Instead of posting in the movie tab every now and again I thought it would be a good idea to create a thread for myself where I not only share ratings of films, but also other movie related thoughts and tidbits, and hopefully get some good discussion going too.
Not formal enough to be a proper review thread, more a notebook where I share my film experiences with you through various ramblings. I'll try and update this often, when I watch a film and feel like I have something to say. I'll probably be sharing quite a view lists and going over directors as well as just single films. I love sharing my thoughts with people and creating discussions, and this will encourage that and stop me from just posting a list of ratings at the end of each month like I do sometimes.
Again this is going to be mainly informal ramblings, so I can't promise great writing and in-depth reviews, but hopefully we can have some good discussions. I might also share some interest articles, videos I come across online, and also some stuff about my own actual film shooting and that. This thread is kind of inspired by people's top ten directors threads and own reviews threads, so this is like a hybrid.
So my first entry...
Rio Bravo and my love for Howard Hawks
I went out last night as it was a bank holiday weekend. Spent too much and drank too much, so today I've been mainly recovering, and I noticed that TCM had Rio Bravo on, so of course I watched it. I think it's probably my fourth full viewing, but I've seen it in parts even more.
I actually bought a framed poster type of thing for the film recently. It's a film I consider to be one of my very favourites. I think I first watched it probably because of Tarantino's praise for it, when I was getting into films his opinion meant a lot and I tried to check out whatever he recommended. I thought it was great back then, and I think it was in the top 30 of my first ever top 100, but back then I had knew nothing of the great director Howard Hawks, really.
Earlier this year I watched a lot of films from Hawks, and I now consider him to be one of my favourite directors. I also love that a lot of other members here seem to be watching more of his films over the past year, and I hope that when it comes around that Rio Bravo will do really well in the Fifties countdown.
Watching it today only further strengthens my thoughts towards it, a masterpiece of cinema. I love the laid back feel of the whole thing, through watching more of his works I've discovered how Hawks loves to create pictures about companionship and masculinity, there's always a leisurely feel about his films with nothing flashy about his direction, mainly medium shots and cuts only when they're needed. Despite the humour there's always a darkness luring and the characters come to prove themselves through their actions, often through violence.
A few weeks ago I watched The Big Sky late night on TV when I was staying with my grandparents. Another great Hawks film that once again focuses on masculinity through violence. I think the most unusual thing about it is how it uses its landscape to emphasis the darkness looming over the characters. I also think the black and white photography of Only Angels Have Wings goes quite a long way in creating a mysterious mythical atmosphere that seems to consume the characters.
Here's how I would rank Howard Hawks' films, approximately:
Although the rankings don't mean much, as I think they're pretty much great, except for Rio Lobo. I watched that film the other week too, on TCM, and whilst I still enjoyed it, it felt like a pale imitation of Rio Bravo. El Dorado surprised me with just how great it was, Mitchum and Caan were brilliant, and in terms of laughs I found it to be a really funny screenplay, Rio Lobo's supporting cast was all weak and there was nothing memorable about it, I thought the beginning and end scenes were the best parts.
Also, I just remembered that my brother recently bought Rio Bravo on Blu-ray (part of a Westerns collection), he loves the film too, although he hasn't seen many other Howard Hawks films. You'll notice I ranked Ceiling Zero really high on the list, I actually bought that on DVD earlier on this year when I was on my Hawks spree. I noticed it was hard to get and the copy I have is a French DVD with the title "Brumes" actually, but it's a perfectly fine copy. Not many people seem to have seen it but I think it's one of his best, it feels more intimate and personal. Like Only Angels Have Wings it focusses on flying, masculinity through these high risk jobs, friendship, honour etc., in both films the endings are extremely sad and moving, throughout there is an impending feeling of doom that comes with the joy of these men enjoying themselves.
What has everyone else seen from Howard Hawks? What are your favourite films of his? Is Rio Bravo a favourite of yours and do you see it doing well on the Fifties list?
As for the future I know I really need to see Monkey Business and To Have and Have Not which I know are favourites of bluedeed and Cobpyth. It was actually a while ago since I had my Hawks spree, and I know I've posted about him a lot before, but I felt the need to again after today. I'll probably do a couple of small posts soon about Naruse, Kurosawa and Miyazaki, who I've watched a few films of recently.
Not formal enough to be a proper review thread, more a notebook where I share my film experiences with you through various ramblings. I'll try and update this often, when I watch a film and feel like I have something to say. I'll probably be sharing quite a view lists and going over directors as well as just single films. I love sharing my thoughts with people and creating discussions, and this will encourage that and stop me from just posting a list of ratings at the end of each month like I do sometimes.
Again this is going to be mainly informal ramblings, so I can't promise great writing and in-depth reviews, but hopefully we can have some good discussions. I might also share some interest articles, videos I come across online, and also some stuff about my own actual film shooting and that. This thread is kind of inspired by people's top ten directors threads and own reviews threads, so this is like a hybrid.
So my first entry...
Rio Bravo and my love for Howard Hawks
I went out last night as it was a bank holiday weekend. Spent too much and drank too much, so today I've been mainly recovering, and I noticed that TCM had Rio Bravo on, so of course I watched it. I think it's probably my fourth full viewing, but I've seen it in parts even more.
I actually bought a framed poster type of thing for the film recently. It's a film I consider to be one of my very favourites. I think I first watched it probably because of Tarantino's praise for it, when I was getting into films his opinion meant a lot and I tried to check out whatever he recommended. I thought it was great back then, and I think it was in the top 30 of my first ever top 100, but back then I had knew nothing of the great director Howard Hawks, really.
Earlier this year I watched a lot of films from Hawks, and I now consider him to be one of my favourite directors. I also love that a lot of other members here seem to be watching more of his films over the past year, and I hope that when it comes around that Rio Bravo will do really well in the Fifties countdown.
Watching it today only further strengthens my thoughts towards it, a masterpiece of cinema. I love the laid back feel of the whole thing, through watching more of his works I've discovered how Hawks loves to create pictures about companionship and masculinity, there's always a leisurely feel about his films with nothing flashy about his direction, mainly medium shots and cuts only when they're needed. Despite the humour there's always a darkness luring and the characters come to prove themselves through their actions, often through violence.
A few weeks ago I watched The Big Sky late night on TV when I was staying with my grandparents. Another great Hawks film that once again focuses on masculinity through violence. I think the most unusual thing about it is how it uses its landscape to emphasis the darkness looming over the characters. I also think the black and white photography of Only Angels Have Wings goes quite a long way in creating a mysterious mythical atmosphere that seems to consume the characters.
Here's how I would rank Howard Hawks' films, approximately:
- Rio Bravo
- Only Angels Have Wings
- Ceiling Zero
- El Dorado
- His Girl Friday
- Hatari!
- The Big Sky
- The Big Sleep
- Scarface
- Red River
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
- Bringing Up Baby
- Rio Lobo
Although the rankings don't mean much, as I think they're pretty much great, except for Rio Lobo. I watched that film the other week too, on TCM, and whilst I still enjoyed it, it felt like a pale imitation of Rio Bravo. El Dorado surprised me with just how great it was, Mitchum and Caan were brilliant, and in terms of laughs I found it to be a really funny screenplay, Rio Lobo's supporting cast was all weak and there was nothing memorable about it, I thought the beginning and end scenes were the best parts.
Also, I just remembered that my brother recently bought Rio Bravo on Blu-ray (part of a Westerns collection), he loves the film too, although he hasn't seen many other Howard Hawks films. You'll notice I ranked Ceiling Zero really high on the list, I actually bought that on DVD earlier on this year when I was on my Hawks spree. I noticed it was hard to get and the copy I have is a French DVD with the title "Brumes" actually, but it's a perfectly fine copy. Not many people seem to have seen it but I think it's one of his best, it feels more intimate and personal. Like Only Angels Have Wings it focusses on flying, masculinity through these high risk jobs, friendship, honour etc., in both films the endings are extremely sad and moving, throughout there is an impending feeling of doom that comes with the joy of these men enjoying themselves.
What has everyone else seen from Howard Hawks? What are your favourite films of his? Is Rio Bravo a favourite of yours and do you see it doing well on the Fifties list?
As for the future I know I really need to see Monkey Business and To Have and Have Not which I know are favourites of bluedeed and Cobpyth. It was actually a while ago since I had my Hawks spree, and I know I've posted about him a lot before, but I felt the need to again after today. I'll probably do a couple of small posts soon about Naruse, Kurosawa and Miyazaki, who I've watched a few films of recently.