26th Hall of Fame

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I forgot the opening line.
Just don't do what I did, and write a really long review without saving it...I lost my last review as I was just about done, and then had to do it over from scratch.
That usually ends with me saying, "Well, that's it. This film is not getting a review after all."
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We miss you Takoma

Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)




Behind the dryer I swear when I moved the dryer out from the wall I found all sorts of stuff.
For realsies. Furniture and appliances should stay in place for infinity



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
I had a Bob le Fambeur review in near completion yesterday and ran off to do something and forgot about it. I came back, and it had timed out. GONE. Bye-bye.
And I did like @PHOENIX74 remarked and decided this thing ain't getting written tonight. lol

And I'd be terrified to look behind the dryer or any furniture, in fear of finding Jimmy Hoffa

As for the amount of @sshole = successful - well, anyone really, but in this discussion, directors, it does seem to have a common factor. In no way exclusive. . . but. Understandably, in any given industry whose primary source is creativity, I would imagine there may be a necessity to get not only what you want to be done but precisely HOW you want it done via being an @sshole. And, if you get very successful at it, egos can and do inflate.
That doesn't mean I'd love to hang with a successful @sshole, but I will enjoy their work.

Like Tarantino. Who I am a fanboy, is IMO, a full-fledged egotistical @sshole of the highest caliber who is redipping at the well when it comes to dialogue and certain critical aspects of storytelling. There is one thing that has not been mentioned regarding his dialogue.

When his very first film, Reservoir Dogs, came out in the late Eighties, it was to a veritable Wasteland of Catch Phrases during that time. They were f@ckin EVERYwhere, and conversation of any substance had gone the way of the Dodo.
With his opening scene in the Diner before the Heist, talking about why Pink doesn't believe in tipping, to how it was the girl singing the song that had shot Andy in "The Lights Went Out in Georgia" and not the cheating wife. Having just heard it on the way over, listening to K-Billy's Super Sound of the Seventies, to Mr. Brown's thesis on Madonna songs and Big D#cks, to an old address book Joe found in a coat he hadn't worn in a Coon's Age.
Add to that all the other conversations throughout the film, and it was a godsend to so many of us who were pretty sick and tired of drowning in the verbal quagmire of catchphrases at the time.
The early nineties became a fertile ground of Tarantino copycats and a fruitful return of dialogue, albeit oddball, quirky monologues. Still, it gave us the momentum to turn that dialogue corner to some of the quick-witted dialogue that is commonplace nowadays in various films and stories.


So, there's that.
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Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Angel-A



This film worked really well for me. I thought the two lead performances were pretty darn good. And I liked the concept of the film too. I liked the choice of black and white for some reason, although I can't quite wrap my head around it. I read a few of the reviews on here and they seem to not care for the ending, I actually thought it pieced everything together pretty well. Well directed by Besson, it kept my attention from start to finish. Neat little gem of a film here.

+
Awwww, YAYYY
Like CR, I had more doubt than hope it would work for you. And SO very glad that it did.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé


The Wizard of Oz - (1939)

Directed by Victor Fleming

Written by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson & Edgar Allen Woolf

Starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger
Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke
& Margaret Hamilton

MGM's The Wizard of Oz is beautiful in sight, sound and sentiment. My affection for it has grown over the years. Ironically, when I was a child I was rather indifferent to it. The film had to compete with a bevy of interests all begging for my attention, and it wasn't until I became almost obsessed in everything cinematic that I realized how much it belongs amongst the very greatest films ever made - something that everyone wasted no time trying to relate to me during all these years anyway. It's only now that I watch the film with admiration and absolute enjoyment - and that enjoyment doesn't wear thin no matter how many times the film is repeated. I sometimes wonder if this isn't the same for many movie fans - presenting the film to their children, but all the while enjoying it much more than even they do. Just soaking in the colour, song and playful frolicking that dazzles the eyes and ears. The actors and filmmakers make everything look effortless - which is all the more laudable when one considers just how hard and painful it was to bring to fruition.

The film was important for historical reasons - it reinvented what a musical could be, and the person most responsible for this was producer Arthur Freed, who would have an impact on Hollywood musicals that would last for decades. Freed believed musical numbers should advance a story - and not exist independently. He wanted characters to be inspired into their musical interludes by natural exuberance - almost as if they simply couldn't help it. This smooth transition is evident throughout The Wizard of Oz, which Freed kept tight control over. Songs which didn't advance the story, such as 'The Jitterbug', were the first to be cut from the film - and 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' very nearly met the same fate. The concept Freed advanced gave life to the brilliant songs by Harold Arlen with lyrics provided by E.Y. Harburg. These songs are still well known throughout the entire world. When Australian soldiers marched into battle during the Second World War they sung, "We're off to see the Wizard." It became something of a battle cry. The film was especially popular there on it's initial release.

The story and characters come from L. Frank Baum's children's book 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' which reflects the enticing magical world that reaches beyond most children's grasp, but also the warmth, safety and loving serenity of home. It was published in 1900, and was a part of a wider series of books all based around the mythical, magical place of Oz. Louis B. Mayer's MGM bought the rights, and nearly ended up borrowing Shirley Temple from a rival studio to play the lead role of Dorothy. It's impossible for anyone now to think of anyone other than Judy Garland in the role. In the role of the Tin Man, Ray Bolger was initially signed on - but he preferred (and was more suited to) the role of the Scarecrow. The part then went to Buddy Ebsen, who fell ill after breathing in the powdered aluminium which was part of his make-up. Jack Haley eventually won the part - but it was a difficult one. In the Tin Man's costume, it was impossible for Haley to sit down, and he'd often be leaned into positions of semi-comfort when not filming. Worse conditions fell upon the Cowardly Lion's Bert Lahr - who roasted inside of a massive costume made out of real Lion fur. Under the many lights inside the studio temperatures could soar. Margaret Hamilton, as the Wicked Witch of the West, received second-degree burns from a special effect, and complications from the copper-based make-up she had to wear. The munchkins were prone to drunkenness, and Judy Garland never became comfortable with the fame and demands of the stardom that this film would bestow on her. It's incredible that the end result of all of this reflects so much effortless joy and innocence.

The sets and matte paintings for this film are gorgeous - and the product of scores of dedicated artisans and artists. The effects were groundbreaking for their day, especially in regards to the realistic depiction of the tornado which lifts Dorothy's home and transports it to the magical land of Oz. With it's switch from sepia-toned black and white to technicolor as Dorothy arrives, this is one of the most stunningly beautiful films I've ever seen - and it stubbornly remains one of the most incredibly pretty films ever made despite the passage of so many decades. All of the costumes are bright and imaginative - especially those made for every individual munchkin - and the makeup is equally as effective (even if it was, in several cases, harmful to the actors who were suffering from under it.) The combination of the spectacular visuals with the lively songs and musical score evokes a time when many individuals gave everything they had to produce something timeless and without equal. There have been attempts to recapture the magic of Oz (1985 effort Return to Oz and Oz the Great and Powerful in 2013 come to mind) but nothing ever comes close.

This was a film of many scriptwriters, directors and roles for Frank Morgan - he plays the Wizard, Professor Marvel, the Gatekeeper, Buggy-driver and guard. Herman J. Mankiewicz, Noel Langley, Ogden Nash, Florence Ryerson, Irving Brecher, and Edgar Allan Woolf among others all had a hand in writing it's script - as did two of the film's directors. These directors were many. At first, Norman Taurog was signed on to direct, but he didn't last until the main production began - only directing a few tests in technicolor. Richard Thorpe then took over, but lasted only 9 days with virtually none of his shot footage making it into the film. Producer Mervyn LeRoy felt he was rushing things, and as such replaced him with George Cukor temporarily, with LeRoy's guidance on set. When Cukor left to direct Gone With the Wind Victor Fleming took over, and it is Fleming who stayed on for most of the shooting - he is the one who is credited as director for the film, even though he was eventually replaced (Fleming was needed to assist Cukor on Gone With the Wind) by King Vidor who finished the film. Such near-chaos and hardship would ordinarily lead to a muddled, unsuccessful production - but with The Wizard of Oz these many hands produced a classic.

The Wizard of Oz has had a slow ride up into immortality - it's initial cinematic release wasn't a flop, but it didn't quite make the money that had been put into it. It had subsequent releases, and was first broadcast on black and white television 1956. It's television showings increased it's popularity, and when colour was introduced the love people had for it grew and grew. With today's technology we can watch the film whenever we want, in sparkling clear colour and even surround sound. Several documentaries have been made about it's production and popularity, such as Memories of Oz in 2001, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic in 1990, The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz in 2005 and Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz also in 2005. There is indeed something magical about this film - something almost intangible that makes it even more than the sum of it's parts. Perhaps that something was provided at the very start of it all, way back in 1900 when L. Frank Baum's book was first published. Perhaps there is no explaining why it's so enchanting. It's just here for us to enjoy - and we should all not focus too much on the guys behind the screen pulling all the levers and pressing the buttons.

So. By ANY chance, can I just copy and paste this and add "What he said," at the bottom for my review? Because he f@ckin NAILED IT!!! In all the emotions, trivia, etc about and for this beloved film of truly iconic proportions that there is scarcely anything more needed to be said about it. lol

BRAVO, sir, BRAVO!!
I am so enjoying both the emotional and informative aspects of your reviews. VERY nicely done!!



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
When the Reveal for this wonderfully prolific Hall of Fame occurred and I saw a few films that would be secondary watches, I was curious to see just how close they would end up being to the reviews I wrote the first time around. This will be two for two so far, since, much like Tower, it remains exactly how I feel. With, perhaps, an escalated appreciation for the "groundwork" of the investigation I had applauded here, on this, my second viewing.




All The President's Men (1976)

Bob Woodward: Well, who is Charles Colson?
Harry Rosenfeld: The most powerful man in the United States is President Nixon. You've heard of him? Charles Colson is special counsel to the President. There's a cartoon on his wall. The caption reads, "When you've got 'em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow."

Using Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's book, as well as having them on set to advise, we get all the groundwork that these two, at the time, green journalists from the Washington Post put in to delve into the break-in that led to the Watergate Investigation, and, eventually former President Nixon's resignation.
And when I say groundwork, that is EXACTLY what we get. No Hollywood glamorizing high tension and drama. No sinister villain threatening loved ones while monologue-ing with the "heroes." This is countless times on the phone, in the field, in interviews, after interviews as they blindly try to decipher just how high up and how far this truly goes.
And the fact that it keeps things flowing very well and never becomes redundant or boring says a lot for the direction as well as the actors involved. While some of that may have to do with it being "true events," in the end, it truly does have a lot more to do with those involved in the making of this film.

In 72' when the break-in occurred, I was in 2nd Grade and heard more about the comedic parodies after Nixon's resignation than any news-related information when this film came out in '76. Now, for whatever reason, even being of huge fan of Redford and a fan of Hoffman, I have never gotten to check out this Must-See film and, FINALLY, I have gotten to and completely enjoyed this investigative film that,
WARNING: "surprisingly," spoilers below
does not end with the resignation, but with a setback and Nixon being re-elected. The telecommunication pounding out the headlines that would occur when it finally came together, making for a more dramatic ending.



I forgot the opening line.
So. By ANY chance, can I just copy and paste this and add "What he said," at the bottom for my review? Because he f@ckin NAILED IT!!! In all the emotions, trivia, etc about and for this beloved film of truly iconic proportions that there is scarcely anything more needed to be said about it. lol

BRAVO, sir, BRAVO!!
I am so enjoying both the emotional and informative aspects of your reviews. VERY nicely done!!
Thank you @edarsenal. I find that gathering all the information and trying to fit it all together teaches me heaps about whatever movie I'm looking at - I really remember it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's a bit awkward and doesn't flow like I'd like it to. But I always learn a lot about a particular movie when I do it.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Thank you @edarsenal. I find that gathering all the information and trying to fit it all together teaches me heaps about whatever movie I'm looking at - I really remember it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's a bit awkward and doesn't flow like I'd like it to. But I always learn a lot about a particular movie when I do it.
I do the same thing. Love reading the trivia about any given film. It really adds to my appreciation and enjoyment and, sometimes, understanding of what the director's vision and the film itself.