31st Hall of Fame

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Herod's Law (1999)



It would have been funny had I nominated El Infierno, which I almost did. Same director and lead actor; it's a gangster picture but there's similarities in style and narrative. I enjoyed this one from start to finish but didn't love anything about it, although I did lol a couple of times. I'm not drawn to films set in the 40's or earlier, but this really could have been modern day in a poor town. It's a topical storyline and not just in Mexico. I'm glad it was nominated by whomever picked it.






The Verdict:

My second time watching The Verdict. On paper it should be a favorite. Moody courtroom drama penned by Mammet, directed by Lumet. It never gets to that level for me. I think it is missing those couple of memorable powerhouse scenes that I am drawn to. I think it’s pretty great though. Not surprisingly, I had forgotten most of the plot beats, so it felt fresh to me. I think Newman carries the film with ease. I really love that ending. Glad this one was nominated as well. Sometimes Halls are the only reason I get to rewatches.
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The Verdict:

My second time watching The Verdict. On paper it should be a favorite. Moody courtroom drama penned by Mammet, directed by Lumet. It never gets to that level for me. I think it is missing those couple of memorable powerhouse scenes that I am drawn to. I think it’s pretty great though. Not surprisingly, I had forgotten most of the plot beats, so it felt fresh to me. I think Newman carries the film with ease. I really love that ending. Glad this one was nominated as well. Sometimes Halls are the only reason I get to rewatches.
Me too



Herod's Law -


This is a pretty good political satire that with its dark comedy and bursts of violence could be described as Coen lite. First and foremost, how bold of writer/director Luis Estrada to make it about an actual political party! It's no wonder the PRI delayed the movie’s release because unless you're someone like our "hero," Vargas, you don't exactly walk away with a favorable opinion of it. Since I don’t have much familiarity with Mexican politics, I also appreciate that the movie does a good job of being accessible to outsiders. Making the pathetic town to which Vargas is assigned a microcosm of main street Mexico helps (as does the character of Pek for being such a worthy guide to it, I might add). From the brothel to the priest who requires payment for...pretty much everything, the movie familiarized me with Mexico's political situation quickly and thankfully without being too pandering. Regardless, it provides a worthwhile study of how corruption can take root in any constituency. The performances deserve credit in this regard, especially Alcázar's as Vargas - the look on his face when the brothel owner holds money in his face will be hard to forget - as does cult director Alex Cox as the sleazy American interloper.

Despite liking quite a few things about the movie, it has issues that affected my enjoyment. I like memorable visuals in my movies, and this one's ordinary style left me starved for them. There were times when I thought it would work better as a play. Furthermore, I can't complain about the acting, but the characters are too archetypal, personality-deprived and short on depth. Estrada and company should have taken cues from The Ruling Class - which this one reminds me of - because it also has characters who personify institutions, but I remember what they're like first and what they represent second. I'm still glad I watched this, especially since I can count the number of Mexican movies I've seen on one hand. If anything, it makes me wish there were more worthy modern political satires about my country's political parties.



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Interiors



The first Woody Allen movie in which Woody Allen doesn't make an appearance, which worked for me when I saw The Purple Rose of Cairo. It's a pretty good cast here, yet not much is really asked of many of them, and as a result, there's really no sensational performances for me. The story is ok and the look of the film is just satisfactory to me. I feel like the film would have been better suited to have more comedic angles. I found it interesting that Allen tried to emulate a Bergman type feel with this movie. He even tried to cast Ingrid Bergman here, but he couldn't swing it. Anyways it's an ok movie but I wouldn't put it high up on the Allen films I've seen so far.



Hmph, I figured not many HoF'ers have seen The Verdict since only a few regulars have it logged on Letterboxd. Oh well, I'm glad you're happy to rewatch it, and it's probably good for your mental health that you're not as obsessed about logging everything you've watched as I am! I also chose it since 1982 is an oddly underrepresented year in the general HoFs.



The trick is not minding
Hmph, I figured not many HoF'ers have seen The Verdict since only a few regulars have it logged on Letterboxd. Oh well, I'm glad you're happy to rewatch it, and it's probably good for your mental health that you're not as obsessed about logging everything you've watched as I am! I also chose it since 1982 is an oddly underrepresented year in the general HoFs.
I should note I am way behind on logging all of my films on letterboxd that I’ve watched. Every now and then I’ll sit down and add more that I have written (which is still a lot), plus what I have been watching this year. *



I should note I am way behind on logging all of my films on letterboxd that I’ve watched. Every now and then I’ll sit down and add more that I have written (which is still a lot), plus what I have been watching this year. *
I doubt that anyone's is 100% up to date. Heck, I don't remember the names of a lot of the movies I've seen.



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Days of Heaven



A movie that certain deserves consideration for the best cinematography ever in my opinion. The film defines beauty in film and the shots are so well done throughout the entire movie. I really came to appreciate the films story this go around. The love triangle aspect keeps me interested throughout. I really like the acting from the main 4 in the film and the choice of narration works here for me. I would throw this down as an easy top 10 70s movie for me and it seems like it stands the test of time. The score is really well done too. Not much of any flaws here for me really.





Interiors:

I think maybe I started this being in the mood for more playful Allen. I have seen this before so I knew it wasn’t that, but it felt too self serious on this rewatch to me. The dialogue is still great. The performances are all really good and this is probably the best looking Allen. The aesthetic is where you can really see him going for a Bergman feel, and it works. Another good movie, but this Hall is packed. Going to be tough to get to the top of the hill for Woody in my opinion.



The Bib-iest of Nickels
I always mean to participate in these things, then I always forget, haha. I may consider writing reviews (in my review thread) of a handful of these, merely because I haven't watched any / most of them.



I always mean to participate in these things, then I always forget, haha. I may consider writing reviews (in my review thread) of a handful of these, merely because I haven't watched any / most of them.
You're always welcomed to discuss any of the movies in the HoF, you don't have to be a member for that. I'm certainly happy to talk about any of the films I've seen, so far it's only two of them:
Sons of the Desert
The Duellists



I forgot the opening line.


Sunset Boulevard - 1950

Directed by Billy Wilder

Written by Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder & D. M. Marshman Jr.

Starring William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim & Nancy Olson

It's as relevant today as it ever was. A strange mixture of reality and fable which cut so close to actuality that Gloria Swanson and Erich von Stroheim were almost playing themselves - albeit horrifically twisted versions in this Hollywood horror story. Cecil B. DeMille, Buster Keaton, Hedda Hopper and others did play themselves. To this very day, there are those in the industry that sell themselves out for the chance to play a lucrative part in the Hollywood dream, and there are still actresses who become enchanted with fame - only to be discarded when their youthful looks and vigour fade, soon replaced by a never-ending supply of sweet young beauties. What I love most about this film though, is how it makes me feel two completely contradictory emotions - I sadly pity and want to soothe the deluded and desperate Norma Desmond, and at the same time I angrily despise her psychological need for continued fame and youth, and her delusional belief that she's still living the years she left behind so long ago.

Struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) - a wry cynic who is narrating his own story from beyond the grave - is fleeing the men attempting to repossess his much needed car when he happens to find himself down the driveway of an old, decrepit mansion. A butler, Max Von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim) eagerly invites him in, and he meets Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) who has mistaken him for the man summoned to assist in the burial of her pet chimpanzee. Gillis soon recognizes her as a long-forgotten star of silent movies, and sees Desmond's fervent desire to reinvigorate her career as kind of ridiculous - but she has money and is in need of a writer. He agrees to work on her screenplay, and the two become entangled. The faded star lavishes him with gifts and money - anything he wants, but Gillis finds himself confronted with someone obviously not on great terms with reality. When the fact that she's no longer a great star starts to break her, he starts to slip away to co-write with young writer Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson) - when suicide attempts, pleading and demanding no longer work, Desmond lashes out in anger, after which she crosses over completely into her fantasy world.

There has been so much said about Sunset Boulevard that it would just feel repetitive to grind out all the same old facts. All that's left to really say is what it means to me personally - Billy Wilder is a filmmaker whose films I either absolutely love (Double Indemnity, Witness For the Prosecution) or find particularly overrated (Some Like it Hot, The Seven Year Itch). It seems that it's his humour which I don't connect with, whereas every other part of what he does I find particularly attractive - but I have to concede that there is a peculiarly dark strain of comedy which exits in this film all the same. All of the sardonic comments from Gillis, and all of the times Norma Desmond says or does something which illustrates just how out of touch she is with reality - there's not one that doesn't hit in a very precise and perfect manner. There are also funny metaphorical moments, such as when Desmond is brushed by the microphone boom, and she angrily shoves it aside. The first time I watched this film, I was taken aback by the fact that there is not one thing wrong with it - every moment succeeds in doing what it was exactly intended to do. It has the unmistakable stamp of "masterpiece" to it.

John F. Seitz was the cinematographer who once again worked his noir magic on this film, and as he had with Wilder films such as Five Graves to Cairo, Double Indemnity and The Lost Weekend he'd be nominated for an Oscar for his work. He'd never win, despite being nominated 7 times (4 of those being Billy Wilder films.) Wilder and Seitz would usually disturb every speck of dust on the set before filming indoor segments of the film, creating a tomb-like, old and creepy atmosphere for Desmond's home. Also interesting is the pool shot at the beginning, where the audiences sees the body of Gillis from deep down inside the swimming pool he's floating in. The camera was actually looking down into a mirror, bringing us the view we get. Also, of course, there are shadowy shots - I particularly like our first obstructed view of the delusional, housebound star, not only behind prison-like shaded bars, but wearing sunglasses - secreted so far into that lair of hers that she hardly seems to exist. Right from the very first shot, there's invention here that feels fresh despite being nearly 75 years old. Sunset Boulevard is a visually fun film, and one that's very astute in guiding the viewer in an unambiguous, exact manner.

Sunset Boulevard's score is a revelation. Once you start to consciously hear the tango, and then pick out the moments where a saxophone lets out strains of bebop, you also gain a conscious understanding of what composer Franz Waxman is doing with this famous film score. Obviously Gillis is the hip younger writer, the jazz as opposed to the tango which Norma Desmond has her young prey dancing to. It's a wonderful combination you can hear, which often combines into crashing waves of intensity and insanity. Waxman's score would be ranked at #16 on the American Film Institute's list of the best 25 film scores of all time. He'd also win an Oscar and Golden Globe for it. Older film scores often feel a little too overbearing for my tastes, but I feel like this one is really cool in the way it underscores not only the emotion of the moment, but the clash of characters and their psychological substance. It's a clever score, and also a very powerful and well-written one - but perhaps more importantly, it's unsettling.

Gloria Swanson's Norma Desmond dominates the movie, as she very well should - I just feel so sorry for her when she's feeling the despair that she does. Remember, it was Hollywood that twisted her psyche - a place that never thinks twice about discarding what it doesn't need anymore. Swanson looks so lost and forlorn, and her voice is pitiful - she does such a wonderful job. William Holden is also very, very good - he's no hero, and actually uses this woman because she has money. He might have moments when he feels pity, but he's also responsible for giving her false hope to start with. Gillis is talented, but appears to have been broken down into a cynical jackal by the same Hollywood that has ruined Norma Desmond - the scripts of his that have met with success were mangled, and he's just crossed the threshold where he intends to write whatever rubbish producers or Desmond demand he write. Youthful idealist Betty Schaefer (Olsen giving us an out of place recognizable person amongst the grotesque monsters) is guiding this man back to the light, if it's not too late. All four actors were nominated for Oscars in their four different categories - and all four would lose.

Every scene in Sunset Boulevard feels like it would be the best scene in any other film - it never steps down, spins it's wheels, or loses it's tempo. It's a fascinating indictment of the Hollywood system, and the way it promotes an image above and beyond substance and responsibility. Hollywood favours the way something sounds over depth, and repetition over new ideas. It has little regard for the trail of broken dreams and lost innocence which it leaves in it's wake. It rewards cynicism, and punishes intelligence. It rewards youth, and abhors age and physical imperfection. Some of this is understandable, considering that Hollywood is business orientated, and depends on the vague judgement of the population of the world at large - but that doesn't make it any more palatable or easy to accept. Older actresses and actors who have had plastic surgery and no longer look quite right bother me - they have the operations to look younger, but instead they look different. Their wrinkles might be gone - but the square features, pulled-tight eyelids and exaggerated features undo any "improvements" that might be made.

Most haunting are the eyes of Max (Erich von Stroheim ) as he watches the hypnotic Swanson glide down the stairs - the sadness. She was once a person who was loved for who she was - separate from the image which was created, and the legend. It's the sadness of grief, and Max is the one person who'll do anything to protect and shield what's left of Norma Desmond. That mixture of absolute sadness and wry amusement is such a strange combination, and no other film combines the two like Sunset Boulevard does. It stands as a testament to a generation of silent film stars that were suddenly forgotten when sound was introduced, and to every star that lost the approval of the public and industry. Stardom must be the most intoxicating substance on Earth, and it has destroyed plenty of lives - just as Hollywood has turned many a great artist into a cynical hack. Ironically, Billy Wilder made the necessary transitions to avoid becoming a hack, and was a rare talent that managed to avoid the many traps and pitfalls of the industry. This is one of his greatest films, and one of the greatest films ever made.

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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)



Gone Baby Gone -


Mysteries and crime thrillers are comfort food to me, and this is some seriously tasty comfort food. There's comfort alone in all the familiar faces in the cast like Ed Harris, Amy Ryan and Michelle Monaghan - each of whom is as good as they always are - as well as in the crew with the likes of John Toll, who is one of my favorite cinematographers. They provide a sensation that the movie is directing itself, but I can't fault Ben Affleck for involving so many veterans because if I wanted to direct and I had the means, I'd do the same thing since they could probably teach me a thing or two. I also approve of Affleck's decisions to fill the rest of the cast with locals and to film in actual locations, which makes this seem like a true Boston movie. As for the scenes that make this a thriller, they're backed by the touchiest themes imaginable - and hit much harder now that I'm a father, I might add - but Affleck manages to handle them tastefully, but without kid gloves, which is a nice surprise since venturing into bad taste with such material is an oft-committed rookie mistake. What makes this a great movie instead of just a good one, though, is what it does with the huge dilemma Patrick is forced to resolve. Does he make the right decision? I don't know, but the movie makes it a rock worth having in your shoe, if you will. Again, this is very tasty comfort food, and forgive me for using another food metaphor, but it's not quite five-star cuisine (no pun intended). It remains a particularly assured theatrical directorial debut, and while there are exceptions such as the excellent Mare of Easttown miniseries from a couple years ago, it makes me lament that too much material like this is left to the Liam Neesons and Dick Wolfs (or is it Dick Wolves?) of the entertainment world these days.

Oh, and how odd it is to hear Mark Margolis' actual voice! I've become too used to him speaking in foreign accents and bell dings.



I rewatched Sunset Boulevard on dvd today (I really should upgrade and buy the blu ray). Masterfully directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, this is undoubtedly one of the all time great films. Previously, I had it on my list of favourite films at #118, but after rewatching I am moving it up to #89! The performances are fantastic. Gloria Swanson is iconic and terrific, in an unforgettable performance. William Holden is excellent and the two are perfect together. The screenplay is one of the all time greats, sharp, smart and memorable. Sunset Boulevard is as close to flawless as you can get and is a genuinely entertaining film that packs a punch. This has to be the early frontrunner to win the hall and it would be a deserving winner. Sunset Boulevard is an absolute masterpiece.





Sunset Blvd:

This is my third or fourth time watching Sunset Blvd. Really does feel as perfect as a movie can get. Looks awesome, every character feels fully realised. Awesome dialogue, and simple straightforward storytelling.

Hit me as a ghost story this time, which is not the way I think of it but probably has been described that way. Especially through the first hour, it’s very haunting and other wordly. To the point where you wouldn’t be surprised if everything was in his head. I love the critical look at celebrity. I think the best movies about movies make us feel like we probably aren’t doing actors and actresses any favors in life by making them bigger than.

Goria Swanson took some getting used to in this movie, I think Cricket mentioned that. It really has become a favorite performance of mine though. Nothing but good stuff here. If Sunset Blvd doesn’t win it will be a shock.



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26 of our 81 reviews are done. 7 of 9 members have gotten started and there's a bunch of you over the halfway point! Keep it up!