Classic cinema - thoughts and questions
- Thread starter Forostar
- Start date
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Indeed.
When I said "all" I exagerated of course. But I really have lots to go.
Did you see Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979) by Herzog, also with Kinski?
An important part of it was filmed in my hometown Delft. I really enjoyed this one as well, not in the least because of that reason.
Indeed.
When I said "all" I exagerated of course. But I really have lots to go.
Did you see Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979) by Herzog, also with Kinski?
An important part of it was filmed in my hometown Delft. I really enjoyed this one as well, not in the least because of that reason.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
I saw Nosferatu 5 or 6 years back, so that music got lost in my head, but I really enjoyed the Aguirre soundtrack, from the first second. Beautiful, haunting music, setting the tone immediately. Combined with the misty mountains it was a real treat.
I saw Nosferatu 5 or 6 years back, so that music got lost in my head, but I really enjoyed the Aguirre soundtrack, from the first second. Beautiful, haunting music, setting the tone immediately. Combined with the misty mountains it was a real treat.
Kopfanatic
Trooper
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Afew weeks back Foro and myself posted a small flurry of comments about the merits of Harry Pa..... Sorry Michael Caine.I stated that although I enjoyed some of his films, I reckoned he was overrated.
I've just watched 'There Will be Blood' starring Daniel Day Lewis which has prompted me to reiterate my thoughts on Caine as I haven't as yet seen a film of his where he can match the intensity of Daniel Day lewis.
And,no Foro, I haven't seen Sleuth yet
Afew weeks back Foro and myself posted a small flurry of comments about the merits of Harry Pa..... Sorry Michael Caine.I stated that although I enjoyed some of his films, I reckoned he was overrated.
I've just watched 'There Will be Blood' starring Daniel Day Lewis which has prompted me to reiterate my thoughts on Caine as I haven't as yet seen a film of his where he can match the intensity of Daniel Day lewis.
And,no Foro, I haven't seen Sleuth yet
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Day-Lewis is certainly a good actor. I think his best role was Gerry Conlon in In the Name of the Father, a fictionalized account of the Guildford Four. It's an extremely immersive performance. I haven't seen There Will Be Blood though.
Day-Lewis is certainly a good actor. I think his best role was Gerry Conlon in In the Name of the Father, a fictionalized account of the Guildford Four. It's an extremely immersive performance. I haven't seen There Will Be Blood though.
Kopfanatic
Trooper
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
You're not going to believe this Foro, but Sleuth was on Sky TV last night. I watched a bit of it but must admit I got bored after a while.I'll concede that Caine was slightly different.....It was Harry Palmer with a plummy voice.
Sorry mate I still stand by my comments that ,although he's a good actor, he is very overrated in the presence of Day-Lewis, Pitt etc.
He's less wooden than Hugh Grant though, who's the most overrated of all.I can't believe he was once considered for Bond.
You're not going to believe this Foro, but Sleuth was on Sky TV last night. I watched a bit of it but must admit I got bored after a while.I'll concede that Caine was slightly different.....It was Harry Palmer with a plummy voice.
Sorry mate I still stand by my comments that ,although he's a good actor, he is very overrated in the presence of Day-Lewis, Pitt etc.
He's less wooden than Hugh Grant though, who's the most overrated of all.I can't believe he was once considered for Bond.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
So, one of the oldest male actors died. Age 97!
For the rest I can only think of Eli Wallach (still alive, 93 years old) and Kirk Douglas (still alive, 92 years old):
Karl Malden (1912-2009)
So, one of the oldest male actors died. Age 97!
For the rest I can only think of Eli Wallach (still alive, 93 years old) and Kirk Douglas (still alive, 92 years old):
Karl Malden (1912-2009)
national acrobat
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Last night I watched Notorious, which was the first Cary Grant film I've seen since seeing Tony Curtis' 'impression' of him in Some Like It Hot, which meant I kept imagining him talking in that really exaggerated way (I tried it too, it's very difficult to talk like him). I was also singing to myself "Our Claude Rains" to the tune of the hymn "Our God Reigns" throughout.
Back to Michael Caine, I saw Sleuth a couple of months back, and I thought it was a fantastic film, with great acting from both Caine and Laurence Olivier. Plot spoiler warning:
Last night I watched Notorious, which was the first Cary Grant film I've seen since seeing Tony Curtis' 'impression' of him in Some Like It Hot, which meant I kept imagining him talking in that really exaggerated way (I tried it too, it's very difficult to talk like him). I was also singing to myself "Our Claude Rains" to the tune of the hymn "Our God Reigns" throughout.
Back to Michael Caine, I saw Sleuth a couple of months back, and I thought it was a fantastic film, with great acting from both Caine and Laurence Olivier. Plot spoiler warning:
When I saw the detective enter, I did think it looked like Caine but the make-up, and acting, was so convincing that the thought retreated to the back of my mind.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
I haven't seen Some Like it Hot yet. But I know that Grant's role in Notorious is completely different from his comedy roles, and the latter is what Curtis' impression was based on. So this an interesting development.
So you've seen another Hitchcock as well.
Brilliant ending indeed!
national acrobat said:Last night I watched Notorious, which was the first Cary Grant film I've seen since seeing Tony Curtis' 'impression' of him in Some Like It Hot, which meant I kept imagining him talking in that really exaggerated way (I tried it too, it's very difficult to talk like him). I was also singing to myself "Our Claude Rains" to the tune of the hymn "Our God Reigns" throughout.
I haven't seen Some Like it Hot yet. But I know that Grant's role in Notorious is completely different from his comedy roles, and the latter is what Curtis' impression was based on. So this an interesting development.
So you've seen another Hitchcock as well.
national acrobat said:
Brilliant ending indeed!
national acrobat
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
My list of Hitchcock films watched now stands at:
Psycho (1960)
North by Northwest (1959)
Vertigo (1958)
Rear Window (1954)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Rope (1948)
Notorious (1946)
Jamaica Inn (1939)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The 39 Steps (1935)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Murder! (1930)
Quite some way to go to match your efforts (post), although I got Rebecca free with a newspaper last week, so I may watch that tomorrow.
Regarding someone else that you mention in that post: Fritz Lang. I saw M recently; what a performance by Peter Lorre! In what was his first starring role no less. A very good film too, with a great insight into a criminally insane mind (through his speech at the end).
Forostar said:
My list of Hitchcock films watched now stands at:
Psycho (1960)
North by Northwest (1959)
Vertigo (1958)
Rear Window (1954)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Rope (1948)
Notorious (1946)
Jamaica Inn (1939)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The 39 Steps (1935)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Murder! (1930)
Quite some way to go to match your efforts (post), although I got Rebecca free with a newspaper last week, so I may watch that tomorrow.
Regarding someone else that you mention in that post: Fritz Lang. I saw M recently; what a performance by Peter Lorre! In what was his first starring role no less. A very good film too, with a great insight into a criminally insane mind (through his speech at the end).
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic horror movies
I'd like to share with you an overview of horrors, made by Marta (my wife) and myself, based upon movies we have seen. We chose to cover the classic era of the 30s and 40s and decided to divide the films in 5 categories, some of them with an own explanation. We wanted to leave out the plots, since they could give away too much of the story line. If you like to know more of the stories, please check the International Movie Database or Wikipedia. Here goes, hope it might encourage people to check out some classic horror movies.
1. Val Lewton:
Cat People (1942)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Actors: Simone Simon, Tom Conway, Jack Holt
The Leopard Man (1943)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Actors: various
The Body Snatcher (1945)*
Director: Robert Wise
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
Many films of the past have a trademark of the director, or an actor, or a writer. Val Lewton was a producer, famous for his shadowy, atmospheric and dark horrors. Dark in the sense of vision. Lewton is known for creating suspense by not showing us everything in an explicit way, leaving much to the imagination of the viewer.
The ones we mentioned were in our opinion the most exciting ones, but if you like this style, you might check his other work as well. We both think that The Body Snatcher is our absolute favourite Val Lewton production.
2. Monster horrors:
Nosferatu (1922)
Director: F.W. Murnau
Actors: Max Schreck
Dracula (1931)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Bela Lugosi
Frankenstein (1931)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Actors: Fredric March
The Mummy (1932)
Director: Karl Freund
Actors: Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan
Island Of Lost Souls (1932)
Director: Erle C. Kenton (novel H.G. Wells)
Actors: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi
The Invisible Man (1933)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart
The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Colin Clive, Boris Karloff
Mark Of The Vampire (1935)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Lionel Barrymore, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill
Son Of Frankenstein (1939)*
Director: Rowland V. Lee
Actors: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
When it comes to horror movies with monsters, we immediately think of actors like Lugosi, Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. Many sequels were made with either Frankenstein, either Dracula, either Wolfman in the title, or even a combination of these words. We’ve seen so many that we even forgot what actually happened in these sequels. They were all very enjoyable and also had many comic moments, but we still decided to leave most of them out because some of them might seem less serious, had a lesser story or were a bit over the top.
Bride Of Frankenstein and Son Of Frankenstein were exceptions. They were absolutely memorable, because of the cool casting and acting, nice stories and a high entertainment level. So these sequels definitely belong in the list!
Nosferatu is the film with the most convincing Dracula ever. The actor is just phenomenal. Director F.W. Murnau found Max Schreck "strikingly ugly" in real life and decided the vampire makeup would suffice with just pointy ears and false teeth.
Marta’s favourite is The Mummy, and myself I am doubting, since many of these are candidates for the first place.
3. Other Boris Karloff and/or Bela Lugosi horrors:
Murders In The Rue Morgue (1932)
Director: Robert Florey
Actors: Bela Lugosi
The Old Dark House (1932)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart
The Black Cat (1934)*
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Raven (1935)*
Director: Lew Landers
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Black Room (1935)
Director: Roy William Neill
Actors: Boris Karloff
The Invisible Ray (1936)*
Director: Lambert Hillyer
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Frances Drake
Black Friday (1940)*
Director: Arthur Lubin
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
Director: Wallace Fox
Actors: Bela Lugosi
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
Many of these films have Edgar Allan Poe titles, which makes us think they are based upon those stories but in fact they have little to do with them. However, the scripts are still exciting, sinister and dark.
Marta’s faves: The Invisible Ray and The Old Dark House, but she also likes the sinister atmosphere of The Black Cat and The Raven. I choose Black Friday, The Invisible Ray, The Old Dark House & The Black Room as favourites.
4. Fay Wray:
Doctor X (1932)*
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
Director: Irving Pichel, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Actors: Joel McCrea, Fay Wray
The Vampire Bat (1933)
Director: Frank R. Strayer
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
Mystery Of The Wax Museum (1933)*
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
Fay Wray is famous for King Kong, but before this film, she was in some interesting (though smaller budget) horror films as well. She worked twice in a horror movie, directed by Michael Curtiz* (especially famous for Casablanca and The Adventures of Robin Hood). He was probably (one of) the first movie maker(s) who made horror movies in colour (to be precise: 2-strip Technicolor). All these films also have a sinister atmosphere, maybe even more sinister than other films on this list.
Funny trivia: In King Kong she was made blond (probably a wig), and many people remember her as a blonde, but in these films she has dark hair, her natural colour.
5. Others:
Murders In The Zoo (1933)
Director: A. Edward Sutherland
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Randolph Scott
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)
Director: Fritz Lang
Actors: Rudokph Klein-Rogge
Mad Love (1935)
Director: Karl Freund
Actors: Peter Lorre, Frances Drake, Colin Clive
The Devil Doll (1936)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O’Sullivan
The Spiral Staircase (1945)
Director: Robert Siodmak
Actor(s): George Brent, Ethel Barrymore
The Picture Of Dorian Gray (1945)
Director: Albert Lewin (novel: Oscar Wilde)
Actor(s): George Sanders
Dead of Night (1945)
Director: Several
Actor(s): Several (one of them is Michael Redgrave)
These films are all a bit different and have their own interesting individual strong points. The Devil Doll and The Picture Of Dorian Gray have original stories. The Spiral Staircase has good suspenseful atmosphere. Murders In The Zoo is sinister but has also some comical moments. Mad Love is made by the famous cinematographer Karl Freund who also directed The Mummy. Mad Love features a creepy role of Peter Lorre and Colin Clive in a kind of reverse role to the one he played in Frankenstein. Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse is a sinister film in which the main character possesses a mental power to control the minds of his victims, using them for his evil purposes. Dead Of Night features a couple of story lines with unexpected twists.
Marta’s 10 favourites (in no particular order)
The Body Snatcher
Cat People
The Invisible Ray
The Old Dark House
Son Of Frankenstein
The Bride Of Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
The Spiral Staircase
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
My 10 favourite films (in no particular order)
The Body Snatcher
Black Friday
The Invisible Ray
The Old Dark House
The Black Room
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
The Bride Of Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
Son Of Frankenstein
I'd like to share with you an overview of horrors, made by Marta (my wife) and myself, based upon movies we have seen. We chose to cover the classic era of the 30s and 40s and decided to divide the films in 5 categories, some of them with an own explanation. We wanted to leave out the plots, since they could give away too much of the story line. If you like to know more of the stories, please check the International Movie Database or Wikipedia. Here goes, hope it might encourage people to check out some classic horror movies.
1. Val Lewton:
Cat People (1942)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Actors: Simone Simon, Tom Conway, Jack Holt
The Leopard Man (1943)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Actors: various
The Body Snatcher (1945)*
Director: Robert Wise
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
Many films of the past have a trademark of the director, or an actor, or a writer. Val Lewton was a producer, famous for his shadowy, atmospheric and dark horrors. Dark in the sense of vision. Lewton is known for creating suspense by not showing us everything in an explicit way, leaving much to the imagination of the viewer.
The ones we mentioned were in our opinion the most exciting ones, but if you like this style, you might check his other work as well. We both think that The Body Snatcher is our absolute favourite Val Lewton production.
2. Monster horrors:
Nosferatu (1922)
Director: F.W. Murnau
Actors: Max Schreck
Dracula (1931)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Bela Lugosi
Frankenstein (1931)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Actors: Fredric March
The Mummy (1932)
Director: Karl Freund
Actors: Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan
Island Of Lost Souls (1932)
Director: Erle C. Kenton (novel H.G. Wells)
Actors: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi
The Invisible Man (1933)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart
The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Colin Clive, Boris Karloff
Mark Of The Vampire (1935)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Lionel Barrymore, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill
Son Of Frankenstein (1939)*
Director: Rowland V. Lee
Actors: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
When it comes to horror movies with monsters, we immediately think of actors like Lugosi, Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. Many sequels were made with either Frankenstein, either Dracula, either Wolfman in the title, or even a combination of these words. We’ve seen so many that we even forgot what actually happened in these sequels. They were all very enjoyable and also had many comic moments, but we still decided to leave most of them out because some of them might seem less serious, had a lesser story or were a bit over the top.
Bride Of Frankenstein and Son Of Frankenstein were exceptions. They were absolutely memorable, because of the cool casting and acting, nice stories and a high entertainment level. So these sequels definitely belong in the list!
Nosferatu is the film with the most convincing Dracula ever. The actor is just phenomenal. Director F.W. Murnau found Max Schreck "strikingly ugly" in real life and decided the vampire makeup would suffice with just pointy ears and false teeth.
Marta’s favourite is The Mummy, and myself I am doubting, since many of these are candidates for the first place.
3. Other Boris Karloff and/or Bela Lugosi horrors:
Murders In The Rue Morgue (1932)
Director: Robert Florey
Actors: Bela Lugosi
The Old Dark House (1932)
Director: James Whale
Actors: Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart
The Black Cat (1934)*
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Raven (1935)*
Director: Lew Landers
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Black Room (1935)
Director: Roy William Neill
Actors: Boris Karloff
The Invisible Ray (1936)*
Director: Lambert Hillyer
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Frances Drake
Black Friday (1940)*
Director: Arthur Lubin
Actors: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
Director: Wallace Fox
Actors: Bela Lugosi
*featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff
Many of these films have Edgar Allan Poe titles, which makes us think they are based upon those stories but in fact they have little to do with them. However, the scripts are still exciting, sinister and dark.
Marta’s faves: The Invisible Ray and The Old Dark House, but she also likes the sinister atmosphere of The Black Cat and The Raven. I choose Black Friday, The Invisible Ray, The Old Dark House & The Black Room as favourites.
4. Fay Wray:
Doctor X (1932)*
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
Director: Irving Pichel, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Actors: Joel McCrea, Fay Wray
The Vampire Bat (1933)
Director: Frank R. Strayer
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
Mystery Of The Wax Museum (1933)*
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray
Fay Wray is famous for King Kong, but before this film, she was in some interesting (though smaller budget) horror films as well. She worked twice in a horror movie, directed by Michael Curtiz* (especially famous for Casablanca and The Adventures of Robin Hood). He was probably (one of) the first movie maker(s) who made horror movies in colour (to be precise: 2-strip Technicolor). All these films also have a sinister atmosphere, maybe even more sinister than other films on this list.
Funny trivia: In King Kong she was made blond (probably a wig), and many people remember her as a blonde, but in these films she has dark hair, her natural colour.
5. Others:
Murders In The Zoo (1933)
Director: A. Edward Sutherland
Actors: Lionel Atwill, Randolph Scott
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)
Director: Fritz Lang
Actors: Rudokph Klein-Rogge
Mad Love (1935)
Director: Karl Freund
Actors: Peter Lorre, Frances Drake, Colin Clive
The Devil Doll (1936)
Director: Tod Browning
Actors: Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O’Sullivan
The Spiral Staircase (1945)
Director: Robert Siodmak
Actor(s): George Brent, Ethel Barrymore
The Picture Of Dorian Gray (1945)
Director: Albert Lewin (novel: Oscar Wilde)
Actor(s): George Sanders
Dead of Night (1945)
Director: Several
Actor(s): Several (one of them is Michael Redgrave)
These films are all a bit different and have their own interesting individual strong points. The Devil Doll and The Picture Of Dorian Gray have original stories. The Spiral Staircase has good suspenseful atmosphere. Murders In The Zoo is sinister but has also some comical moments. Mad Love is made by the famous cinematographer Karl Freund who also directed The Mummy. Mad Love features a creepy role of Peter Lorre and Colin Clive in a kind of reverse role to the one he played in Frankenstein. Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse is a sinister film in which the main character possesses a mental power to control the minds of his victims, using them for his evil purposes. Dead Of Night features a couple of story lines with unexpected twists.
Marta’s 10 favourites (in no particular order)
The Body Snatcher
Cat People
The Invisible Ray
The Old Dark House
Son Of Frankenstein
The Bride Of Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
The Spiral Staircase
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
My 10 favourite films (in no particular order)
The Body Snatcher
Black Friday
The Invisible Ray
The Old Dark House
The Black Room
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
The Bride Of Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
Son Of Frankenstein
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Recently I read a funny quote by Lucien Ballard, an American cinematographer, who filmed major works like e.g. The Killing & The Wild Bunch, but he was also known for his atmospheric photography in John Brahm's film The Lodger (1944).
For that film he cloaked Victorian London with his impressive fog effects.
When one producer criticized it, saying "the real fog doesn't look like that", Ballard answered: "But it should".
Excellent!
By the way, this is a very strong film. I recommend it, if you ever come across it!
The main actor is a dude called Laird Cregar, a very talented actor. Not exactly the most famous actor of his days. Apart from being a B-film actor (which doesn't mean anything negative), he also had a short career, because he died young, at the age of 31. He was overweight and in his next film Hangover Square (also very good), *Cregar decided to give the character a romantic veneer, and to that end, lost more than a hundred pounds on a crash diet which included prescribed amphetamines. The strain on his system resulted in severe abdominal problems; a few days after undergoing stomach surgery, Cregar died of a heart attack.
* from wiki
The other day I saw an excellent film by Melville. Melville is for me definitely the best French filmmaker. Well, I like one or two films by Henri-George Clouzot better, but because of that small amount of excellent films I can't call him my favourite French director. Melville takes that title, because of his suspenseful scenes in the streets and roads of France. Great actors, great shots, great stories, very artistic. Exciting films but also a treat for the eye. In an earlier post of mine you can see some shots of films I saw at that time.
This time the film was Le deuxième souffle, from 1966. Melville's last black and white film.
The film was released under English titles including Second Breath and Second Wind.
It's a crime film, starring Lino Ventura and Paul Meurisse, about an escaped convict who gets involved in doing one final job, in order to get enough money to leave the country.
Recently I read a funny quote by Lucien Ballard, an American cinematographer, who filmed major works like e.g. The Killing & The Wild Bunch, but he was also known for his atmospheric photography in John Brahm's film The Lodger (1944).
For that film he cloaked Victorian London with his impressive fog effects.
When one producer criticized it, saying "the real fog doesn't look like that", Ballard answered: "But it should".
Excellent!
By the way, this is a very strong film. I recommend it, if you ever come across it!
The main actor is a dude called Laird Cregar, a very talented actor. Not exactly the most famous actor of his days. Apart from being a B-film actor (which doesn't mean anything negative), he also had a short career, because he died young, at the age of 31. He was overweight and in his next film Hangover Square (also very good), *Cregar decided to give the character a romantic veneer, and to that end, lost more than a hundred pounds on a crash diet which included prescribed amphetamines. The strain on his system resulted in severe abdominal problems; a few days after undergoing stomach surgery, Cregar died of a heart attack.
* from wiki
The other day I saw an excellent film by Melville. Melville is for me definitely the best French filmmaker. Well, I like one or two films by Henri-George Clouzot better, but because of that small amount of excellent films I can't call him my favourite French director. Melville takes that title, because of his suspenseful scenes in the streets and roads of France. Great actors, great shots, great stories, very artistic. Exciting films but also a treat for the eye. In an earlier post of mine you can see some shots of films I saw at that time.
This time the film was Le deuxième souffle, from 1966. Melville's last black and white film.
The film was released under English titles including Second Breath and Second Wind.
It's a crime film, starring Lino Ventura and Paul Meurisse, about an escaped convict who gets involved in doing one final job, in order to get enough money to leave the country.
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Foro, have we talked about Sergio Leone yet? I have been watching his westerns, and I am about halfway through "Once Upon A Time In The West", which I am thoroughly enjoying. To see Henry Fonda as a bad guy is amazing! Charlie Bronson is always wonderful and he is again here.
Next, I think I'll watch the DVD rip of "Once Upon A Time In America", which is apparently a masterpiece that was sodomized by American editors in theatre.
Foro, have we talked about Sergio Leone yet? I have been watching his westerns, and I am about halfway through "Once Upon A Time In The West", which I am thoroughly enjoying. To see Henry Fonda as a bad guy is amazing! Charlie Bronson is always wonderful and he is again here.
Next, I think I'll watch the DVD rip of "Once Upon A Time In America", which is apparently a masterpiece that was sodomized by American editors in theatre.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
I really like Leone's films! I have seen Once Upon a Time in the West (fantastic music!) and the preceding trilogy with Clint Eastwood (who was asked to play Bronson's role but he wanted to do something else).
I also thought My Name Is Nobody (again with Fonda) is enjoyable to watch. Some absurd duels, again accompanied by the brilliant music of Ennio Morricone.
Once Upon A Time In America I have laying around here on DVD. I still have to see that one. Leone's last film... a very long one!
Hmm, I just read that Leone as a result was reportedly heartbroken by that American cut, and hence he never made another movie up until his death in 1989, thus making this Sergio Leone's final film.
I really like Leone's films! I have seen Once Upon a Time in the West (fantastic music!) and the preceding trilogy with Clint Eastwood (who was asked to play Bronson's role but he wanted to do something else).
I also thought My Name Is Nobody (again with Fonda) is enjoyable to watch. Some absurd duels, again accompanied by the brilliant music of Ennio Morricone.
Once Upon A Time In America I have laying around here on DVD. I still have to see that one. Leone's last film... a very long one!
Hmm, I just read that Leone as a result was reportedly heartbroken by that American cut, and hence he never made another movie up until his death in 1989, thus making this Sergio Leone's final film.
Re: Classic cinema / current cinema - thoughts and questions
Yes, exactly...I think it could very well be a masterpiece. I love the style he shoots in, and I love his attention to audio over visual. It's very interesting, especially for 1960s films.
Yes, exactly...I think it could very well be a masterpiece. I love the style he shoots in, and I love his attention to audio over visual. It's very interesting, especially for 1960s films.