his character. Women, and men, have done that since the start of time and still do. Treading with caution is definitely recommended for everyone, but when not done, it can turn out to be the right move. That's just the reality of it. I just often see the younger generation criticize things like this in old movies and I think there's a major lack of understanding. That doesn't mean you don't have a point and wouldn't be on the right track most of the time.



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
If it were today, and a character (hero) just made a habit out of doing this and it wasn't directly related to saving thousands of lives, I get it. I think it's impossible to ignore the plot point in Goldfinger, and also these were different times. People weren't socially awkward and meeting people on the Internet, they were finding out if others were interested by really finding out. Different behaviors were more accepted, not that I agree with it, but Bond knew that she was into him despite what she may have said and how she initially resisted. That gift was part of his character. Women, and men, have done that since the start of time and still do. Treading with caution is definitely recommended for everyone, but when not done, it can turn out to be the right move. That's just the reality of it. I just often see the younger generation criticize things like this in old movies and I think there's a major lack of understanding. That doesn't mean you don't have a point and wouldn't be on the right track most of the time.
i will fully admit that i do not give older films a pass for outdated views typically, not from like a moral absolutist stand point or anything just that if there's things in a movie that make me feel bad i probably won't like it as much lol (unless that's the point of course)



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
i will fully admit that i do not give older films a pass for outdated views typically, not from like a moral absolutist stand point or anything just that if there's things in a movie that make me feel bad i probably won't like it as much lol (unless that's the point of course)
But again, in the framework of the movie, nobody would have had an issue if he simply killed her instead. Therefore, although I understand the general sentiment, I don't see how it's a valid criticism.



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
But again, in the framework of the movie, nobody would have had an issue if he simply killed her instead. Therefore, although I understand the general sentiment, I don't see how it's a valid criticism.
its a valid criticism because it negatively impacted my viewing experience.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
its a valid criticism because it negatively impacted my viewing experience.
But what I'm trying to figure out, and it's not just you but anyone that it bothers, how would you have felt if he had just taken her out instead?



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feral housewife
07-31-22
Originally Posted by cricket
But what I'm trying to figure out, and it's not just you but anyone that it bothers, how would you have felt if he had just taken her out instead?
why are you so dead set on this goofy ultimatum? i can only judge the film by what's on the screen my man.



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07-31-22
Originally Posted by ueno_station54
why are you so dead set on this goofy ultimatum? i can only judge the film by what's on the screen my man.
Ok I'll ask another way. One person is knowingly involved in a plot to kill thousands including Bond. Bond forces a kiss on that person who then quickly reciprocates. Why would you be concerned with what happens to the first person? I mean it just seems like you're avoiding the obvious. The point is he could do much worse and nobody would care, or if I'm wrong about that feel free to say. I just don't understand the mindset when we're talking about a potential mass murderer.

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