20th Hall of Fame
Reply to Topic
High Noon
Martin: People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care.
SOME SPOILERS
Even if I didn't know just how much of an iconic Western this is, I would have known I was in for a great western when I saw Lee Van Cleef, staring, steely-eyed, perched on a boulder in the opening scene.
And apparently, this was his debut film without a single word to say and with his presence, there was no need for words anyway.
As I've stated, this is an iconic western and one that took FAR TOO LONG for me to finally watch.
With it's allegories toward the Blacklisting of Hollywood alleged Communists, it hits even deeper since the writer, Carl Foreman, was one of the great talents that fell prey to this witch hunt.
Our Marshall, played like only Gary Cooper can, has just been married, to Grace Kelly's character; when three outlaws ride into town to await the arrival of the noon train and the murderer that as just been released from prison that is on it. A murdered that Gary Cooper's Marshall Kane arrested, years before. All of which are intent to gun the now retired Marshall down.
At first, the townsfolk do their best to get him out of town.
Not for his benefit, but for the town's in hope for a cease gunfire for the men who once called the town their home when it was a more lawless locale before Cooper's Marshall cleaned it up.
Set in nearly real time, we see Marshall Kane attempt to gather a posse to face off the men, but is basically left dangling in the wind. By so called friends and neighbors who owe him a safe town to raise families in. Some do it out of cowardice, and there are some who are ready to welcome the murderer, Frank Miller into town and are happy to see the Marshall get his.
Excellent fodder for the premise of this film.
AND with a great supporting cast.
Along with Cleef, there's Lloyd Bridges as the Deputy Sheriff who's petty selfishness leaves his boss facing the outlaws on his own. (When I first saw him, looking out the window at the three men riding in, I couldn't help but think of Airplane and the line, "Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue."). There's also Lon Chaney Jr, playing an older friend to is too tired and too old to help. I used one of his quotes in the beginning of this review. Harry Morgan is also in this as a friend who can't even face Kane to tell him he won't help. And, finally, there's a cameo by Jack Elam who I've known in his later years as a grizzled, odd ball character in various roles.
All of them and those of lesser roles do great, one of which, I absolutely loved, played the tough, sultry Helen Ramirez, Katy Jurado.
A VERY worthy contender for a Hall of Fame!
__________________
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
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Glad you liked High Noon Ed! I actually was going to watch it tonight but I have to take back Rear Window to the library so it'll be that one for tonight. But I'm looking forward to High Noon as I've been watching a stable full of westerns and even saw a couple with Gary Cooper in them, so it'll be good to contrast and compare his other westerns with High Noon.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Ghostbusters (1984)
Ha! I love that scene, especially how the library cards go shooting out of the drawers...thank goodness for practical effects! The quality of film making here is high.
You know there's no way this movie could be made today, yeah...I know they did remake it, but not to this standard. There's just no way NYC would allow a film maker now a days to block off a huge section of street to film a movie. Back in the day, a director could do that, but today it's just too much of a hassle for a big city to shut down a city block for movie making.
It's easy to watch this film and have a blast, I sure did! But think about being in the directors chair and then you'll be even more impressed with what was accomplished here. Oh, did I mention the street scene where the street cracks open swallowing the Ghostbusters? What a great set that was and way cool practical effects. Though my favorite effect was the eggs popping out of the tray and cooking themselves on Sigourney Weaver's kitchen counter. I'm so glad we have films like the original Ghostbusters as today a remake would reek of CG.
I read that almost every scene had improvised dialogue. Usually that spells trouble as actors tend to be hams and don't know when to rein in the improv. But hot damn! Bill Murray and Rick Moranis had impeccable timing and delivery of their on-the-fly dialogue and that's why I prefer the first half of the film as their is more character and story development there.
I had a lot of fun revisiting this film!
You know there's no way this movie could be made today, yeah...I know they did remake it, but not to this standard. There's just no way NYC would allow a film maker now a days to block off a huge section of street to film a movie. Back in the day, a director could do that, but today it's just too much of a hassle for a big city to shut down a city block for movie making.
It's easy to watch this film and have a blast, I sure did! But think about being in the directors chair and then you'll be even more impressed with what was accomplished here. Oh, did I mention the street scene where the street cracks open swallowing the Ghostbusters? What a great set that was and way cool practical effects. Though my favorite effect was the eggs popping out of the tray and cooking themselves on Sigourney Weaver's kitchen counter. I'm so glad we have films like the original Ghostbusters as today a remake would reek of CG.
I read that almost every scene had improvised dialogue. Usually that spells trouble as actors tend to be hams and don't know when to rein in the improv. But hot damn! Bill Murray and Rick Moranis had impeccable timing and delivery of their on-the-fly dialogue and that's why I prefer the first half of the film as their is more character and story development there.
I had a lot of fun revisiting this film!
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 10-17-19 at 02:39 AM.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I'll be going for High Noon next, not till Monday though
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Glad you liked High Noon Ed! I actually was going to watch it tonight but I have to take back Rear Window to the library so it'll be that one for tonight. But I'm looking forward to High Noon as I've been watching a stable full of westerns and even saw a couple with Gary Cooper in them, so it'll be good to contrast and compare his other westerns with High Noon.
Not sure if I've seen any other western with him. I'll have to double check that.
Rear Window is going to be another film I've yet to see and will finally watch. Pretty excited about that. Though with every Ghostbuster review it calls for a rewatch, a little stronger every time.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
How many times have you seen it? I think this will be my third viewing.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
The Music Man (Morton DaCosta, 1962)
Imdb
Date Watched: 10/16/19
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: 20th MoFo Hall of Fame, nominated by Citizen Rules
Rewatch: No.
If my count is correct, this is my 16th Hall of Fame in five years. In all this time and all those threads, I've had to watch a lot of movies that I didn't want to watch. And through all those films, never have I had such a strong urge to research a film on Wikipedia and bulls*** my way through a review.
And damn do I wish I had. F*** integrity. I hated absolutely EVERYTHING about this film - the characters, the music, the songs, the pacing, the costumes, the story, and did I mention the songs? I was cringing so hard it felt like I was in actual pain and each song seemed somehow worse than the last - culminating in the absolutely horrid "Shipoopi" ("A woman who'll kiss on the very first date is usually a hussy"? F*** you, movie).
As for those characters? I wanted to reach through the screen and punch each one of them in the damn face. Yes, even little Ronny Howard (who I actually a respect as a director). Actually maybe especially little Ronny Howard with his stupid lisp and his terrible singing. But then there's that idiot Susan Luckey as Zaneeta Shin, with her shrill voice and rage-inducing exclamations of "Ye Gods!" And the primary characters were no better. Harold Hill was a scumbag and Marian was a doe-eyed dumbass.
I am strongly reminded of my feelings for Bringing Up Baby in the 11th HOF, but - as much as I despise that film - it at least had the decency to keep its BS under two hours. If I had to sum up my experience with The Music Man in just a few words, I'd call it cruel and unusual punishment.
-
__________________
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
@Citizen Rules, is Music Man in your all time top ten, or just profile (I know some people like to switch up their profile favorites).
X
User Lists
The Music Man (Morton DaCosta, 1962)
Imdb
Date Watched: 10/16/19
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: 20th MoFo Hall of Fame, nominated by Citizen Rules
Rewatch: No.
If my count is correct, this is my 16th Hall of Fame in five years. In all this time and all those threads, I've had to watch a lot of movies that I didn't want to watch. And through all those films, never have I had such a strong urge to research a film on Wikipedia and bulls*** my way through a review.
And damn do I wish I had. F*** integrity. I hated absolutely EVERYTHING about this film - the characters, the music, the songs, the pacing, the costumes, the story, and did I mention the songs? I was cringing so hard it felt like I was in actual pain and each song seemed somehow worse than the last - culminating in the absolutely horrid "Shipoopi" ("A woman who'll kiss on the very first date is usually a hussy"? F*** you, movie).
As for those characters? I wanted to reach through the screen and punch each one of them in the damn face. Yes, even little Ronny Howard (who I actually a respect as a director). Actually maybe especially little Ronny Howard with his stupid lisp and his terrible singing. But then there's that idiot Susan Luckey as Zaneeta Shin, with her shrill voice and rage-inducing exclamations of "Ye Gods!" And the primary characters were no better. Harold Hill was a scumbag and Marian was a doe-eyed dumbass.
I am strongly reminded of my feelings for Bringing Up Baby in the 11th HOF, but - as much as I despise that film - it at least had the decency to keep its BS under two hours. If I had to sum up my experience with The Music Man in just a few words, I'd call it cruel and unusual punishment.
-
Ouch! I knew that you weren't going to like this movie, but I didn't expect that much hate for it.
Maybe you would like it if they made an animated version of it.
__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Ouch! I knew that you weren't going to like this movie, but I didn't expect that much hate for it.
Maybe you would like it if they made an animated version of it.
Maybe you would like it if they made an animated version of it.
X
User Lists
I haven't seen The Music Man (something I'm not planning to change) but it being on this HoF kinda makes me happy that I didn't join. I'd fully expect to hate it as well.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
really excited to check out the music man now
__________________
letterboxd
criticker
Most Biblical movies were long If I Recall.
seen A Clockwork Orange. In all honesty, the movie was weird and silly
criticker
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Monsters Inc.
Monsters need screams to power their city. But what happens when a child enters the Monsterverse? Chaos reigns...
Being totally honest, I'm not a fan of Pixar movies. I really, really, really want to like them but for the most part they've always been pretty average in my opinion (WALL-E and Inside Out being the exceptions). This one is no different.
John Goodman as Sully was my favorite character. I thought Billy Crystal, as Mike, sounded a bit like Woody Allen's neurotic New Yorker in parts, which is never a good thing and Steve Buscemi is the pretty forgettable baddie Randall. Movies that pit good vs bad are only as strong as the baddie in them (kids movies are not exempt from this) and Randall felt flat. Not to pile on Buscemi, because I think he's a great actor, but there are people who have voices made for animation and unfortunately I don't think he is one of them. He just didn't deliver the oomph like a true villain (Cruella de Ville, Scar, Hans Gruber) should.
My favorite scene, by far, is when Mike and Sully bring Boo home. The fish out of water scenes usually work for me provided they don't go on too long and it was perfect. That was good and there were a few little things I enjoyed. For example, Boo always calling Sully "kitty" was cute. The story is good, not great and it's not boring. It's a Pixar movie that checks all the boxes and if I had kids at home I wouldn't hesitate to pop this in for them.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Ouch! I knew that you weren't going to like this movie, but I didn't expect that much hate for it.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
|
|